Dog Home Boarding With Holidays4Dogs.
It is not always possible to take your dog with you on every occasion you have to leave town. Home boarding is sometimes a better option than leaving him with a friend or using conventional kennels. Read on for more information on dog home boarding with Holidays4Dogs.
An emergency with your pet while you are travelling, or visiting a strange place can create stress for you, but also for your pet. In addition, some pet dogs prefer routine in familiar surroundings.
Many dogs find it stressful being left in traditional kennels, especially if they have never been used to kennel life. Indeed, we support many rescue dogs whose owners are most reluctant to place their dogs back in a kennel environment.
The beauty of boarding your dog with Holidays4Dogs is that your dog’s routine is largely unaffected. You will always visit your carer before making a booking.
Leaving your dog with a friend, or relative, might at first seem like a satisfactory option. However, although they may know your dog, they may not be as experienced in the finer details of dog care. They may not, for example, recognise the early warning signs of illness.
All Holidays4Dogs carers are comprehensively insured for public liability up to £3,000,000. There is also a care and custody extension liability for animals up to £15,000.
In addition, a trusted and professional Holidays4Dogs carer can often accommodate dogs at short notice, whereas a family member or friend, may not be able to do this.
It is very important to consider the individual needs of your dog and Holidays4Dogs are experts at matching carers who will best meet those needs. Many carers have particular skills, or knowledge. Many have rescue dog experience, others are ex-veterinary nurses, trainers and behaviourists, or breeders.
We have lots of carers on our team who are semi, or active retired and therefore have a vast wealth of dog care experience, spanning a number of decades.
Some have recently lost much loved pets, but not wishing to have another dog of their own, absolutely adore looking after other people’s pets and having dogs around the house again.
Guest dogs are regarded as surrogate pets. Our devoted retirees like nothing more than welcoming different canine characters into their homes for a holiday.
We are rather like a canine version of Air B&B!
Some home boarding carers specifically cater for working, or large breed dogs and as such, can offer above average exercise. Other carers have a love of smaller breeds of dog and are more than happy to allow guest dogs to curl up on the furniture, or even on the bed! We have lots of carers who are perfectly happy for dogs to have the complete run of the house and others who will
follow the owner’s requests and routine.
Some of our carers have acres and acres of their own land, others have average sized gardens. However, every home will have a secure, dog friendly area and easy access to countryside, or parkland. We do not accept carers whose garden does not meet our strict safety and security standards. Dogs are never left in the garden unattended while home boarding with us.
Your dog will be walked on the lead or, with your written permission, off lead. Dogs walked off lead must have a good recall and be friendly around other dogs and people.
As long as owners authorise it, dogs can also travel in the car to alternative local walks and venues. For dogs happy to travel, they can enjoy a short car ride with their carers to various beauty spots and walks around the locality.
Guest dogs wear their collars at all times. Along with their regular identification, home boarding dogs must also wear a Holidays4Dogs uniquely numbered I.D tag.
We also recommend you provide a familiar toy, or blanket, for your dog to take with him. For further information on our crate policy, follow the link here.
Unfortunately, we are unable to cater for very fragile, or extremely elderly dogs that need extensive care. In these cases, we would recommend a house sitter as an alternative to dog home boarding.
Active, (or less active!), senior dogs are welcome. We can cater for younger deaf dogs, for example, or dogs with manageable disabilities.
We are able to accommodate dogs with mild behaviour issues such as shy dogs, dogs that are not too sociable with other dogs, dogs that are strong on the lead, or dogs with a penchant for door bolting.
However, we cannot accept dogs with serious aggression, or anxiety towards people. We accept friendly guard breeds, such as German shepherds and rottweilers.
It always better to be upfront about your dog’s behaviour when arranging dog home boarding. When you telephone to arrange to meet a Holidays4Dogs carer, make sure you provide all the relevant details about your dog, including his likes and dislikes.
If your dog is prone to pinching things from the rubbish bin, or is nervous of men in hats for instance, do let your carer know. This way, they will be able to deal with issues much better if they know in advance what they are. Your carer will make a note of significant information including diet, medication, known commands, exercise routine etc.
All dogs must be vaccinated and treated for fleas and worms when home boarding with Holidays4Dogs.
Our carers never leave guest dogs for more than a couple of hours. Enough time to do the shopping, the school run, or visit the dentist. We do, however, have many carers who can accommodate dogs that require 24/7 supervision.
If your dog is susceptible to separation anxiety for example, we can match you to the most suitable local carer who will never leave your dog alone.
We also have carers who are familiar with caring for dogs with specific needs such as diabetes or epilepsy. Holidays4Dogs and our carers have an excellent relationship with local vets. We can deal promptly and efficiently with any medical issues, or emergencies, that might occur while you are away.
Our dedicated Holidays4Dogs carers are all interviewed at home before being accepted to join our home dog boarding team.
Final thoughts on home boarding with Holidays4Dogs.
Our carers are picked for their competency and professional approach. All have a natural affinity with dogs as well as kindness and patience. This ensures the absolute health and safety of your dog while he is enjoying a home from home holiday with genuine dog lovers.
We look forward to being of service to you and your dog – Holidays4Dogs
