FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
For most general queries and questions, you would find the answer in these FAQs. For any query beyond this list, please contact us using the link below.
Where are the dogs kept?
Poochies are with their pack leaders 24/7 hours a day, they go on walks on the 12 acres of land. This takes place early morning till just before 6pm. Poochies also have the option of going inside and relaxing. The property is also sectioned so that small puppies can be with small puppies and older dogs can be kept with older dogs and the big robust pooches can party it up together without hurting any small dogs.
What are your rates or How much do you charge?
Durban Dog Hotel rates and prices for dog staying at the Durban Dog Hotel
Out of season
1 dog R275 exc vat per dog per day
2 dogs R200 exc vat per dog per day
3 dogs R185 exc per dog per day
4 dogs and up R150 exc vat per dog per day
Peak seasons
Easter Weekend and Christmas, December 15th – 15 Jan
1 dog R300 ex vat per dog per day
2 dogs R225 ex vat per dog per day
3 dogs R200 ex vat per dog per day
4 dogs and up R185 exc vat per dog per day
Long term stays
3 weeks and over
R275 including VAT per dog per day
1 month and over
R250 including VAT per dog per day
Please enquire with the office for longer term stays
Do we offer a pensioner discounted rate?
Yes, we do!
5 % off!
These are bath and grooming prices only
Bath Small Short Hair – R130.00
Bath Small Long Hair – R150.00
Bath Medium Short Hair – R170.00
Bath Medium Long Hair – R190.00
Bath Large Short Hair – R210.00
Bath Large Long Hair – R230.00
What if my dog doesn't get along with others?
Dogs will be slowly introduced to one another whilst leashed and only once they prove comfortable will they be unleashed. Any dogs that are temperamental and showing signs of aggression will need to go into separation. Separation involves your poochie being placed with his/her very own person who is a 24/7 carer to only your doggie. Please note this is at an extra fee. We will always contact you before moving forward with a separation.
Who will take care of my dog?
Management and the pack leaders will be there to give your pooch their undivided attention
What must I bring?
Dog owners must bring dog food and/or choose food off our fabulous tail wagging doggie menu.
Fur kids must come with a collar and tag that has a name and contactable number on.
What happens if my dog gets sick?
Please see our Booking Terms and Conditions for more detail on this.
Can my dog escape the property?
The 12 acres is fully fenced. We regularily do a perimeter check of the property and check for any holes or breaks in the fence and we do our absolute utmost to ensure all gates are meticulously controlled.
Please do keep in mind though that this is a home environment, everything in our power has been done to ensure no dog can get out of the premises but if you would like total security with no human error a kennel where dogs are caged for their full stay is recommended. Having said this, a well-known kennel in our area where dogs are caged, has had a dog escape. Human error, severe separation anxiety and ‘houdini breeds’ are factors. The Durban Dog Hotel holds no liability for escape artist pooches.
Will my dog be groomed
Baths are available on request according to poochie size and fur length
How will I know my fur baby is doing okay?
WhatsApp updates are given 5 days of the week including photos and videos of your poochies vacay or day care.
Will my fur baby come home with fleas and ticks?
No. The Durban Dog Hotel religiously treats the hotel and garden for fleas and ticks and no dogs are permitted entry onto the premises without confirmation of their being on a reliable monthly flea/tick treatment. Once every 30 days the 12 acres is treated with pet friendly disinfectant to kill any germs and keep the hotel clean and fresh for your baby.
What vaccinations are required for my dog to stay at the DDH?
We need all dogs to have their 5 in 1, Rabies and Kennel cough Vaccine before their stay 🐾🌸🥰
Nobivac DHPPi is for the active immunization of dogs against canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, canine parvo virus disease, and canine parainfluenza virus infection.
Vanguard® Plus 5 is for canine distemper (CD) virus, infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) caused by canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1), respiratory disease caused by canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), canine parainfluenza (CPI) virus and canine parvoviral enteritis caused by canine parvovirus (CPV).
The two above are 5 in 1 vaccinations, and they DO NOT include Rabies and the kennel cough vaccine.
Kennel Cough Vaccine and the Rabies Vaccine need to be requested at the vet.
5 in 1 vaccination needs to be done annually
Rabies vaccination needs to be done annually
Kennel cough needs to be done every 6 months, and it needs to be done 3 or more days before their visit to the hotel.
🌸🥰🐶
Your puppy will usually begin a vaccination program at around six to eight weeks of age. 🐶
7 to 9 weeks:
Distemper, infectious hepatitis, and parvovirus, although this may start earlier if the puppy is in an infected environment.
11 to 13 weeks:
Booster for 3 previous vaccinations + rabies and leptospirosis.
15 to 17 weeks:
Rabies and leptospirosis boosters.
15 months:
Boosters for all vaccines above.
Please be aware that we only take puppies after their 3rd round of vaccinations.
I came to drop off my dog and realised that one or more of his/her vaccinations are expired for over one month. Can you make a one time exception for me and still allow me to drop-off my dog?
No, we will have to decline your check-in for your dog and our other doggie guests safety. We CANNOT make any exceptions.
What is the likelihood of my dog getting sick at the hotel?
Doggies can be likened to children. If your dog goes out regularly and socializes with different people and doggies and explores new environments on a regular basis it is highly unlikely that your healthy doggie will become ill at the hotel as he/she has been exposed to and has therefore developed an immunity to most germs. If your doggie is a home body and doesn’t leave the house he/she will have little immunity against germs and bugs and may get an upset tummy or the like as they interact with doggies and people at the hotel for the first time. We have a full time cleaning staff and we pride ourselves on having a clean hotel but there will always be germs as your pooch is vacationing with other live beings (dogs and people). To prepare for your poochies vacation please ensure he or she is socialized, otherwise please consider our separation option (doggie stays with one person only and no other doggies). We also offer protexin, a great probiotic with you can order for your poochie to support his/her system during their stay – please request on your online check in form.
What are your check-in times?
Monday – Friday 8 am – 2 pm
Saturday- Sunday 8 am – 2 pm
What is your checkout time?
Monday – Friday is 10 am, for all checkouts after 10 am we charge an hourly late fee, and after 3 pm, we charge a full-day rate. Checkout closes at 6 pm.
Saturday- Sunday is 10 am, for all checkouts after 10 am we charge an hourly late fee, and after 12 pm, we charge a full day rate. Checkout closes at 3 pm.
Do you medicate the dogs and what type of medication do you give them?
We are able to administer most medications that you bring with for your pooch.
We do not carry prescription medications at the hotel but have over the counter dog meds, e.g. diomec, protexin, rescue, F10 cream etc, for minor issues, which we will ask your permission before administering.
We also have a personal vet that comes out to the hotel and is on call for us when needed.
How do I book my dog or dogs in?
The Reservation link is if you want to book your dog or dogs in
Make a Booking
Register as a customer link is
https://durbandoghotel.com/crm/authentication/register
You must be registered as a customer before you can make a reservation, and you only need to register once.
What time can I drop my dog off and what time is check-in?
Drop off should be before 2pm to ensure the smooth integration of the dogs and the settling in to the hotel pack life. please call us to arrange for any exceptions.
Don’t forget check-in on public holidays is 8am
What time is check out or what time can I fetch or pick up my dog or dogs?
Check out times
Monday to Friday before 6pm
Saturdays and Sundays and public holidays before 3pm
What times do you open or what is your operating hours?
We open Monday to Friday at 7am
Saturday and Sundays at 8am.
From what age can we bring our dog to the hotel?
Please be aware that we only take dogs after their 3rd round of vaccinations and puppies are allowed after their first vaccinations
What Vaccinations must my dog have before checking into the hotel?
We need all dogs to have their 5 in 1, Rabies and Kennel cough Vaccine before their stay
Nobivac DHPPi is for the active immunization of dogs against canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, canine parvovirus disease, and canine parainfluenza virus infection.
Vanguard® Plus 5 is for canine distemper (CD) virus, infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) caused by canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1), respiratory disease caused by canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), canine parainfluenza (CPI) virus and canine parvoviral enteritis caused by canine parvovirus (CPV).
The two above are 5 in 1 vaccinations, and they DO NOT include Rabies and the kennel cough vaccine.
Kennel Cough Vaccine and the Rabies Vaccine need to be requested at the vet.
5 in 1 vaccination needs to be done annually
Rabies vaccination needs to be done annually
Your puppy will usually begin a vaccination program at around six to eight weeks of age.
7 to 9 weeks:
Distemper, infectious hepatitis, and parvovirus, although this may start earlier if the puppy is in an infected environment.
11 to 13 weeks:
Booster for 3 previous vaccinations + rabies and leptospirosis.
15 to 17 weeks:
Rabies and leptospirosis boosters.
15 months:
Boosters for all vaccines above.
Please be aware that we only take puppies after their 3rd round of vaccinations.
Can I just order Hotel meals for my dogs stay?
Please note for our hotel guests staying over 3 days, they will need kibbles added to their hotel meals as it does not have the roughage the kibbles provide. We advise you to bring some kibbles in order to add some to their hotel meals
What is a meet and greet?
Meet and greets are held at the hotel. They need to be booked in advance. It normally lasts around 30 minutes. A meet and greet is where Sonseirai (One of the owners of the Durban Dog Hotel and our animal behaviorist) introduces your pooch to other social doggies to see if your pooch will cope and thrive in a pack environment or if they would do better away from other dogs and stay with his own person 24/7 in our One on One Care stays
Why would I need to put my dog into One on One Care if they are not spayed or neutered?
We do require all pooches that want to go into our hotel / day-care pack stays to be spayed / neutered after the age of 5 months. W when your pooch is over the age of 5 months they tend to come on season as soon as they are around other pooches. This will make for a very uncomfortable stay as your pooch will come on season, leading to unnecessary irritation in the pack by all the mounting to and from the other pooches in the pack.
Can a dog be bitten at the hotel?
At the DDH we have a strict screening process for all doggie guests. Dogs have to be social to be in a pack environment and if a dog is not social with other dogs we do offer a one on one service for your precious pooch pal, which includes all the same activities as the pack life just with no pooch pals, like a preschool environment, at times dogs will be dogs and kids do squabble. We have trained staff that oversees each pack and can intervene and manage any situation that arrives.
What if I have an old dog?
Our oldest dog that has come to the hotel regularly is 21 years old
We have a retirement section with a dedicated and loving pack leader who loves the oldies. they bask in the sun, relax on the porch, enjoy a little walk and enjoy their sunset years in peace.
Do you take aggressive dogs?
Dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs have the option of a one-on-one stay.
We do not take people aggressive dogs.
Our resident dog behaviourist has dealt with many aggressive dogs in the past and would be happy to help with any training if needed.
Where will my dog sleep?
In the house in the bed with their person, or couch or dog bed if they prefer.
When do we receive updates?
5 days out of 7. no Wednesdays or Sundays, videos and photo updates will be sent
How big is a pack?
Maximum of 10 dogs
What are the activities during the day?
Walk times in 12 acres
Ball times
Bubble times
Treasure hunts
Treat times
Nap times
Grooming times
Free play
When does my dog get fed?
Daily between 7 to 8 am and 4 to 5 pm.
Does my dog need a tick and flee treatment before coming?
The DDH does offer tick and flee pills which can we purchased and administered on arrival.
We highly recommend your pet is up to date with the tick and flea treatments and parts of the 12 acres property have certain types of bush that do carry ticks.
We do a health check every day so we would pick up on any ticks or fleas but dogs are still prone to getting tick bite fever if their flea treatment is out of date
Baths for long stays?
Because of the home environment of dogs sleeping in their pack leaders’ beds, baths are compulsory for long stays once every 10 days.
How do you create your packs?
Each integration into a pack is overseen by a dog behaviorist. integrations are done slowly. we introduce the new pup to one other doggy first, once they are comfortable with one another the next one is introduced, and so on. maximum number of dogs in a pack is 10.
We match dogs according to size, age, and temperament.
Dogs are born to be social animals and they end up having a blast in a pack environment!
Do you house cats?
Unfortunately, not but we have had the occasional fish and hamster
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