Dog Boarding Kennel Recommendations

[Dogs4Fun]

Hi All,

I'm looking for personal recommendations for boarding kennels, preferably in Sydney NW, but will travel to the right place.

I have two standard poodles that need plenty of exercise, preferably with the ability to get grooming done if a longer stay - I normally bath weekly. Willingness to feed my own food a neccesity (one dog has food allergies).

Thanks!

[YvonneM]

I have boarded at Meadowmist at Marsden Park for many years - in their special care section. I have always been happy with their service. The owners of the kennels live on the premises and are happy to take you for a walk around and show you the kennels. They only have (i think) 4 special care kennels so they book up quickly. The staff have always seem to be very caring of the doggies under their care - and each staff member has dogs assigned to them. There is an additional charge for "play time" of a couple of dollars a day, and I think from memory the daily cost is about $40 - $45 + play time. Play time means that a staff member actually goes out and plays in a grassed fenced section with your dog for about a half hour at a time. If you are happy for your dog to socialise, they will put your dog out in a grassed fenced section with another dog of similar size/temperament to play together. My boy, who we sadly lost in February last, always got excited when we drove in the driveway at Meadowmist and only once was "out of sorts" when he came home after a weekend there .... and I put that down to the fact that dear hubby forgot to ask for play time!!! A bath is always given on the day of doggies going home. They also have a pick up and delivery service if required.

Having said all that .... I do think that their special care kennels need a "freshen up".

My baby Maltese will be staying there in October when we go away for 3 days for his first time .... he will be 7 months by then.

[Odin-Genie]

I recommend Akuna near Hunter Valley. I board my dogs there. My requirements are:

• I provide their food
  
• They are fed twice a day
  
• Two walks and a playtime per day
  
• No interaction with other dogs
  
• Medication as required
  
• Airconditioning
  

One of my dogs has canine DLE and the owners of the kennel have been really accommodating with his medication and putting tarpoline on his grassy area so that he doesn't get direct sun.

[Dogs4Fun]

Thanks guys,

Any more?

[Dogs4Fun]

Bump for some more suggestions

[Gertrude139]

Dogwoods in Colo Heights, if they are sociable and like the company of other dogs, and you are happy for them to run with other similar size dogs.

Calabash Kennels in Arcadia

Both quite far out but worth it IMO.

I don't know if Dogwoods will do the grooming side of things, as I've never asked. I know that Calabash do, they have a lot of 'extras' you can add to the stay. Both have active FB pages posting pics of pets during the stay.

[Dogs4Fun]

Thanks.

Any comments about the Dural area ones?

[Loving my Oldies]

Styles Dog Grooming at Normanhurst breed and show Standard Poodles. 9980 8261. I take my own dogs there for grooming and often when I stop to have a chat they will have a dog there they are looking after.

I don't know if they have a dog minding business as such, but they regularly have pups and dogs they have rehomed come and stay while the owners go away.

[Gertrude139]

Thanks.

Any comments about the Dural area ones?

I haven't had any personal experiences with the Dural ones sorry.

I have a lot of respect for Glenn Cooke from Pet Resorts Australia as a trainer, and a foster carer with the rescue group I am involved with works as kennel staff at the Terrigal branch and it seems a very good setup. She loves it and gets a lot of good feedback. The Terrigal facility is much newer though. This would be the first place I would check out in Dural if I were looking.

There are so many in the Dural area to choose from I wouldn't even know where to start.

Do you have a price range or budget that you want to stick to and go from there?

Or do you have minimum exercise requirements that you would like? eg being walked vs left in a day run

A preference for your dogs to play with others or not to interact with any others?

[Gertrude139]

A quick DOL search would indicate that Calabash is the most recommended out that way, it's not too far from Dural really. Pet Resorts also got a few mentions.

Also if the DOLer PAX's kennel is still operating? Maybe too far out of the way at Londonderry though. Some of those threads are a little old but it probably gives you a good idea.

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[Alison03]

Has anyone used the Triple Crown Kennels at Londonderry NSW?

[Dogs4Fun]

Great, a few more to look over.

Thanks

[Dogs4Fun]

Thanks.

Any comments about the Dural area ones?

I haven't had any personal experiences with the Dural ones sorry.

I have a lot of respect for Glenn Cooke from Pet Resorts Australia as a trainer, and a foster carer with the rescue group I am involved with works as kennel staff at the Terrigal branch and it seems a very good setup. She loves it and gets a lot of good feedback. The Terrigal facility is much newer though. This would be the first place I would check out in Dural if I were looking.

There are so many in the Dural area to choose from I wouldn't even know where to start.

Do you have a price range or budget that you want to stick to and go from there?

Or do you have minimum exercise requirements that you would like? eg being walked vs left in a day run

A preference for your dogs to play with others or not to interact with any others?

Yes there are a lot to choose from, hence chasing recommendations to narrow things down.

Price - will pay appropriately for the right care.

Am happy for the dogs to be in a day run - would rather they not be walked off the property.

I would prefer the dogs to have their own run, but small groups OK

[YvonneM]

Over the weekend just gone I went and inspected two kennels - Acacia Lodge at Londonderry and Meadowmist at Marsden Park. In case you are not familiar with the area, they are about a 10-15 minute drive apart, and about a 15-20 minute drive west out of Blacktown. I have boarded our previous dog at Meadowmist for over 10 years but I think sometimes you get complacent with familiarity and wanted to reaffirm some things.

We went to Acacia Lodge first. I thought the lady who ran the kennels was lovely and obviously cares a great deal for the animals in her charge. She was happy to take us through the kennels. The kennels are air conditioned with 2 split system air conditioner systems and on the day we went they were quite cool inside - it was hot outside. I thought the individual kennels were quite small, particularly for a larger dog. The dogs are locked inside at night and spend some of the day outside in separate grassed runs which were a decent size. Dogs are not socialised with any other dogs - but she says that she goes out to play with them in their grassed runs during the day. THe lady who runs the kennels does not employ any other staff - she does it all herself. If I recall correctly the only takes 20-25 dogs at any one time, but has facilities for well over that. Charges were $27 per day.

After that we went to Meadowmist. I was particularly interested in special care which is around the $45 per day mark + play time of $5 per day. Play time consists of one hour with a carer in the fenced grassed run area where the carer plays with the dog. If allowed by the owner, play time may be with another similar sized/temperament dog. Special Care consists of an indoor section of a quite long run which is concrete. The indoor section has small doggy sized furniture - couch, bed, sofa chair and rugs, the next section in front of that has an awning with another outdoor couch or trampoline bed and a blanket. There is a wire door on this section which is closed at night and then next section in front of that is cyclone fenced concrete run with screening between each kennel so that the dog in the next kennel cannot be seen. The runs are quite long - I'm not good on measurements, but I'd say 10 metres or so. Each of the special care kennels have a cooler for summer. They were happy for me to provide my own food if I wished. Dog gets a wash/blowdry on the day that he goes home.

We choose to book our 6 months old Maltese into Meadowmist. There are lots of staff and everyone was quite obliging and helpful. There was another couple in the reception area inspecting the kennels when we were there and they said that they would like to bring their own food and they usually warmed the food in the microwave. They said that would not be a problem. Also, while we were there someone who was kennelling their dog had phoned to check on his progress - a staff member from reception came out to the kennels to ask the carer who was taking us around about that dog and got the information to take back to the owner. At least you know that that if you phoned to enquire about your beloved pet that you are not going to be just told he's okay without someone checking. I'm not saying that is what other kennels would do - it was just something that I observed in this instance.

This is probably way more info than you were after but some of it might be helpful for you - PM me if you would like to know anymore.

[Dogs4Fun]

There is no such thing as too much information.

I ahve a short list to arrange visits of now.

Thanks so much.

[trifecta]

I am not in the area, but a few years ago I helped find a home for two long term residents of Meadowmist that had been abandoned by their owner. I think the two little dogs had been resident without payment for over two years at the kennels. The proprietors & staff at Meadowmist were wonderful & very solicitous in choosing a suitable new home for the little dogs who were sent off all primped & preened with a very happy new owner :D

I think this says a lot about the caring attitude of Meadowmist

[lovemesideways]

Has anyone used the Triple Crown Kennels at Londonderry NSW?

Can recommend triple crown for sure! Dogs have amazing long yard to spend their days in, and indoor secure kennels at night. They also are only a small kennel, so you know your dog gets the attention it deserves!!

[lillypilly]

Meadowmist is excellent - kind and caring staff and happy dogs.

The Grooming School near Morriset also have boarding kennels run by Christine and Les Speerin.

Christine is a multi award winning groomer and an accredited international grooming judge.

These guys had 19 of my rescue dogs for 8 days prior to the groomers shoutout earlier this year.

The dogs became rather attached to Les and Christine in that time - they were spoiled furkids!

Christine is a brilliant poodle groomer - you can give her a call on (02) 4977 1432

Hugs

xx LP xx

[Alison03]

Has anyone used the Triple Crown Kennels at Londonderry NSW?

Can recommend triple crown for sure! Dogs have amazing long yard to spend their days in, and indoor secure kennels at night. They also are only a small kennel, so you know your dog gets the attention it deserves!!

Thanks for getting back to me. Are the dogs kept separate or do they run them together do you know?

[Brandiandwe]

We board at Acacia Lodge when we need to. Deb used to have greyhounds and so is very familiar with the needs and quirks of my two princesses. They always come home happy, fit and tired from being outside running and digging.