CALL OR TEXT: 814-321-5977
DOG BOARDING GUIDE
We are delighted to introduce you to the only state-licensed, in-home, and insured dog boarding facility in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Located on a sprawling 200-acre property in Port Matilda, near State College, our unique boarding facility offers a distinct off-leash, kennel-free environment. With a dedicated focus on quality over quantity, we take pride in providing personalized care and attention by boarding no more than three clients at a time. While most of our clients hail from within Centre County, we warmly welcome dogs from outside the county or state when you travel here for business, personal, or recreational purposes.
This page aims to guide you in determining if our dog boarding services are an ideal match for your furry companion.
Is Your Dog a Mountain Pets Dog?
Suitable Dog Boarding Candidates
At Mountain Pets, we welcome most types, ages, sizes, and genders of dogs for boarding. Our facility provides a warm and inviting environment that caters to various needs.
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Sizes ranging from tiny terriers to large golden retrievers
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Dogs with low to high energy levels
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Puppies at least 4 months of age, who have completed their puppy vaccination series, and are 100% house trained
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Seniors who require a low-stress environment, a relaxing place to unwind, and attentive supervision
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Dogs needing medication administration during their stay
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Neutered or spayed dogs older than 10 months (if you are waiting to "fix" your dog until it is a bit older, please feel free to reach out once that is done).
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100% fully house trained, without using a dog door, should be free from occasional accidents indoors or marking inside, and must be able to go through the night without needing a potty break
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Have good social skills with other dogs, understanding their cues and boundaries without conflict arising
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Have completed basic obedience training or are otherwise attentive listening to basic commands, come when called, and overall well-mannered behavior
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If leash-required, they must be leash-trained to walk without constant pulling or lunging
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Have no history of biting humans or other dogs
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UTD on all vaccinations including Rabies, Bordatella and Influenza (all required)
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Current on flea and tick prevention
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Unsuitable Dog Boarding Candidates
While we strive to accommodate a wide range of dogs, we want to be very transparent that there are certain types and behavioral issues that are not a good fit for our in-home boarding environment. Unlike in most kennel environments, dogs in our home boarding environment are in very close quarters with each other 24/7. We do not crate or room dogs or otherwise separate them here, so they must meet all of our criteria.
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Dogs of extra-large size (roughly greater than 100 lbs)
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Mastiff, slobbering and bully breeds, including bully mix breeds
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Incontinent dogs
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Intact or unaltered males and females
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Dominant or triggering behaviors, such as nonstop sniffing of other dogs' private parts, marking indoors, mounting other dogs, muzzle nudging, teeing off or otherwise and bullying
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Inability to settle down and rest in the house
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Excessively high play drive that might overwhelm other dogs and necessitate human intervention
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Poor indoor house manners and social boundaries, including aggressively stealing other dogs' toys and not respecting individual dogs' cues, pushing through and past humans, running over smaller dogs, attempting to steal human's food, scratching doors, and excessive barking when left alone
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Lack of sufficient obedience training, failure to respond to basic commands, requiring constant correction, and/or reliance on an e-collar inside the house for basic obedience
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Dangerous behaviors like jumping or lunging at or on people
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Intense separation anxiety when away from home or owners or displaying a strong desire to run away or get out
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Considerate Policy Regarding Dog Boarding
At Mountain Pets, we believe in providing a serene and nurturing environment for all our furry guests. To ensure the well-being and comfort of each dog in our care, we kindly request that dogs currently experiencing major life stress, such as moving or undergoing a divorce, be boarded at a later, more settled time. We value their emotional health and strive to offer a stress-free experience during their stay with us. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out, and we'll be happy to assist you in finding the best solution for your dog's boarding needs.
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Alternate Boarding Options
For dogs with specific behavioral challenges or separation anxiety, we recommend considering pet sitting services in the comfort of your home or boarding at a kennel facility.
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If you have any questions regarding the suitability of your dog for boarding here or need information about our pet sitting services or local kennels, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Mountain Pets is licensed with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement as a boarding kennel, License # 17360, K Class BK1. The Bureau performs 3 unannounced inspections per year. Mountain Pets does not have or use kennels or outdoor caged runs as a part of our dog boarding service. Anyone or business who boards at least 26 dogs per calendar year for compensation is required to hold a state issued kennel license.
Mountain Pets carries pet sitters business liability insurance as well as Care, Custody and Control Insurance, which offers coverage for veterinary medical expenses for injury or illness of your dog, regardless of fault, while your dog is under my care and control.
Inquiry and Booking Process
Make an Inquiry
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1. Contact Us: To inquire about our dog boarding services, you have several convenient options:
- Call or text us at 814-321-5977.
- Email us at joanna@mountainpetsitting.com.
- Click on the CONTACT button to complete an online service inquiry.
2. Inquiry Information: When making an inquiry, kindly provide the dates for your boarding needs and basic information about your dog(s) including breed, sex and age. Our dog boarding stays can be as short as one night, multiple days, or weeks. As we maintain a cozy setting by boarding only 2-3 dogs at any given time, we recommend booking in advance, especially during peak periods like holidays and summer months. After successfully completing the onboarding process (see below), you may request service up to 6 months in advance. For first-time clients with last-minute requests, we will do our best to accommodate you, though it will be subject to the onboarding process described below.
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Onboarding Process
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1. Phone Consultation: We'll begin by scheduling a ~20-minute phone conversation. This call will allow us to collect essential information about your dog and answer any additional questions you may have regarding our services and facilities.
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2. Complimentary In Person Meet and Greet: Should we mutually decide to proceed, the next step involves scheduling a one-time, ~30-minute complimentary meet and greet at Mountain Pets. During this meeting, you and your furry companion(s) will meet us and our dogs. Dogs will be leashed and the meeting will take place outside the house and in the yard. It is also an opportunity to continue gathering vital information about your dog's needs and preferences. Feel free to browse the Dog Boarding Image Gallery below to get a glimpse of dogs inside the home.
3. Submission of Documents: If both parties agree to continue, you will be required to complete an intake form about you and your dog, carefully review the terms of boarding, and provide your dog's latest vaccination records. These records should demonstrate that vaccinations are up to date, including but not limited to Bordatella, Influenza, and Rabies. Additionally, we require proof of current flea and tick prevention, current intestinal parasite prevention or a negative fecal testing result and a dog license in the county you reside. After you submit these documents, we will review them, and a final decision will be made regarding proceeding with a one-night boarding assessment.
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4. One-Night Boarding Assessment: In the event that both parties agree to continue, we will schedule a one-night boarding assessment for your dog(s). During this 24-hour stay at Mountain Pets, typically scheduled from 12 pm to 12 pm, Monday through Thursday, we will assess your dog's compatibility with our boarding environment. This assessment includes several walks, a house-training evaluation, observations of healthy play and boundaries with other dogs, as well as behavior when left alone in the house. Furthermore, we will observe how your dog adjusts to overnight stays in our bedroom alongside other dogs.
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5. Booking a Boarding Stay: Congratulations on making it this far! If it is determined that your dog is compatible with our boarding environment from the boarding assessment, it is time to check our availability and book your first stay. A successful first stay is a prerequisite for making additional booking requests and reservations and does not guarantee future boarding reservations. At any time along the journey of a dogs life, it can experience what we call a "back sliding" in training or other behaviors, which may necessitate a revaluation for compatibility with our boarding environment.
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We are thrilled to embark on this journey with you and your furry friend, and we look forward to providing the highest level of care during their stay at Mountain Pets. If you have any further questions or are ready to begin the onboarding process, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Appointments
1. Meet and Greet Appointments
Monday through Friday 9am-6pm
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2. Drop Off and Pick Up Hours by Appointment Only
Monday through Friday 9am-6pm
Saturday 9-11am and 4-6pm
Sunday 11am-12pm and 5-6pm
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Tip: As you consider booking our services, we advise having more than one pet care option for your future travel needs. Due to the limited number of clients we serve each day, availability cannot be guaranteed for all requests.
Dog Boarding Rates &
Payment Information
Rate Details
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At Mountain Pets, our dog boarding rates are based on an overnight stay for up to 24 hours. We kindly request that you pick up your dog around the same time of day you dropped them off to avoid extended day care fees. We are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all our guests, and in the event of safety concerns with any dog being off-leash, we will switch that dog to a leash-required status, and the rate will be adjusted accordingly.
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One of the things that sets us apart is that there are no additional fees for exercise activities or amenities. We believe that exercise and fun are integral to your dog's happiness and a successful stay, and we ensure that they enjoy these activities without any extra charges.
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A Note About Off-Leash Privileges and Rates
At Mountain Pets, we prioritize the safety of all dogs while off-leash, making it a crucial aspect of our service. To maintain off-leash status, your dog must consistently exhibit excellent recall. In the event of safety concerns with your dog's off-leash behavior, we reserve the right to switch them to leash-required status, with corresponding charges. If your dog lacks strong on-leash skills, we may request alternative boarding accommodations of your choice to ensure their well-being and exercise needs are met in a secured area.
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For detailed pricing information, kindly visit our Rates page.
Payment Details
For your convenience, we offer various payment methods, including online payment with any major credit card, as well as cash or check made out to Mountain Pets LLC.
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Deposit: To secure dog boarding reservations during peak periods, including Memorial to Labor Day week, all federal holiday weeks, and Penn State Spring Break, we require a 50% deposit of the estimated service cost. Deposits are fully refundable if the booking is canceled 30 days before the service start date. For cancellations made 29 to 8 days before the service start date, deposits will be held as credit for future bookings. However, deposits will be nonrefundable and not held as credit for cancellations within 7 days of the service start date.
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One Night Boarding Assessment: Payment for the one night dog boarding assessment is required in advance to secure the reservation.
Dog Boarding Services: Upon completion of the mutual agreement between clients and Mountain Pets, we will invoice the required deposit to hold bookings. A final invoice for services will be issued at the end of your dog's stay, which is due on or before the day you pick up your dog.
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We value your trust in us to care for your beloved pet, and we take pride in delivering a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience during their time with us. For more information about the amenities we offer during dog boarding, please visit our About Dog Boarding page.
Should you have any further inquiries or wish to make a reservation, please do not hesitate to contact me. We eagerly await the opportunity to welcome your dog into our Mountain Pets family and ensure they have a delightful stay with us.
