Don't fall victim to over the top "customer service" and be fooled
by smoke and mirrors - Do your homework! Google your choices!
Please forward ... and pass it on to your friends and ask them to pass
it on too!
Looking to board your pet .... while you go on vacation or
go out of town? (Personally, I would use a pet sitter ... a lot more benefits
and your pets are safe and comfortable at home.) (Not into having your dog
not be fed, watered, receive medications or their own bedding, or let out to
potty as promised?)
Looking for a Dog Trainer? ... using only positive
reinforcement training? (Not into ear pinching, shock collars, chains, or
"knee to chest" as appropriate training methods?????????)
There are many good ones out there ... there are others that are not!
Here are several more articles ....
When you know which type of kennel (or pet sitter) appeals to you, choose several and start calling. Make appointments with a couple that meet your requirements and have space when you need it. Then visit them.
Check a kennel out first
- Call now to arrange a visit to see the kennel. If you can't get an appointment to see the facility, you should cross that kennel off your list.
- First impressions are important. When you arrive for the visit, check to see that most of the runs are clean -- it's almost impossible to keep all the runs clean all the time, so cut some slack for a few dirty runs here or there.
- Sniff the air. The kennel
should have a clean smell, not one
generated by stale urine or old feces. If sour kennel smells waft into the
office while you're chatting with the owner or manager, you'll probably want to
go somewhere else. You'll be able to tell the difference between a kennel
that has urine and decay soaked into the woodwork and a kennel that is basically
clean with a run or two that was dirtied after the morning scrubbing.
- If the kennel yard is full of debris, if the building is in need of serious repair, if the food bowls are dirty and the water bowls scummy, go to the next kennel on the list.
- Take a look at the kitchen where the dog meals are prepared; it should be clean, food should be in barrels or in the refrigerator, etc.
- Ask questions about feeding schedules, extra charges to give heartworm pills or medications, or anything else you wonder about.
- If you like the kennel and it's booked for the time you'll be away, get put on a waiting list and make a reservation at your second or third choice. If a space becomes available, don't forget to cancel any other reservations you have made.
When visiting a facility, pay attention to the area where your dog will be
housed. Is it secure? How tall is the fencing? Are at least some of the kennels
enclosed on the top to prevent jumpers and climbers from escaping? Is it clean?
How is it sanitized? Does it smell? If housed in kennel runs, can the dogs
directly see other dogs on either side and across from them?
If the enclosure has no direct access to an outdoor potty area, ask how
frequently dogs are taken outside or if they’re expected to eliminate in the
enclosure. If the latter, how quickly are messes cleaned up and where is the dog
during the process? What, if any, “comforts” are provided (such as beds,
blankets, toys, and chews) and how are they sanitized between dogs? What
personal items are allowed from home? Does the kennel require that all guests
eat a facility-provided kibble, or can owners bring their pet’s food from home?
Will the kennel accommodate special diets such as home-cooked meals or raw
food?
After your first impression look specifically for:
- Clean and clean-smelling kennel runs, hallways, feed storage and preparation areas, etc.;
- Clean bedding;
- Good ventilation;
- A caring staff;
- A breakdown of costs (most charge extra to give medications, for a going-home bath or grooming, etc.)
- A list of required vaccinations (many kennels now require Bordatella vaccination against kennel cough).
Once you've eliminated the obviously inadequate kennels from consideration, you have to decide which level of care you want for your family pet, how much you want to pay for that care, and how comfortable you are with the people who will be providing that care.
Types of kennels
Boarding kennels can be roughly divided into two categories, those that
provide basic care and those that offer some fancy
frills
.A basic care kennel usually
And this just in from the SCRAPS Hope Foundation Newsletter, in Spokane, WA.
.A basic care kennel usually
- Has indoor-outdoor runs or indoor runs and an exercise plan.
- Hoses the runs every day (dogs are outside when inside runs are cleaned, and inside when outside runs are cleaned).
- Cleans with disinfectant
- Provides good ventilation.
- Makes provisions for a variety of diets.
- Feeds the pet on its own schedule with its own diet.
- Provides some sort of bedding to keep the dog off the concrete floor.
- Keeps bedding clean,
- Gives necessary medications,
- Contacts the pet's own veterinarian if necessary and give a bit of extra attention to old dogs.
- Checks the dogs several times daily to make sure they are well.
- Requires that pets are current on all vaccinations, including Bordatella vaccination for kennel cough for dogs.
- May require that the pet be flea-free or be dipped for fleas before they can stay in the kennel.
- Usually charges a bit extra for giving medication and for the bath given before the pet goes home.
- Grooming or bath before the dog returns home
- Pick-up and delivery service
- Daily walks
- Special housing for sick or elderly dogs
- Toys
- Exercise areas for dogs that can be penned together for short periods
- Obedience training
- A gift and supply shop
- An intake examination of the dog
- Plush bedding
- An opportunity to visit with kennel staff in a lounge area.
And this just in from the SCRAPS Hope Foundation Newsletter, in Spokane, WA.
© 2011
Our home/pet sitter has openings. Linda Bockenmuehl (We just call her
Linda) and our dogs LOVE her!
She is fastidious, stays 24/7, loves animals and is very trustworthy,
FYI.
509-435-8663
She charges 25 per day, to stay there! We always pay her more, especially
since she travels from Chewelah. We have been using her for years. She’s
great.
