Like many fellow Canberrans, my partner and I are planning a trip to visit family scattered around the country this Christmas season. We had planned for our two six-month old puppies to be looked after by a friend, however this friend has suddenly pulled out and we are now left trying to rapidly find some sort of lodging for our pups.
I have phoned every boarding kennel listed in the white pages only to find that they’re all fully booked – most of them since June. Just wondering if anyone out there has any alternate suggestions for what we could do, or knows of any kennels within reasonable distance that may still have places available.
We’re hesitant to cancel our travel plans, yet won’t have much option if we can’t find a solution to this problem!
Depending on how long you will be away for you could consider house sitters. There are a few websites around – just googlle “house sitting services” – I think happyhousesitters.com.au is one of the top of my head. Good luck – we have the same problem!
maybe you’ve looked but what about boarding kennels in the white/yellow pages for NSW – within driving distance of canberra?
I know that they’re a bit of a way out of town, but when caught in the same position, we used Berridale Kennels and were very happy. like I said though, they’re a bit of a trip.
We’ve been happy with a service called Don’t Fret Pet, they organise for someone to dog sit at their house, usually someone who has a dog
We pay a dog walker to come by and feed and walk our dogs and cat when we go away. We had a problem with our dog lodge when we told them we were coming straight from the airport, but they said they would not be staying open for 5 minutes beyond closing time. That’s their call, but we decided then to find another option, and we started using dog walkers.
We found a walker about half the price of a dog motel and more flexible, the pups were less stressed, they were in a familiar environment and they had the whole backyard all day as opposed to a 4×8 cell, with an additional hour of regular exercise. The walker also puts newspapers and mail on the back step out of harms way. It depends on the nature of your dogs, but we haven’t looked back.
darkmilk said :
Was going to suggest these guys too. I’ve not used them, but I have a work colleague using them this Christmas for a 5 week period. They had a test run last weekend and so far so good.
Why not get someone who house sits, and is willing to mind the puppies.
or call rspca and see if they have connections for dog-sitting dog-lovers who might help you out…
Did you get the mutts from a breeder. Sometimes the breeder will offer to take care of them whenever the buyer goes away as they are happy to see their “fruits of labour” again. Our freinds do this and the breeder even comes up from the South coast to collect their hound.
There is a decent one near bateman’s bay up there that always seems to be vacant
I have found that the older-teenaged friends of friends and work people (who still live at home)are always really excited about the chance to escape Mum and dad for a few weeks, especially if you let them housesit with their friends or partners. Make sure they are trustworthy, love animals and of course, lay down some clear groundrules. Older teenagers make the best housesitters, as they will usually housesit for much less than kennels, are keen to do a good job (so they can do it again!) and grateful for the freedom.
Alternatively, you could always leave a note in the letter-boxes of people in your street too – asking them if they would attend to your dogs for a small daily fee; OR arrange a barter system, where you offer to do the same for them when they go on holidays. Some people might even offer to have the dogs stay with them – especially if they love dogs and don’t have any of their own. This is a great way to get to know your dog-loving neighbors!
Another option – I have family and friends coming for christmas and was desperate to find vacant houses nearby, where my family could stay – close, but not too close. Got onto Facebook and asked my friends if anybody needed a house-and-dog sitter over Christmas – and was overwhelmed by responses, as it is cheaper for families than paying for kennels and it is good to have somebody at home for security purposes.
There are so many options – don’t panic!
Postalgeek said :
Just WOW. This might be a stab in the dark (Maybe they had a important social event or something) but… I’m not sure I would want people so absolute looking after my doggies.
If they are that abrupt to you on the phone, I wonder how much they actually care about canus familiarus, apart from the income.
How long do most places keep dogs for if the owners never turn up to collect them?
How about trying kennels near your destination? You could take the dogs in the car with you and drop them off just before visiting your rellos. You might even be able to visit them while you’re there, take them out on a day pass.