The Ranch Pet Resort

Premium dog & cat boarding, dog daycare, play groups, dog & cat grooming, and more!

Blog

Happy New Year

by

2024 is just around the corner, and The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa wants to thank you for all of the support you have given us! We truly love helping the cats and dogs in the Tri-Valley enjoy a safe, comfortable, fun space that allows them to feel like they are at summer camp when they can’t be with you.

While we are a second best substitute to being with you, please know that your pets’ safety and best interest are at the heart of The Ranch, and we treat your pets like we treat our own.

From playgroups and one-of-a kind seasonal activities to story time, soft, comforting music and diva spa treatments, The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa is always striving to make you and your pet happy while in our care.

Are We on Candid Camera?

With the new era of technology, you can be with your pet virtually through the eyes of the lens!

We keep busy videotaping and filming your dogs and cats so you can see your pet in action while you are away at work or play. It’s important for you to be able to see live action photos and videos to comfort you until you can be together again.

Happy Dogs Play at The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa

When we modernized The Ranch, we wanted to make it a one-of-a-kind place for all dogs to play and have a great time. Biggies and smalls enjoy the comfort of each other and play time on our play structure and clean and safe play yard.

The interactions between the dogs keeps us laughing and cheering! Dogs that come in fearful or shy are sometimes the show stoppers during playgroup!

Dogs that may never have met on the street become best friends or even napping partners. The water park has a way with dogs-either they love it or are unsure about the flowing wet fun, but in any case-the water park is always a hit, and we are the only daycare and boarding place to have one!

So fear not, parents! Your pets are having a great time, and we thank you for entrusting them to our care.

Our Wish for the New Year

The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa hopes that you and your pets have a safe and spectacular New Year filled with sloppy doggie kisses, purrfectly sweet bisquit-making sessons, and good health and well-being.

We can’t wait to see what the New Year brings, but if we had our way, it would mean more tail wagging and lolling tongues! The personalities of the dogs and cats we come to love make our day, and we truly do enjoy coming to work.

Who wouldn’t want to come to work with co-workers who are always happy to see you and provide you with constant belly-aching laughter?

Here’s to 2024! Let’s make more memories and friends!

Reminder to Pick Up Your The Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024

We still have a few calendars left, and we don’t want you to miss out! The calendar is filled with your dogs and cats showing off the fun they have at The Ranch!

Not only will the calendar make you smile every day, but you will feel good knowing a portion of the calendar goes to helping local shelter dogs and rescue groups.

Call (925) 447-1729 to get your calendar or stop by the office to get one. Pick one up for a friend or two and get their 2024 started off with happy smiles from the pets of The Ranch Resort and Spa.



Happy Holidays from The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa

by

There is a lot of hustle and bustle going on at The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa. The dogs and cats have made their list, and our caring and loving staff have checked it twice. We aren’t going to point out whose been naughty and nice because we know Santa loves all of our dogs and cats!

Curious to see what’s on your dog or cat’s Christmas list? Some of the top favorites were:

  • Toys
  • Treats
  • Warm sweaters
  • Grooming
  • Long walks in the park
  • Playdates with friends
  • Snuggling on the couch
  • Playing fetch (yes, labs, we know this came from you!)
  • Naps with our favorite hoomans
  • More time at The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa

But the voting wasn’t even close, the most requested gift by your dogs and cats was…

Most Asked for Gift on Your Dogs and Cats Holiday Wish Lists

We’ve compared lists and the Number One most asked for gift on your dogs and cats holiday wish list is THE RANCH PET RESORT AND SPA 2024 CALENDAR. Our calendar features goofballs, friends, fashionistas, athletes, and snoozers of The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa doing what they do best! Being the most incredible dogs and cats.

All profits from the sale of the calendar benefit shelter dogs who are deserving of their own loving homes but who just haven’t found their perfect match! There is nothing wrong with these dogs-they were just failed by humans and looking for a second chance at love.

Consider Adopting a Shelter Dog

If you know someone who wants to welcome a shelter dog into their home, please let us know! There are big dogs, little dogs, quiet dogs, shy dogs, active dogs, loving dogs, dogs in perfect shape and dogs who may have medical needs but have a huge heart!

All of these dogs are either in foster care, in boarding, or at the shelter waiting to be adopted. When you purchase a calendar, you are helping a rescue dog get the food, bedding, toy, shelter, crate, time, or medical care it deserves until the right home steps up to promise them a furrever home.

The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa supports rescue dogs and cats at local shelters by donating profits from our calendars. We have YOU to thank for not only providing us with the most photogenic dogs and cats to create the calendar, but also the money to donate.

Thank you for Your Donations to Support Local Rescues

Thank you so much for your generosity. We personally know these rescue dogs and can’t thank you enough for providing them with the money they so desperately need to stay warm, dry, and loved while waiting for their purfect family to find them!

If you are one of the few people who haven’t bought your Pets of The Ranch 2024 Calendar, it’s not too late! It’s a great gift for anyone in your life!

Call and order yours today! 925) 447-1729.

It’s Back! Order Your “Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024”

by

We were so thrilled that so many of you loved our Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2023 that we decided to create a calendar for 2024!

It wasn’t difficult to fill the calendar full of the most adorable, goofy, happy, sleek, sweater-vested, hat-wearing pets. In fact, we need another 12 months to get in all of the images we want to share!

Whether you order the calendar as a gift for yourself or others, we promise that this one-of-a-kind gift will bring a smile to your face and a couple of laughs. There is nothing more heartwarming than seeing the innocence of dogs and cats who have no idea they are being captured just as they are-perfect or purrfect!

Order Your Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024 Today!

The Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024 is on its way to our doors, ready for you! There is a limited quantity, so put in your order now! We sold out last year and want to make sure everyone gets one, so don’t wait!

Come in to place your order or call 925-447-1729 and tell us you want to order your Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024. Prices are $30 a calendar with all profits going to help local rescues.

Buy a Calendar and Help Needy Rescue Animals

Now more than ever, Animal Rescues are straining to keep up with the burden of pet overpopulation and the lack of affordable medical resources and spay and neuter services.

The shelters, which were once celebrating empty kennels, are now burdened with returned pets, unclaimed pets, special needs pets, and pets with medical needs. Sadly, some owners have to relinquish their pets due to medical bills they simply cannot afford.

Local rescues have stepped up, volunteering their time, energy, resources and finances to help shelters, most without receiving any financial support.

When you purchase the Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024, you are supporting local rescues. The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa believes that every dog and cat deserve a loving home and has generously offered to give all profits of the calendar to local rescues to help dogs and cats just like yours feel the warmth, comfort and safety of a home.

How Will Local Pets Benefit from Your Purchase of Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024?

Your purchase of The Pets of The Ranch Calendar 2024 goes a long way to supporting local pets. Many of these animals are still waiting for their furrever homes, and some of them have had quite the traumatic past.

Many of the rescue animals need surgery for a medical condition or to be spayed or neutered, while some of them just need a little time and TLC to realize they are safe and loved. There is nothing wrong with these animals aside from them wanting to be someone’s beloved pet.

Newborns to animals in the last stages of their lives depend on the generosity of donations to provide them with food, medicine, toys, collars, leashes, beds, crates, treats, veterinary services and more.

The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa recognizes the needs of these animals and has committed to making a difference in their lives. Can we count on you to help them by purchasing one or more Pets of The Ranch Calendar/s 2024?

Kindly stop in or call The Ranch and place your order today. Not interested in our adorable dogs and cats of The Ranch calendar but want to make a donation? We happily take donations, too! Ask for Sammie!

Support Local Rescue Animals

Katie, a beautiful 2-year-old medium sized dog, came into the shelter in September with her brother, Pierre, and was midway through a pregnancy with nine puppies when she was spayed.

Katie lost her puppies and her brother, who was adopted, and had a hard time at the shelter. She was on the euthanasia list when rescue stepped up to foster her. Donations help supply Katie with a new crate and bedding, food, treats, toys, collar, leash, and vaccinations.

Jenkins is a seeing impaired boy who was put on the euthanasia list. A local rescue saved him right before he was being euthanized and is paying for his transport to live his life on a ranch in another state. The generosity of donations goes toward the care, medical check ups and gas to find this deserving boy a loving home!

Harvey, a young energetic shepherd mix, Siskiyou, an escape artist who was adopted and returned to the shelter twice, and Branton, a gentile, larger crossbreed recently found themselves in need of rescue.

Through networking, promoting on social media, and sharing social media posts, Harvey found his forever home; Siskiyou was rescued and is spending time in boarding until a foster home opens up, and Branton is in a foster to adopt program. This foster home was in need of dog accommodations and training to help Branton adjust to her dog and small child.

With the help of local fosters in the area who rely on donations to keep saving lives, all of these dogs are safe, healthy, and loved!

Reserve Your The Pets of The Ranch 2024 Calendar Today!

If you have any questions, please call (925) 447-1729 and place your order. Buy two and give to a friend! We know you will delight in seeing all of these adorable faces and supporting local animals in need!

Happy Halloween from The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa

by

From spooky sharks to Barbie, cowboys, Superheroes, farm, zoo, and wild animals and every idea in between, The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa‘s annual Howl-o-ween photos captured the spirit of Halloween.

As usual, some pets were more excited than others to be in the limelight and were quite at ease being photographed, while others just did the bare minimum to make Mom and Dad happy!

Nevertheless, this event is one of The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa‘s favorites as we really get a great shot of each dog, cat, or pair of dogs and their personalities.

While we don’t have a favorite Howl-o-ween costume participant, we are super excited to have the cats participate this year!

A Big Shout Out to our Amazing Staff who Made Howl-o-Ween Possible

This event could not take place without the patience, enthusiasm and creativity of our staff who love capturing the best side of each participant, even if it involves wrangling them in and grabbing their attention or taking shot after shot until we capture the perfect expression!

Take a Peek at Some of Our Howl-o-ween Participants

We just can’t get enough of this cuteness overload! For more images sorted by last name, please visit our Facebook page.

Please Keep Your Pets Safe this Halloween

Between the cars, Trick-or-Treators, candy and ghoulish activity Halloween will bring, please take a minute to make sure your dog or cat is safe and secure this Halloween.

It’s a good time to make sure your dogs and cats are safely inside and unable to run out the door as you welcome the ghosts, dragons and fairies that come knocking on your door for candy.

For dogs and cats who get especially nervous with activity, doorbells or strangers, a calming aid or Thundershirt may prove especially helpful.

Remember chocolate is especially toxic to dogs who may easily snatch a Snickers or two while no one is looking. Let’s keep all of our campers out of the ER and save you some money by putting all chocolate out of reach.

Light up the darkness with a glow in the dark collar while you walk your pooch around the neighborhood and remember to have anyone ask to pet your dog first to avoid any anxious dog behaviors.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween

The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa wants to thank you for trusting us with the care of your dog or cat, and we wish you a safe and happy Halloween!

Thanks to everyone for allowing us the pleasure of enjoying another eventful Howl-o-ween photo day!

DIY Halloween Dog Costumes!

by

Halloween is next week, and if you’re like many, you enjoy dressing your dog up to go Trick-or- Treating with the kids or staying at home to pass out candy.

Finding just the right costume for your dog can be a tricky ordeal, between trying to keep the costume in place and not having your dog try to wiggle his way out of it or eat it!

If you’re one of the lucky few whose dog fancies being dressed up, the Halloween costume may be a bit easier for you to keep on. With a little imagination, some cooperation from your dog, and just a few materials, your dog can be the center of attention at your Halloween festivities!

Thanksgiving Turkey Dog Costume

It’s not Thanksgiving yet, but this Thanksgiving Turkey Dog Costume always gets a lot of laughs. For the more mellow fellow or lass, having a brown paper shopping bag taped around the middle isn’t a big deal. The paper bag can be loose enough so your dog doesn’t feel constricted but does serve as the main body of the turkey.

Simply cut the handles off a brown paper bag or tape two together, depending on the size of your dog, cut some feathers out of construction paper, write directions on how to cook the turkey on the side of the bag, and secure the brown paper bag together with tape.

For example, your directions could be, “Bake at 350 degrees for three hours. Let cool. Slice and enjoy!” For smaller dogs, you might just add, “Heat and serve!” Whatever creativity you want to add makes the costume that much better.


Should your dog be patient enough to allow a head dress, you can make a turkey head out of cardboard and tape it to a headband and place on your dog’s head. Or, in our case, we repurposed a turkey hat and tied it around our dog’s head.

Our dog was very patient and loved the attention and luckily, didn’t try to eat the costume. We did have to make sure that the bag allowed him to go to the bathroom which we learned the hard way!

Athletic Pup! or Princess Pup! Costumes for Little Dogs

With so many stuffies having their own outfits, especially if you ever shopped at Build a Bear Workshop, you have your choice of Halloween outfits. Consider using one of the t-shirts or outfits from your children’s stuffed animals or dolls to create an athletic pup.

Most of the clothes that fit a teddy bear or doll will be comfortable for a tinier dog to wear. No need to purchase one of the expensive costumes from the pet store if you have one already being modeled by a stuffed animal.

Make sure there are no small buttons or ribbons that can easily be swallowed by your fur baby.

Repurpose a Dog Sweater to Make a Costume

If you have a sweater, jacket or coat already that fits your dog, consider repurposing it to make a costume. Draw some bones on white paper or fabric, cut them out, then glue them to the outfit to make a skeleton dog. Or, for a more permanent effect, apply paint to the fabric and create a skeleton or skunk!

If you want to really be creative, you can always embellish the dog sweater and sew a fin on it to make a shark; stuff some colored socks, draw “M’s” on them for MnM’s, and velcro them onto the sweater; cut out circles from black felt or stripes from brown felt and make your dog into a spotted leopard or tiger! The possibilities are endless and affordable!

Hawaiian Shirt Dog Costume

Dig out that Hawaiian shirt you wear only once a year and put it on your dog. Secure a lei around its neck and your dog will be hula dancing in no time!

Rocky Balboa Dog

Take a sweatshirt and put your dog’s front legs through the arms of the sweatshirt. If the sweatshirt zips up, zip it up; if there is a hoody and your dog allows you to put it on, you can put on the hoody, add some sweatbands to the ankles, and you have Rocky Balboa in training!

Accessorize Your Dog

Some of the simplest accessories can make a darling dog costume. Adding a scarf, hat, boa, bow tie, veil, crown, or play jewelry is a simple way to turn everyday accessories into a costume. These work especially well for animals who may not feel comfortable with something around their body.

Bat Dog

This costume works really well if your dog has a harness. Paint a piece of cardboard black, draw bat wings on it and cut it out. Attach the bat wings to your dog’s harness by cutting small holes in the middle of the wings and securing the two together with zip ties or string. Your dog will be strutting the streets looking for Robin and the Joker.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween

The Ranch Pet Resort and Spa wants all of you to have a safe and happy Halloween. Your dog’s safety is our primary concern, so make sure he can walk safely, see clearly, and be comfortable.

Don’t be surprised if the costume doesn’t last long, unless you have a warrior who is used to dressing up! Take lots of pictures and share them with us!

Also, just a reminder chocolate can be deadly for dogs or at least give them an upset stomach, so keep them away from all of the candy and goodies.

Enjoy yourself and have fun!

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month

by

September is dedicated to Animal Pain Awareness Month, but pet lovers know that we need to be diligent about checking for pain in our beloved fur babies every day, every week, and every month.

By making it a habit to regularly check on your pet’s health, you can become aware of any acute or chronic pain, learn how to relieve it, and improve the quality and hopefully quantity of your pet’s life!

2023 marks the 8th annual Animal Pain Awareness Month. It was started by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, an organization that was established in 2001 (source).

Tips for Evaluating Your Pet’s Pain and Well-Being

While animals don’t have a vocabulary that we can understand, they do have behaviors that may alert you to being in discomfort. If your animal has any of the following symptoms, it’s a good idea to take them to a reputable vet that can diagnose a problem before it becomes too serious or life-threatening.

*Changes in mood or behavior. As your pet’s parent, you know your pet. If your pet is acting out of the ordinary, keeping to himself, sleeping more than usual, or not behaving as he normally does, this may be an indication your pet is in pain.

Cats can often alert their owners to pain by peeing out of their litter box, marking, or peeing in sight of their owners. Active dogs may refuse or be hesitant to go for a walk.

*Changes in diet. Pets often stop eating or decrease their diet if they are in pain. Owners of single pets will have no problem noticing a change in diet. A home with multiple pets may require special attention to make sure that all pets are eating normally.

*An increase or decrease in water intake. Dogs often change their water intake if they are experiencing pain or discomfort. Pay particular attention to the water consumption and always provide fresh water.

*Audible cries. Animals in distress and pain may whimper, cry, or scream. Depending on the source of the pain and severity, your pet may try to mask its symptoms. Some animals such as rabbits are very good at masking their pain so they are not easy prey. Be diligent in checking on your pet should it cry out in distress. A pet in severe distress should always be taken to the vet.

*Unusual licking or biting. Sometimes a pet in discomfort licks or bites itself if it has an infection, allergy, or other symptom. If your pet is showing any sign of licking or biting other than a normal itch, it’s advisable to check the spots and take your pet to the vet.

How to Handle a Pet in Distress or Pain

If you believe that your pet is in distress or in pain, it’s in the pet’s best interest for you and your pet to take it to the vet. Your vet can check on the source of your pet’s pain and prescribe sources of treatment.

Be careful when handling a hurt pet, as it can unintentionally bite or snap at you due to the pain. Even the most loving animal reacts to pain.

Try to remain calm as a pet can pick up your moods and sense trouble. Once you figure out the source of the pain, you can begin to start the healing process.