What Is Important For You When Boarding Your Dogs?

[OSoSwift]

Please tick all those that apply :)

If there is anything I have forgotten or something else you would like to add please do so.

I am interested in what you think makes a good boarding experience for you and your dog.

This is my first poll so I hope I have done it correctly :D

Edited February 26, 2012 by OSoSwift

[oakway]

The most important thing is that they come home the way they went in. Or better than they went in.

Edited February 26, 2012 by oakway

[newfsie]

I would love one of my dogs to be able to play with other dogs in happy company, but my other three I would prefer not. Two of which are very social, but often stress if not picked that they are in a bully group. And one of my dog has a dog aggression history in her past...none for a long time, but i call her managed. Also would love to be able to keep the dogs in pairs, not 4/run.

To me coolness is of the utmost importance, hence i like the clamshells, I feed RAW and bones. And personally as long as my dogs like the owner/staff, I am not too fussy in the accommodation. I have been to a very shabby Kennel, which my dogs loved and obviously had fun, they even ran back in. I have been to a boutique kennel, beautiful, perfect, but two of my dogs were stressed and couldn't wait to get out. Luckily only for two nights. I think that owner found appearance more important. The shabby Kennel was all about the dogs. the dogs love that place and happily go there

Edited February 26, 2012 by newfsie

[jrm88]

Also really important to me is the boarding kennel are able to brush my dog every day/2nd day (STD poodle) and do a PROPER job :) I'd be livid if I came back and he was knotty/matted as I brush him alot to avoid that :)

[WreckitWhippet]

The most important thing for me, is to do what I say. If I say don't let the dog run with another dog, then I mean it for a reason.

I expect that the food I provide is fed to them.

I expect that they are let out of the kennels morning and afternoons for a toilet stop.

[Fordogs]

For me, I would expect them to feed exactly the food that I provide and nothing else, (I always provide my own food)

Expect for them to have atleast 2 times a day free running on grass to toilet.

Luxury is not expected but well shaded and insulated kennel area is good.

Never allow my dogs to have play time with others as I also have a dog aggressive female.

Always have my dogs placed next to each other if runs are not big enough for 2.

I also expect them to come home as clean as they were when they arrived.

I once left my very cranky Mini Foxie at a kennel just for the day (no night)when I arrived to pick him up the kennel owner had given him a bath,

just because she was bathing a couple of others. It was amazing as that little Bugger would NEVER allow anyone to pick him up let alone bath him :laugh:

And yes the guy still had all of his fingers.

[Vickie]

The most important thing for me, is to do what I say. If I say don't let the dog run with another dog, then I mean it for a reason.

This.

[Guest lavendergirl]

This is an interesting poll - thanks for putting it up.

Ooh - I ticked so many of those boxes :D Its also important to offer the option of shared or individual kennels. I would love to find one that accepted titre testing - I don't think any exist. In my experience its hard to find any that tick all the basics I would require especially the sheltered runs on grass at least twice a day. Experienced kennel staff that are genuinely interested in individual dog's requirements would be nice - not just lip service.

[Weasels]

Exercise and some human interaction are important to me :) Being in a kennel is quite a departure from their cushy indoor life so I'd like them to get a chance to run off some stress. Also I'd prefer both of mine to be in the same run - Fox wouldn't care but Weez would fret without her.

Things like temperature regulation I would discuss and ultimately have to trust the boarder to use common sense.

[fuzzy82]

I ticked

Individual play/attention time at least once per day

Air con'd/heated

Grass exercise areas

Solid partition between inside dog runs for privacy (this is the least important of the things I ticked though)

Super premium dry food offered as standard

But other than the general good standard of the kennel, it's also very important that the people are experienced and friendly. When I call up to ask them about the kennel I want them to encourage questions and be happy to answer everything, when we drop the dogs off I want the staff to make an effort to get to know them, not just stick them in a kennel, I want to walk them in so see where they'll be staying, I don't want the staff to conduct any sort of training of the dogs while they're there, and when I pick them up I want to see that the dogs are excited to see the staff who are getting them out of their kennel and I want their demeanour to be the same when I pick them up as when I dropped them off.

Complimentary hydrobath is nice too, but certainly not a requirement. A camera so I can see them while I'm away would be really great too, but not a must.

Edited February 26, 2012 by fuzzy82

[Kavik]

The most important thing for me, is to do what I say. If I say don't let the dog run with another dog, then I mean it for a reason.

This.

This is the most important for me as well. I would only want my own dogs exercised together, no strange dogs. And as one can be a resource guarder with food, would need them to be in separate runs so they could be fed separately.

[Crisovar]

Also really important to me is the boarding kennel are able to brush my dog every day/2nd day (STD poodle) and do a PROPER job :) I'd be livid if I came back and he was knotty/matted as I brush him alot to avoid that :)

Out of interest would you expect to pay an additional Grooming fee for this?

[Crisovar]

Secure safe kennels, runs and exercise areas is a biggy for me.

Confident and competent management and staff, a love of animals simply isn't enough.

No kenneling, exercising or playtime with other dogs.

Food supplied by me to be fed and nothing else.

[Leema]

The kennel I used to work at weighed dogs weekly to ensure they won't gaining or losing weight excessively. A very worthwhile process to ensure we 'nip in the bud' any weight issues and a step to ensuring the dogs look the same when they go out.

[OSoSwift]

The most important thing is that they come home the way they went in. Or better than they went in.

Absolutely and that would be the aim :)

I would love one of my dogs to be able to play with other dogs in happy company, but my other three I would prefer not. Two of which are very social, but often stress if not picked that they are in a bully group. And one of my dog has a dog aggression history in her past...none for a long time, but i call her managed. Also would love to be able to keep the dogs in pairs, not 4/run.

To me coolness is of the utmost importance, hence i like the clamshells, I feed RAW and bones. And personally as long as my dogs like the owner/staff, I am not too fussy in the accommodation. I have been to a very shabby Kennel, which my dogs loved and obviously had fun, they even ran back in. I have been to a boutique kennel, beautiful, perfect, but two of my dogs were stressed and couldn't wait to get out. Luckily only for two nights. I think that owner found appearance more important. The shabby Kennel was all about the dogs. the dogs love that place and happily go there

If you asked for your dogs to be kept in pairs or singles then that is how they would be kept. I think Clam shells are a year easy way of keeping those dogs that l;ike them cool and content so those would be available

I would only exercise dogs individually or with family members.

Also really important to me is the boarding kennel are able to brush my dog every day/2nd day (STD poodle) and do a PROPER job :) I'd be livid if I came back and he was knotty/matted as I brush him alot to avoid that :)

Yep grooming would be included in the individual attention that each dog would recieve daily

The most important thing for me, is to do what I say. If I say don't let the dog run with another dog, then I mean it for a reason.

I expect that the food I provide is fed to them.

I expect that they are let out of the kennels morning and afternoons for a toilet stop.

Yes to all of the above. Dogs would be let out at least twice daily for a toilet stop and exercise

For me, I would expect them to feed exactly the food that I provide and nothing else, (I always provide my own food)

Expect for them to have atleast 2 times a day free running on grass to toilet.

Luxury is not expected but well shaded and insulated kennel area is good.

Never allow my dogs to have play time with others as I also have a dog aggressive female.

Always have my dogs placed next to each other if runs are not big enough for 2.

I also expect them to come home as clean as they were when they arrived.

I once left my very cranky Mini Foxie at a kennel just for the day (no night)when I arrived to pick him up the kennel owner had given him a bath,

just because she was bathing a couple of others. It was amazing as that little Bugger would NEVER allow anyone to pick him up let alone bath him :laugh:

And yes the guy still had all of his fingers.

The dogs wfood would be fed if it was left most definately

The kennels will have an inside and outside part to the run with a door connecting, however single kennels would be available as long as they were free.

Yes dogs would be clean when leaving.

This is an interesting poll - thanks for putting it up.

Ooh - I ticked so many of those boxes :D Its also important to offer the option of shared or individual kennels. I would love to find one that accepted titre testing - I don't think any exist. In my experience its hard to find any that tick all the basics I would require especially the sheltered runs on grass at least twice a day. Experienced kennel staff that are genuinely interested in individual dog's requirements would be nice - not just lip service.

I am planning to accept titre testing

Runs would be sheltered by trees any that are not will have shadecloth over the top, plus there is the inside part as well.

People would definately be interested in the dogs who visit

Exercise and some human interaction are important to me :) Being in a kennel is quite a departure from their cushy indoor life so I'd like them to get a chance to run off some stress. Also I'd prefer both of mine to be in the same run - Fox wouldn't care but Weez would fret without her.

Things like temperature regulation I would discuss and ultimately have to trust the boarder to use common sense.

The kennels are going to be built with two lounge hogging WHippets in mind. I said from the beginning I would only do it if I would be happy to leave my dog there. There are many things included for exactly that reason.

[OSoSwift]

I ticked

Individual play/attention time at least once per day

Air con'd/heated

Grass exercise areas

Solid partition between inside dog runs for privacy (this is the least important of the things I ticked though)

Super premium dry food offered as standard

But other than the general good standard of the kennel, it's also very important that the people are experienced and friendly. When I call up to ask them about the kennel I want them to encourage questions and be happy to answer everything, when we drop the dogs off I want the staff to make an effort to get to know them, not just stick them in a kennel, I want to walk them in so see where they'll be staying, I don't want the staff to conduct any sort of training of the dogs while they're there, and when I pick them up I want to see that the dogs are excited to see the staff who are getting them out of their kennel and I want their demeanour to be the same when I pick them up as when I dropped them off.

Complimentary hydrobath is nice too, but certainly not a requirement. A camera so I can see them while I'm away would be really great too, but not a must.

20+ years vet nursing, grooming, training, trialling, showing. So I hope that would be enough experience.

Yes to the questions and taking them to their run

No training at all while staying

The internet is a little unreliable and expensive here, so not webcam, but a video link up to my house so I can check them last thing at night etc without waking them up

The most important thing for me, is to do what I say. If I say don't let the dog run with another dog, then I mean it for a reason.

This.

This is the most important for me as well. I would only want my own dogs exercised together, no strange dogs. And as one can be a resource guarder with food, would need them to be in separate runs so they could be fed separately.

If they shared a run they could still be fed seperately but if you wanted them in seperate runs, then that would not be an issue

Anything else I need to consider??

Thank you and you are all very helpful

[OSoSwift]

Secure safe kennels, runs and exercise areas is a biggy for me.

Confident and competent management and staff, a love of animals simply isn't enough.

No kenneling, exercising or playtime with other dogs.

Food supplied by me to be fed and nothing else.

All kennels are fully enclosed and secure inside and out so no dogs can climb out of a kennel. There are two fences between the dog and eswcape at all time. Chainmesh, concrete footing around the perimeter of the exercise yards, one to stop wear marks right near the fence, but also to stop digging out/between pens. Fences will be a minimum of 1.8m chainmesh and one will most likely have wire angled in at the top to stop anyone trying to climb out of that.

If you supply food and/or treats and say nothing else that is exactly what will happen

The kennel I used to work at weighed dogs weekly to ensure they won't gaining or losing weight excessively. A very worthwhile process to ensure we 'nip in the bud' any weight issues and a step to ensuring the dogs look the same when they go out.

That is a very good idea.

[Weasels]

Well once your up and running Oso you might get a couple of kelpie visitors while we humans go and explore the lovely south of WA :D

[OSoSwift]

Also really important to me is the boarding kennel are able to brush my dog every day/2nd day (STD poodle) and do a PROPER job :) I'd be livid if I came back and he was knotty/matted as I brush him alot to avoid that :)

Out of interest would you expect to pay an additional Grooming fee for this?

Not for the average dog, it's all part of the one on one time. If it was a dog that required an hour plus every day to maintain it's coat then yes I would have to look at charging something for that.

[OSoSwift]

Well once your up and running Oso you might get a couple of kelpie visitors while we humans go and explore the lovely south of WA :D

Would love to have them :)

I have really tried to think of what I wanted out of a kennel and what I thought others may want - hence the poll. I have had dogs with food allergies, a dog that has had GDV before so I was very strict on portion control and crating etc.

I want to offer the experience I would expect when boarding.

I want it to look great but also offer great service so the dogs are happy and happy to come back and the owners feel happy and secure leaving their dogs there.