Dog Boarding – Qs to ask?

[BerryBye]

Dog Boarding – Qs to ask?

I am going away for 2 weeks and I am looking for the right place to put my dog. I have found a great looking place that is cage free, with daily hikes, lots of play time and individual attention.
I am going for a tour to check out the place, meet the staff and have them meet my dog. Do you guys have any tips for what questions I should ask to make sure that this is a good choice?
Thank you!!

 

[Kat09Tails]

Ask for the schedule for exercise, ask to see the run, ask to meet the staff who will be caring for your dog.

The kennel (inside and out) should be protected from the elements
The kennel should smell clean (not doggie), The grounds should have at least two layers of fences. The staff should be able to move pets without being forceful.

You should bring a copy of your special instructions for them to look over to see if there are any questions.

 

[SisMorphine]

For me "cage free" is a HUGE red flag. Dogs get sick and tired of each other, and you will find more fights in cage free facilities because the dogs don't get time to themselves. Facilities that separate dogs for periods of time in kennel runs or crates are facilities that are more in tune with canine behavior as opposed to catering to the human's neediness thus leaving your dog open to a greater possibility of injury from dog/dog interaction.

Check out Mer's thread about daycare. I would ask all the same questions PLUS I would ask exactly how your dog's day would be set up.

You also need to realize which type of boarding would be best for your dog. Wally's boarding needs were WAY different than the bulldogs' boarding needs, so I would have chosen different facilities for them.

 

[Kat09Tails]

Cage free usually means it's a run facility with exercise yards rather than a cage facility where the dog is basically crated and then let out into a run several times a day.

Cage facilities are usually what vet offices use.

 

[Zoom]

Cage free usually means it's a run facility with exercise yards rather than a cage facility where the dog is basically crated and then let out into a run several times a day.

Cage facilities are usually what vet offices use.

Wrong. In the majority of today's "cage-free" boarding facilities, the dogs are left loose in a large room in big groups (or hopefully at least separated out by sizes into different rooms) and are allowed to do whatever. Some places have a few crates around for those dogs who feel more comfortable sleeping in crates, but most often you'll just find a big mish-mash of dogs tossed together for however long they're staying. What this means is that quite often you have dogs that NEVER. SETTLE. DOWN. i.e. they don't sleep the entire time, which then leads to either fights or a sick dog suffering from exhaustion.

I'm not a fan of cage-free boarding; I worked at a place like this for a couple of months and had to quit because of the giant "BAD IDEA!!" flags I was seeing that the owner refused to listen to. Cage-free is a feel-good idea for owners, bad idea for dogs. Boarding is stressful enough without your pet having to deal with other dogs literally on top of them 24/7 for the duration of their stay.

If you are set on the idea of using this place, ask how they handle dogs who have had enough of constant interaction, or dogs who are incapable of self-settling.

 

[Barb04]

I would also show up unannounced to check out the place. You should be able to see it when they are not expecting you. I also went when people were bringing their dogs in and also taking them out so I could talk to them about the place.

 

[BerryBye]

Thanks for your help guys!

It is cage free all day in the sense that they have a huge barn with sofas and beds, a big fenced in field and an indoor play arena that they have access to during the day. There is also lots of staff to give them attention and supervision. Then at night they all have their own place to sleep.

I think it will be a way better set up than the places I’ve seen where the dog is in a run attached to the kennel, especially since it will be for 2 whole weeks. I don’t want him to be tired an stressed either though. Maybe going to see it will help give me a better idea about what to expect.

Thanks again!

 

[Kat09Tails]

Wrong. In the majority of today's "cage-free" boarding facilities, the dogs are left loose in a large room in big groups (or hopefully at least separated out by sizes into different rooms) and are allowed to do whatever. Some places have a few crates around for those dogs who feel more comfortable sleeping in crates, but most often you'll just find a big mish-mash of dogs tossed together for however long they're staying. What this means is that quite often you have dogs that NEVER. SETTLE. DOWN. i.e. they don't sleep the entire time, which then leads to either fights or a sick dog suffering from exhaustion.
.

Shows how far out of the times I am. Jeese, people have zero common sense. When I was last in boarding design the cool new thing was not using a cage bank and having outdoor exercise yards.