What do the card colors mean?

All dogs who come to DogBoy’s Dog Ranch are evaluated when they come to stay with us to determine their compatability with other dogs. Upon arrival, they are assigned a yellow card so we know they are new or are in need of an evaluation.

If you have been on a tour, you have likely heard us explain that once evaluated, each dog is assigned a card color, to assist with the playgroup-building process. All new dogs are considered red card dogs until their evaluation is complete. Green card dogs are considered acceptable for playgroup. Red card dogs are either only able to go under special conditions, or with certain dogs, or are not qualified for playgroup with other dogs. The card color assignment is a generalization of overall dog behavior and there are exceptions.

Yellow Card - Given to boarding dogs who are new to DogBoy's and are being evaluated during their first stay.

Green Card - Given to dogs who are great in Playgroup with most other dogs.

Orange Card - Given to dogs who are fence jumpers or escape artists; also assigned to dogs who may have issues with specific dogs (females, young pups, etc.)

Red Card - Assignments include, but are not limited to, fence fighting, barrier biting, overt displays of dominance, and displays of aggression towards dogs and/or humans. Each red card dog requires extra attention and caution above and beyond the amount already given to each and every dog that boards with us. Although “red card dogs” are still allowed plenty of time outside, and are given extra people time to account for any missed playtime opportunities with other dogs, our staff availability as well as playgroup areas are limited. This problem grows exponentially as the number of dogs on the property increases.

In our efforts to maintain DogBoy's as a safe and happy place for all our visitors and to ensure our employees’ sanity, we must limit the amount of yellow, orange and red card dogs who board with us. These limits have been placed to ensure the safety of our other boarders, our staff, and to make sure there is enough TLC to go around the entire kennel.

Our staff has the right and the responsibility to keep certain dogs out of the playgroup, whether it be for aggression issues or simply a matter of the dog's best interest. Playgroup is a privilege, and any dog may be let out alone for any reason. Furthermore, playgroup is not always appropriate for every dog, and if it is determined that a dog is not a good fit for DogBoy’s, we have the right to refuse service in the future. Allowing dogs who are not a good fit to continue to come to DogBoy’s is unfair to the staff and to those dogs who are a good fit, who then might not get the time and attention paid to them that they deserve. Finally, it is unfair to you as a customer to be paying for services like playtime if your dog is not getting that time with other dogs. Since our services are all inclusive, the cost of playtime is a part of our regular rates.

Please understand that unless we explain otherwise, having a dog who is categorized with a red card does not mean that you will not be allowed to board with us. It only means that boarding with us may be more difficult during busy times. In some cases, training or a change in diet may improve the behaviors we are seeing. In other cases, it may be that the behaviors that cause this red card assignment could be exacerbated by continuing to board with us. If you are at all concerned, or would like to support us in our efforts to do what is best for your dog, we encourage discussion about your specific situation at any time.