Kennels for vacation?

[Bo Peep]

Since I recently lost a close friend, I decided to make a trip back to Oregon for a few days and play catch-up. It's been way too long since I've seen some dear friends. My BF offered to take Bailey, he really loves her, but due to his small house, he can't take both dogs. I CAN take Usher with me, but I'm not sure how he would do flying-he hates thunder and I would hate to see him stressed flying by my feet on the airplane. I have never boarded any of my dogs before. I asked my vet for a recommendation and am planning on checking this place out also taking both dogs over. I feel it would be better to leave them together. It's going to cost me an arm and a leg, but I think it's worth it as I can't make that long of a drive myself anymore and I feel I really need to make this trip. Before, I would always make short trips and have neighbors feed, etc and I had the doggy door. Here, I am next to a busy street and my Mom is in poor health and I can't put the burden on her. My kids are pretty much useless when it comes to helping me out. So a kennel is the only option. Have any of you ever boarded your dogs before? If so, what do you look for?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[sweet_ceana]

Would BF stay at your house and watch the dogs? Chris and I went to a wedding last week and one of my dear friends stayed at our house with Ceana and Poke.

[Bo Peep]

BF lives and works 15 miles away and has a BIG OLD pick-up. Gas prices being what they are, this isn't an option. I think it will be very difficult on both dogs, Usher never being in a kennel and Bailey probably thinking she is back to the pound again. I will put them in kennels next to each other and be sure to take an article of clothing. In the old days it was "You watch my farm, I'll watch yours". Much more difficult being a city gal.

[vanillalove]

One of the vets in town run a kennel/"doggy day camp", maybe there is something like that around you. I don't know if you've networked with other dog owners, but try asking where they keep their dogs if they've ever needed to! From just talking with neighbours, I found a lady who runs a boarding kennel in her home! And she literally lives right around the corner from me. She has 2 BC's and doesn't work during the day so Petey stays with her and it's heaven for him!

[Bo Peep]

Since it's memorial day week-end. I've booked the kennel my vet recommended, but can always back out. I'm checking on sitters, etc.... Usher is fine, he puts himself to his crate at 10:00, he's already in there now. LOL. I'm glad I have the space, but didn't have to put down a deposit. NOW, I found out my friend got a place at the beach that is privately owned so the service dog thing does not apply. NO Usher.

ETA: Can you take their crates? Usher loves his crate

Edited April 19, 2008 by Bo Peep

[SoloRiver]

I've boarded my dogs several times and they've always been fine. I know it's nerve wracking but it's harder on you than it is on them. I've always been able to have Solo and Fly housed in the same run.

[Bo Peep]

Bailey would fight with Usher. But I thought I would put them in side by side runs, so Bailey knew she wasn't being given away again. I agree, much harder on Mom, than the dogs.

[kelpiegirl]

I have boarded mine too- but I wasn't happy with the condition of my Boxer when I returned. I don't think he slept for a week. Plus, they had TONS of left over food... One other thing- housing pack mates together in boarding situations can be dicey. I was witness to a beagle who was housed with two mixed breeds for boarding, and they just about killed her. She required emergency surgery. So, just beware of stressors, and what they might do to your dog(s). What about like SC says and have boyfriend stay at your house? He could help with your mom no?

[Jedismom]

I have only boarded my dogs in cage-free boarding (crated only at night) and they have done well. Since I've gotten Jedi however, Cadi feels she needs to protect him from other dogs there and the two team up. I think they would probably have more fun and be more relaxed individually. So if it were me.....I would pay BF's gas and other expenses (if BF is willing) to stay with your dogs. Still much cheaper for you than boarding both. If not, and Bailey is more sensitive, I would let BF have Bailey and just board Usher. I've also visited a home where a retired couple was boarding a few dogs at a time out of their home, and this was also a nice scenario. Knowing the needs of my dogs, I have chosen not to board them where they will spend most of their time in a cage or small space. My first dog (a pug mix) was absolutely fine with that, but not my current two. So you know best what will work for your dogs, and good luck with your decision.

[MaggieDog]

I have to board my girls regularly and let me tell you there is a HUGE difference in what a "boarding kennel" is around here.

 

The most well known one here (that most vets recommend if they don't board themselves) charges extra for everything (walks off of concrete, interaction with staff or other dogs, meds, etc.) and if you don't pay for "extras" all your dog gets is a concrete run 24/7. The daily cost for my two dogs would be about $36-50 with extras or $30 without. At minimum I would need to pay the extra $9 for 3 walks a day for Maggie because if she doesn't have access to grass or gravel she will hold it for up to 30 hours, thus predisposing her to urinary tract infections.

 

The new kennel in town (open for a year now) rocks and it's where my girls stay. The dogs have kennel runs but they have rubber flooring, get walked 4 times a day, have playtime with each other and/or staff at least twice a day, and get any meds for no extra charge. The staff is even happy to feed them out of the toys I provide vs. a bowl! The total cost for both girls to stay per day is just $25, too.

 

Because I have a fence jumper, I looked specifically for kennels that had toppers on runs, double fencing between my dog and the road, and kennels with doors flush to the walls and topper. Those features were very hard to find, but my current kennel has all of that. I also toured each place and looked at cleanliness, how staff interacted with the dogs, and how kennels were set up (indoor/outdoor, facing others, dividers between runs, etc.). I also had a price range that I had to stick to.

 

One of my dogs loves the kennel and comes back none the worse for wear, but the other has to be on meds to prevent her from developing stress colitis and other anxiety related issues. This means that having a kennel that gives meds as requested and is on top of the dogs' conditions is very important as well. The kennel I use now calls me if anything is out of the ordinary with the girls and has gone above and beyond to try and make my anxious/stressy girl feel more at home. They are amazing and the girls love the people that take care of them!

[Tassie]

For peace of mind, it's good that you've booked the kennel space.

 

Mine have been boarded twice - once in very basic kennels owned by people from the dog club - they did OK. The other time was in a city in a different state, so I could only go by what I could find out on the net, and from what I got from talking to the owner. As it turned out, I was happy enough with that place, though it was only for 4 days.

 

Sometimes you can take a crate - I could, for the one in the other city - I wanted a place for my girl to go, so the boy wouldn't bully her, as he does if he gets stressed - they were housed together.

 

A couple of things - ask questions of the kennel owner - visit if you can. Make sure that the dogs are not housed with other dogs - and if you don't want them turned out to play with other dogs they don't know, be sure and say so. Ask about supervision of play times. Personally, for a few days, I would rather mine stayed in runs, and just had on leash walks, rahter than just be turned out for unsupervised playtime.

 

Although it would be extra cost, it can sometimes be worth it to do a trial run, boarding them overnight.

 

And yes, it's much harder on the momma than it is on the dogs, IMHO .

[SincereArtisan]

Speaking from the experience of working at several boarding kennels...I have some tips and advice.

 

Divide the daily portions of your dog's food in baggies, and pack a little extra just in case. This way, you are sure your dogs are offered the amount they eat at home, and should something happen (water bowls accidentally dumped, food dumped with it, etc.) they have back-up food. Make it clear when your dogs eat, too, so your puppies can stay on their regular schedules.

 

If your dogs take meds, use those human pill boxes with the days of the week divided up and all. Distribute the pills with instructions as to when they get them.

 

Do NOT board dogs together. Next to one another is just fine. But there is so much barking and unfamiliar sights and sounds that will undoubtedly leave your pup a little stressed and charged up to begin with, when you throw two dogs in that situation, things get unpredictable. Where I work as a vet tech, we had one such case, the owners insisted their two little maltese dogs board together. While watching other dogs go in and out, they were barking and getting excited, when they suddenly turned on one another. One of them suffered a puncture wound in it's side before we could get them separated. The really sad part was the owners didn't want the other dog back, concerned that once he'd tasted blood, he'd do it again.

 

Point is, it wasn't the dogs fault, really...he was over-excited, and he had to take it out on something. Unfortunately the other dog was there...this is why I do not like seeing dogs boarding together. They can be over-protective, reactive, a wide variety of things that you would otherwise not see at home.

 

Do not bring bedding. 9 out of 10 times, the boarding facility has bedding. Any bedding you bring is likely to get set aside unused anyway, because of the risk of losing it among the hundreds of other bedding articles being washed on a daily basis.

 

Do not bring stuffies. Nylabones and kongs are generally ok. Stuffies get dirty, messy, and often de-stuffed, sometimes eaten, then you must worry about impaction. One of my dogs does not destuff anything...unless she is boarding. She will shred towels, too. I would have never known it until it happened.

 

Hope this helps.

[powerfulgazelle]

http://www.red-dogs.com/

 

We just got home from a funeral trip to MI (left Friday, home today mid-day).

 

With Sollers (8 mos old, sort of a baby) and Kip (the amazing escape artist, reactive collie), I was VERY anxious about boarding them. We had not boarded a dog since before our son was born (he's now 13.5)...my m-i-l always took our old guy, but two young dogs was a bit much to ask.

 

We found http://www.red-dogs.com/ It was pretty much everything a boarding facility should be, IMO. The guys stayed in the Jimmy Buffet suite.

 

Check out their site...the registration/forms page shows you the sort of stuff they ask about (r/t the dog's personality, feeding, etc.). What gave me the most peace of mind? The webcam option. Yeah, they charge $3/day for it, but it was SO worth it to be able to look in on the guys---especially seeing the staff giving them extra belly rubs, treats, hand feeding. It was pricey (more than my OWN boarding for the trip), but worth it to me.