Anyone board their dogs while on vacation?

jdawnc

jdawnc

Cathlete
I am seriously considering boarding my large dog with a nice kennel in the country. I can't find anyone to look after him because of his size and reluctancy towards strangers. I think he would have more fun at a kennel rather then staying in his crate at home all day and all night and have someone come over to feed him and let him out a couple times of day.

I just am wondering if any of you guys board your dog and what types of experiences you had. The kennel is half outside and inside measuring 5'x25' and he would be there for one week.

Thanks for your imput. :)
 
I used to board my two dogs when we were away and had only good experiences. We used the kennel that bred my female and so, the place was filled with all german shephards. I brought in my own food (which they actually charged extra to feed them with) and had them stay together. One was a little gun shy with people so I alerted them to that too. The kennel offered things like grooming, extraplay, etc., but I never bothered b/c I had two and they could play with each other!

Go and check the place out to set your mind at ease. Ask questions, check out their BBB rating, etc. Make sure to tell them anything special about your dog too.

Good luck :)
 
We are doing an overnight trial run before we leave to make sure it will work out and we can pick him up right away. I am really crossing my fingers I really think he would like this better then being alone at home with intereaction a couple times a day.
 
Our girls go to a really nice horse farm with lots and lots of acres of land and playtime. The owner is a trained vet. We love this place.

I will tell you though, that the way your pet reacts on a short visit will be totally different than a longer stay. If we take them there for one night, they seem a bit more stressed when we pick them up, like they hadn't really gotten used to it yet. But, when we went to Italy and they were there for almost two weeks, they seemed much more relaxed when we picked them up (the owners even took pictures of them playing and gave them to us so we could see their "vacation."). What I've finally learned is that no matter how good the place is, they are going to be stressed the first few days because their routine is messed up and their humans are gone.

I do like doing this better than having someone come to our house, because at least they get to play and stay outside more at "the farm," making them a little happier and definitely more tired at the end of the day!

Good luck!:)
 
We board our Springer Spaniel when we go out of town and he does fine. We chose a kennel that came highly recommended so that's the only thing I'd suggest. If it has a good reputation you should have no problems. I agree that your dog(s) will be stressed when you leave, regardless of the care you've chosen for them, but if you find a place you trust that at least puts YOUR mind at ease.
 
We have a great dane, used to have 2, and we have no problem boarding while we are away. They are much happier not penned up in a cage all day at home. Our "kennel" is our vet's boarding service and they are awesome! Good luck!
 
Jimmy (the one in the photo) is boarded at DownTown Dogs - they are also a doggie day care facility. He plays with other dogs all day long, then is put to bed at 9PM and let back out at 6AM. I really like this place.
 
I board both of my dogs (they share a kennel) with a local place. I always feel bad about it, but they've been fine. I have more peace of mind with it , then with having someone come in to take care of them. Plus, I know other people who board their dogs at the same place. Do you have personal recommendations for this kennel?
 
I've been boarding my dog for years here in Colorado Springs. We use a kennel called "Camp Bow Wow". It is expensive ($32 per night), but they have an excellent reputation and I never worry about my dog when he's there (about 4 times per year). Reputation and cleanliness are both very important. My dog is always happy and hydrated when I pick him up and he enjoys the other dogs and gets lots of attention and playtime. He's an older dog so he gets a little cot so he doesn't have to sleep on the hard floor. The indoor-outdoor run sounds really nice. Give it a try -- it really is better than leaving them at home all alone. Hope this helps.
 
My vet recommended this one and there are pretty much only 3 in town and this one has the biggest kennels. I am doing the trial run to see if they even want him for the week. He is a Maremma/Great Pyrenees and can be quite aggressive at times. He is very protective over me and doesn't getalong initially with most people or other animals he doesn't know. He really needs to get to know someone before he is comfortable with them.

He really is a nice boy if he knows you and has a heart of gold.
 
I used to board my dog at our old vet. She LOVED it. She loved the vet tech more than us, I think. Just go check it out. Make sure your dog will be in a run that is big enough for him/her. Also see if you can take him/her a pillow to sleep on and maybe some special treats or toys. We always took Maggie stuff from home so she'd be comforted. I also felt better having her at a vet kennel so that if she got sick or needed to see the vet, she was right there.
 
I'm always amazed at how well they handle my dog at the kennel. He is a cranky spoiled elderly Austrialian Shepherd mix and an "alpha" dog. He is a bit aggressive to other dogs, but they never have a problem with him and know how to handle him. I bet your dog will do great.
 
My dog hates all other dogs. She thinks she's a person -- and apparently she's not a dog person. She loves all people, though, and seems to do well at the kennel. I think it's good you're doing a trial run. I'm sure he'll do great. I'd take some of his food from home though, because oftentimes dogs are a little skeptical about eating away from home -- or at least mine is.
 
Thanks for all your replies it is really putting my mind at ease about this. A lot of the time we feel very alone with Max's behavior but as I am learning all dogs have their own issues and Max isnt' the only one.

Thanks again.
 
We also use a vet kennel and they even give us a username and password to log into a pet cam where we can see our dog at any time (which actually makes me miss him even more). But it's a cool feature that puts my mind at ease and I prefer having him stay there as opposed to having someone stop by the house to feed him and let him out.

Good luck!
 
We have a "pet Sitter". She picks the girls ( a Yorkie and a Pointer) and keeps the Yorkie overnight in her kennel. The pointer comes home because she can't settle down. They both love to see her come! She also brings in the paper and the mail and checks the house. She also comes at the last minute if we need her. She is a real gem!
Ellen
 
You might also be surprised - often times when dogs are left without their people, their personality changes and they become easier to handle. Your dog is a Great Pyrenese mix - and they a guardian dogs (as I'm sure you know) - he would feel it is her job to protect you (his flock) against anyone he has not "approved". Without his flock to protect, he may relax. Best of luck to you!
 
Christine, your dog is beautiful!!!

I agree, their personalities change at kennel. The boarding master told me my dog is very "charming" and "listens well". My dog????? Yep!!
 
Wow, Christine, you are right about that! You would give Cesar Millan a run for his money!;)

I have a 155 pound Newf named Georgie. When we go places which isn't very often, we have a friend come stay with him. I used to take him to doggy day care when he was a little guy, and I have to say, it was his downfall due to the slippery floors. Giant breeds cannot run or play when they are young on such floors. George has had two knee repairs since, he is 5 now and is developing arthritis in both knees, I blame myself for my own foolishness. He loves other dogs, and the social aspect is good for him, but now, I would never put him in a doggy care facility-just because of his slipping. Your situation might be different obviously.
I am probably over protective of George though. And feel that most dogs have a great time in such places! Good luck, it is always hard leaving your "kid!" I loved the place where you can actually see your dog online though, wow, that is really great!
:)
 
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