Dog Boarding Kennels Survey Thingy

ashlingm

Just researching what peoples opinions of dog kennels. Its for a project so honest opinions please

• What do you think should be standard in dog kennels?
  
• What services do you think should be available as extras?
  
• Would you prefer :
  A - your dog to be turned out in a secure area to play with other dog boarders for a few hours a day (bar with the obvious like dogs in heat and agressive dogs)
  or
  B - your dog to be walked 2/3 times a day with another dog or two for 30 mins each walk?
• Would you pay extra for one-on-one walks?
  
• What do you think is the going rate for boarding kennels per day? And what would be the max you would pay?
  
• What would/has put you off using certain kennels?
  
• What do you think could make the dog kennels more enjoyable for your dog?
  
• Would having your dog washed and groomed professionally before you collect him/her appeal to you?
  
• Would you or know someone who would be interested in a pick up/ drop off service?

Thank you!

Wisco

1. I don't know about standard size- I just have a look at places I'm considering, but haven't taken measurements. I do think there should be access to outside and warm bedding and raised bed/basket. Heat in winter time plus the option to be fully shut indoors if needed.
2. The kennels I use has group play time plus 30 minute walks with another dog or two.
3. I wouldn't pay more for one on one walks, but at this stage, my dog doesn't have any special needs (he's young and healthy). Perhaps when he's old and arthritic I'd consider it.
4. As far as I know the going rate in my area for a med to large dog is €12/day, although I have come across more expensive places. However, for the service the more expensive place offered (no walks) I wouldn't pay more. I'd possibly pay up to €15 if I really really like the place although I'm so broke at the moment that wouldn't be possible if I was away for a long time!
5. What puts me off? No walks (but in big runs), feeding only once daily, not being let out of run (even though there's outdoor bit). I used one once and I could tell he hadn't been out as he was bursting for a pee at 11AM:mad:. Needless to say I've never gone back.
6. I've no interest in professional grooming, but my dog is a low maintenance short haired breed.
7. I think pick up/drop off is a great idea, although I wouldn't be inclined to use it myself. However, I do know transporting a dog is difficult for many people.

ncmc

- I suppose what I would expect as standard would be that the dog be fed, watered, walked and kept warm.
- Extra's that I would expect/prefer lots of outdoor time and a bit of attention and hugs! Kennels with a bit of outdoor space would be nice. I know some places have web cams, that would be amazing, but even a picture message once a day would be lovely.
- I personally would like my dog to get outdoor, supervised time in a secure area and also maybe one walk as well so she could have a change of scene.
- I wouldn't pay extra for one on one walks.
- I think the going rate for kennels round me (Cork) is €12 per day. I would pay up to €15 for a really good kennel.
- Things that have turned me off are when the dog is locked up all day and night except for one walk or when the owner is obviously just in it for the cash and doesn't really care about the dog.
- I think my dog would enjoy the kennels more if she was let out more and maybe follow the owner around a bit. She loves cuddles so any extra attention would make her very happy.
- I personally like the job my groomer does, so wouldn't want my dog groomed, but having the dog washed would be great, it's normally the first thing I have to do after I collect her which is a balls when you are only home from hols and are wrecked.
- A pick up and drop off service would be nice, especially if you are going on hols and are under pressure.

Whispered

What do you think should be standard in dog kennels?
Comfortable, spacious, heated accommodation, an outdoor run area with a wall between runs as opposed to wire, for the dog to be fed and interacted with routinely, plenty of exercise. A confident manager who the dogs like.



What services do you think should be available as extras?
I was going to say games, but I think this is either part of the package or not if you know what I mean. In our local kennels the dogs get ages playing ball etc. I also wouldn't consider messages as an extra, I'd often text to see how he is. It's not an extra.

A - your dog to be turned out in a secure area to play with other dog boarders for a few hours a day (bar with the obvious like dogs in heat and agressive dogs)
or
B - your dog to be walked 2/3 times a day with another dog or two for 30 mins each walk?
I would want a bit of both. Harley gets 2 2mile walks with other dogs, time with Keith (the owner) alone in the paddock playing ball, AND time in the paddock playing with suitable play mates if they're in at the time. I'm probably spoiled but at this stage I'd expect similar from another kennel.



Would you pay extra for one-on-one walks?
No, if my dog was not suitable for walks in a group, I'd expect him to have one on one walks anyway. As he is ok walking in groups, I think it's great to have him walked with others.



What do you think is the going rate for boarding kennels per day? And what would be the max you would pay? I pay €15, but would be happy to pay a bit more if his prices went up.



What would/has put you off using certain kennels?
If the dog didn't like the people who work there. (Harleys face lights up when he sees keith, he dives all over him like a little brat and LOVES going) or if the workers didn't seem to genuinely like dogs.



What do you think could make the dog kennels more enjoyable for your dog? We're 100% happy with the kennels we use at the moment. We wouldn't leave him somewhere we were not 100% happy with.

Would having your dog washed and groomed professionally before you collect him/her appeal to you? Yes, it's nice for him to come home clean after a bath.

Would you or know someone who would be interested in a pick up/ drop off service? Yes, I think this is a great idea.

portgirl123

i dont use kennels so cant really help, have never found one i was happy with. i use a home boarder who is a lovely person and really looks after my dogs as she looks after hers. She keeps to my routine, 3 walks aday, feeding 2x a day and keeps them indoors. While she has my dogs she takes no others so there is only mine and hers there.
I know my doggies are happy there as they love to see her. they run into hers without a backward glance.
their happy, im happy

dollydishmop

ashlingm wrote: »

What do you think should be standard in dog kennels?

Shelter, food, water, exercise & bedding, & all 'guests' up-to-date on all vax

ashlingm wrote: »

What services do you think should be available as extras?

No idea...as long as my dogs are cared for whilst I'm away, I wouldn't be looking for extras.

ashlingm wrote: »

Would you prefer :

A - your dog to be turned out in a secure area to play with other dog boarders for a few hours a day (bar with the obvious like dogs in heat and agressive dogs)
or
B - your dog to be walked 2/3 times a day with another dog or two for 30 mins each walk?

Neither to be honest.
If my dogs are going into a secure area to free run, I don't want them loose with other dogs under any circumstances.

If my dogs are going out on walks, I want them paired together, and not with other dogs.

ashlingm wrote: »

Would you pay extra for one-on-one walks?

No, I feel it should be part of the service, if offered as well as ,or in lieu of free time in a pen/run. If the kennel owner is exercising dogs on leads, I want him or her to be in control of one dog at a time, with the exception of 2-3 dogs from the same owner (as in my case). Exercising a group of dogs together, who don't know each other, is not something I would want or expect. I don't consider it safe.

ashlingm wrote: »

What do you think is the going rate for boarding kennels per day? And what would be the max you would pay?

No idea to be honest, I'm generally kennelling 4-6 dogs of my own at a time, so the kennels I've dealt with almost always do me a 'deal' on price.
As an example of the 'deal' prices I've received....I currently pay €5/dog/night - regardless of size of dog (mine range from small terrier to 30" lurcher).
The most I've paid, on a 'group rate' is €7/dog/night...and I know most kennels are more expensive than this, just for small dogs. :eek:

ashlingm wrote: »

What would/has put you off using certain kennels?

One kennel I used when I was stuck (regular kennel full, and I left it to the last minute to decide on the trip)...wasn't interested in vax certs, told me he didn't bother with all that cr*p :eek: Then when I enquired about exercise, he said he had a 20 acre field that he usually just released all the dogs in to every morning. I was actually 'on holiday' at this point,and 3 hrs from home, so had no choice but to leave a few there, but I re-juggled and took 3 of them camping with me, only leaving 2 there over-night instead of all 5**... I also firmly told him that he was not to release any of my dogs into the field under any circumstances. As a result of not being too impressed with his care or facilities I cut my long weekend short, and decided there and then that we would only stay one night.
**I know this sounds hard to believe for some on here but I was actually really looking forward to a dog-free weekend:o

And my second kennel-horror-tale...the kennels I used to use...let me down, in a HUGE way, when I really needed them to provide the service I was paying for...
The night before our wedding, sitting down a formal meal with our relatives &close friends, who had all flown over to Ireland to spend our wedding day/weekend with us. We were already juggling one dog at the venue, because she was in season, and so I chose not to send her to kennels...but the place where we were all staying was happy enough for her to be there with us, so not a huge problem to have one of our dogs with us for the weekend.
8pm thatevening, and we're sitting down to the main course, and my kennel lady phones up and demands we remove one of our dogs from the kennel. She thinks he's ill and she's *too busy* to take him to the vet. She's very insistent, you'd almost think the dog was on death's door,and that someone had stolen her car. My husband-to-be excuses himself from the meal (paid for by his father) and takes the dog to the out-of-hours vet, who declares the dog 100% fit as a fiddle. When hubby-to-be tries to return the dog to kennels the same evening, the kennel lady says she only accepts dog in to her premises between set hours :rolleyes: , and to bring him back the morning. Hubby-to-be reminds her that we're a little busy, getting married, in the morning...she tells him that is our problem, not hers.
We then spent an interesting wedding weekend, with a *perfectly healthy* un-neutered male dog crated in one corner of the bridal suite, and an *in season* female dog crated in the other.:eek: :pac::pac:
We had been customers there for years, and never ever had a problem with this kennel...but I would never use this place again.
Always wondered what she would have done if we'd been abroad that weekend...I guess the fact she knew we were getting married locally meant she felt she could let us deal with it, rather than drag herself away from the telly or whatever was keeping her 'too busy' to deal with a supposedly sick boarder in her boarding kennels :rolleyes:

ashlingm wrote: »

What do you think could make the dog kennels more enjoyable for your dog?

No idea, mine all seem to love going to kennels, especially the current kennels we use. They have their own little holiday whenever we go away without them.

ashlingm wrote: »

Would having your dog washed and groomed professionally before you collect him/her appeal to you?

Not in the slightest...and if offered I'd say "no thanks".

ashlingm wrote: »

Would you or know someone who would be interested in a pick up/ drop off service?

Nope...the kennels I currently use is less than a mile away from here...if I asked her to collect & drop off that would just be pure lazy

Whispered

Dollydishmop - that sounds like a disaster.

sral1

Regarding the price of kennels always ask does the price inculd VAT. AT €12 aday plus Vat this comes to €15 or per day. A kennels that is in the VAT tun over trap is not neccessrly a large kennels but a popular kennels with a good turnover. So those kennels charging €15/day without VAT are dearer than a VAT reg kennels at €15 per day.

dollydishmop

Whispered wrote: »

Dollydishmop - that sounds like a disaster.

At the time we just dealt with it and got on with things....you're busy enough with all things "wedding" going on, that looking after the two dogs over the weekend was just added to the list of things for people to help with (we had a very hands-on wedding as it was and everyone mucked in ).
I think the fact that we had already factored in one of our dogs staying with us for the weekend, meant it was even easier to incorporate the care, attention, exercise etc for the 2 dogs into the weekend's plans.

But afterwards,when the dust had settled....that's when I became really angry and upset over the way this boarding kennels had treated us, on what many may say was one of the most important weekends of our lives. The one weekend where I really needed the boarding kennels to do their job with our dogs and leave us with nothing to worry about, they let us down, badly!

She rang me a few months later to remind me that if I wanted space in her kennels over Christmas I'd need to be giving her our dates for going to the UK fairly soon....I let her have it with both barrels down the phone! :pac::mad:

Whispered

dollydishmop wrote: »

She rang me a few months later to remind me that if I wanted space in her kennels over Christmas I'd need to be giving her our dates for going to the UK fairly soon....I let her have it with both barrels down the phone! :pac::mad:

Good! I hope she was embarassed!