Frequently Asked Questions

Our guardians are dedicated caretakers who come to the ranch through the lens of hospitality. Each has a track record of responsibility and a genuine love for dogs. We train them to read canine body language, manage group dynamics, and run deliberate play–rest cycles — skills that matter most for dogs who are well-adapted to social play and comfortable meeting new people and dogs. Their focus is enrichment, safety, and creating the joyful culture that sets the ranch apart.]

Your dog is cared for by a team trained in canine behavior, group dynamics, and emergency response. We also keep a more conservative dog-to-staff ratio than most kennels, so every guest receives close attention. What makes us different is that the main characters here are not our staff. They are the thoughtfully designed elements of the ranch and the well-socialized dogs who share it. Our role is to support that environment. We guide dogs calmly and humanely, using positive reinforcement and careful observation. The result is a culture of safety and harmony where the property and the pack shape the experience.

Dogs spend most of the day outdoors, rotating through large play fields, shaded rest areas, and water features designed for safe exploration. Supervised off-leash play includes running, chasing, and social interaction in curated groups, along with enrichment such as agility-style challenges and scent games. Dogs come inside only to eat and rest according to the feeding schedule you prescribe, before returning outside for the next activity block. The overall experience is most akin to a sleepaway camp—structured, active, and balanced with calm recovery—so every dog has the freedom to play, explore, and recharge safely.

We welcome tours by appointment only. Surprise visits disrupt dogs’ routines and create avoidable safety and welfare risks. Book a guided tour and we’ll show you play areas, residential quarters, and safety systems while giving you our full attention; tours are scheduled to avoid busy periods so dogs stay relaxed and Guardians can host safely.

Your dog’s first trip to the property is their first stay with us. For safety we allow owner-only tours before admission because unassessed dogs create stress and avoidable risk for dogs already here. Every dog must complete health and temperament screening and be approved before any on-site visit; once approved your dog’s first on-site visit will be the start of their first stay and they’ll join supervised activities thereafter.

Your dog rests in a private, minimalist suite designed for peaceful recovery, where every trace of the day’s play is swiftly refreshed. Each suite features a thoughtfully engineered bed that provides support, temperature regulation, and easy cleanliness, while quiet surroundings, controlled climate, and attentive supervision ensure restorative rest.

Our entire facility is monitored by 24/7 surveillance, but the feeds are not available to customers. Public webcams are inconsistent with our values. Safety and security at Open Sky Dog Ranch come from our investments in technology and infrastructure, the Guardians we hire, and the way we selectively screen the dogs who join us — not from a livestream. Instead, you receive curated updates — photos, videos, and notes — that reflect genuine care without turning your dog’s stay into a performance.

The rooms are designed for rest and recovery, not all-day living. Dogs are den animals by nature — they feel secure and relaxed in spaces that are cozy, quiet, and free from overstimulation. At the ranch, dogs spend most of their day outdoors in large play fields, with rooms reserved for calm meals and restorative sleep. In many commercial facilities, rooms may be larger, but that is often where a dog spends most or all of their stay. At the ranch, rooms are intentionally kept simpler so they serve their true purpose: recovery, cleanliness, and peaceful alone time between adventures.

Our team provides daily updates with photos, videos, and notes about your dog’s day, delivered with the same care and attention to detail that define their experience at the ranch, so you always feel informed and connected.

Our shuttle provides door-to-door service across the Bay Area. We do not enter homes or apartment buildings — someone must bring your dog curbside to our van at the scheduled time. Pickups and drop-offs are arranged during non-rush hour periods to ensure predictable timing, with after-hours options available upon request. Our facility is located in a beautiful, quiet agricultural town, and part of being a good neighbor is minimizing traffic to and from the property. For this reason, we personally transport dogs using our fleet of vehicles to and from the ranch.

The shuttle service is mandatory because it preserves the two conditions that make the ranch possible: harmony with our neighbors and consistency for the dogs. In a quiet agricultural community, we limit inbound traffic to employees, our shuttle fleet, and a handful of scheduled tours — a discipline that protects the setting we inhabit. At the same time, synchronized arrivals and departures prevent the disruption that comes with staggered drop-offs, keeping routines intact, the pack stable, and staff fully focused on care. What might seem restrictive is in fact the structure that enables safety, calm, and reliability at scale.

Each dog travels in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, secured in an Impact Dog Crate inside a climate-controlled cabin designed for comfort as well as safety. GPS tracking and telematics monitor every journey in real time, while eye-tracking software ensures our drivers remain focused on the road. These multiple layers of protection create a transport experience that is safe, reliable, and reassuring for both dogs and their families.

Our first priority during transit is that your dog arrives and departs the ranch safely. Dogs travel in individual crates because it is the most reliable way to protect them on the road. Crates prevent jostling and unsafe interactions, and they provide each dog with a secure, personal space during the ride. Our vans are climate-controlled, and every crate is sized for comfort so dogs can stand, turn, and rest easily. This approach follows the same standards used by airlines, veterinary transport associations, and service dog organizations worldwide — because it keeps dogs safe, calm, and secure from pickup to drop-off. Crates also make loading and unloading safer, ensuring there is no chance of a dog slipping loose in a parking lot or near traffic.

Boarding is $85 per night for members and includes daily play, meals, nutritional supplements, and medical administration. Roundtrip curbside shuttle service is available for $65, with transportation provided in Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans equipped with climate control, GPS tracking, and secure Impact Dog Crates.

The reservation process takes about 25 minutes of active work, but we will let you know whether there is a potential fit in less than five minutes. It is a multi-step system designed to be thorough but seamless, and it can be completed entirely online without the need to visit the ranch in advance. For owners of well-socialized dogs, the process feels straightforward and even enjoyable. For other dog owners, the process will feel more taxing — and that is by design.

We require a four-day minimum stay. Think of it as a sleep-away camp: time for dogs to settle in, build confidence, and for our guardians to establish a relationship with them. This isn’t a kennel stay to be endured — it’s an opportunity for your dog to indulge in freedom, play, and enrichment too often missing from daily life.

If a dog proves to be dog-aggressive or human-aggressive, they will not be introduced into the community and will instead experience a safe, quarantined stay for the remainder of their reservation. In these cases, your membership fee is refunded in full, and we will help you identify other facilities that may be better suited for your dog’s needs in the future. Open Sky Dog Ranch is intentionally selective so that the dogs who do attend enjoy a calm, safe, and joyful experience.

We host a limited number of families on property because our guardians’ primary focus is caring for the dogs, not hosting tours. This approach keeps the environment calm and consistent for the dogs already staying with us. In lieu of frequent tours, we provide transparency in other ways: an immersive website with detailed photography, weekly virtual tours of the property, and fast, direct communication with our team. If you would like to visit in person, please begin by initiating the reservation process and telling us about your dog. If there is a fit, we will provide the option of scheduling an on-property appointment. Our process is efficient, and you will receive a response within one hour.

Yes. Non-members are welcome to book, but nightly rates and shuttle fees are higher, and certain benefits—such as included supplements or medical administration—are reserved for members. Membership is designed for owners who board more than once, as the savings typically cover the fee after a single stay.

Our Exclusive Pre-Launch Membership allows you to secure preferred rates for a full 24 months with a one-time enrollment of $50. Joining before our official opening locks in $85 nightly boarding and $65 roundtrip shuttle service, well ahead of the standard membership fee increasing to $250.

Boarding for non-members is $135 per night and $120 for shuttle service — nearly double member rates. Most families see their $50 membership pay for itself in a single stay, and every visit after that extends the value.

Yes — your Founding Membership is a single payment with no monthly or annual fees, and your discounted rates are guaranteed for two full years.

Click Book Now, create your account, and complete the one-time $50 enrollment. Your founder rates apply automatically to every booking for the next two years. Limited-time pre-launch offer.