What are the first steps to sign my dog(s) up for Ruff Breaks?
Where can I get The Ruff Break Application?
How do Ruff Breaks work?
How do Fast Breaks work?
What are the advantages of Ruff Breaks?
How does pet sitting work?
Is overnight pet sitting an option?
Are areas outside of Rochester covered?
How much extra is each additional dog per Ruff Break?
Does The Ruff Break exercise and care for dogs on holidays?
Is there an additional charge for pet sitting and Ruff/Fast Breaks on holidays?
Why do you charge sales tax on your services?
Are there any other fees required to sign my dog up?
When can Ruff Breaks and Fast Breaks be scheduled?
Do I have to track of how many Ruff Breaks and Fast Breaks I have used?
How can I mix and match Ruff Breaks and Fast Breaks?
Will my dog be with other dogs during its Ruff Breaks?
Can I reschedule Ruff Breaks?
What happens if I forget to cancel a Ruff Break?
Do Ruff Breaks expire?
Will you exercise my dog in bad weather?
What kinds of activities do you offer with Ruff Breaks?
Is my dog to old or too heavy for Ruff Breaks?
Is my dog too aggressive or uncontrollable for Ruff Breaks?
How do Ruff Break rates compare to local doggie daycare rates?
What are the benefits of being a member?
What are the advantages of Ruff Break in-home pet sitting?
How do Ruff Break pet sitting rates compare to local boarding rates?
Are there any requirements for in-home pet sitting?
Can I renew Ruff Break memberships online?
Can I pay for Ruff Break pet sitting online?
What are the first steps to sign my dog(s) up for Ruff Breaks?
The first step is to send us an email through the Contact Us link on the main page.
On the Contact Us form you will have an opportunity to leave us questions or comments.
You should expect a response within the same day. We will then work with
you to setup an initial meeting so that we can introduce ourselves to you and
your dog(s), go over the Ruff Break application and any details specific to your
dog(s) needs and environment. We then come up with a Ruff Break/Fast Break schedule
for either an exercise membership or pet sitting. That’s it!
Where can I get The Ruff Break Application?
Here it is… The Ruff Break Application. The
application has three parts: contact information, pet profile and Ruff
Break/veterinary releases. This application only needs to be filled out
once. Please download, print, and fill out this application to the best
of your ability before your pet’s first Ruff Break. If you have more than
one pet, please print extra Pet Profile sections. Thank you!
After you sign up for one of our memberships we
work with your schedule to develop a Ruff Break exercise plan for
your dog. Then on the scheduled days and times we show up at your
house, notify you via a text message if you elected this option
on the Ruff Break Application,
greet your dog, and off we go on a Ruff
Break! Each Ruff Break is 40 minutes of actual exercise devoted to your
dog. We don’t put your dog in an area with other dogs and passively
supervise. We are active participants in your dog’s exercise for the
entire duration. Along the way we may stop to work on basic obedience
commands like sit and stay, so they stay fresh in your dog’s mind. Depending
on your preference, other dogs may join your dog on Ruff Breaks. This
is a great way for your dog to socialize, because it is literally
part of a pack during the Ruff Break. Dogs, being almost identical at
the DNA level to wolves, are ingrained to migrate and roam in packs.
Besides the exercise benefits, Ruff Breaks are great for your
dog’s well being because they simulate pack migrations and hunts.
Whether we walk, run, skate or bike, your dog is a member of a moving
and migrating pack and after the Ruff Break is over, your dog is
rewarded with affection and treats. It doesn’t get much better than
that in a dog’s world!
A Fast Break is a chance for your dog to stretch its legs, go for a
short walk and a bathroom break. Fast Breaks reassure your dog while
you are away. Each Ruff Break is worth two Fast Breaks which allows
you to mix and match Ruff and Fast Breaks according to you and your
dog’s needs. Fast Breaks are popular for pet sitting when multiple
visits are required in a single day. For example, if we are watching
your dog over the weekend, its Saturday may look like:
-
a Fast Break in the morning
-
a Ruff Break during the afternoon
- and a Fast Break at night
Or if you are running late at work and need us to give your dog a
Fast Break, we do that too!
What are the advantages of Ruff Breaks?
-
No driving required to drop off or
pick up your dog before and after work -
No aggression test to pass.
-
Your dog gets a fun and challenging exercise workout
-
Your dog will be tired
after its Ruff Break and can calmly enjoy the rest of its day -
Your dog stays in the comfort of
its own home and environment -
Your dog learns to ignore
distractions and gets basic obedience commands reinforced.
Members can use the Ruff Breaks in their membership for pet sitting. Since each
Ruff Break is equivalent to 2 Fast Breaks, members can customize how we care
for their pets while away for extended periods. Members can also use their Ruff
Breaks towards overnight pet sitting if that is appropriate for your pets. See
the following question/answer below. As an example of our multiple visit pet sitting,
let’s say you are planning to be away for two days and need us to pet sit your dog. You want
your dog to have 2 visits on day 1 with exercise and 3 visits on day 2 with
exercise. On day 1 we would give your dog a Ruff Break (40-minutes of exercise)
in the afternoon and a Fast Break at night. On day 2 we would give your dog a
Ruff Break in the morning, a Fast Break in the afternoon, and another Fast Break
at night. The combinations are completely up to you. Give us a call or send
us an email if you have any questions about how our pet sitting will work for
your situation.
Is overnight pet sitting an option?
Yes… Although our main model is based on multiple visits per day/night with the dogs we care for, which works great for most dogs, there are times when overnight pet sitting may be the best option for your pets. However, it is up to our team members’ willingness and availability for overnight pet sitting. In other words, overnight pet sitting is never guaranteed regardless of how far in advance it is requested until it is confirmed that we have a team member willing and available for the requested dates. When we do overnight pet sit, we stay with your dogs overnight from 8pm to at least 7am, and more often than not until 9am or 10am the following morning. One Ruff Break is included between 8pm and 7am. The advantage, besides having someone there all evening and night with your dogs, is that you don’t need to add a separate night Fast Break or a morning Fast Break the following day. Members use 3 Ruff Breaks per night for the overnight portion of the pet sitting. Most will still need to use at least 1 Fast Break or 1 Ruff Break during the middle of the day, usually around 2 to 3pm for most dogs.
Are areas outside of Rochester covered?
We generally only exercise dogs in the Rochester area. But we have made exceptions for pet sitting when the duration
is limited to no more than 5 days. A travel fee will be added for any pet sitting outside of the Rochester area based
on distance.
How much extra is each additional dog per Ruff Break?
Each additional dog is usually just $3 extra per Ruff Break. But there are exceptions.
When two Ruff Break team members are needed because the additional dogs are mismatched
in terms of exercise ability or energy level, then
the total Ruff Break rate is 2 times the regular Ruff Break rate. For example: Lets say
you have two dogs that need to be exercised. Spot is a fast German Shorthaired Pointer who
can run and run and run with us next to him on a bike. Midnight is a mellow dog that
doesn’t really like to run, but prefers a good walk instead. You would like both of them exercised. We could pair
Spot and Midnight together on the bike, but Spot would not get nearly the exercise
he needs, because Midnight would be substantially slower. In this case we will have
two Ruff Break team members on the Ruff Break. One to bike with Spot and one to walk Midnight.
Since two team members are required in order for both dogs to get maximum benefit from
the Ruff Break, then the total Ruff Break rate is 2 times what it would be for one dog.
If the rate for one dog is $16 per Ruff Break, then the new rate under
similar siutations when two team members are present for the Ruff Break is (16 * 2) $32.
Situations like these may take 2 or 3 initial Ruff Breaks to determine. If this is the
case with your dogs then we will let you know after the first few Ruff Breaks, at which
point you can agree to the new Ruff Break rate, or just have us exercise the dogs
that are equally matched in terms of exercise ability and energy.
Alternatively, you can have us walk all your dogs for 10-20 minutes and then
focus the last half of the Ruff Break on the higher energy dog with more intense
forms of exercise. This way you only pay for 1 Ruff Break.
Does The Ruff Break exercise and care for dogs on holidays?
We do exercise and care for dogs on holidays! Holidays are considered one of the
following: New Years Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving,
and Christmas Day. There is an additional fee for pet sitting and Ruff/Fast Breaks
on holidays. Please refer to the next question for details…
Is there an additional charge for pet sitting and Ruff/Fast Breaks on holidays?
Fast Breaks that fall on the holidays mentioned above are deducted from memberships
(or billed) as Ruff Breaks. For example, if you have 8 Ruff Breaks left on your
current membership and you use a Fast Break on Labor Day, then you will have 7 Ruff
Breaks remaining after the Labor Day Fast Break instead of 7.5 Ruff Breaks.
Ruff Breaks that fall on the holidays mentioned above are deducted from memberships
(or billed) as 1.5 Ruff Breaks. For example, if you have 8 Ruff Breaks left on your
current membership and you use a Ruff Break on Thanksgiving, then you will have 6.5 Ruff
Breaks remaining after the Thanksgiving Day Ruff Break.
Pet Sitting essentially is composed of Fast and Ruff Breaks spread throughout the
day and the same additional rates explained above apply to each Fast and Ruff Break
for pet sitting days.
Why do you charge sales tax on your services?
Most services in Minnesota are not subject to sales tax… yet, but pet care services are and have been for quite a while. They include services that we provide for your pets in your home and any exercise services we provide regardless of where your pets are located. We wish we didn’t have to charge sales tax, but it is the law and we are obligated to collect sales tax for the services we provide. We have provided a link below to the Minnesota tax fact sheet that specifically encompasses animal care services and products. What we do as a business clearly falls under taxable services. See bullets 3 and 9 under taxable services.
Minnesota tax fact sheet for animal services and products
Are there any other fees required to sign my dog up?
Each dog is required to have pet insurance that covers the pet while in our care.
The fee is $7 for each dog per year. This fee is payable by separate check
for new members as part of the initial Ruff Break membership. For existing members
this fee is payable by separate check during the first membership renewal of the
current year.
When can Ruff Breaks and Fast Breaks be scheduled?
We do our best to accommodate your
schedule. For example, if you are a nurse and work the night shift and need your
dog let out in the middle of the night we will be there! Most of our clients use
our services during the day. Regardless of your work schedule,
ideally we like to visit your dog half way between when you leave for
work and when you return. This may fluctuate an hour or so from day
to day, but in general we find this to be ideal for the dog.
Do I have to track of how many Ruff Breaks and Fast Breaks I have used?
We track your memberships so you don’t have to, but you
can if you like. Any time during the membership we can send you a
list of days, times and how many Ruff Breaks or Fast Breaks you have left. When
your membership is close to the renewal date we will notify you via email.
How can I mix and match Ruff Breaks and Fast Breaks?
Every Ruff Break is equivalent to two Fast Breaks. Lets say your dog is signed up
for our Top Dog membership, which is 16 Ruff Breaks, then you have the equivalent
of 32 Fast Breaks. Sometimes your dog won’t need a full Ruff Break, so we give you
the flexiblity to tailor your dog’s membership. You could use all 16 Ruff Breaks,
or you could use half as Ruff Breaks (8) and the other half as Fast Breaks (16), or
any other combination that suits your needs.
Will my dog be with other dogs during its Ruff Breaks?
We encourage this as explained in the answer above to “How do Ruff
Breaks work?”. We only match your dog with other dogs that are
socially balanced. Most dogs enjoy Ruff Breaks with other dogs. But
in the end, the decision is up to you.
Certainly! If you don’t need a regularly
scheduled Ruff Break, just give us a call up to 1 hour before the scheduled Ruff
Break or send an email a day in advance of the scheduled Ruff Break and we
will reschedule the Ruff Break for the next scheduled day.
What happens if I forget to cancel a Ruff Break?
We do our best to make sure your dog gets exercised properly according to your schedule.
Our policy is: if we arrive at your house and your dog is not
present for its Ruff Break or we cannot get into the house for a reason outside
of our control, we will count the visit as a Ruff Break and notify you via email.
Ruff Breaks do not expire.
Will you exercise my dog in bad weather?
We do this all year long, in almost any weather condition. If we can get to your dog, then it
will get its Ruff Break! If the weather conditions are dangerous for
your dog then we will interact with it in doors, or in the yard. But
these situations are rare. Smaller dogs with thin coats have trouble
being outside for longer than 10 to 15 minutes when it is very cold.
We encourage owners to use dog boots and winter wear so their dogs
stay comfortable during outings. Our Ruff Break Store has all the gear your
dog needs to stay warm and safe in winter conditions.
What kinds of activities do you offer with Ruff Breaks?
Walking, running, biking, skating, Skijoring, weight pulling and even swimming during the warm months. The
activity we choose for a particular dog depends on the dog’s physical
abilities and weather conditions.
Is my dog to old or too heavy for Ruff Breaks?
No! We always give your dog’s physical
abilities priority in deciding how to exercise it. We can still give
your dog a great workout if it only likes to walk. We use dog packs to add
weight and intensity to the walks. We also monitor stats like
distance, speed, and maximum speed during some Ruff Breaks to get an
overall picture of your dog’s exercise abilities.
Is my dog too aggressive or uncontrollable for Ruff Breaks?
No! We have yet to encounter a dog we could not control during Ruff
Breaks. In fact, dogs often seem to take on different personalities
when they are on Ruff Breaks. “A tired dog is a well behaved
dog!”
How do Ruff Break rates compare to local doggie daycare rates?
Locally the daycare rates seem to range from
$18 – $12 which puts us right in line. But when you consider the
advantages of Ruff Breaks over doggie daycare, we believe Ruff Breaks
are a great deal for you and your dog! If you have multiple dogs
the savings can really add up. Additional dogs are just $3 extra per Ruff Break.
What are benefits of being a member?
Besides your dog being a member of The Ruff Break pack?
-
Discounts off all new gear in our store (All memberhips)
-
Discounts off all rental gear in our store (All memberships)
-
Discounts off behavior consultations (Top Dog membership)
-
Discounts off training sessions that teach you
how to bike, skate and treadmill with your dog. (Active and Top Dog memberhips) -
Dog behavior support and tips via
email or phone (All memberhips)
What are the advantages of Ruff Break in-home pet sitting?
The biggest advantage is that your dog stays in the comfort of its own home while you are away,
where it will naturally feel more at ease. The other advantages are
similar to the advantages of Ruff Breaks over doggie daycare answered above.
How do Ruff Break pet sitting rates compare to local boarding rates?
Local boarding rates range from $22 – $35 per dog
per night. Additional dogs are usually between $10 to $15 each. The
Ruff Break pet sitting rates for single dogs are comparable to local
rates. Members enjoy the best pet sitting rates. Savings really
add up when you have multiple dogs in our pet sitting care.
Are there any requirements for in-home pet sitting?
There are no special temperament or vet requirements.
Can I renew Ruff Break memberships online?
Certainly… just visit our Ruff Shop and
click on “Memberships & Pet Sitting”. There you will find all the details on our exercise memberships
as well as options for renewing online.
Can I pay Ruff Break for pet sitting online?
Yes… just visit our Ruff Shop and
click on “Memberships & Pet Sitting”. There you will find all the details on our pet sitting packages
as well as options for paying online.