Anyone ever used Barking Mad?

Barking Mad is a nationwide organisation. It is an alternative to kennels and a host family looks after dogs in their home.

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

It isn't for me, as my dogs always come on holiday with me, but my sister is considering going abroad this year and is looking at using Barking Mad, as an alternative to kennelling.

Has anyone ever left their dog with a host family? What did they think?

I'd like to know too lol! I considered using them when I went away last year but it was too expensive, now I have 4 dogs the prices between home care and kennels are about the same.
Becky

I've had them round for an assessment and they're very good, BUT, they don't let you meet the hosts, which kinda put me off a bit.

Have found alternatives for Odi now, but I wasn't 100% happy with not meeting the people my dog was going to stay with for a fortnight.

HTH

That's a bit weird - what was the reasoning behind that?

I would defiantly want to meet the host a few times before leaving my Dogs (not that I would they come on Holiday with us)that seems very strange to me

I don't know for sure, but I suspect this is to protect their business. If you knew who the hosts were and liked them, there would be nothing stopping you arranging future stays direct with them & cutting out the middleman (i.e. barking mad).

I've contacted these people twice and never got any response, so they're a waste of space...... imo anyway

Mine have just come out of kennels and I must admit I was beginning to despair at one point of ever finding kennels that measured up to what I wanted. I have to say though that all the effort paid off and I am really happy with my choice of kennel and would definately use them again. The dogs were frankly as happy as larry. So in this case it was a big thumbs up for the kennels

She did say it was to protect her business, but I would've thought if there was a contract in place then that would pre-empt all of that. Also, the lady was here for almost 2 hours, so I would've thought she'd have got a "feel" for the kind of person I was in that time. I'm not about to cut out the middleman if I think my dog is happy!

Also, she told me the first names of the hosts, and the village where they live, so it wouldn't have been that hard to trace them.....I could even have followed her as she left

The whole thing just didn't sit right in my mind, so I'm happy he's going elsewhere

I contacted them a while ago and i must say i just wasnt impressed, they said they collect the dogs from our home and take them to their host, i said i could deliver them myself and would rather do that anyway to make sure the hosts knew all about bloat (the killer in our breed) and i wanted to make sure the hosts home was ok for mine..It was a complete no no they wouldnt let me do anything so i said ok but no thanks if i cant see where my dogs are going.