Boarding dog

[bright eyed]

Hi,
We have to travel over spring break next week and I was looking at boarding options for my pooch.

The vet and petsmart do boarding for $27-30 a nite - they both walk 2x's per day and feed them. The vet has a 8' or so dog run so other than the walks, they'd be pacing. I believe the petsmart has a little room they play around in during the day.

The third option is a local ranch that does horse and dog training. The dogs get to run outside most of the morning and afternoon, the owner has a ton of toys and equipment for them and they play in pack style. Only hitch is the kennels are outside and my pampered pooch stays inside most of the day. He's a 10 lb maltese/shihtzu, many of the dogs there are larger herder type dogs.

Anyhoo - the ranch owner said it's not a problem for the dogs, they have an igloo kennel that would protect him from wind, but just don't want him to be upset about it. She said she's taken smaller dogs inside (like chihuahuas) who can't handle it, but my dog would likely stay outside.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[ziggy29]

I love the dog ranch concept. It's one of the most expensive options, but if I'm on vacation, I don't want to be burdened with the guilt of putting pooch in a small enclosed area 23 hours a day. I want to enjoy myself with a clear conscience.

We send our dog (see avatar) to a dog ranch setting where she can roam and play with other dogs on several acres. It's gotten to the point where she knows when we get there and she gets very excited to go. Knowing how much she enjoys romping around with all those other dogs for 10-12 hours a day instead of being confined for 23+ hours a day makes the extra expense worth it for us and makes it easier for us to leave her behind and enjoy ourselves on vacation. And she loves wading in the ponds, too.

In your case, as long as they have the ability to take him inside if need be, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Tough choice. I probably wouldn't be happy with my 10 lb dog loosely supervised with other big dogs of unknown manners, in an open field she isn't used to.

Kennels aren't much better but at least they're safer.

Any chance of finding a reliable neighbor or friend to keep her for a fair price?

 

[Gotadimple]

Small dog owner, here. They don't need a lot of room, but may need more protection from the elements than what would be provided at the ranch.

Either the vet or Petsmart would be fine. I'd lean towards Petsmart as they don't have a large run to themselves and the supervised play is needed to blow off steam.

-- Rita

 

[ziggy29]

Tough choice. I probably wouldn't be happy with my 10 lb dog loosely supervised with other big dogs of unknown manners, in an open field she isn't used to.

Some of them segregate dogs by size (i.e. the small/toy breeds in one area, larger dogs in another area). Some of the better ones also test the temperament of dogs before releasing them to be around others. That's not perfect, but it's not like indiscriminately dropping them into a pack of other dogs without checking any of them for temperament.

Having said that, for a very small dog, a decent-sized kennel could be sufficient, but then again, my philosophy on very small dogs is that if you want a pet that size, get a cat. I'm really not up on the needs of small dogs.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I like the vet, honestly. They know your dog, can evaluate if something bad happens, etc. With such a tiny fellow, I'd be more leery of the ranch option. I have border collies, so it would be okay for them.
A pet sitter would be choice #1, going rate around here for a 2x day feeding and play is around $25. I have 5 dogs and 5 cats, and have only done boarding a few times, and for only the oldest girl who has since passed. The rest would not do well away from home.

 

[Gotadimple]

Having said that, for a very small dog, a decent-sized kennel could be sufficient, but then again, my philosophy on very small dogs is that if you want a pet that size, get a cat.

Oh, hush.

I've seen 50 pound hunting dogs totally intimidated by a 7 pound Yorkie who barked at them!

-- Rita

 

[CyclingInvestor]

.

 

[ziggy29]

One more thought: It also depends on how well your dog tolerates being alone. Our dog has some separation anxiety issues and can't stand being alone, so leaving her alone in a kennel setting almost all day seems a bit cruel. Putting her into a pack takes her mind off the fact that we're gone. Other dogs that don't have such separation issues, and especially the smaller breeds, would do better in a kennel setting.

Oh, hush.

I've seen 50 pound hunting dogs totally intimidated by a 7 pound Yorkie who barked at them!

Oh, I know it. I almost never get barked at by 50 pound dogs. The toy breeds, on the other hand...

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Ignore my previous empty post.

Tough choice. I probably wouldn't be happy with my 10 lb dog loosely supervised with other big dogs of unknown manners, in an open field she isn't used to.

It can be dangerous indoors too. Here a 10 lb Shih-Tzu we are babysitting is surrounded by my menacing 50 - 120 lb dogs.

 

[bright eyed]

Mmm, the ranch owner is a dog trainer so I feel comfortable she would make sure they are safe - my dog is pretty social and likes to play - the real question is whether he could sleep outside in the igloo, which is on a deck that's fenced w/ about 4 by 5 or 6 feet or so.

The pet smart option seems to be the second best where they at least get to socialize indoors...

 

[bright eyed]

Well, I wimped out and went with petsmart, they do a doggy day camp (extra of course!) which is just a play room during the day w/ an employee, but better than a concrete dog run like the vet...

The weather turned the last day or so and made me too nervous to leave poor poochy outside overnite! Even though the forecast is supposed to turn by the weekend, I'm not going to take the chance. We may end up taking classes at the ranch though, so all is not lost there...my daughter is probably as excited as the dog about that possibility!

 

[youbet]

My DS and DIL have DW and I stay at their home when they travel. That way we're there to pamper their smooth collie and over weight mixed breed cat 24 x 7. I thought that's how everyone with pets handled pet sitting while they were traveling.

 

[bright eyed]

I wish! but everyone's coming on the trip so nobody is left to watch the pooch - usually he come's with if we're going up north or stays with my family...so I'm new to the boarding thing too!

 

[ziggy29]

My DS and DIL have DW and I stay at their home when they travel. That way we're there to pamper their smooth collie and over weight mixed breed cat 24 x 7. I thought that's how everyone with pets handled pet sitting while they were traveling.

If you can find someone to do that. Last year we had to travel over one weekend on fairly short notice and were thinking about what to do with the dog. Then we remembered that one of the families at our church had their son home from college (it was in June), and hey, college kids are usually looking for easy opportunities to earn a few bucks and we knew he was responsible. So we had him stay at the house and mind the dog while we were gone.

It was easy on the dog, it was less of a hassle for us and it was a quick and easy $40 for someone to just sit around the house, watching TV and letting the dog out for occasional nature calls.