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Long term dog boarding

OuzoTheLabrador
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OuzoTheLabrador

OuzoTheLabrador

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Is there such thing? at a reasonable rate?

We are looking for long term boarding (2 months/8weeks) for Our beautiful 1.7yrs black lab. Unfortunately this time both my husband and I have travel assignments at the same time :(. All the friends and family i can think of cant have him (dont want to burden anyone either)... im not willing to part with him permanently... He is our heart and soul and have raised him with love and cuddles. He's clam and gentle young boy.                             We have been calling and doing our research on various kennels / boarding and honestly can't afford a standard 1800-2000$ figure that we are being quoted. We are located in Perth but are willing to drive if we find him a safe happy place. please help if you have any ideas?? 

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Scottsmum

Scottsmum

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Some places will give a discount for longer times (over 10 days, over a month).  An in home sitter *might* cost less, but might not mean not better. Realistically that's 35 a day which seems reasonable. 

 

 

8 weeks is a long time & kennels are probably a good choice if you dont have family or a friend to help. If you do have a family member or friend who can take him or move in & keep up his routine then its worth asking them if they're willing.

 

Good luck!

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Dogsfevr

Dogsfevr

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The general going rate in Perth for that size dog is around $25/28 .That time period isn't considered long term & if you are covering any school holidays you will need to book in a hurry .

Most pet sitters charge more just to pop in feed & leave it on its own .

 

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Scottsmum

Scottsmum

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The general going rate in Perth for that size dog is around $25/28 .That time period isn't considered long term & if you are covering any school holidays you will need to book in a hurry .

Most pet sitters charge more just to pop in feed & leave it on its own .

 

I was pet sitting for a while (have recently stopped) but I agree and disagree with that last part. It really depends on the sitter.  My agreement was based on one or two visits a day.  2 visits included 15 minutes/ a quick lap around the block in the AM and a longer walk (40 minutes) in the evening.  Complete check over - brush & hands all over, check ears etc, for every dog every second day. One visit a day also included the 40 minute walk. 

 

I once even took all the bedding home and washed and cleaned and mopped the doggy areas once - the house was really ponging!

 

I also found that I felt guilty for my "longer term" pooches and would, if I could, take a coffee and just hang out with them (I did 3 weeks for one family including a public holiday - so sats, suns and one Mon we'd just hang out for as long as I could spare). I was lucky - that set of clients were cool with me taking my own dog (and I had permission) so I'd take Scottie for evening visits, we'd go for a huge walk and hang out as much as possible, then he'd wait in the car while I did evening feeds & settled them in for the night. 

 

Same with cats - on the days when Kitty clients wanted to know me - I'd sit and hang out for as long as possible. Other days I wouldn't set eyes on them. Cat's also usually mean a vacuum every day!  

 

All that said, I don't think I'd personally pick it for my pet.  I felt really guilty for dogs who we're left for basically 22-23 hours a day and often had to remind myself that the owners were happy with that so I needed to be too. I even declined a job once based on that - and told them to use a kennel as it was unfair to leave 2 dogs in a house for that long with no access to a yard (during summer too).  

 

I'd much prefer someone who lived in and had made an agreement that they'd be there most evenings and would stick to our established routine. I had a sitter come in for Scottie occasionally - she'd spend the day and walk, feed and do evening meds. I paid her a day's worth of "care" plus for the walk - it was expensive, but worked for me - as I was going 12 hour days and had almost no other choice.

 

I've had other experiences - family members who've had live in's that went fantastically and my parents who got someone in once when I wasn't available and she managed to ruin the bathroom (flooded it!) and then claimed she had no idea what they were talking about or what could have possibly happened. 

 

Anyhow - getting really off topic here - but my point is, house sitters can be a great choice or a terrible disaster - but you've really got to dig and find someone you feel happy with. I personally think $35 is reasonable - especially for a lab - either for a sitter or kennel situation - but then I am used to Sydney prices. The last place we used for boarding (here in NZ) was $15 a day for a much smaller dog. 

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Drumbeat

Drumbeat

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Posted (edited)

Have you considered a house sitter? We have found sitters through the mind a home website for our last few trips and have been very happy with them as they look after the garden as well as the pets and are good security for the house. 

They do not charge a fee but obviously you have to check references etc.

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OuzoTheLabrador

OuzoTheLabrador

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Have you considered a house sitter? We have found sitters through the mind a home website for our last few trips and have been very happy with them as they look after the garden as well as the pets and are good security for the house. 

They do not charge a fee but obviously you have to check references etc.

We have spoken to a few, some the price couldn't be agreed on and the rest did mention that 8 weeks is just too long to move in :(

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OuzoTheLabrador

OuzoTheLabrador

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I was pet sitting for a while (have recently stopped) but I agree and disagree with that last part. It really depends on the sitter.  My agreement was based on one or two visits a day.  2 visits included 15 minutes/ a quick lap around the block in the AM and a longer walk (40 minutes) in the evening.  Complete check over - brush & hands all over, check ears etc, for every dog every second day. One visit a day also included the 40 minute walk. 

 

I once even took all the bedding home and washed and cleaned and mopped the doggy areas once - the house was really ponging!

 

I also found that I felt guilty for my "longer term" pooches and would, if I could, take a coffee and just hang out with them (I did 3 weeks for one family including a public holiday - so sats, suns and one Mon we'd just hang out for as long as I could spare). I was lucky - that set of clients were cool with me taking my own dog (and I had permission) so I'd take Scottie for evening visits, we'd go for a huge walk and hang out as much as possible, then he'd wait in the car while I did evening feeds & settled them in for the night. 

 

Same with cats - on the days when Kitty clients wanted to know me - I'd sit and hang out for as long as possible. Other days I wouldn't set eyes on them. Cat's also usually mean a vacuum every day!  

 

All that said, I don't think I'd personally pick it for my pet.  I felt really guilty for dogs who we're left for basically 22-23 hours a day and often had to remind myself that the owners were happy with that so I needed to be too. I even declined a job once based on that - and told them to use a kennel as it was unfair to leave 2 dogs in a house for that long with no access to a yard (during summer too).  

 

I'd much prefer someone who lived in and had made an agreement that they'd be there most evenings and would stick to our established routine. I had a sitter come in for Scottie occasionally - she'd spend the day and walk, feed and do evening meds. I paid her a day's worth of "care" plus for the walk - it was expensive, but worked for me - as I was going 12 hour days and had almost no other choice.

 

I've had other experiences - family members who've had live in's that went fantastically and my parents who got someone in once when I wasn't available and she managed to ruin the bathroom (flooded it!) and then claimed she had no idea what they were talking about or what could have possibly happened. 

 

Anyhow - getting really off topic here - but my point is, house sitters can be a great choice or a terrible disaster - but you've really got to dig and find someone you feel happy with. I personally think $35 is reasonable - especially for a lab - either for a sitter or kennel situation - but then I am used to Sydney prices. The last place we used for boarding (here in NZ) was $15 a day for a much smaller dog. 

I get where your coming from - but we are looking at 8 weeks /56 days and if we start at 35$ it's 1960$ for the entire time. 

 

I (we) love ouzo to bits, and are willing to have him in a safe/good environment while we are away - but 1960$ is just too steep.

 

thanks though! 

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Dogsfevr

Dogsfevr

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You obviously have not rung many kennels because $35 is NOT the normal price charged in Perth .

Having said that it depends on what you want to pay  .

Maybe contact the breeder of your dog & see if they board them or can suggest someone .

Maybe a family or friend can look after the dog for 4 weeks then board the other 4 weeks.

You will need a current vaccination card .

 

You will not have alot of options pet care isn't cheap & nor should it be ,very few people would work for just $35 a day less GST & other expenses so its not steep .

Plenty of excellent kennels charge less just depends which ones you have called & what side of the river

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Teebs

Teebs

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35 a day is pretty good And long term boarding shouldn't have a discount because it's usually harder the longer your dog is there

 

i only do discounts for the odd regular clients, never because someone is going away for a long amount of time

 

8 weeks isn't also really a long time

 

if you can't afford it then maybe one of you need to re asses your plans ?

 

 

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Scrappi&Monty

Scrappi&Monty

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As Showdog said, perhaps you could get a family member/friend/neighbour/colleagueor someone to look after him for half the time, or a few weeks. And then board for the rest?

Or perhaps if worst comes to worst someone could mind him for 2-3weeks, someone else for 2-3 weeks and then board for the rest?? 

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Drumbeat

Drumbeat

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We have spoken to a few, some the price couldn't be agreed on and the rest did mention that 8 weeks is just too long to move in :(

I'm not sure who you're contacting but we don't pay a fee and many housesitters prefer a long stay - have a look here https://mindahome.com.au/house-sitting-in-perth

 

I think you may be confusing pet sitters with housesitters

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