House Rules
The welfare of the dogs in our care and the confidence of their owners are our highest priorities. These House Rules reflect those priorities.
Before outlining the more usual terms and conditions, it should be emphasised that all dogs at the House of Mutt might be walked on fields, woods, riverbanks, beaches and forests, and will be living, walking and eating in a home environment alongside a small number of similarly socialised dogs from various households, including their own. Every care will be taken to ensure the dogs are safe at all times, but if owners are not happy with this level of fun and freedom they should arrange for isolated, kennelled accommodation elsewhere – what I call the ‘hermetically sealed box option’.
On the basis of that understanding, please find following our House Rules, designed to facilitate the safety of your dog and to ensure the confidence of all involved in their continued care.
YOUR DOG, OUR GUEST
Dogs are accepted on the basis of information provided verbally and on the Check In Form. Should dogs exhibit unsettling or dangerous behaviour not predictable from the information disclosed, the House of Mutt reserves the right to isolate them during the contract period. Dogs requiring such isolation will, depending on the situation, either be transferred into the Old Rectory Annex or a local boarding kennels, and the owners charged accordingly. It is therefore important the information provided is accurate, correct and includes such potential behavioural issues as possessiveness, aggression, running off or prolonged barking.
All dogs at the House of Mutt must have had annual vaccinations protecting their dogs against Leptospirosis and Kennel Cough; and at least triennial vaccinations against Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Adenovirus, Parvovirus . In addition they must be on an up-to-date worming, flea and tick treatment programme using veterinary licensed products. The House of Mutt can administer these antiparasite treatments if requested by the owner at the time of check-in.
Sex… is not encouraged. We recommend all adult dogs are neutered or spayed before coming to the House of Mutt. We will only accept unspayed bitches on their owner’s understanding that we are not responsible if their bitch should fall pregnant while in our care and on the understanding that they will be liable for additional isolation charges if their dog shows signs of season during her stay. Unneutered male dogs are subjected to additional pressures which may lead to aggression and wandering, so it is recommended for their own safety and well-being that they are neutered prior to their visit. The House of Mutt accepts no responsibility for issues arising from dogs being unneutered. Should unneutered dogs exhibit unsettling or dangerous behaviour, the House of Mutt reserves the right to isolate them during the contract period and charge their owners accordingly.
All dogs are exercised commensurate with their fitness and energy levels and their age. The majority of the dogs in our care are walked off-lead when in suitable, safe environments. Please advise us on the Check In Form if you would not like your dog walked off lead or if your dog has specific exercise requirements.
Bookings are confirmed on receipt of a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit of £28 per day’s stay. Balance of payment is due on the day of checkout. If the stay is cancelled at less than a month’s notice and we are unable to fill the space from a Wait List, the full amount of the stay will be charged. If a dog is returned home early on the request of the owner, the unused period of the contract will be charged. If a dog is returned home early on the request of the House of Mutt for any reason other than the behaviour of that dog or that she has come in to season, the unused period of the contract will not be charged. In extreme circumstances, such as the death of a dog ahead of a booked stay or if an initial stay reveals behaviours that results in House of Mutt having to cancel future bookings, the deposit will be returned less a 25% administration fee. No cancelled day’s deposits will be transferrable to another stay, or carried over to cover days that the dog is staying.
HOUSE OF MUTT’S UNDERTAKING:
House of Mutt will do all they can as far as is reasonably practicable to ensure the safety and highest welfare of the dogs in their care, and to abide by the guidelines outlined on the Check In Form.
House of Mutt will make every effort to contact the owner or their nominated UK-based representative for guidance should their dog fall ill or suffer an accident whilst at House of Mutt. If this proves impossible or impracticable, House of Mutt reserves the right to use the services, at the expense of the owner, of our recommended Veterinary Practices. All costs, fees and expenses incurred as a result of accidents or illnesses will be the full responsibility of the owner. Should a dog require veterinary treatment the House of Mutt and/or the treating Veterinary Surgeon may need to contact your vet for prior history. Please advise us on the Check In Form if you would prefer us not to do so.
House of Mutt cannot accept liability for loss, injury or death of dogs in our care. All dogs should have valid insurance taken out by their owners, the details of which are outlined on the Check In form.
Dogs at The House of Mutt will be under the immediate care and control of Sarah Mountford, The Old Rectory, Fakenham Magna; Monica Herbert, The Gables, Shouldham; Lucy Perry, Meadow Farm, Carleton Rode; Denise Mountford, Valley Farm, Rishangles; Judith Curtis, Main Barn, Southburgh; or Sharon Dingle, Bowers Farm, Attleborough. In addition they may be taken on walks or looked after by other experienced, trustworthy, trained and responsible staff. Each location has a valid Local Authority License to care for dogs in their home, and has current Home Boarding insurance. Owner’s contact details, Registration Form, Vaccination Records and Check-In Forms will be shared with their dog’s main House of Mutt carer. Owners will be consulted at the time of booking as to which House their dog will be staying at. Contact during the dog’s stay will be both with the House of Mutt office and the owner of the House at which the dog is staying.
We reserve the right, and only in the interest of the dog, to place the dog in an alternative House of Mutt House from that which they were originally booked in for, should the need arise. This could be owing to sudden illness of the host; an emergency situation developing at the host House such as fire or flood; the dog not gelling with other dogs in his/her company. In the event of this happening, House of Mutt would contact the owner and agree a best course of action. This could be returning the dog to the nominated UK point of contact, moving the dog to an alternative House of Mutt House, or booking the dog into a local boarding kennels. (It’s worth pointing out that no situation leading to any of these three options has ever been contemplated, but the option, I guess, needs to be within the rules.)
House of Mutt does not routinely recommend Trial stays. Experience has shown that trial stays are highly unsettling for new dogs and dogs who are currently in residence, and as such produce exactly the opposite reaction to the ideal. House of Mutt policy is to verbally discuss each dog with his/her owner ahead of the stay honestly, openly and respectfully. If there are any doubts from either side, then it is suggested that either House of Mutt visits the dog at home to carry out an introductory assessment; the owner looks for an alternative boarding accommodation; or the dog visits House of Mutt to carry out a trial daytime introduction.
All new members of the House of Mutt are introduced slowly and under regimentedly-controlled conditions to make sure that everyone fits in happily. House of Mutt regards this ‘introduction routine’ as being the single most important part of any stay, and the primary reason why we have in 14 years never had a dog that didn’t fit in or who struggled to settle. The introductory routine is non-negotiable however many times the dog may have stayed before, and with whom.
A typical daily routine at the House of Mutt might go something like: 7.30am Leg stretch in the paddock before breakfast. 10am Morning walk at the heath. 2pm Afternoon walk which might include a swim in the river, a training session in the paddock, some gentle agility. 4.30pm Tea followed by an evening in front of the open fire. 10.30pm Evening stroll in the garden. Biscuit. Sleep.
House of Mutt will not share owners’ contact details or information with any third party outside the direct House of Mutt team, and will fully safeguard those details complying with GDPR regulations.
OWNER’S UNDERTAKING:
Owners must register with House of Mutt prior to making any bookings. Completion of the Registration Form and opt-in acceptance of the House Rules will be taken as acceptance of these House Rules. Owners must provide full and correct information about their dog both verbally prior to booking and on the Check In Form once booked. All clients must complete a Check In form (one per dog) for each booking. Should clients not complete a provided Check In Form, their previous form will be taken as current.
Owners must inform House of Mutt as soon as is practicably possible if they require their dog to stay for different dates than originally agreed. House of Mutt will do all they can to accommodate such changes but reserves the right to re-house the dog if needs be at the expense of the owner.
Owners must consent to House of Mutt acting on their behalf with regards to any emergency Veterinary care required for their dog while under House of Mutt care. This will be alongside strenuous attempts to contact Owners and their nominated Representative in the UK, and will include consent for euthanasia should this be recommended on humane grounds by the consulted Vet . Owners must record with their own Veterinary Surgury that the treating Veterinary Surgeon at House of Mutt be able to access their dog’s record should urgent medical need arise.
Owners will indemnify House of Mutt for all costs, claims and damages arising from any act of their dog whilst in the care of House of Mutt. Owners are liable for the full replacement value of any item at House of Mutt which is damaged by their dog unless it was clearly caused by House of Mutt’s negligence or unless the owner provided adequate warning of such possible behaviour on the Check In Form.
Owners agree that House of Mutt may contact them by phone, email, text or message about their dog. If at any time owners wish their details to be removed from the House of Mutt database, they should call 00 44 1359 269703 or email stay@houseofmutt.com whereby they understand their details will be removed and all contact ceased.
FINALLY
From time to time House of Mutt may make recommendations or introductions of other service providers who may be of interest. It is the responsibility of the client to ensure that the services provided are suitable and we accept no liability in relation to any such services or any loss arising from or in connection with them.
Any health or behavioural recommendations are House of Mutt’s opinion-only and should be taken as such. It is the responsibility of the client to follow up any such recommendations with their own veterinary surgeon or dog behaviourist.
House of Mutt agrees to post photos of the dogs on Facebook and Instagram for their owners to follow their progress online. Some of these photos may occasionally be used tastefully in House of Mutt promotional material. Owners should alert stay@houseofmutt.com or 00 44 1359 269703 if they do not want photos taken of their dogs whilst at the House of Mutt.
House of Mutt reserves the right to refuse to provide services in respect of any dog at any time without prior warning.
These House Rules may be subject to change at any time without prior notification. This website, its contents and prices are also subject to change at the discretion of the House of Mutt. All prices quoted are excl VAT.
Thank you. Admin done, now let’s get on with what really matters: caring, as best we honestly, sensibly and possibly can, for your Dog :)