Frequently Asked Questions

The Bark Inn offers a calm environment for those small dogs that do best in a limited group of similar sized social dogs.

Our specialized individual comfort visits are designed to help small dogs who are a bit more timid, slow to trust or take a while to relax.

Our grounds are set up to provide a relaxing and enriching environment to offer the dogs plenty of opportunity to explore, utilising all their senses.

Our guest accommodation is attached to our house and fully monitored.

Jo is the first Fear free certified professional in the Taupo region and practices force free and fear free principals.

We encourage you to provide your dogs regular diet, for the continuity and reduction of possible digestive upset.

This is free of charge.

If it is not practical for you to provide your own and your dog is on a raw diet, we are able to supply a combination of K9 Natural, Carnivoro, Fish and protein blocks or Ziwipeak starting from $3.50 per meal.

Please discuss with us well in advance if your dog has protein restrictions so we can make sure we have appropriate food in stock for the stay.

Please advise us upon booking and we will calculate the total cost for you.

Our guest lounge, attached to our house, is fully insulated with a heat pump and HRV system for your dog’s comfort.

Each guest is provided their own place for sleeping comfort with their bed or one of our comfy beds.

Guests from the same household can have an area to sleep together, talk to Jo if you would like this option.

We play classical music overnight and use adaptil plug ins to help reduce fear, stress and anxiety.

Guests are monitored through our cameras during their downtimes.

Parvo Virus, Distemper, Hepatitis (Vanguard 5) – every 3 years.

Leptospirosis and Canine Cough – yearly.

If your dog receives different vaccines, please contact your vet for frequency required.

Vaccines due to expire during or within two weeks after the boarding period will need to be renewed prior to attending The Bark Inn.

All vaccines are required no less than 14 days prior to attending The Bark Inn Ltd to provide full immunity.

We can arrange a pick-up / drop-off from Taupo. An extra charge will apply.

For secure transport, we use a crating system or have dogs secured via seatbelt harnesses.

We only offer this service once we have a relationship with the dog as traveling can be stressful for dogs.

We play relaxing music and spray Adaptil transport in the vehicle to help reduce the stress of transport,

Yes, but please let us know of all medical problems and medication when booking.

We cannot take any dogs that have a contagious disease or condition or dogs who have had a transmittable condition within the last 30 days without a certificate of clearance from your vet, this is for the safety of all our guests.

If your dog has visited the dog in the month leading up to their retreat, please provide the vets notes in case they are needed.

Some conditions we cannot cater to is Diabetes, Epilepsy that is not under control, high grade heart murmurs or renal failure. For other conditions please ring and discuss with us.

We love the opportunity to show you around.

We ask you to make the booking for a meet and greet without your dog on a separate day to a comfort visit or we can show you around after the comfort visit.

Our guests are small dogs who enjoy and are comfortable with other dogs of a similar size.

The Bark Inn Ltd take dogs standing up to a maximum of 40cm from ground to shoulder when adults.

Weight discussed upon application, please indicate on our form the current weight.

The Bark Inn Ltd does not take Bull Terriers, Bull Dogs or Staffordshire Bull Terriers (Staffies), these dogs while they can stand within the maximum height, are considered outside the small dog range.

If The Bark Inn Ltd feels any other dogs that meet the height requirement may not be a good match for our other guests The Bark Inn Ltd will offer suggestions for alternate pet care.

You are required to pay the full charge for all bookings before dropping off your dogs.

Payment by internet or bank deposit must be cleared before the dogs are dropped.

All bookings for peak periods (between 20 Dec to 10 Jan) require a $100 deposit at time of booking being confirmed by The Bark Inn.

Peak period bookings (between 20 Dec to 10 Jan) require a minimum 5 nights stay. This is to provide a more settled routine for our guests.

We do not offer traditional daycare services, however we have Country Club events which is by invite only to our family members over eight months once a month.

And Family Members (those dogs on our books) have access to day retreats on a number of days by request.

We require all first time bookings to attend a minimum of a comfort visit and a separate overnight sleepover before a longer booking is accepted.

Our comfort visits can be an initial visit with you, followed by short visits by themselves, or a full day visit.

We set a plan in place with you to help your dog feel safe and happy in our environment.

The initial visit could be followed by one or two short sleepovers before a longer stay.

We make every effort to give your dog a warm, happy, safe and low stress environment, following fear free protocols.