1st time boarding

What are you looking for?

Inside facility where the dog gets walked minimally and you have to pay for extra walks, or outside?

I am looking to see if anyone has experience with this.  If you have boarded a dog what was it like.

I have boarded before, once at a very reputable facility and once at the vet.......the vet situation was a disaster.....the dog came back scared and had soiled it's bed......so, no good on that one......the other facility was an excellent place, but cost a fortune......it was over Thanksgiving a few years ago and we purchased extra walks and playtime, a Turkey dinner for two GSDs......one week of boarding was almost 500 bucks......they had gained some weight, but other than that it was a good experience.....

Oh, thanks for that info!  I just feel sick at the thought of boarding, but it may be necessary. I remember when I was a kid having to leave our dogs at a local kennel and they came back with fleas, but not emotionally impacted. 

We have a neighbor that had a good experience with a facility like the one you reference. It is just real hard to imagine my two in any kennel.

I know it's hard to leave our dogs behind.....but, I wanted to add that I demanded they could have their beds to sleep on .....they were going to use their own beds, but I explained that it would help the dogs feel more comfortable.....also, I brought toys and stuff to chew on, as well as our food.......their food is included in the price, but I didn't want to upset their tummies.....lol

Yes, bringing some of their own things would be good. Honestly, they are probably more capable of this than I feel about it.

I've boarded River a couple of time for 1 week each time at a place by us that is wonderful.  The first time I was nervous but he did fine.  He always comes home kinda subdued for 24 hours and I don't exactly know why.  But my SIL came to our house and watched him once for a few days and they same thing - after she left he kinda was quiet and not him self for a day.  Although he is always excited to see us at first the next hours he is kinda quiet and not quit himself.  I think maybe he is readjusting or something.  

Were I bring River if you home cook they ask you prepared it and freeze it.  Then they serve it at your instructions.  You have to supply your dogs food, snacks and meds.  Everything is under your instructions.  They have a form and ask what they are allowed and not allowed to do with your dog.

For example; they have a pond, can we swim your dog?  Is your dog allowed to participate in play groups?  May he go on nature walks off leash or on leash?  They have something like 20 acres much of which are fenced but they have hiking trails too on there property which is a least a mile off any road so they will hike with the dog.  There individual kennels are nice too, they are long half inside and half outside with heated floor, and beds.  They encourage you to bring anything you would like for them to have like toys, there own beds etc.  

I think there are good kennels and bad kennels and without a recommendation you have to interview and decide on what you are told.  Once you experience it you will know - I think.  Most Vet type kenneling is a crate and a walk for bathroom breaks so I don't recommend them - unless they are specially set up as a boarding facility too.  Here is link to the Kennel I use even though you don't live near me you can get an idea of what they offer.  It's been a while since he was boarded I don't remember the exact price but I think it was around 200 per week.

In my experience my dog is always a little quiet when he returns but I don't think it has anything to do with treatment, happiness or sadness I think its some kind of readjustment period.

http://www.petsparesort.com/ 

Good luck I know its hard but for me it was a find experience and would do it again for a trip to the islands!

ETA:  You should (its a requirement in our pet spa) to have him get his Bordetella shot 2 weeks prior to stay, he must be freshly flea and tick protected and they offer a an extra charge there grooming service.  I always pick that (since this is were he is groomed anyway) and they will bath, groom, cut nails etc. just hours before he is picked up so he not only happy but fresh and clean!  I love it.

That sounds nice!   I suppose the dog is a little exhausted from the change and that is why he is quiet?  It is going to be a little shocking to not be home for a week and not be with his own family.  One buffer for my two is that they have each other.  It is hard to know what goes on in doggy minds, lol.  But if they have a lot of human love and contact, these guys will do best.

adding in: something else to worry about. I was just reading about a kennel that is soo clean that they use disinfectant every day in the kennels.  Having allergic dogs, who choke if you use antiseptic around them, just sounds horrible.  Ugh.

.My two are up to date on shots and due for bordetella anyhow.

There are always the stories, not long ago there was a story on our news about a kennel who used a shock collar on dogs who barked to much and burnt the dogs neck, can you imagion?  According to the kennel it was buired in the small print of the contract and that's how they tried to justify it when the owners sued there butts!!  After that I asked my kennel and they assured me no such treatment was going on at their facility.  This story was a city boarding so I guess they felt they had the right to keep things quiet.  Out here in our county setting no one would here the dogs anyway.  But you really just don't know I guess without having your own expierence, knowing the owners or having some good reference.  At least in your story they were trying to do a good thing I suppose but didn't think about what "could" happen..  Bordetella is important and should be given 2 weeks prior to your dogs stay.

Hope your going to somewhere fun.

a story on our news about a kennel who used a shock collar on dogs who barked to much and burnt the dogs neck, can you imagion? 

OMG, NO! That is horrible.  And consider that my two are incredibly vocal Siberian Huskies. That is what they do! I would have to discuss that with whomever would be caring for these two very tactile animals!  I mean they talk.  If someone ever put a shock on these guys, it would just crush their beautiful spirits.  If that method was what a facility used on any dog, I would turn on my heel and not look back (with my dogs!) . horrible.

Looking at the web found a couple places.  One is like a dog hotel.  Another two sites show more like out of their home but they are insured/bonded and the photos look kind of good. Not our home, but would have to see them to really get a clue what they are like.

It's tough.  We had to board our dog when we went away in early March.  The foster mom we adopted from also runs a grooming business and does a bit of boarding for her rescues and grooming clients.  We had the advantage of knowing that Bailey would be well taken care of, have a big yard with other dogs to play with, and be fed her own food and supplement that we provided.  She was SO excited to see us when we got back, and she was given a bath too.  :)

We also explored other options because we both travel on occasion and if we needed a last minute place I wanted to be prepared.  I took Bailey to a local dog daycare so they know her, have her vet records, and can take her overnight if needed.  I'm not sure I would be comfortable leaving her there for a long period of time but its an option.  I also trust my vet's office as a last resort.

I have boarded Bugsy 2x.  Once as a trial at a doggie daycare, play all day sort of place with an inground pool for the dogs.  He was there for two nights and was shattered when we picked him up.  He is a very active dog normally so I wasn't pleased.  It had been extraordinarily hot 96*+ and he appeared dehydratred.  Also he needs daily benadryl that they charged me to give him and when I picked him up half was leftover

So despite that looking like an oasis that wasn't any good for him.  So I began to investigate various options around and decided on a traditional kennel with dog runs.  I also booked a walk a day.  He has special diet needs and they were all taken care of, they loved him and after an 8 night stay he was happy to see us but was in perfect health and pretty darn happy as was I.  What I liked about this place especially was that it was super duper clean and again we had to board in the heat of an NC summer and the inside area was kept at a cool 72*.  The air filters were clean which in so many places I visited they were full of junk.  And the runs were covered and under trees so they were as cool as they could be and still outside.

For a dog his size it wasn't cheap but not insanely high. 

Recently a friend took her dog there on my recommendation and also was very happy.  Ideally the dogs would have a yard to run in freely but otherwise I couldn't have been happier.  They enjoyed Bugsy so much he got to go on several walks because he liked all the dogs

My strongest recommendation is to do your research and actually go and visit the places.  Also know what is in your dog's best interest. 

It is good to know some of the things that could happen and how the facility is prepared to take care of things. Some nightmares are happening in these places.  The only way I would do this is by physically going to the place and asking questions and seeing everything how it is maintained and how the animals that they have look...

Other options could be to get a sitter to stay with the dogs. 

Thanks for all of your great responses.  This is very helpful to us!

We left the dogs at home on our last trip.....had someone come in and do her thing......the dogs did much better staying home....less stress.....