A Dog's Life RI

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A Dog's Life RI . K9 Bed + Breakfast . Cageless Overnight Boarding . Daily Playgroups . Grooming . Birthday Parties . it's a good time to be a dog

Your dog’s autumn coat is already clocked in. 🍂🐾As dogs build their winter undercoat, brushing 2–3 times a week can make...
10/21/2026

Your dog’s autumn coat is already clocked in. 🍂🐾

As dogs build their winter undercoat, brushing 2–3 times a week can make the difference between a manageable seasonal shed and a tangled coat with mats, trapped moisture, and skin irritation.

Rain and mud make matting worse, especially around the legs, belly, collar, and behind the ears. Loose fur can also hide lumps, bumps, irritated skin, and tiny troublemakers that are much easier to notice when the coat is clean and brushed out.

A proper fall grooming appointment does more than make your pup look fluffy and fabulous. A thorough de-shed helps blow out that old summer coat, gives the skin a closer look, and includes an ear check, particularly helpful after a wet autumn. Clean, dry ears and a coat free of packed-in debris are much happier places to be.

Senior pups deserve comfort, too. Our walk-in floor dog wash station and adjustable grooming tables make bath and grooming time easier without lifting them onto a high tub.

If your pup is entering their full autumn fluff era, we’d love to help with a gentle fall spa appointment. Give us a call or message us to book their spot with the pack. 🍁🛁🐶

Day boarding is more than a good stretch of the legs. 🐾Yard Notes: EnrichmentDogs need brain work, too: things to sniff,...
10/19/2026

Day boarding is more than a good stretch of the legs. 🐾

Yard Notes: Enrichment

Dogs need brain work, too: things to sniff, investigate, solve, and figure out. It’s not just a rainy-day bonus; it belongs in the daily routine.

At A Dog’s Life, day boarding brings supervised play, social time, new smells, and plenty to take in, so pups work their minds as well as their bodies. By pickup, they’ve clocked in for both shifts.

The butt-sniff handshake is official canine social protocol. 🐾Before two dogs become playmates, they gather important in...
10/19/2026

The butt-sniff handshake is official canine social protocol. 🐾

Before two dogs become playmates, they gather important information the only way they know how: a polite sniff, a little pause, and a thorough review of the other dog’s “hello, I come in peace” credentials.

Some dogs need three sniffs. Others require thirty. Neither is wrong. A dog’s pace can depend on personality, confidence, past experiences, and how much very serious information needs to be processed.

A relaxed body, loose wag, curved approach, and playful bow usually say, “Greetings! Shall we continue this meeting?” A stiff body, hard stare, tucked tail, frantic rushing, or an overly intense greeting may say, “I need a little more space, please.”

That’s why we never force a hello. Good canine manners mean allowing dogs to approach, sniff, pause, move away, and choose whether they’re ready for the next step. The best introductions are calm, respectful, and conducted at each dog’s speed.

At our mandatory Meet & Greet, we’re reading exactly these social signals, who gives a polite sniff, who needs a little breathing room, and who might make an excellent playmate. Because in a happy pack, consent is always part of the greeting protocol. 🐶💛

Seven years ago, on October 18, 2019, Millie and her puppy pal Nixon were taking in the views on Mutt Mountain. 🐾Fast-fo...
10/18/2026

Seven years ago, on October 18, 2019, Millie and her puppy pal Nixon were taking in the views on Mutt Mountain. 🐾

Fast-forward seven years: same two pals, still together. The puppy years may have passed but their friendship did not. Gray hairs: added. Best-friend status: unchanged.

How long has your family been part of our pack? We love hearing about every dog who’s been part of A Dog’s Life family, including the ones we still carry in our hearts. 💚💙

Seven years ago, on October 18, 2019, Millie and her puppy pal Nixon were taking in the views on Mutt Mountain. 🐾Fast-fo...
10/18/2026

Seven years ago, on October 18, 2019, Millie and her puppy pal Nixon were taking in the views on Mutt Mountain. 🐾

Fast-forward seven years: same two pals, still together. The puppy years may have passed but their friendship did not. Gray hairs: added. Best-friend status: unchanged.

How long has YOUR family been part of our pack? We love hearing about every dog who’s been part of A Dog’s Life family, including the ones we still carry in our hearts. 💚💙

Day boarding and overnight boarding aren’t about keeping every pup in constant motion. A happy, balanced day has room fo...
10/14/2026

Day boarding and overnight boarding aren’t about keeping every pup in constant motion. A happy, balanced day has room for supervised pack play, enrichment, and plenty of rest. 🐾

And here’s your gentle reminder to let your dog sniff everything on the walk.

A 15-minute sniff walk, with your dog setting the pace, can be more satisfying and even more tiring than a brisk mile. Why? Their nose is how they read the world. Every scent is information, and processing all those smells is real mental work. 👃🌿

So skip the power-walk mindset sometimes. Let them investigate the mailbox, the tree, the patch of grass, and that Very Important Leaf. The goal isn’t always distance. Sometimes it’s giving their brain a good workout.

For pups staying with us for day boarding or overnight boarding, a 15-minute one-on-one leash walk with one of our team is also available as an add-on service, especially for a nose-first guest who enjoys a little individual time.

That same thoughtful balance is part of a day with our pack at A Dog’s Life: supervised play, enriching activities, social time, and restful breaks, not running chaos from open to close. 🐶💚

Ready to give your pup a fun, fulfilling day boarding day or an overnight Bed, Breakfast & Spa stay? Visit adogslifebristol.com. New pack members begin with our mandatory Meet & Greet: a positive first step in making sure every guest is comfortable, safe, and a great fit.

Your old guy isn’t being lazy. He’s stiff, and cold weather may be about to make it worse. 🐾Stiffness after resting, tak...
10/08/2026

Your old guy isn’t being lazy. He’s stiff, and cold weather may be about to make it worse. 🐾

Stiffness after resting, taking longer to rise, hesitating on the stairs or before getting into the car, or lagging behind on a familiar route can be early signs of arthritis. It’s easy to read those changes as “just slowing down,” but they’re worth noticing.

Cold and damp weather can make sore joints ache more, which is why autumn is often when these changes become easier to spot. A few simple home adjustments can help:

• A warm, padded bed raised off the floor and away from drafts
• A ramp or step to make stairs and car rides easier
• Non-slip mats on hard floors
• Shorter, more frequent outings on softer ground instead of one long outing
• Keeping nails trimmed so your pup isn’t slipping and compensating
• Keeping their weight in check: it’s one of the most effective things you can do for sore joints (even if the treat committee strongly disagrees)

If your dog has been stiff for more than a couple of weeks, or seems painful, it’s worth checking in with your vet. There is real help available, and discomfort isn’t something they simply have to live with. 💚

If your older pup is due for a spa day, our space is set up with them in mind. Our walk-in floor dog wash station and adjustable grooming tables mean they can walk in without being lifted, hoisted onto a table, or placed into a tub. That matters for a stiff or older dog, and for owners who can’t safely lift them anymore. Book at adogslifebristol.com.

Addi’s been part of the pack here for more than a decade now—and every visit still makes us smile. So much love for this...
10/07/2026

Addi’s been part of the pack here for more than a decade now—and every visit still makes us smile. So much love for this sweet girl.

Day boarding pups know: fall is for cozy naps, crunchy leaves, and a little kitchen supervision while the humans bake. 🍂...
10/05/2026

Day boarding pups know: fall is for cozy naps, crunchy leaves, and a little kitchen supervision while the humans bake. 🍂🐾 Save these simple dog-safe treats for your pack!

🎃 Pumpkin-Apple Oat Bites
Ingredients: 1 cup plain pumpkin purée, 1 egg, 2 cups oat flour or finely ground oats, ½ apple finely chopped, and ⅛ tsp cinnamon.

Mix everything together, roll into small balls, and gently flatten. Bake on a lined sheet at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

🍦 Frozen Pumpkin Pup Ice Cream
Mix 1 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt with ½ cup plain pumpkin purée. Spoon into ice cube trays or small silicone molds and freeze for 2–3 hours. A perfect cool-down treat for those last warm fall days!

🥜 No-Bake Pumpkin Oat Balls
Stir together ½ cup pumpkin purée, ½ cup xylitol-free peanut butter, and 1½ cups finely ground oats. Roll into tiny portions and refrigerate until firm.

A few important kitchen rules: absolutely no xylitol, nutmeg, raisins, grapes, or chocolate. Remove all apple seeds and the core. Use plain ingredients, serve everything in moderation, and check with your veterinarian if you’re unsure what’s right for your pup. 🐶

And if your little sous-chef wears the evidence afterward, we’re always happy to handle the post-baking cleanup with a spa day. ✨

Address

36 Spring Street
Bristol, RI
02809

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 6pm
Tuesday 7am - 6pm
Wednesday 7am - 6pm
Thursday 7am - 6pm
Friday 7am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+14012979704

Website

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