People are always asking me if dogs actually get the playtime parents pay for at Boarding Kennels and I have to say the chance of them getting what Mommy and Daddy pay for is about 40%.
I believe that playtime is a vital part of the kenneling experience for every dog. When I took dogs in and their parents were going to Aruba for two weeks but they refused to get playtime for their dogs I resented them, especially when they drove a Mercedes because I thought their dogs deserved better. When people couldn’t afford it I felt sorry for them and regardless of the reason the dogs didn’t officially ‘get’ playtime I gave it to them anyway.
The way I would recommend handling “the playtime issue” will once again show that I can be a little bit intense. First of all, I would include a list of recommended playtime activities with my dog’s information. And for some older dogs I’ve seen them love to be brushed so when you draw up that list be creative. Now here’s the part where I would look a little bit like a maniac, I would send a disposable disc camera along and request pictures of my dog in the play yard. I would tell the kennel staff that it was for my dog’s scrap book and apologize for asking them to do it but be pretty firm about wanting the pictures.
The bottom line with Kennels is that they are in ‘Dog World’ to make money. The best way to make money is to pack as many dogs as possible into the Kennel and to then under staff said Kennel. I can tell you from experience that during school vacations and the 4th of July weekend and the last half of December your dog is lucky if he/she is fed in some kennels. On the other hand, your half of the boarding experience is that you want your dog to not slip through the cracks and you want your money to go toward your dog’s care. In my opinion, every savvy dog owner does a public service when they are proactive with the staff a the Kennel they give business to.
Remember, just because you’re paranoid does not mean that people aren’t out to take your money and short change your dog.
Because Boarding Kennel’s see so many dogs come and go it’s always been important for me that any dog I know who’s going to be kenneled be more important to the staff than other dogs. When I did rescue I counseled my adopters about how to stress that “Their” dog be important to the boarding kennel staff. Things happen in kennels and dogs do get overlooked, especially in the busy seasons and Holiday weekends. I knew this before I ever stepped foot in a Boarding Kennel and after I began working at Kennel’s I found that I was right. Dogs can be ignored and safety can be ignored as well.
If a dog is going to be overlooked you do not want it to be your dog.
The foundation of my ’system’ was simple. It’s basically a 2 step action plan.
- Do a one page word document with your dogs care instructions on it and go over it with the person who checks your dog in. If your dog has any health issues make sure that they are at the top of the page. If you have a larger dog make sure that they understand Bloat and make sure that they never leave large amounts of food in the kennel run with your dog. If you’ve paid for playtime tell them what your dog likes to do and send along favored ‘fetching’ or tug toys.
- Tell them that you are going to be calling in to check on how your dog is doing and then do call in to check. That doesn’t have to be a big deal, you just need to touch base every few days. Hearing from you will remind them that you are ‘one of those’ people who is keeping track of their dog even though you’re on vacation. I always encouraged people to check because it made them feel better and because I was proud of the care the dogs were getting.
If you bring bedding to the kennel don’t expect to get it back. My favorite clients were those who would pick up a bed at Cosco or Target and then leave it behind. Dogs care about having a soft place to lay on and to sleep on and that doesn’t have to be their most favorite bed in the universe. Those beds should stay home. Why would you want to bring a treasured bed to a Boarding Kennel where it would be washed with other dogs stuff? If you get the bed back then you can keep it for the next time you board your dog and if you don’t, ‘no big loss’. You want the kennel staff to be focusing on your dog and not his/her bed.
I would bring my dogs food to the Boarding Kennel if I didn’t like what they fed to the dogs. I would also send a can of high quality dog food along with them to mix in with their meals in case they needed a little bit of encouragement to eat. Some dogs lose their appetite for a few days so just plan for that and send along something ‘extra yummy’ for them. I would also send along a full box of cookies for your dog to ’share’ with the other dogs at the Kennel.
Boarding should be a fun experience for your dog and it only takes a few, simple, acts on your part to make that happen
Nothing is more important than where you board your dog aside from where you get your dogs medical care. On the lower end of the Kennel scale, Boarding Kennels are nothing better than dog warehouses. When Kennels are properly run they truly are your dog’s home away from home. The most difficult part of looking for a quality Kennel is that people who work in them lie about the care your dog gets and that your dog can never tell you the truth about what there stay was like. So you kind of have to become a detective in your search.
- You can ask friends for referrals with the understanding that your standards may be different than their standards. I know a few people who absolutely love there dogs but they chose to board them at a Kennel that keeps them in crates in the basement. They’re fine with this so I don’t discuss it but I would never do it myself.
- Call the Kennel and ask about their services and whether or not they allow potential clients to tour the facility. Do not make an appointment. The best time to visit a Kennel is between Tuesday and Thursday because they will have time to spend with you.
- Touring the facility is mandatory. If you are not allowed to see the whole kennel then you may want to move on to the next Kennel on the list. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there is anything dishonest or unethical going on but keep in mind that there could be.
- When you are in the Kennel make note of how the dog runs look. Are they clean and do the dogs have bedding? All dogs should have access to water.
You need to feel comfortable with where you board your dog because if you are not your vacation will suffer for it. Once you’ve chosen a Kennel it’s not a bad idea to Day Board your dog there a few times to get them familiar with the environment and the staff. This way he or she will also understand that you are coming back for them because you have already given them the experience of being picked up!
Even if you never plan to board your dog it is a good idea to know what your options are in case of an emergency when you will need to just pick up the Yellow Pages and go to Kennels. I’ve seen people have to board their dogs because of fires, electrical outages, funerals and illness. Most of these situations happened spontaneously and the people involved would have felt so much better if they’d known the Kennel before leaving their dog.
