About Us

Our Mission
We welcome with open arms every dog that runs through our doors. We know how important they are to you, so we strive to provide your pet with individual attention, care, and treatment throughout their time with us.
Our Facilities
Located just off Clements Ferry Road, just minutes from Daniel Island, Mount Pleasant, and North Charleston!
Your pet will love our clean and spacious environment while basking in the love of our caregivers. Our facility features a variety of large indoor, outdoor, and combined indoor/outdoor areas for all types of play and weather conditions. And if you miss seeing that slobbering face, you can check in at any time via our HD cameras which overlook all of the play areas!


Our Facilities
Located just off Clements Ferry Road, just minutes from Daniel Island, Mount Pleasant, and North Charleston!
Your pet will love our clean and spacious environment while basking in the love of our caregivers. Our facility features a variety of large indoor, outdoor, and combined indoor/outdoor areas for all types of play and weather conditions. And if you miss seeing that slobbering face, you can check in at any time via our HD cameras which overlook all of the play areas!


Meet The Team
Happy pets. Happy clients.
“The staff are amazing; proactive, compassionate, caring and polite. And the facility is very clean. We always receive a quick verbal rundown on how our pup’s day has been. We have no hesitation in recommending The Island Pawplex!”
Elaine B.
“The team at Island Pawplex is beyond compare. I left my dog for boarding while on vacation. She had lots of outdoor time and seemed to love being able to wander and sniff around the play area. Truly the most vigilant, caring, and responsible boarding and daycare facility in the area!”
Allison L.
“I love watching Louise play, she is a very sensitive dog, but she is always able to find a good play buddy at daycare. She loves the staff, which makes me know she likes it since she is very sensitive to whom she is close to.”
Gabrielle D.
“These folks are terrific! They handle my sweet Isla beautifully. She loves going there. I know she is safe when she is there! And her social capacity has improved too! Thanks, IPP staff!!”
Danielle B.
“Our dog had her third stay this weekend and we are as pleased with her care this time as we had been after the first two. The staff is thoughtful about her needs, and she was calm but happy when we picked her up. We’ll be back!”
Leigh B.
“I have been bringing my dog Rue here for the past two years, and I have absolutely loved it. They have always taken great care of her, and they send out lots of pictures every day, which is the best!! Tristin is seriously the sweetest, and Rue loves her!! Highly recommend bringing your dog here!”
Caroline K.
FAQs
Your pets’ health and safety is our top priority. We’ve integrated extra disinfection and sanitation routines into our already rigorous cleaning protocols.
Rest assured, we are actively monitoring for any dogs displaying symptoms as they enter our facilities, as well as those staying with us.
Key symptoms to monitor include lethargy, runny eyes and nose, coughing and sneezing, or loss of appetite. Should any of these symptoms manifest, kindly keep your dog at home, contact your veterinarian, and notify us so that we can continue ensuring the well-being of your pup as well as all the other dogs under our care.
Your pet’s own food – doing so avoids additional stress on the pet’s digestive system. Please pack the food in pre-portioned baggies for each meal or in a small sealed container (like Tupperware) with instructions. Please do not bring a giant bag or container of food unless your pet is staying for an extended period (multiple weeks). You also need to bring any prescription drugs and/or over-the-counter supplements we will be administering to your pet. You may also bring any emergency medications for seizures, bee stings, etc., that you feel your pet might need.
We know that many pet parents also want to bring personal belongings such as their pet’s bedding, their favorite toys, or clothing articles of their owners. Unfortunately, we cannot permit this because of the risk of contamination or infestation (fleas or bed bugs). Dangerous germs, to which your pet may have developed immunity, may threaten other guests who do not have immunity to a particular illness. Moreover, some bedding and toys can be overnight choke hazards. Keep in mind that we provide comfortable bedding and stainless-steel bowls in each suite. So for safety reasons, we will not put these items in your pet’s room even if you pack them. Rest assured that pets are too exhausted to play with toys when they’re in their room anyway. Since The Island Pawplex will not be responsible for lost items, please consider packing lightly for your pet — just the essentials: food and medicine. We’ll provide the rest!
Food, treats and any medications. We provide bedding, blankets, bowls and a scratch house for the cats.
Yes. At times, we have to direct a pet to a play yard, room, or suite by holding onto their collar since pets are not leashed at The Island Pawplex. There is also the rare chance that a fight could break out in the play yard. In this case, we have to be able to pull off the aggressor by his collar. Please do not send choker-style collars since these can be dangerous in the play setting.
No. We take our screening process very seriously and require all dogs to undergo the mandatory temperament test to determine if a dog is a good fit for a group-play environment. We also separate dogs into play groups based on their size, age, and energy levels. Nevertheless, dog fights are always a possibility, so our staff is trained to react quickly and decisively to prevent serious injury. Do keep in mind, though, that dogs play with their mouths and their feet, both of which are sharp and can accidentally cause minor scratches or cuts to their playmates. These, too, are rare but always possible.
No. Additional training and/or socialization with other dogs (as well as spaying or neutering, if applicable) may help your pet to react differently in the future. In many cases, however, dogs that do not pass the temperament screening the first time will not behave differently over time. This does not mean that your dog is “bad.” This simply means that you have a dog who prefers the company of humans to that of other dogs. A dog walking service or in-home pet sitter would likely be a better option for your pup.
While dog parks are wonderful places to exercise our pets, they are also venues for unvaccinated dogs to mingle with vaccinated ones. This poses serious issues for facilities like ours since socialized pets tend to frequent both places. To keep our environment safe and healthy, we request that our guests avoid dog parks for a few days before scheduled boarding as a courtesy to us and the pets we serve. We also respectfully request that pet owners do not bring any pet that has a cough, runny nose, or ear/eye infection, as these illnesses may be contagious. It would be ideal to board a sick pet with your veterinarian, where his symptoms may be treated and contained. We do understand that some senior pets have chronic coughs related to health issues that are not contagious, and we certainly welcome those pets. Please notify us upon arrival if your pet has a chronic health condition so we do not treat it as a contagious illness and quarantine your pet.
While we certainly respect your decision to do what you feel is best for your pet, we cannot accept her as a boarding guest or a grooming client at The Island Pawplex unless she is completely flea free and adequately protected by a vet-recommended treatment such as Frontline, K9 Advantix, Comfortis, Nexguard, Trifexis, etc. Please follow directions for topical treatments such as Frontline and apply it the proper number of days ahead of time. It is vital that we protect all of our guests, as well as our grooming clients, which is why we do not offer flea dips or similar treatments at our pet salon.
If our staff determines that veterinary care is necessary, we will make every effort to contact your veterinarian on record. If we are unsuccessful, we will rely on one of our partner veterinarians, depending upon the nature of the illness/injury and the hour of the day. In most cases, we will contact the owner(s) prior to seeking professional care.
Our staff is trained to first use very firm, short voice commands (e.g. Leave It! No! Down!) to thwart unwanted behaviors such as mounting or excessive barking. If words are ineffective, the staff uses mini squirt bottles to spray water toward the unruly pet. And if that doesn’t work, we will put the pet in “time out” by separating him from the playgroup for 15-30 minutes, which is usually a sufficient amount of time for that pet to refocus his attention. All pet discipline is simply designed to break the pet’s focus on unwanted behavior. In rare, extreme cases (i.e. fights), we have airhorns available that could be deployed to break up the disturbance. Further discipline will only occur when/if there is a risk of serious injury to another animal.
Not likely! Enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts. Most guests are exhausted from hours of play during their vacation with us, and we would be more surprised if they weren’t. Remember, your pet is probably used to sleeping most of the day at home. Since he has been with us, he has had non-stop stimulation, with the exception of a mid-day nap and overnight rest. That can be pretty taxing on even the most energetic breeds. However, if he does not seem like himself even after a couple of days of rest, you may wish to contact your veterinarian for a wellness check.
Doubtful. Since this happens frequently with your pet, it is most likely stress-induced colitis, which is an inflammation of the colon, oftentimes associated with travel-related stress. The signs of colitis include painful defecation that resembles constipation, flatulence, and small stools mixed with blood and mucus. Most pets will recover from this illness within a day or two when their routine is re-established, and stress levels decrease. Again, please consult your veterinarian if symptoms persist or if diarrhea is accompanied by a loss of appetite and/or vomiting. If you did not send your dog’s usual food with him, this could also contribute to the problem. We feed Purina One Lamb and Rice (for $5 per day, per pet) if food was not sent, which is a gentle and high-quality option, but changing a diet suddenly can still cause digestive issues. We highly recommend sending your dog’s usual food with him the next time you board with us.
Unfortunately, it can be. While we take every precaution to ensure that pets go home happy and healthy, it is a communal environment, much like that of a child daycare, where occupants are happy to share anything and everything. Kennel cough in dogs is similar to the common cold in people. It is extremely contagious, not usually dangerous, and there are many strains. The Bordetella vaccine, much like the human flu vaccine, does not protect against each and every strain. The vaccine should, however, shorten the duration of the illness and/or minimize the symptoms of kennel cough should your pet contract it. According to WebMD, “Although most cases of kennel cough will resolve without treatment, medications may speed recovery or minimize symptoms during the course of infection.” It is important to keep your pet away from other pets while symptoms persist to prevent the spread of the illness.
Having said that, it is also important to recognize that your pet may simply be suffering from seasonal allergies that produce similar symptoms in dogs. Remember, we spend a lot more time outside with our guests, exposing them to pollen and other allergens for extended time periods that can produce upper respiratory complications. In either case, that of kennel cough or upper respiratory illness caused by allergies, symptoms should lessen as your pet readjusts to her home environment and catches up on rest. If your pet is not recovering on her own, please consult your veterinarian, who will likely prescribe an antibiotic and a cough tab.
We require that all of our guests are properly vaccinated. If a guest does appear symptomatic for any respiratory illness while he is in our care, we will quarantine the pet and contact the owner and/or one of our partner veterinarians regarding veterinary care. Unfortunately, a pet can be infected with kennel cough for up to a week before he displays symptoms, so it’s not always possible to identify kennel cough among incoming guests.
Another precaution we take is unparalleled cleanliness and disinfecting habits. Those of you who have toured our facility know that we maintain a very clean facility, which is why the majority of our guests are returned to their owners in the same healthful condition in which they arrived. We are not a traditional kennel where stalls are hosed down into open drains, and dampness prevails, assisting the spread of illnesses such as kennel cough. The floors of our facility are very dry and very sanitary. We also have dual-unit ultraviolet (UV) germicidal lamps installed in each of our HVAC systems, which kill any mold or bacteria as it passes through the air handlers.
In a perfect world, these measures would be enough to prevent kennel cough from ever being an issue at our facility. But because we live in the real world, we also have to rely on our customers to keep sick pets at home or make boarding arrangements at veterinary clinics where they can be treated, rather than bringing them to The Island Pawplex where other pets may be exposed to the illness.
Just like people, some pets have stronger immune systems than others. Dogs who are around other dogs regularly develop immunity to many common illnesses. Dogs who rarely leave the home aren’t exposed to many germs; therefore, they have not had that advantage. Some veterinarians suggest that pet parents add probiotics to their pet’s diet a week before a scheduled boarding, during, and a week after to boost immunity. While much information on this topic is available online, you may wish to consult your veterinarian about the best precautionary treatment for your pet. Keep in mind that senior pets, puppies, and pets with underlying health issues are always more vulnerable to contracting illnesses because their immune systems are usually compromised to some degree.
Awards

Chosen as one of the Best Dog Daycares in Charleston by Expertise.com for 2021!

Finalist for Best of Charleston 2021 in both the Best Doggie Daycare and Best Pet Groomer categories

Recipient of the Gold Medal – Pet and Pet Care: Kennels and the Bronze Medal – Pet and Pet Care: Pet Grooming!