Pet Hotels / Boarding
Well, as many of you all know, we've been scouring the area in search of houses. We've been looking in the 5 minutes range near me dad's as it's a nice area & an area I've spent most of my life in. [ it's also closer to everything, even tho we're only 20 minutes away from him now ]
Well...apparently there's been a Pet Hotel 5 minutes away from my dad / where I use to live the past 10 years & I never knew it! *feels stupid*
Well, a few weeks ago we went in to check it out. The place is HUGE!!! & even tho they had a good 40 dogs being boarded, they clean the place every day so there was no "doggy odor."
The dogs are kept in small "rooms" with sliding glass doors instead of kennels, they get tons of play time out in the big yard, & they have accommodations for special needs dogs. [ ie: dogs who aren't social get "private" play time ] They also allow intact dogs, & if you're boarding more than one pup, you can keep them "together."
They feed grain / corn free [ ie: hollistic ] treats & the overall atmosphere is really nice. The place is huge, like on two acres of land. It's situated in a foresty-area with huge fences. [ we saw 4 deer in the front yard LOL, 3 babies & a mother ]
The Owner of the place was SOOOOO nice
She's also a strictly positive-reinforcement lady, & even offers training classes for people having difficulties training their dogs.
It was just a really cool thing to have such a nice place so near by in case we ever need it.
She told us when we do get our pups to bring them in so her & the staff could meet them.
She's actually just gave us a call today to ask how we were doing & to wish us luck in getting our pups.
It was a really cool experience.
It always makes me happy when I find people who really want the best for their dogs [ & in the case of this lady, for other people's dogs LOL ]
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I'm wondering tho...is this the "norm" for pet hotels / boarding places? Do you all have something around you guys like this? ~
Well...apparently there's been a Pet Hotel 5 minutes away from my dad / where I use to live the past 10 years & I never knew it! *feels stupid*
Well, a few weeks ago we went in to check it out. The place is HUGE!!! & even tho they had a good 40 dogs being boarded, they clean the place every day so there was no "doggy odor."
The dogs are kept in small "rooms" with sliding glass doors instead of kennels, they get tons of play time out in the big yard, & they have accommodations for special needs dogs. [ ie: dogs who aren't social get "private" play time ] They also allow intact dogs, & if you're boarding more than one pup, you can keep them "together."
They feed grain / corn free [ ie: hollistic ] treats & the overall atmosphere is really nice. The place is huge, like on two acres of land. It's situated in a foresty-area with huge fences. [ we saw 4 deer in the front yard LOL, 3 babies & a mother ]
The Owner of the place was SOOOOO nice
She's also a strictly positive-reinforcement lady, & even offers training classes for people having difficulties training their dogs. It was just a really cool thing to have such a nice place so near by in case we ever need it.
She told us when we do get our pups to bring them in so her & the staff could meet them.
She's actually just gave us a call today to ask how we were doing & to wish us luck in getting our pups.
It was a really cool experience.
It always makes me happy when I find people who really want the best for their dogs [ & in the case of this lady, for other people's dogs LOL ]
---
I'm wondering tho...is this the "norm" for pet hotels / boarding places? Do you all have something around you guys like this? ~
Comments
When people always mention "boarding" their dogs, I get images of a bunch of pups confined to their crates / small kennels...but this place blew my mind!
*I* wouldn't mind staying at this pet hotel for a few weeks LOL ~
Though if you have a misbehaving dog, do expect him to stay mostly in his kennel since they rather keep a calm, peaceful environment.
Basically, it's not a bad place to stay if you go on vacation and don't have family to pawn your dogs off of, but unless my dog LOVED going to doggie daycare/hotel, I wouldn't bring her there. My dog hated it even when I was there working so I would never bring her back to a place like that.
Sounds like your pups will have it made!
But I am with Corina... If I go out of town and can not take the pups, I usually just pawn them off on family members.
Bottom line - It's spendy, but worth it! :)
Some of the "rooms" for the dogs even have individual dog runs attached.
I'm not going to lie, we were really impressed with the place & this lady's dedication.
Even tho my family are all dog lovers, I'm not sure that they would "watch them" if we went away. [ they are all extreme dog lovers, however, they don't like dogs in their house, personally ] <--- But, they might change their minds once they see a cute little puppy LOL They've been known to do that.
Re: Friends. In all honesty, I don't trust any of our friends to watch our pups.
We pretty much literally stumbled upon the pet hotel & said, "Hey, why not go look?" We were actually interrogating her on the community we were looking at buying in LOL
Don't know if the place is "cheap" or not. I've never looked at boarding options. It was about $80 - $150 a day / night. It all depends on if you want your dogs to get extra walks, a bigger room, room w/ dog run, etc. ~
The place you toured will allow intact dogs, but many places around here won't. "Cage-free" boarding is totally inappropriate in many cases...being confronted by a bunch of rowdy "free-range" retrievers is Tuli's idea of Hell.
Before jumping on me for a rant, I am the one who has four dogs and I am willing to pay for their needs, but all this extra stuff is to make the people feel better, not necessarily the dogs.
So, it's easy to be wowed by all the amenities, but I just look for the basics:
SAFETY & SECURITY. With escape artists like Guska, I can't be fretting about whether or not he will stay in the enclosure(s). Double fencing is what I like to see and kennel runs with tops. All fencing should be well-maintained with no gaps and latches should be dog-proof. You would be amazed at the facilities that have tall fencing at the front, and less-tall fencing at the rear of the property. Also if the dogs are to be moved from a kennel run to a larger yard for daily exercise, this "channel" should be fenced! It is not fun to get a phone call while you are states away to let you know that your dog is enjoying a scenic tour of Great Falls, VA.
CLEANLINESS. I'm fine with concrete as long as it's clean. As long as the dogs have access to shelter and a place to lie up off the ground, I am satisfied. These guys lived as primarily outdoor dogs in WI and NH, so a few nights in a kennel isn't the end of the world.
DOGS ONLY. Meaning no cats or ferrets or rabbits or pot-bellied pigs being boarded at the same facility (hey, you'd be surprised)
DEDICATED STAFF WITH LITTLE TURNOVER. The Trio doesn't care two hoots about some stranger staying overnight with them and reading them a bedtime story. They do need someone who is observant, consistent, and compassionate.
I am so fortunate to have access to a largely private boarding facility. Sandy and her husband have bred Golden Retrievers for over 20 years. They have had the same kennel help for about that amount of time and they have a great setup attached to the main home. They know to take appropriate precautions if they have a bitch in heat i.e. not house Triepak and Guska together. The cost is a reasonable $25 per dog per day and that includes anything the dog needs. If the dog is on medication, they get it - there is no additional fee for meds. I bring their food and chewies.
It's like doggie day care. Interesting idea (though my dogs are fine at home) but no way my Shibas could go to one.
I'm lucky to have a not fancy, but quite reliable kennel here which covers everything TeamLaika mentions. Same people the entire 8 years I've been here, and the dogs don't mind going there at all (well, my girl Shiba doesn't like it, but she freaks out when I leave home regardless of whether she is in the kennel or at home). And even though it is basic, it's still pretty pricey once I get all my pups there, simply because I have three.