24 Paws Ranch caters to medium and large dogs that are healthy, friendly, social and non-aggressive. If you have smaller dogs that do not meet our weight criteria, we would be happy to give you a referral to a local cage-free facility that offers all day play and can accommodate your small dogs. Below is a list of our basic requirements:

•  All dogs should be at least 35 pounds to be able to integrate with the bigger dogs; however, a large breed puppy that has not yet reached 35 pounds will be accepted.
• We cannot accept any dog that exhibits aggression towards people or dogs. 
• We cannot accept a dog that is highly fearful, insecure and nervous. This behavior causes the dog to become a target by the other dogs, so they need special attention by a professional before being integrated into a large group of dogs. If you need to board a highly fearful dog, they should be placed in a kennel where they can be separated into small play groups or not integrated at all.
  
• We cannot accept any dog that will sink if they fall into the pool.
• We reserve the right to exclude some powerful breeds from boarding and daycare. When provoked, a powerful breed dog can quickly escalate into a high level of aggression that is often difficult to control. Please check with us if you have any questions.
• We require a vaccination certificate from your vet to show that your dog is current on your vet's recommended combination vaccination,  rabies and Bordetella (for kennel cough).
  
• Puppies should be at least 4 months old and have completed all puppy shots, including their first rabies shot. If your puppy is younger than 4 months old and you want to board them, we ask that you speak with your veterinarian so they can explain the risks involved with a young dog being around the other older dogs without having completed the full set of puppy shots. If you get the approval of your vet, we will be glad to take them at the ranch.
• All dogs over the age of 7 months must be spayed or neutered. In a social environment, an intact male is often viewed as a threat by the other male dogs. His presence changes the dynamic of the pack and can elicit aggression, even if your intact male has never exhibited aggression himself. Intact females, whether in heat or not, may be picked on by other female dogs, and male dogs will view her as an intact female and treat her as such. All of this contributes to a potentially unstable environment that can result in a dog fight; therefore, for the protection of all our guests, we cannot accept an unaltered dog over 7 months old.
• We do not have fleas on the ranch, so we require that all dogs arrive flea-free. If we find fleas on your dog when he arrives, we will bathe him with a flea & tick shampoo for a fee of $10. We will then require that you put your dog on a flea & tick prevention program.
  

Other important information:

We do see an occasional snake on the ranch, including rattlesnakes, so we encourage all dog owners to enroll their dogs in rattlesnake avoidance class. This is not a requirement for boarding, but is a good idea for the protection of your dog. We've found this to be the most effective method of avoiding a serious snake bite.   

We encourage you to visit the ranch, but we do ask that you call for an appointment before arriving at our gate. Due to the fact that dogs are out running on the 12 acres all day, we need notice of your visit so we can secure all the dogs so they don't escape when you enter.

We require a completed application with your first visit which includes all of your contact information, your vet, and information about your dog. Please click on the link below titled "24 Paws Ranch Application" for a printable PDF file. You can bring a completed application with you on your first visit, fax a completed copy to 760-789-2385, or complete one at the facility. We also require your dog's vaccination records on or before your first visit with your dog. If you are a resident from another state and are leaving your dog in any kennel facility in the state of California, please see the attached PDF file titled "CA Dept of Health Services". This is a list of approved and non-approved rabies vaccines for the state of California. Your dog must have a current, approved vaccine for California before being allowed at our facility.