Indoor dog Gym FAQ

1. What exactly is an indoor dog gym?

Our indoor dog gym is a place where owners and their dogs can come together to play, socialize, train, or even just hang out! Regardless of our temperamental Kentucky weather, the gym offers a space where you can still make sure your dog gets the exercise and stimulation he/she needs. During most gym hours, dogs are allowed off-leash to play, but we do offer reservations for private gym time if you have a dog that isn't a social butterfly or just prefer to focus on working or playing with your dog without other dogs as distractions. 

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2. What makes this different than a dog park?​

While there are some similarities to a traditional dog park, the dog gym offers a few extra levels of safety that aren't always possible in an outdoor dog park. Our indoor gym has someone on staff at all times who is educated in dog body language and managing dog play groups. Although dog owners are still ultimately responsible for the actions of their pets, our staff will be able to help determine if play is becoming too rough and/or if a particular dog needs a break from the action. 

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In addition to having educated staff on hand, the KCC indoor dog gym also requires proof of vaccination prior to using our services as well as a temperament evaluation to help determine if a dog is a good fit for off-leash play. For dogs who are not great candidates for group/off-leash play, we offer the ability to reserve private gym time to cater to those needs. 

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Unlike an outdoor dog park, our indoor dog gym is open rain or shine. Weather will only be a factor if it poses the risk of being severe. 

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Our indoor dog gym is also co-owned and operated by an experienced, NADOI-certified dog trainer.

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3. How do I go about becoming a member or just planning a visit to the gym with my dog? 

If your dog is over five months of age, we may need to do a quick temperament assessment to determine if he/she is a good candidate for off-leash play. New visitors* will need to come in to fill out paperwork and provide vaccination records prior to their first visit. We can guide you through this simple process if you call us at: (270) 478-5012 

 

*Dogs who are current daycare visitors at Paws Town, LLC  or current training clients at KCC may be exempt to needing a temperament assessment as we are already familiar with their temperaments. Call to discuss! 

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4. Does a member/visitor need to set up an assessment for each dog they want to bring to the gym?

Generally, the answer will be yes. However, if you have multiple dogs you would like to bring, we can schedule their assessments on the same day to prevent you having to come back multiple times. 

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5. Is there a fee for the temperament assessment?

No, there is no fee involved!

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6. What if my dog has never been on agility equipment?
It is important to introduce the equipment in a way that is safe and appropriate for your dog. We will provide information on safe and best practices for each piece of equipment during the assessment, but keep in mind that high impact exercise and high jumps are not appropriate for puppies, or those that are not in good physical condition. We have smaller pieces of equipment (and jumps can be set very low) which is often more appropriate for puppies. Overall, any activity that involves jumps, climbing, etc., poses an inherent risk and it is ultimately up to you to supervise your dog and choose activities that are appropriate. However, our staff is educated on the safety aspect of such activities and can guide you as far as safe practices for you and your dog. 

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7. What if my dog is injured or becomes ill during or after visiting the KCC Gym?
We require that all dogs be up to date on core vaccinations (including DHPP, Bordetella, and Rabies) in order to attend. Failure to keep vaccines updated will result in the suspension of gym membership/admittance until the issue is rectified. However, please understand that we cannot guarantee that your dog will not become injured or contract an illness when visiting our facility. Dogs, like people, can be susceptible to a wide variety of ailments which are not fully preventable. For example, kennel cough can be caused by the bordetella virus (which there is a vaccine for that we require) but also by a large variety of other viruses which the vaccine doesn’t always fully protect from. We do our best to prevent illness and injury, but can never promise that they will not occur. This is an unfortunate risk to taking your dog out into the world (or even to walking into that world yourself, then returning home to your pet). 

 

8. Do you offer classes for agility?
Yes! Group and private classes are offered periodically for getting your dog started in recreational agility. You can check our event calendar or give us a call at (270) 478-5012 for information on these classes.

 

9. How do memberships work?
For a set monthly fee, you gain unlimited access to our dog gym during gym hours. Membership for one dog is $49.99 with each additional dog in the household being an additional $10.00 per month. Please reserve gym time in advance by clicking here. 

 

10. How are memberships billed?
Membership payments are drafted each month using the card that you will save to your account.

 

11. Do memberships require a contract?
No, you can cancel your membership at any time! You will be able to continue using the gym for the month during which the last payment was made and will not be billed again after that. 

 

12. Can I get my membership fee refunded if I haven’t used it?
Since we do not require a contract, we do not refund membership fees; however, you can cancel your membership at any time to prevent any future fees from being drafted from the card on file. 

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13. How do drop-in visits work?

Once you have gone through the orientation and assessment process you can request a time to "drop in" as a visitor for a one-time fee of $14.99 (plus tax). 

 

14. How does private gym time work?

This is for an hour of gym time where you will have the equipment and space to yourself. Please note that private time is limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis. After you have completed our initial assessment and sign-up process, you can request a date and time for your visit.

 

15. I own a pet business; can I bring client dogs to KCC to work with or exercise them?

No, this is not permissible due to potential conflicts of interest. While we welcome fellow pet business owners to enjoy our facility, we do not allow the use of our facility to conduct or promote other businesses. 

 

16. Can I use pictures or videos of dogs (mine or others) on my pet business page?
No, this is not permissible due to potential conflicts of interest. While we welcome fellow pet business owners to enjoy our facility, we do not allow the use of our facility to conduct or promote other businesses. 

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17. What if my dog becomes aggressive or plays inappropriately with others while at the gym?

While we do everything we can to avoid this scenario, some dogs just don't enjoy or can't handle off leash play with others. This happens for a variety of reasons, none of them being that your dog is "bad dog!" Most often, this occurs with dogs who have matured and no longer enjoy playing randomly with others. This is totally normal, and we will help you navigate through it. Some dogs just need some training while others are happiest doing private gym time with just their humans. 

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18. I have multiple dogs; how many can I bring with me? 

We allow no more than two dogs per owner/handler as long as you are able to adequately supervise both dogs. You are also welcome to bring another human to help handle your dogs!​

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19. Are intact dogs allowed at the gym? 

Yes! All dogs are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Intact dogs (those that are not spayed or neutered) are allowed. However, we do not allow females in heat nor can we allow males that excessively mark or excessively mount. ​

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20. How old must a dog be to attend? 

For regular gym hours and unlimited memberships, dogs must be at least five months old. However, we have scheduled puppy play dates which we encourage owners to attend for younger puppies. This allows for puppies to socialize with others that are their "speed" until they are old enough to run with the big dogs. You can find upcoming puppy events on our event calendar.​

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21. Are human children allowed in the gym? 

Yes, at this time we do allow children aged seven years and older. However, if you are bringing a child please ensure that they are respectful of dogs, especially those they do not know. You must also ensure that you are supervising your child closely; children are not permitted on the agility equipment or treadmill for safety reasons. If you are planning to bring a child during your gym visits we highly recommend that you also bring them to your initial assessment so that they can learn about proper etiquette with you! 

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22. How long does a gym session last? 

Gym sessions are one hour in length. ​

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23. Do I need to schedule in advance to come?

We do require that visitors and members schedule their time at least 24 hours in advance. You can click here to do so. Feel free to put in multiple requests if you know that you would like to come on multiple days!​

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24. What if my dog has a potty accident while at the gym? 

We strive to keep our facility clean for all to enjoy. Owners are responsible for immediately cleaning up after their pets while attending the gym, both inside and outside the property. We have dog-safe cleaning supplies and staff on hand to assist!  

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25. Are any breeds NOT allowed? 

No. All dogs, regardless of breed, are assessed on a case by case basis. While we acknowledge that some breeds are inherently predisposed to being less tolerant of other dogs, we also know that every dog is an individual. We will discuss some things you can watch out for with your particular breed or breed mix during your dog's assessment so that you can approach socialization and play time safely and appropriately.