Dogs are my passion!! I love to hear the dog owners say, “Wow, he’s so friendly. I never saw him like this with a stranger. Dogs often come right up to me or sit next to me when I meet with their owners.
When your dog is home he is happy, comfortable, content with the routine in the home. He has normal daily activities and knows the ropes.
The Kennel Boarding Experience
Upon entering, he is overwhelmed with new smells, new human faces, new doggie faces. All is totally new! This is stressful for a dog. All dogs need routine and this is a major break in theirs.
Their introduction into the kennel is impersonal; they are led in and left there. There are no reassurances or personal introductions to other dogs. Your dog will be put with possibly up to 25 strange dogs, some are nice and some are not so nice; some may have infections or possibly other contagious conditions, like kennel cough. There is no way you can investigate and find out the situation of each dog before you deliver yours.
Usually the dogs are all together in a big room. There may be or not a person watching the dogs in that room. This is usually a young person or student, earning extra money: so there is not a high level of professionalism or dedication here. Feeding many dogs can be tricky. One dog may just eat everyone else’s food. In a kennel this is a challenge with the number of dogs.
The Westside Dog Nanny Experience
Home Environment:
When a dog enters my home there may be 1-5 other dogs that I am also boarding {my liability insurance limits me to 5 dogs}. So, that’s quite a bit less than a kennel. I am also right there at the door greeting him reassuringly. After he walks around and sniffs out the place and decides all is okay, it snooze time… usually on my sofa. All the dogs I have boarded have gotten along and played. I have never had a fight. This being so because I screen my clients before I allow their dog in my home. There are no surprises.
Insurance:
My insurance also requires me to have the dog’s bordetella {kennel cough} and rabies vaccine certificates. This keeps the other dogs safe from disease. Bordetella is extremely contagious and is quite commonly found in kennels.
Meal Options:
Their parents bring the dog’s food so his diet will not be disrupted. A dog’s stomach is very sensitive to changes in diet. A kennel feeds kennel food; no individual attention to diets.
The WSDN “Comfort Zone”:
When he comes to my home, there is also a level of comfort for him: no dogs to avoid, places to snooze, food is there when he wants it, with his water. My sofa is also very comfy for napping or watching TV.
Dogs in my care have an advantage over a kennel: I administer to their personal needs, emotional, physical and medical. I have administered meds to a dog sometimes twice daily–at no extra charge–.
A dog is hard pressed to get personal attention from a kennel person when he/she is caring for so many dogs at once! Above all else primary goal is keeping my dogs safe while in my care.
A kennel owner would find it extremely difficult to keep an eye out all the time. Because of the intimacy of my home situation, I can keep an eye on all dogs in my house.
Affordable Dog Boarding:
At Westside Dog Nanny we provide affordable dog boarding rates and incredible service.