First time boarding my shih tzus

[Maria Juliano]

I'm having a panick attack...this Saturday I'm taking both my pups to a local kennel for an over night stay. It's owned by the same vet hospital where I take my dogs. I checked it out a few weeks ago and was very impressed with the accomodations and the staff. This is a test to see how they do. If it works out, I will then leave them in the future when we go on vacation. I wish I could take them with me, but my fiance wants to spend time along with no doggie distractions.

[Andre Mendizabal]

Hi Maria, good luck leaving your pups!!!! its so hard the first time, but you'll see that when you return they will be very happy (and tired, some of this places have activities planned for them). I leave my dogs at a "doggie hotel" for those weekend escapades we enjoy so much with my husband, there are sometimes that you just can't bring your pooches... plus, it gives us time to focus on us, instead of taking care of them!!!!

So don't worry, they will be ok... something I do everytime is that I bring their beds and some of their toys, and plates, so they don't feel weird about the hole thing!!! I take them to this hotel (actually is called "Vet Spa") were they can stay for the night and get to do activities, they have a pool so they can swim, they play games and can interact with the other "guests"... its a cool place to take them and not cheap at all, its $10 a night for each dog, and they can provide food or you can bring your own food!!!

:rolleyes:

[Maria Juliano]

[QUOTE=Andre Mendizabal]Hi Maria, good luck leaving your pups!!!! its so hard the first time, but you'll see that when you return they will be very happy (and tired, some of this places have activities planned for them). I leave my dogs at a "doggie hotel" for those weekend escapades we enjoy so much with my husband, there are sometimes that you just can't bring your pooches... plus, it gives us time to focus on us, instead of taking care of them!!!!

So don't worry, they will be ok... something I do everytime is that I bring their beds and some of their toys, and plates, so they don't feel weird about the hole thing!!! I take them to this hotel (actually is called "Vet Spa") were they can stay for the night and get to do activities, they have a pool so they can swim, they play games and can interact with the other "guests"... its a cool place to take them and not cheap at all, its $10 a night for each dog, and they can provide food or you can bring your own food!!!

Andre,

Thanks for your comments. I know they will be fine...I'm not so sure I will! I have never left them before except when they were fixed.

The kennel won't let me bring their own beds for fear of fleas.:rolleyes: However, they allow to bring their own food, treats, rubber toys. It will cost me over $50.00 dollars a day to board them, but knowing they will be safe, it's all that matters.

[Amber]

Ask them if you can bring a Tshirt or something of yours that they will leave in your pups area with them at all times. I volunteer at a boarding facility/animal shelter (the boarding pays for the shelter animals) and we tell our clients to bring something like a Tshirt or night shirt, that they don't mind possibly losing (it may get dirty), that smells like the person that their dog(s) are closest to. It makes the dog(s) feel better...like they aren't being abandoned. We leave it in their crate/run at all times, providing that the article of clothing doesn't get soaking wet or so completely dirty that's it's unbearable to look at anymore.

Hopefully they'll let you do this!

[Jarrod Stafford]

What a rip off! It is $11 a day to board at my vets boarding facility and the facility is awesome, plus I know most of the staff and Blitz loves them.

[aussiesmum]

At 50 a day they better be treated well!

But don't worry about it. Aussie is at the Kennel right now becuase I defend my masters thesis tonight and I can't even breathe right now I am so stressed.

We did a dry run a few weeks ago and she was great. We found a new/closer kennel but they are great. They give aussie a "sleeping" buddy and they get to play and interact all day.

From my experince, if the dog excitedly goes with the kennel people and excitedly greats you, they had a great time.

[Andre Mendizabal]

Wow... 50 is a lot of money, even for both dogs, I couldn't afford it... they charge me $10 for each, which is a fabulous price when you get to see the facilities!!!! I know other places that charge even less, but they don't have the activity package that I like... the t-shirt idea its great... that way they won't feel so lonely. I know my girls love to stay over at the vet spa... they actually get really excited when they arrive there and run over to the staff people and greet everybody... they really take good care of them!!!!
:D

[Mario Niepel]

The price for boarding your dogs totally depends on your location. Being in New York City, $50 for two dogs per night sounds pretty cheap to me. :)

[Amy Siggers]

Oh Maria please tell me how they do! Your fiance sounds just like my husband. He doesnt want Cassie to go on our family vacation with us beacuse we go to the beach and dogs aren't allowed on the beach. he said its unfair to her to have to stay in the condo (if we could find one that allowed animals) while we are on the beach.. I understand what he is saying but its really no different than when we are at home b/c we both work. He, like your fiance, wants us to be able to focus on each other and not on the dog as well. I understand his wants and needs so my mother in law (who has a 12 year old shih tzu of her own) said she will keep her when we go on vacation so that makes me feel better even though I will miss her like CRAZY!!!!!!!! Atleast they have each other though and wont be alone!!! They will be so happy to see their mommy when she returns for them!

[Grace Erick]

Our trips are planned to include our dog. If I boarded her, she would not eat, since chis can be so emotional. We like to go to parks and stay in hotels on the Pacific Coast, so it's nice to have her with us and everyone else has their dogs with them to go walking along the beach.

It would be nice if they can place the both pups together. That would be a big plus. I don't know how doggie care places are set up. I'm sure they will be fine for one day and won't be lonely with all the activity going on around them.

I'm looking into taking Capri on a big vacation, maybe to Mexico or another place that lets dogs in without quarantines.

[Sarah Moore]

I agree with Mario, while $50 per night doesn't sound cheap, it is what I would expect to pay for a decent facility here in So. Cal. In fact, we are looking to board our pups for a weekend at the end of the month, and the top choice right now is $25 per night per dog for more then one (so it would be a nice hefty $75 per night for us). I wish there were decent places that cost only $10 per night, like Andre has in her area. The very cheapest place I've found would be $28 per night for all 3, but they would jst sit in a kennel all day, no exercise or interaction. ugh. So i think it definetly depends on the location :)

[Andre Mendizabal]

Yeah, I think it does depend on the location, right here animal services are cheaper in comparison with the United States, and people make an effort to provide really good service and care, that's why sometimes its easier for me to go to the vet, since a regular visit is only $15... I don't like those places were they have them sit in a kennel all day... the best part of boarding them is that they are having as much fun as we are!!!! However, I only board them for weekend trips... when its a larger vacation, say a week or more... I either bring them with us or leave them at my mom's (who's thrilled to have her furry grandchildren over)... ;)

[Jesse Cruz]

hi maria,
i just finally got to log on. i'm home today my daughter has strep :sad:

i fully understand how hard and scary it must be to leave your precious babies, i know you adore them to pieces. but don't worry, i'm sure the place you found (as you described it and it being through your vet) sounds like they are in good hands. i know it must be more of a emotional separation anxiety on your part than anything else. just try and enjoy yourself and allow yourself 1x or maybe 2x a day a phone call to see how they are doing. let your fiancee know it would make you enjoy your time more knowing how they are doing.

have lots of fun and don't worry about your babies. as for the price, i think that's reasonable because out here in NJ i believe its the same price to board. i have a few recommendations in case i need it for my babies but my girlfriend just volunteered herself as a babysitter, so i may take her up. she loves dogs and so do her kids but they just don't have the time to have one full time. so she said it would be great to have one part time. :p

let us know how everything goes!!!

[Maria Juliano]

Thanks for all your comments and support.

My weekend with my fiance went well...we had a great time! I couldn't have asked for better weather, sunny, blue skies in the 70's.

The puppies were fine except they were dirty when we picked them up yesterday at 1 pm. Brought them home... gave them both a bath which totally relaxed them, making it easier for them to settle back into their routine at home.

I think overall, it was a good experience for the dogs and ME. I survived and so did they. My wallet was much lighter since the total bill was $55.00 including a 10% discount for the second dog. I know it's expensive but I had peace of mind knowing they were okay. I didn't call once to check on them, gave my cell phone # to the staff just in case.

I'm going to interview a dog sitter and see if that might be a better alternative or an option for the next time.

[Jill Ramsey]

Most of our vacations are dogs included, but on the occasions when Finn can't go, I have my daughter, who is more than happy to dog/house sit. It's so much easier, but I know not everyone has this option.

[Jesse Cruz]

hi maria,
i'm glad to hear that you had a nice trip with no stress and your babies were well taken care of. :bunny:

[Patti Ramsour]

Hey Marie...
I know the trip is over and glad you had a great time! Just wanted to let you know that I have read somewhere that you should sleep with a piece of clothing down at the foot of you bed for about a week before you are going to be gone....supposedly thats the best place to get your sent. Weird, huh?
Has anyone else ever heard of this? I've got my mom to watch Maggie so I feel lucky!

Patti & Maggie

[Amber]

Patti, actually at our boarding facility we ask our clients to wear an old tshirt for a few days and then bring it with them. We tell them to do yard work in it, exercise in it, whatever will make them sweat...that will give the shirt the best scent. Then we give it to the dog for the duration of their visit and we don't wash it unless the dog gets a case of diarrhea or something and gets it disgusting.

[Lauren Frisbie]

I can't even begin to think what would happen if I had to leave Whiskey. Just running to the store without him is hard lol. I am so glad my hotel in Florida this summer allows dogs. I know that the day when I have to leave him will come, but I can't even bear the thought. Lol, I'm such a sap, :shrug:

[Chris Smith]

Hi Maria,

I know I'm too late in responding to this since I just got back into town after my vacation, but since I boarded Nalu while I was gone, I thought I would do a post.

First off, I paid $55 a night for one dog!! So my bill was $300 and I had to provide all of his food too. I checked out 5 different facilities and the prices were all about the same. The SF Bay Area is VERY expensive. (It costs me $20 for a 30 minute on leash walk in the neighborhood if I were to have a dog walker come in during the day. And our day care facilities run about $500-$650 a month for one dog with frequent use).

So I would be "thrilled" to pay the prices that the rest of you have found where you live!! But money aside, my boarding experience with Nalu was quite good.

He was there for 5 nights (6 full days). And he seems just fine. A little tired, but that's because the place I took him too has day care also so he played all day with lots of dogs. I brought in his bed and several toys and his meals. I also brought a T-shirt of mine that I hadn't washed so he could "snuggle" with me while I was gone. The T-shirt had a big hole chewed in it (which I was expecting), but they said he did great!! He made some new friends and got lots of exercise and love.

So overall, it was a very good experience for both of us. I would prefer to find someone who could watch him at my house, but mostly because of the money - not because he wasn't well taken care of. I think so long as you check out the facilities really well, it can be a fine experience for your dog.

[Maria Juliano]

Chris,

Happy to hear that Nalu was well taken care while you were away.

I'm not so sure I like the idea of having to board my dogs, although they both had an okay experience over the weekend at the kennel's. I 'm in the process of interviewing a dog sitter. I like the idea of my dogs staying at home versus boarding them.

Not so sure the price I paid : $55.00 was cheap , considering I supplied their food, treats. I didn't get any spa treatments nor special attention for them. It would have cost me over $100.00 per day with all the xtras. :rolleyes: Oh, well I guess it's a small price to pay knowing they are well cared for.