General Rules and Policies
HOURS OF OPERATION: We are open Tuesday through Friday from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM.
TOURS: We realize that it’s important for you to see where your dog is spending its day with us. We pride ourselves in having a controlled and quiet group of dogs for their enjoyment while they are with us. For the dogs having a stranger (i.e. you or someone other than our staff) enter the areas where they are spending their time with our staff and other dogs can be upsetting to some and safety is our number one priority. With safety in mind we do not allow clients to walk beyond the confinement of our lobby areas and ask for your understanding and respect for all of the dogs we are responsible and caring for. The best way to tour the facility is to follow our social media feeds where pictures and videos are posted often or ask our staff to take video to show you at check-out and we will do what we can within reason to meet your request.
HOLIDAY OBSERVATION DATES CLOSED: We are closed for all major holidays including New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. In addition to holiday closures the facility shuts down for one week in the summer and two weeks at the end of the year and beginning of the next year. Inquire or follow us on social media for specific date announcements.
PARKING: In front of the building are four marked parking spots and a designated walk-way leading to the gated entry and departure area. Additional overflow parking is available during peak check-in and check-out times at the adjacent neighboring business parking lot.
CURBSIDE ASSISTANCE: A representative from TMH is available to assist clients with mobility issues and those with infants in the vehicle who are traveling in a car seat. Please provide us with advance notice if assistance is needed and understand your patience is appreciated during peak hours.
CHECK-IN HOURS: All clients and dogs must arrive between 6:30 AM and 9 AM.
PEAK HOURS: Please keep in mind our peak hours of operation are weekdays from 6:30 AM to 9 AM and 4:30 to 6:30 PM and during these hours our lobby can be very busy, our ringing phones may not be answered while our staff is doing their best to safely shuttle dogs to and from their owners. We ask for your patience during peak hours of operation.
HANDLER EQUIPMENT: Safety is always a top priority. To assist with efficiency clients may choose to eliminate unnecessary equipment (i.e. harness’, seat belts, training equipment, etc.) our preferred equipment is to fashion your dog with a slip lead or simple leash and collar. Your dogs belongings are removed and safely stored during the visit.
CLIENT FOLLOW UP COMMUNICATION: We understand the importance for conducting client conversations and our preference is always in person. While we must find a temporary work around for communication we do not anticipate a disruption in our ability to provide the same high-level of service you expect from The Mutt Hutt. In light of the current situation we will do our best to arrange in advance of your dog's departure the time needed for an in-person meeting or a phone call meeting. Our software system also allows us the ability to reach our clients for feedback on your dogs visits
TOURS: We realize that it’s important for you to see where your dog is spending its day with us. We pride ourselves in having a controlled and quiet group of dogs for their enjoyment while they are with us. For the dogs having a stranger (i.e. you or someone other than our staff) enter the areas where they are spending their time with our staff and other dogs can be upsetting to some and safety is our number one priority. With safety in mind we do not allow clients to walk beyond the confinement of our lobby areas and ask for your understanding and respect for all of the dogs we are responsible and caring for. The best way to tour the facility is to follow our social media feeds where pictures and videos are posted often or ask our staff to take video to show you at check-out and we will do what we can within reason to meet your request.
HOLIDAY OBSERVATION DATES CLOSED: We are closed for all major holidays including New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. In addition to holiday closures the facility shuts down for one week in the summer and two weeks at the end of the year and beginning of the next year. Inquire or follow us on social media for specific date announcements.
PARKING: In front of the building are four marked parking spots and a designated walk-way leading to the gated entry and departure area. Additional overflow parking is available during peak check-in and check-out times at the adjacent neighboring business parking lot.
CURBSIDE ASSISTANCE: A representative from TMH is available to assist clients with mobility issues and those with infants in the vehicle who are traveling in a car seat. Please provide us with advance notice if assistance is needed and understand your patience is appreciated during peak hours.
CHECK-IN HOURS: All clients and dogs must arrive between 6:30 AM and 9 AM.
PEAK HOURS: Please keep in mind our peak hours of operation are weekdays from 6:30 AM to 9 AM and 4:30 to 6:30 PM and during these hours our lobby can be very busy, our ringing phones may not be answered while our staff is doing their best to safely shuttle dogs to and from their owners. We ask for your patience during peak hours of operation.
HANDLER EQUIPMENT: Safety is always a top priority. To assist with efficiency clients may choose to eliminate unnecessary equipment (i.e. harness’, seat belts, training equipment, etc.) our preferred equipment is to fashion your dog with a slip lead or simple leash and collar. Your dogs belongings are removed and safely stored during the visit.
CLIENT FOLLOW UP COMMUNICATION: We understand the importance for conducting client conversations and our preference is always in person. While we must find a temporary work around for communication we do not anticipate a disruption in our ability to provide the same high-level of service you expect from The Mutt Hutt. In light of the current situation we will do our best to arrange in advance of your dog's departure the time needed for an in-person meeting or a phone call meeting. Our software system also allows us the ability to reach our clients for feedback on your dogs visits
Health Requirements and Medical Policies
REQUIRED VACCINATIONS: For our safety, your dog's health and it’s the law The Mutt Hutt requires all dogs who are receiving services at The Mutt Hutt are currently up to date with a rabies vaccine administered by a licensed veterinarian and provide proof of there within. All of the dogs visiting for daytime socialization are required to be fully vaccinated including Rabies, Distemper/Parvo (DHLP and/or DHLPP), Canine Influenza H3N2 or H3N2/H3N8 and Bordetella and provide proof thereof. We do provide services to our clients administering vaccines to dogs with an appointment. Please call 216-621-6888 for more information.
HEALTH RECORDS: We require all clients to provide proof of vaccinations from a veterinarian annually. It is your responsibility to upload veterinary records through the client portal and make sure that your pet continues to be fully vaccinated while visiting The Mutt Hutt. We reserve the right to remove your dog from the facility if they are not up to date on their required vaccines.
SPAY & NEUTER POLICY: With the exception of puppies younger than six months, The Mutt Hutt Ltd. does NOT accept dogs that are not spayed or neutered. If you are enrolling a puppy under six months, please advise us of your estimated spay/neuter date. We reserve the right to suspend any unaltered dog started at 6 months of age from socializing at The Mutt Hutt until the dog is recovered from surgery. Should your dog inadvertently become impregnated, The Mutt Hutt Ltd. shall not be liable for any resulting litter, illness or medical expenses, or otherwise.
FLEA & HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE: All dogs must be protected against fleas during the non-freezing months (in Cleveland typically this is April through November). We require clients utilizing our services to have veterinary issued flea preventative (no off-brands are permitted as they are not effective). Seresto brand flea collars are the only flea collars acceptable for a collar preventative. Your dog may be inspected for fleas at our discretion. If your dog is found to have fleas we will quarantine your dog and require your dog be picked up from our facility immediately. We may also refuse service until proper flea protection is given and an inspection shows no fleas. If your dog contracts fleas while at The Mutt Hutt we are not responsible because proper flea protection is your responsibility. Being dog lovers we suggest to all owners to provide your dog with a year-round heartworm preventative (this is not a requirement to be in our facility).
MEDICAL CARE: In the event of an injury or illness that may require medical care we will make every effort possible to contact you. Should our staff determine immediate care may be needed for your dog we will seek medical attention from the most readily available veterinarian.
HEALTH RECORDS: We require all clients to provide proof of vaccinations from a veterinarian annually. It is your responsibility to upload veterinary records through the client portal and make sure that your pet continues to be fully vaccinated while visiting The Mutt Hutt. We reserve the right to remove your dog from the facility if they are not up to date on their required vaccines.
SPAY & NEUTER POLICY: With the exception of puppies younger than six months, The Mutt Hutt Ltd. does NOT accept dogs that are not spayed or neutered. If you are enrolling a puppy under six months, please advise us of your estimated spay/neuter date. We reserve the right to suspend any unaltered dog started at 6 months of age from socializing at The Mutt Hutt until the dog is recovered from surgery. Should your dog inadvertently become impregnated, The Mutt Hutt Ltd. shall not be liable for any resulting litter, illness or medical expenses, or otherwise.
FLEA & HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE: All dogs must be protected against fleas during the non-freezing months (in Cleveland typically this is April through November). We require clients utilizing our services to have veterinary issued flea preventative (no off-brands are permitted as they are not effective). Seresto brand flea collars are the only flea collars acceptable for a collar preventative. Your dog may be inspected for fleas at our discretion. If your dog is found to have fleas we will quarantine your dog and require your dog be picked up from our facility immediately. We may also refuse service until proper flea protection is given and an inspection shows no fleas. If your dog contracts fleas while at The Mutt Hutt we are not responsible because proper flea protection is your responsibility. Being dog lovers we suggest to all owners to provide your dog with a year-round heartworm preventative (this is not a requirement to be in our facility).
MEDICAL CARE: In the event of an injury or illness that may require medical care we will make every effort possible to contact you. Should our staff determine immediate care may be needed for your dog we will seek medical attention from the most readily available veterinarian.
Safety, Equipment and Dog Handling Policy
OWNER AND DOG HANDLING: For the safety of your dog(s) as well as the other dogs, dogs must be leashed at all times as they enter and exit our facility. There is a high likelihood there will be other dogs in the lobby during our peak check-in and check-out hours so we ask that clients always have your dog on a leash or in a pet carrier to have full control at all times. If you use a retractable leash (ask us why these are a bad idea!) it must be locked at 5’ or less in length. If you do not have a leash to safely transport your dog to/from your vehicle into our facility please leave your dog in your vehicle and we will provide a loaner leash for their safety. Under no circumstances are owners permitted to unleash a dog while inside our lobby.
COLLARS AND LEASHES: All dogs must arrive on a leash attached to a collar or a slip-style lead. Being dog lovers and owners we highly recommend the martingale style collars and slip leads. Our staff is more than happy to familiarize clients with these collars and leads...just ask! For general safety we reserve the right to remove dog collars from dogs before entering the social areas of the facility. We also reserve the right to use color coded slip collars to identify dogs. In the event our dog handlers are escorted or transporting your dog outside of the facility every effort is made to use the leash and collar you have provided however we may find it necessary to use a martingale collar and/or slip-style collar or lead.
HARNESSES: Harnesses are a great choice of equipment for dogs and there are many different varieties of harnesses on the market for dog owners. Our staff does the best we can to keep up on the harness trends but given how many there are from time to time we may ask for your assistance. Please be advised during peak check-out hours if your dog has a collar and leash we may pass the harness on to you to keep the flow of dogs and clients checking out moving.
DOG HANDLER EQUIPMENT: We pride ourselves in being 100% transparent with our clients. Our dog handlers may use martingale collars, slip-style collars, slip-style leads, leashes and hang tabs (connected to collars) and Thundershirts (as needed) on some dogs while in our care and clients are always welcome to ask us about these tools at any time. We never use correction or training equipment (i.e. plastic or metal style prong collars) without an advance consultation and/or permission from our clients. We find it necessary to use a muzzle for grooming services only (nail trims, blow drying, etc.). Muzzling does not harm your animal and protects both the animal and the groomer/dog handler. In some cases, muzzling may even calm a stressed animal, allowing the grooming process to continue.
PROBLEM SOLVING UNACCEPTABLE DOG BEHAVIOR: We will always put the dogs' needs first and make our recommendations based on our observations and relationship we have established with the dogs we care for regardless of the clients wants or needs for themselves or their dog. We will not tolerate non-stop or excessive barking; it is very disruptive to the playgroup and work environment. In the event your dog displays or we observe a behavior of concern our goal is to find a solution which may include consulting with you to discuss options to help solve the problem. If a behavior problem persists we may find it necessary to suspend your dog from attending until a later time to allow owners and their dogs to work through the problem keeping an open door policy to try again at a later date . The Mutt Hutt reserves the right to refuse to accept or to reject upon acceptance, suspend or expel any dog who we believe would not safely integrate with the rest of the animals, or who we believe does not have an appropriate temperament to integrate into our environment. This includes, but is not limited to, aggressive, antisocial, overly active, overly anxious or physically ill dogs.
COLLARS AND LEASHES: All dogs must arrive on a leash attached to a collar or a slip-style lead. Being dog lovers and owners we highly recommend the martingale style collars and slip leads. Our staff is more than happy to familiarize clients with these collars and leads...just ask! For general safety we reserve the right to remove dog collars from dogs before entering the social areas of the facility. We also reserve the right to use color coded slip collars to identify dogs. In the event our dog handlers are escorted or transporting your dog outside of the facility every effort is made to use the leash and collar you have provided however we may find it necessary to use a martingale collar and/or slip-style collar or lead.
HARNESSES: Harnesses are a great choice of equipment for dogs and there are many different varieties of harnesses on the market for dog owners. Our staff does the best we can to keep up on the harness trends but given how many there are from time to time we may ask for your assistance. Please be advised during peak check-out hours if your dog has a collar and leash we may pass the harness on to you to keep the flow of dogs and clients checking out moving.
DOG HANDLER EQUIPMENT: We pride ourselves in being 100% transparent with our clients. Our dog handlers may use martingale collars, slip-style collars, slip-style leads, leashes and hang tabs (connected to collars) and Thundershirts (as needed) on some dogs while in our care and clients are always welcome to ask us about these tools at any time. We never use correction or training equipment (i.e. plastic or metal style prong collars) without an advance consultation and/or permission from our clients. We find it necessary to use a muzzle for grooming services only (nail trims, blow drying, etc.). Muzzling does not harm your animal and protects both the animal and the groomer/dog handler. In some cases, muzzling may even calm a stressed animal, allowing the grooming process to continue.
PROBLEM SOLVING UNACCEPTABLE DOG BEHAVIOR: We will always put the dogs' needs first and make our recommendations based on our observations and relationship we have established with the dogs we care for regardless of the clients wants or needs for themselves or their dog. We will not tolerate non-stop or excessive barking; it is very disruptive to the playgroup and work environment. In the event your dog displays or we observe a behavior of concern our goal is to find a solution which may include consulting with you to discuss options to help solve the problem. If a behavior problem persists we may find it necessary to suspend your dog from attending until a later time to allow owners and their dogs to work through the problem keeping an open door policy to try again at a later date . The Mutt Hutt reserves the right to refuse to accept or to reject upon acceptance, suspend or expel any dog who we believe would not safely integrate with the rest of the animals, or who we believe does not have an appropriate temperament to integrate into our environment. This includes, but is not limited to, aggressive, antisocial, overly active, overly anxious or physically ill dogs.
Reservation and Appointment Policy
RESERVATIONS: Due to limited availability and the priority to manage dog personalities reservations for daytime socialization are required in advance. Reservations for daytime socialization may be made through the portal or by calling us. We limit the number of dogs we allow each day making considerations for the personalities and behaviors of our daytime visitors. We will do our best to accommodate your needs. We reserve the right to deny a reservation request.
All requests submitted throughout the day with exception to Saturday and Sunday are confirmed as accepted or an email is sent when denied. We appreciate your patience while we review and accept requests in the order they are received. Clients are notified by email when we are unable to accommodate a request likely due to reaching an overall capacity limit. Please be considerate of our philosophy of managing dog personalities not numbers and we may find it necessary to reject requests to limit the number of dogs we are caring for on any given day as it’s important we make accommodations based on the individual personalities of each of the dogs we care for.
With capacity limits we find it necessary to make you aware of the current circumstances there is greater likelihood we may need to deny incoming requests made and encourage clients to book recurring weekly visits. Clients with dogs visiting us with a ‘Standing Reservations’ are earmarked for the majority of the spots we have to fill each day leaving the remainder of the openings to fill with the as-needed requests made in advance in the order they are received. While this option may not be feasible, be aware of the circumstances that are trending. We are doing our very best to accommodate each client and dog as best as we can.
STANDING DAYTIME RESERVATIONS: Due to our sometimes limited availability while meeting the needs of clients with consistent schedules we offer ‘standing reservations’ to ensure a weekly (or more) visit for your dog based on availability. All clients are encouraged to book standing reservations otherwise there is a greater likelihood a request for a visit will be denied.
All requests submitted throughout the day with exception to Saturday and Sunday are confirmed as accepted or an email is sent when denied. We appreciate your patience while we review and accept requests in the order they are received. Clients are notified by email when we are unable to accommodate a request likely due to reaching an overall capacity limit. Please be considerate of our philosophy of managing dog personalities not numbers and we may find it necessary to reject requests to limit the number of dogs we are caring for on any given day as it’s important we make accommodations based on the individual personalities of each of the dogs we care for.
With capacity limits we find it necessary to make you aware of the current circumstances there is greater likelihood we may need to deny incoming requests made and encourage clients to book recurring weekly visits. Clients with dogs visiting us with a ‘Standing Reservations’ are earmarked for the majority of the spots we have to fill each day leaving the remainder of the openings to fill with the as-needed requests made in advance in the order they are received. While this option may not be feasible, be aware of the circumstances that are trending. We are doing our very best to accommodate each client and dog as best as we can.
STANDING DAYTIME RESERVATIONS: Due to our sometimes limited availability while meeting the needs of clients with consistent schedules we offer ‘standing reservations’ to ensure a weekly (or more) visit for your dog based on availability. All clients are encouraged to book standing reservations otherwise there is a greater likelihood a request for a visit will be denied.
Rates, Payments, Fees and Cancellation Policy
RATES FOR SERVICES: Please visit our website for rates on the services provided by The Mutt Hutt.
PAYMENT METHODS, CHARGES AND BANK FEES: We accept checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and, of course, cash. Credit card information will remain confidential. Payment is required for all services rendered. Balances are paid in full at the time dogs check out of the facility. The Mutt Hutt is not responsible for overdraft or bank fees of any kind as a result of charging a clients credit or debit card should there be a lack of funds from the account. The credit or debit card on file will be charged for all services rendered unless you have notified us in advance to use an alternative payment method prior to the dog leaving the facility.
CANCELLATIONS: Cancellations for daytime visits are accepted at any time should your plans change. Please keep in mind we may have dogs on a waitlist for a visit therefore advance notice is very much appreciated.
LATE ARRIVAL: We ask clients to be mindful of our hours and arrive on-time. We reserve the right to refuse service to those who arrive after our designated check-in and check-out hours. Please be courteous and call in advance to make us aware of your need to be tardy. Clients arriving after 7:00 pm are subject to a $5.00 per 10-minute fee.
PAYMENT METHODS, CHARGES AND BANK FEES: We accept checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and, of course, cash. Credit card information will remain confidential. Payment is required for all services rendered. Balances are paid in full at the time dogs check out of the facility. The Mutt Hutt is not responsible for overdraft or bank fees of any kind as a result of charging a clients credit or debit card should there be a lack of funds from the account. The credit or debit card on file will be charged for all services rendered unless you have notified us in advance to use an alternative payment method prior to the dog leaving the facility.
CANCELLATIONS: Cancellations for daytime visits are accepted at any time should your plans change. Please keep in mind we may have dogs on a waitlist for a visit therefore advance notice is very much appreciated.
LATE ARRIVAL: We ask clients to be mindful of our hours and arrive on-time. We reserve the right to refuse service to those who arrive after our designated check-in and check-out hours. Please be courteous and call in advance to make us aware of your need to be tardy. Clients arriving after 7:00 pm are subject to a $5.00 per 10-minute fee.
The Mutt Hutt’s general rules and policies are subject to change without notice.
© 2005-2021 The Mutt Hutt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Last Update: June 15, 2021
© 2005-2021 The Mutt Hutt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Last Update: June 15, 2021
