Dog boarding

What does everybody think is the best way of boarding your dog/s when you go on holiday? Does anyone have any experience of Barking Mad the agency who provides a private home for your dog? There seem to be 3 options: kennels, the Barking Mad way or have someone live in your home with the dogs for the duration. We are going away for 4 days only and have never left them before.

Hi Elmac, I can only comment on Kennels because that is what l have tried. The kennels l used looked after my puppy very well and she was fine when l got her home. The only bad point was that she had forgotten her toilet training, but it soon came back. There is a very useful article about kennels written by Borderdawn that you would find very helpful. sorry l don,t have a link to it but it is well worth reading. good luck with your research.

One of my customers uses Barking Mad and she think's it's great, but expensive. I wouldn't use them quite simply because you are not allowed to see where they are going. Your dog is collected and delivered back to you so you have no idea where they have been!
Becky

we met up with a couple whilst on holiday, they used the Barking Mad agency. This was the second time they had sent their dog to a private house and they couldn't speak highly enough of them. The dog had a great time and was very happy. They were away for 2 weeks too.

I have only ever used kennels once on my wedding night when we had nobody to look after Zak and Samson. They had a run togther so that was good. They played music to them to keep them calm during the day. Zak who is nervous aggressive was accepted by them no problem and the owner went into their run with no problems with him, so I felt very confident about that. As they were only in for a night they didn't seem overly stressed if at all. The only downside was the selled really bad stale wee.... but would use short term again but not more than a few days as my Zak hates being away from me and is only ever happy staying with his nanna

Mel x

I am sooo lucky I have a dogless friend, who adores dogs and will look after friends dogs free of charge for how ever long.
Mo loves them and will be going there while we go on our hols

I'm sure they would be fine in kennels.

If you would rather they were in a home environment, I do know of someone (who has had Kip & Hoki before) who does do some home boarding (i.e. her home, not yours).

If you are interested, let me know and I will pm you with some further info - there are one or two points that you would need to consider which may rule them out.

(I would offer to have them but I think OH might not be too happy about that!)

I leave my dogs with a dear friend otherwise I would find and visit a really good kennel I have never heard of Barking Mad ? although I have looked them up and found this link if it's any use to you

http://www.barkingmad.uk.com/petsitting.html

wouldnt use something i couldnt go and see. my baby has been in kennels but i dont like it so he goes to his 'uncle bob' our local fab dog walker. blackie loves him and his wife so we are on a winner.


sue

Thanks everybody for your thoughts on this. Will let you know what I eventually decide. I have read Borderdawns article which is very useful. It is very strange to me that you don't get to meet the people who are looking after your dogs with Barking Mad never mind not know where they have been. You ones with good reliable friends who look after your dogs are very lucky.

I would offer to look after them for you but as I'm in Germany at the moment with MOD they'd have a fair distance to travel to get to me.