Expensive Dog Kennels - Anyone offer alternative?

Disssgruntled

Well I'm sick of the Travel Agents quotes for accomodation for our 2 week holiday family in the sun being roughly the same as the cost of Kennelling two terriers !!!

Anyone on here ever managed to find a solution? Do any of ye dog lovers happen to mind dogs for people occasionally as a sideline etc?

- If you are a regular poster on here and can get someone to vouch for your sanity/love of mutts then you're hired if we can work out a fair payment!!!

I'm based in Limerick and willing to travel a reasonable distance.

ISDW

How much have you been quoted?

Usually anywhere between €10-15 per dog per night is the norm, most kennels will offer a discount on the second dog if they are sharing a pen.

anniehoo

Petsitters also charge more than kennels so if you want a cheaper alternative thats prob not the route to go. Unless you can find a pet owner that would swap minding times i.e. you mind theirs when theyre on hols and vice versa.

Irish-Lass

I'm lucky in that I have never had to put my crew into kennels - when I go on holidays friends take the 3 mutts and I return the favour when they are going away so works out well for all concerned.

Disssgruntled

Have been quoted around €18 on average including a discount for the two.

The last time out I was also charged a fortune by Crescent Veterinary Clinic to boost their vaccines - I was shocked and horrified at the cost!!! And even though this was just last Sept. - Vets always seem to find some little reason why another mystery shot is needed before they can be Kennelled [?]

- Between one thing and another it meant that the two weeks Kennelling cost well in excess of €300.....

Clare Bear

Disssgruntled wrote: »

Have been quoted around €18 on average including a discount for the two.

The last time out I was also charged a fortune by Crescent Veterinary Clinic to boost their vaccines - I was shocked and horrified at the cost!!! And even though this was just last Sept. - Vets always seem to find some little reason why another mystery shot is needed before they can be Kennelled [?]

- Between one thing and another it meant that the two weeks Kennelling cost well in excess of €300.....

Was that mystery shot Kennell Cough?

Is there anyone at all who would take them? Any friends or family that might help you out?

ISDW

I don't think that €18 a night is very expensive, it depends what you want from a kennels. If you break it down into time being spent with the dogs, walking, feeding, handling them etc, it probably works out at about €3-4 an hour, well below the minimum wage. I have to declare my interest here, I own a boarding kennel. I usually start work at 7.30 in the morning and finish about 11pm at night during the summer, I do have breaks for meals obviously, but if you want your dog to have proper interaction with someone, then you will have to pay for it. Do the kennels provide the food as well? If you deduct how much you would normally spend on food, that might make it seem a bit better?

Pet sitting in your home generally does work out much dearer.

Disssgruntled

Clare Bear wrote: »

Was that mystery shot Kennell Cough?

Is there anyone at all who would take them? Any friends or family that might help you out?

- I do understand the Kennel cough logic etc. - but it always seems to be that +something, and hmmm - better get this other thing!!! and it has never seemed reasonably priced!!!

Would only ask friends for 4-5 days etc. not the full two weeks - and have no real dog-lover contacts to help out

Disssgruntled

ISDW wrote: »

I don't think that €18 a night is very expensive, it depends what you want from a kennels. If you break it down into time being spent with the dogs, walking, feeding, handling them etc, it probably works out at about €3-4 an hour, well below the minimum wage. I have to declare my interest here, I own a boarding kennel. I usually start work at 7.30 in the morning and finish about 11pm at night during the summer, I do have breaks for meals obviously, but if you want your dog to have proper interaction with someone, then you will have to pay for it. Do the kennels provide the food as well? If you deduct how much you would normally spend on food, that might make it seem a bit better?

Pet sitting in your home generally does work out much dearer.

Thanks - I appreciate your input ISDW......

peasant

Disssgruntled wrote: »

- Between one thing and another it meant that the two weeks Kennelling cost well in excess of €300.....

...try going on holidays owning three dogs and three cats ...

ISDW

Well we're going off on our holiday in a couple of weeks, and I've managed to find someone willing to come and stay here for €50 a night:eek: We're away for 16 days - you do the maths!!!!!!!!!

But then, when you have 10 dogs and 4 cats of your own, plus there will probably still be 3 rescue dogs in, its the price I have to pay.

olaola

Do you have a friend who would be available to house & pet-sit?

anniehoo

Disssgruntled wrote: »

Have been quoted around €18 on average including a discount for the two.

I think you got a very good rate there to be honest. When you think that you're paying for daily walks/feeding/cleaning out and peace of mind that your pets are safe when you're away i think thats quite good. Im a petsitter and id charge €25/day for one dog! Its a business like anything else.

Munster Gal

€18 for 2 dogs is a great rate. We always factor in kennel/cattery costs when booking our holidays. This year a friend is taking our dog (we'll return the favour later) and a relative has opened a cattery so the cats have a free holiday. It means we'll be able to treat ourselves to a couple of meals out while on holidays and we'll be able to do a few extra activities 'cos we're saving the guts of €500.

Disssgruntled

Munster Gal wrote: »

€18 for 2 dogs is a great rate. We always factor in kennel/cattery costs when booking our holidays. This year a friend is taking our dog (we'll return the favour later) and a relative has opened a cattery so the cats have a free holiday. It means we'll be able to treat ourselves to a couple of meals out while on holidays and we'll be able to do a few extra activities 'cos we're saving the guts of €500.

Exactly - I just think it makes perfect sense to at least investigate the alternatives.

- Might come up with a situation thats mutally beneficial to two parties.....

My problem is that while it would be simplest to just plain return the favour to someone else I'm in a built up area and I know they'd have a dog Circus with 2 weeks of mad high jinks!!!!

- So just left with payment by way of the €

liah

I'd take them for free (I really miss having dogs around!) but I'm all the way in Westmeath.

Have 3 big lugs back home and I've been without them for the last 8 months, killing me not having time with dogs!

Disssgruntled

- If only there was a proper dog bus service in this Country - I'm sure the Green Party promised us one before the last elections!!!

Thanks anyhow though Liah

Lauragoesmad

€18 a day for 2 dogs is a bargain! Although you have to ask yourself how much time the dogs are caged and how many walks they get for €18 a day?

Raiser

Lauragoesmad wrote: »

€18 a day for 2 dogs is a bargain! Although you have to ask yourself how much time the dogs are caged and how many walks they get for €18 a day?

On this topic actually!!! We once collected two dogs from a Kennel owner who made a comment that really and truly (to us) seemed to indicate he hadn't let them out for exercise once in the entire two weeks...... Said one in particular was "so obedient and responsive"

- Now the dog in question is a real character and has excellent temperament, great craic etc. but he is a Parsons/Border Terrier cross and works to his own agenda - I've never seen him be either obedient or responsive in 8+ years!!!

peasant

That's going off topic now ...but you'd be surprised what effects a change in circumstances can cause in seemingly independent dogs. It's quite possible that they are on "best behaviour" for a while until they have things figured out again.

Munster Gal

Disssgruntled wrote: »

Exactly - I just think it makes perfect sense to at least investigate the alternatives.

- Might come up with a situation thats mutally beneficial to two parties.....

My problem is that while it would be simplest to just plain return the favour to someone else I'm in a built up area and I know they'd have a dog Circus with 2 weeks of mad high jinks!!!!

- So just left with payment by way of the €

I really feel for you & have been wracking my brain. I know it's not ideal but how would they react if they were separated - is there anyone who could take even one of them? My neighbour does this with her 2 dogs - the lab is nuts and nobody would have him so she kennels him (where he behaves himself, funnily enough) and the people next door take her JRT. My aunt leaves her sick CKC with us and her son takes her other one.

This is the part of pet ownership alot of people forget about, it's grand saying you can put them in a kennel but the costs mount up. This is the first time we've had this arrangement and it's like we've won the lotto so I really hope you'll be able to come up with something similar yourself.

spiderdog

ISDW wrote: »

Well we're going off on our holiday in a couple of weeks, and I've managed to find someone willing to come and stay here for €50 a night:eek: We're away for 16 days - you do the maths!!!!!!!!!

But then, when you have 10 dogs and 4 cats of your own, plus there will probably still be 3 rescue dogs in, its the price I have to pay.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Disssgruntled

Thanks Munster Gal! Its no huge deal really though - just thought there might be someone out there with a bit of free time that loves dogs etc!!!

Rachel 999

ISDW wrote: »

I don't think that €18 a night is very expensive, it depends what you want from a kennels. If you break it down into time being spent with the dogs, walking, feeding, handling them etc, it probably works out at about €3-4 an hour, well below the minimum wage. I have to declare my interest here, I own a boarding kennel. I usually start work at 7.30 in the morning and finish about 11pm at night during the summer, I do have breaks for meals obviously, but if you want your dog to have proper interaction with someone, then you will have to pay for it. Do the kennels provide the food as well? If you deduct how much you would normally spend on food, that might make it seem a bit better?

Pet sitting in your home generally does work out much dearer.

Could not agree with you more ISDW, I have a male friend who owns and runs a boarding kennels. Summer or winter he works a 14 hour day, 7 days . I don't think people know what hard work and responsibility goes in to running a kennels or cattery. Try to pin him down to going out somewhere is major job, the animals come first. Maybe thats why he's single.:):):):):)

Call me Socket

Disssgruntled wrote: »

Thanks Munster Gal! Its no huge deal really though - just thought there might be someone out there with a bit of free time that loves dogs etc!!!

Such a pity I don't have room or I would've done it for you, we're only down the road from you- Shannon....but we've 4 dogs indoors. Sorry, that's absolutely no help at all to you is it?!!:rolleyes:

E300 really isn't a bad price to pay tbh...total peace of mind, not having to worry about someone's toddler pulling their tails or poking at them (and getting bit in the process) and not worrying about them outstaying their welcome by chasing the neighbour's cat.... Seriously, in your shoes I'd pay the E300:)

Disssgruntled

No bother Socket! Thanks anyway

- Will prob leave it a week or two in the hope of finding someone out there!!!

Disssgruntled

Hi All!

I got sorted - my Cousin is actually going to be able to take them for me!

Thanks for all the advice etc.