dog boarding?

Dijos

Dijos

Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
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I am looking to travel for a week in the end of april to get married, But I have to board 2 dogs. I've never had to do this before, any advice?
 
If you can, check out the place. Talk to friends who have dogs, and ask them where they board their dogs. Also, make sure your dogs are up on all their shots. They will also NEED to have a kennel cough shot BEFORE they get boarded. Do the dogs stay inside in the evening? Can they come in and out during the day? Can you get play time for your dogs? Is there a vet on the premises. I am sure other folks have more ideas than I do.
 
Last year we boarded our dogs for the first time too. Instead of a simple kennel at the vet's office, we decided to take them to a "doggy country club". The place provided "daycare" playtime with other dogs, large indoor/outdoor rooms, individual walks, and a very clean modern facility.

Good luck, and don't forget to make your reservations early.
-Bob
 
The other option is to hire someont to come to your house a few times per day. This is easier for the dogs since they get to stay in their familiar place.
 
If your dog has a special diet let them know early so they can deal with that.
Mine has my dogs special food (lamb/rice) on hand so it's not a problem.
She's also not socialized with other dogs.she has to be dominate bitch. So they just keep her in the office with them during the day. She's content to watch the people go about the business.
Let them know if your dog has any attitude problems.
 
Places like the vet are OK, but watch out when they say tjhey'll wash the dog before you get them back. That's code for we let them go in the kennel.
Also, some places hire alot of young people not really a problem, but one time we came to get the dogs and the counter person was using our dog bed as a bean bag chair.

Absolutely ask to see the actual kennel space, hopefully there's a door they can go outside when they want. makes sure it's sufficient size inside as well.

Watch that the interior kennel space is free from protuisons and sharp edges, some outside door are "guillitine" doors with a rope attached. FOAF had there dog injured when the dog tried to got out or in just as they where closing the door.

If you really anal ask them about there plans if there's a fire in the kennel.

And ya, every time you see a dog person ask them for reccomendations.
 
Check on getting a house sitter to take care of the dogs. That's what we always do. Of course, you've got to have someone you trust. If you've got more than one dog, its probably just as cheap to pay someone to take care of your whole house and dogs.

If you are kenneling, make sure to take your dogs to the kennel a couple of times just for a day or so before you leave to make sure they are acclimated to it. Kennel cough shot and ask around to your friends with dogs. Lots of people bring dogs to "doggie day care" so there are more options now.
 
Dijos said:
I am looking to travel for a week in the end of april to get married, But I have to board 2 dogs. I've never had to do this before, any advice?
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Call the local police station and ask for a K9 cop.
They are usually tight with local trainers that often either have, or know of, quality boarding operations.
 
A few years back I boarded Clyde. I checked out several places in the area but what turned me off was the caging of the dogs. Clyde does not get along well with other dogs and he absolutely hates cages. I settled on boarding him for 9 days at his vet's... I liked the idea that the vet was on site and from what I saw, each dog had a large (about 12' x 6') caged area where they were kept which had about a 3' concrete wall surrounding each area. Around the perimeter of all the kennels was a fenced in area where each dog was allowed its share of time to run around for supervised exercise. I also liked the idea that these kennels were outside (it was June) and had a unenclosing roof structure. I felt that this would work for Clyde! When I came back from my trip I called the vet's office to see if I could come over to pick him up. The vet came on the phone and told me there had been a problem with Clyde and they had to keep him slightly sedated. Seems at night they brought all the dogs inside & kept them in cages. I never thought to ask! Be sure to ask all kinds of questions! Clyde went 'crazy' and broke two teeth and tore up his front paws trying to get out of the cage! I haven't boarded Clyde since but if the need comes up again, I will go the route of a licensed 'pet sitter'.
 
Clydetz said:
A few years back I boarded Clyde. I checked out several places in the area but what turned me off was the caging of the dogs. Clyde does not get along well with other dogs and he absolutely hates cages. I settled on boarding him for 9 days at his vet's... I liked the idea that the vet was on site and from what I saw, each dog had a large (about 12' x 6') caged area where they were kept which had about a 3' concrete wall surrounding each area. Around the perimeter of all the kennels was a fenced in area where each dog was allowed its share of time to run around for supervised exercise. I also liked the idea that these kennels were outside (it was June) and had a unenclosing roof structure. I felt that this would work for Clyde! When I came back from my trip I called the vet's office to see if I could come over to pick him up. The vet came on the phone and told me there had been a problem with Clyde and they had to keep him slightly sedated. Seems at night they brought all the dogs inside & kept them in cages. I never thought to ask! Be sure to ask all kinds of questions! Clyde went 'crazy' and broke two teeth and tore up his front paws trying to get out of the cage! I haven't boarded Clyde since but if the need comes up again, I will go the route of a licensed 'pet sitter'.
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All dogs should be crate trained from the beginning ( 8 weeks).
If not ?
The owner is negligent and has no business with a dog.... sorry.. That's a fact !
All I do is say " box".. They go in, and LOVE IT..

If I'm not here they are usually already in " Their Box".. door opened.

As usual.. Clyde is a good dog.. The owner needed training :eek:
 
Blammo, the problem is that like clyde, one of my boxers is a rescue. If you adopt dogs, you have no control over what happens to them early in life, and you must make adjustments accordingly.
 
Dijos said:
Blammo, the problem is that like clyde, one of my boxers is a rescue. If you adopt dogs, you have no control over what happens to them early in life, and you must make adjustments accordingly.
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Correction taken..
It could definately be a BEEYATCH on a resue dog..
I've rescued INSANE Great Danes..

Sorry, Bro.. for my misunderstood, and too quick to react, criticizm..
Good luck..

Take the time to teach him, slowly, since he already had a little taste while you were gone.
Cover it with a blanket and let HIM go in.. whenever..
Don't just lock him up.. like they did.

Gimme a shout if he gets weird.. I'll try to help out.

Later...
Doug Ward.. Miami
 
We just got my dogs each a dog-sized surf board and have been taking them out to the lake on the weekends. Just start out at slow speeds, and keep them close to the boat. They should catch on pretty quickly.
 
Dijos said:
Blammo, the problem is that like clyde, one of my boxers is a rescue. If you adopt dogs, you have no control over what happens to them early in life, and you must make adjustments accordingly.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Dijos! :thumbup: Yep... Clyde showed up where I work about 10 years ago. I eventually became the one who adopted him. According to my guesstimate, he was 1-1 1/2 years old... the vet agreed. The first time I took Clyde to the groomer they tried to put him in a cage. He refused and jumped up on top of the stacked cages. They tossed some towels up for him to lay on. Never again did they try to put him in a cage. A few years later I was taken to the hospital by the emergency squad. One of the paramedics locked Clyde out in the kitchen when we left for the hospital. Clyde usually has free reign of the house. By the time my sister stopped by to check on Clyde, he had torn all the curtins off the windows, dumped everything off the kitchen table, dumped the trash can, chewed the phone wire and some molding. I'll never know what happened to him in the first year of his life but somebody sure did a number on him!
 
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