Boarding My Beloved Dog

[Hollybell]

Was hoping to get some advise on where to board my beloved Shipoo, she's 18mths old & has never been left before. It would be for 13 nights - such a long time. I'm deciding between Mornington Lodge & the Dogs Country Club & Kennel Resort - Baxter as I'm based in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. I've exhausted all other options kennel my only option but how do I know what care my baby will be getting while I'm not there???? Would really appreciate any feedback anyone has on either of the 2 kennels I have suggested or any others in the area, thanks so much

[mita]

Holly... not suggesting that you don't put your dog in kennels, but just another thought. Have you considered an option of someone house/pet sitting for you, so your dog is in a familiar place.

Relatives have several times used house/pet sitters got thro' aussiehomesitters site (for a 2 week period). Have been very satisfied.

Sitters have references & police check documentation.

[Hollybell]

I agree Mita & have suggested this option to my husband but he's really not comfortable with doing this .... thanks for your thoughts though feeling really stressed about leaving my little girl ????

[Simply Grand]

Sorry I don't have any experience with kennels in your area but just wanted to say try not to worry too much, most dogs cope pretty well being boarded, and 13 nights isn't too long. I was very worried about boarding my guys the first time but decided on kennels rather than housesitting/people visiting an feeding as I actually felt they'd be safer there - much less chance of escape, and it meant there wasn't someone else treating them differently to how i do in their own home.

Recently I ended up kenneling 2 of them for 7 weeks while I tried to find a house for all of us, I never expected it to be so long and worried a lot about them, but they came back happy and healthy and settled back into home life really quickly :)

[Santo66]

There are two components kennelling a dog, one is that the dog is living in a strange environment and the other is the owners have disappeared which the dog has to cope with these two components. Pet sitting removes one component where the dog remains in it's own environment and has to cope with the only the owners absence probably something the dog used to anyway as dog owners go to work, go out and leave the dog alone at home IMHO, pet sitting is easier on the dog :D

[mita]

Holly, even tho' I'm in Qld, I looked at the websites for both those kennels. The Mornington one has lovely attitudes to dogs... they have rescue pugs. The second one has quite a lot of good testimonials from clients. I tend to take notice of testimonials.

Here's hoping someone on DOL has used both.

[Dogsfevr]

There are two components kennelling a dog, one is that the dog is living in a strange environment and the other is the owners have disappeared which the dog has to cope with these two components. Pet sitting removes one component where the dog remains in it's own environment and has to cope with the only the owners absence probably something the dog used to anyway as dog owners go to work, go out and leave the dog alone at home IMHO, pet sitting is easier on the dog :D

Pet sitting isn't easier at all .It can very from dog to dog but that is way off base .

Most people have no clue how fun boarding kennels can be for dogs & the fact they often get more human & play time than they do at home & alot of mental activity to ensure they are having fun.

For some dogs the stress of strangers entering there home is very traumatic .so there is no best just what may be better for each dog .

[Hollybell]

Thankyou for your thoughts I really appreciate your feedback I'm going to go & look at both again this week & make a decision ????

[claireybell]

My inlaws used Mornington Lodge recently and were very happy with them. Their dog had never been kennelled before and they had never left him before (he's 6 years old).

[Rosetta]

I prefer boarding kennels to a stranger pet sitting in my home - there are too many possibilities of something going wrong. Can you try her in the kennel for a weekend and see how she goes - it might be reassuring for you to know that she can cope OK.