The Dream Is Coming, Starting A Kennel Business

[tonyb]

Just to let everyone know and hopefully get some feedback, Kathy and I in the near future will be starting our own Dog Kennel business. We are very excited.

 

We are currently in the process of purchasing a farm and as soon as that is complete we'll be looking into the conversion process. Our aim is quality over quantity and we're looking at probably just five kennels and really applying the caring element. 

 

So apart from helping us celebrate We're looking for peoples story's and experiences with kennels, we want to void the bad stuff and really dig deep on the good stuff. So whether or not you've used them (why/why not), if you have, what did you like the most, what did you not like or even upset you? What would be your ideal place to leave you dog?

 

We have a lot of grand plans but we need to be practical and really base them on real life situations. So any feedback is most welcome and will definitely earn you a beer or two at the camp this week.

 

Cheers

 

Tony & Kathy

[Sarah]

Oh if htere's beer involved i'll write you an essay LMFAO!!!

 

 

Nah on a serious note - congrats!!  Really hope it takes off for you x

 

I've never put my boys in kennels - reasons why:

 

• Not many will allow 3 dogs to stay together
• KC vaccine for the 3 is just over £100 
• I'd be worried they didn't know enough about the breed
• I'd be worried the boys would fret - they've never been away from home unless we camp of course and i'm always with them

and i'm just too soft i'd cry my eyes out leaving them lol

[tonyb]

Oh if htere's beer involved i'll write you an essay LMFAO!!!

 

 

Nah on a serious note - congrats!!  Really hope it takes off for you x

 

I've never put my boys in kennels - reasons why:

 

• Not many will allow 3 dogs to stay together
• KC vaccine for the 3 is just over £100 
• I'd be worried they didn't know enough about the breed
• I'd be worried the boys would fret - they've never been away from home unless we camp of course and i'm always with them

and i'm just too soft i'd cry my eyes out leaving them lol

 

One, nah two beers for you. That was damn fast.

• Having multiple dogs in one kennel is definitely something we are doing
• KC; yeah no getting around that one i'm afraid
• Not knowing the breed, true that would put me off too, think that would be a big concern for most dog owners (good job Kathy knows her stuff)
• The boys would fret ... ahhhh I think I fret more than the our girls when we leave them

 

Anyway much appreciated feedback, two beers have your name on it.

[Sarah]

  will settle for husky snuggles as well

[tonyb]

Is that from me in fancy dress, or from Fin and Muon? 

[Sarah]

what about text message updates as though they were written by the dog? EG

 

Hi mum it's Kimba i've had such a great day today Tony took us to a field with a ball and wanted to play fetch - he threw the ball and expected me to fetch it - me - a husky can you believe it! Anyway i had a good walk and a sniff, watered every lamp post and tree i could find and have just finished my tea - off to bed now miss you x

[Sarah]

Is that from me in fancy dress, or from Fin and Muon? 

 

     

 

you can give me a hug too if you like pmsl

[Removed #5]

Tony, I've dropped mine off at two different places.  One, over in Houston was great and I'll give you some ideas as to why I liked them.

 

A lot of the time the various dogs they had there were allowed to play together in the fenced area behind the kennel, large, fenced plenty of agility toys for the dogs to have fun with - and any time that more than one dog was out there were always people in attendance.  My kids always had a ball there.  If the weather was bad, they had a "doggie gymnasium" inside, on large room dedicated to nothing but doggie play space. The individual runs had doors so the dogs could get outside into a run there.  They weren't just "locked into a cell" (for lack of better phrase).  When it came time to pick them up and bring them home, the dogs always looked like they'd rather stay .... harrumph!! .... but I knew from their actions and the actions of the people there that the dogs were well cared for.

 

Now that I'm over here, I use a vet that's "up the road" because there isn't anyone else.  They're cared for but not so well as they were in Houston.  She is a vet first and a "doggie hotel" second and it shows.  By no stretch are the abused, just that they don't receive the attention they did in Houston.

[Val (Zebedee)]

wow! "Well jell!!" hahaha! Good for you two, it's something many can only dream of doing.

 

I have used kennels in the past. We used one in Lancashire when Myshka was about a year old (we only had the one then); they had their own sibes in a huge pen at the entrance - they bred them. And trying to find one nearer to home that would take a husky was impossible as they said they were too disruptive, their talking wound the other dogs up.

 

We felt happier knowing they had husky experience but it turned out to be a bad move, she came out 5 days later stinking of urine, was really subdued - we don't think she was let out of her pen in that time. A few weeks later, the kennels were in the news, they upped & left overnight & all the huskies they had in boarding were let free, they knocked the fences down & let the dogs go; some owners never saw their dogs again.

 

Since then, we found one in our own village that would take her for a weekend & she never wanted to leave! They had a big kennel each & a huge secure field to run in, they had boarded sibes before & answered all our questions to our satisfaction.

 

I really do wish you all the luck in the world with your new venture; hopefully you'll get a lot of business & referals from here

[tonyb]

what about text message updates as though they were written by the dog? EG

 

Hi mum it's Kimba i've had such a great day today Tony took us to a field with a ball and wanted to play fetch - he threw the ball and expected me to fetch it - me - a husky can you believe it! Anyway i had a good walk and a sniff, watered every lamp post and tree i could find and have just finished my tea - off to bed now miss you x

 

Yep we got that one down as well as web camera access 24/7. All good stuff.

[tonyb]

Tony, I've dropped mine off at two different places.  One, over in Houston was great and I'll give you some ideas as to why I liked them.

 

A lot of the time the various dogs they had there were allowed to play together in the fenced area behind the kennel, large, fenced plenty of agility toys for the dogs to have fun with - and any time that more than one dog was out there were always people in attendance.  My kids always had a ball there.  If the weather was bad, they had a "doggie gymnasium" inside, on large room dedicated to nothing but doggie play space. The individual runs had doors so the dogs could get outside into a run there.  They weren't just "locked into a cell" (for lack of better phrase).  When it came time to pick them up and bring them home, the dogs always looked like they'd rather stay .... harrumph!! .... but I knew from their actions and the actions of the people there that the dogs were well cared for.

 

Now that I'm over here, I use a vet that's "up the road" because there isn't anyone else.  They're cared for but not so well as they were in Houston.  She is a vet first and a "doggie hotel" second and it shows.  By no stretch are the abused, just that they don't receive the attention they did in Houston.

 

Hey Al, this sounds just like the one we are currently using. inside running room, outside fenced area with lots of supervised agility stuff. These are all things that we'd like to incorporate.

 

Now that last thing you'd said, they looked like they'd rather stay. That is the cream of the cream, that's what we're aiming for, obviously the dogs will be happy to see their owners but to see them happy, health and totally at home is what we'd like to stride for.

 

Where the dogs groomed whilst they were there? Were they cleaned up before you picked them up?

[tonyb]

wow! "Well jell!!" hahaha! Good for you two, it's something many can only dream of doing.

 

I have used kennels in the past. We used one in Lancashire when Myshka was about a year old (we only had the one then); they had their own sibes in a huge pen at the entrance - they bred them. And trying to find one nearer to home that would take a husky was impossible as they said they were too disruptive, their talking wound the other dogs up.

 

We felt happier knowing they had husky experience but it turned out to be a bad move, she came out 5 days later stinking of urine, was really subdued - we don't think she was let out of her pen in that time. A few weeks later, the kennels were in the news, they upped & left overnight & all the huskies they had in boarding were let free, they knocked the fences down & let the dogs go; some owners never saw their dogs again.

 

Since then, we found one in our own village that would take her for a weekend & she never wanted to leave! They had a big kennel each & a huge secure field to run in, they had boarded sibes before & answered all our questions to our satisfaction.

 

I really do wish you all the luck in the world with your new venture; hopefully you'll get a lot of business & referals from here

 

Many thanks Val, sounds like the first one was a bit of a bad experience. But is sounds like you've got a cool place now.

 

Can I ask what sort of questions did you ask them?

 

It does seem that knowing a breed is a particular bonus, and whilst specialising isn't really something we're going to do, a board experience of all breeds is a benefit (luckily Kathy has the experience here )

[Val (Zebedee)]

Many thanks Val, sounds like the first one was a bit of a bad experience. But is sounds like you've got a cool place now.

 

Can I ask what sort of questions did you ask them?

 

It does seem that knowing a breed is a particular bonus, and whilst specialising isn't really something we're going to do, a board experience of all breeds is a benefit (luckily Kathy has the experience here )

 

We wanted to make sure they & all their staff knew about huskies jumping, digging etc as although their outside field seemed secure, were they 100% sure as we know a husky will find the weak point!   Also they were used to the noises a husky makes & knew how they play & interact wasn't the same as "normal" dogs; that if the staff took Myshka out for walks, she was never to be let off lead as she'd be in Scotland before they could make a phone call! Really, a lot of husky based info that, up to 5 years ago was still very limited to non-husky owner people.

 

I don't use kennels any more as we have 3 sibes & on / off foster dogs through here now so when we go away, the furries come too but if I was stuck & needed to, I'd have no hesitation going back there and they would house 2 of mine together (Diesel would enjoy the peace & quiet on his own!)

[tonyb]

Thanks Val, every bit of info helps. Ta

[lebe03]

Firstly 

 

secondly

 

Polee has been in the same kennels twice which we used to board our previous family dog with

 

I liked

 

That you can pay for extra walks over the standard 1 walk per day as Polee is use to going out 3 times a day.  

They will feed your dog using the food you provide at the times you request

Each kennel has a large individual outside run

 

Didn't like 

 

Only one medium /  large dog per kennel although 'ankle biters' are allowed to share 

30+ dogs can be in the kennels at any one time

Have to walk past the cattery to get to the kennels

 

 

If needed now I'm fortunate to have a very good dog walker / pet sitter who lives across the road from me.  Polee adores her and seems to relish when I have to work away so she can be looked after by Elaine who also boards dogs in her own home.

 

Personally I believe the personal touch is a far better approach rather than the high volume approach

[Marc]

Yep we got that one down as well as web camera access 24/7. All good stuff.

 

This one is actually the biggest plus by far IMO. There is nothing a single person can tell me about how my dogs are doing unless I can see them with my own eyes, and I think many others feel the same about their own.

 

Just to add, I think you have done right to have this way of doing research.

[kathy brindle]

Thanks everyone for your input so far, any more ideas keep 'em coming! no doubt we will bend your ears a bit more at camp next weekend  

[Val (Zebedee)]

Kathy, bend our ears as much as you need, anything to help with your success is a bonus

[Removed #5]

Hey Al, this sounds just like the one we are currently using. inside running room, outside fenced area with lots of supervised agility stuff. These are all things that we'd like to incorporate.

 

Now that last thing you'd said, they looked like they'd rather stay. That is the cream of the cream, that's what we're aiming for, obviously the dogs will be happy to see their owners but to see them happy, health and totally at home is what we'd like to stride for.

 

Where the dogs groomed whilst they were there? Were they cleaned up before you picked them up?

 

Misty (Husky) and Kalah (Lab) were both short haired and normally clean so I didn't go the expense of grooming - knowing they'd be "dirty" once we got home.  Misty liked to dig and Kalah's outside home was under my trailer ... no hope there!  Neither looked like they'd been bathed or rinsed while in their care, but neither had any extraneous "dirt" on them either. 

The owners dogs, two laid back Dobes and, it seemed, one (or more??) of the visitors was always "at large".  I hadn't warned them I was coming to pick them up but Misty was sitting in the window when I got there ... (uh, the front desk helper was right behind her so she wasn't getting out!)

I'm guessing now, but I'd say she had room for 25 - 30 guests. This is the place I'm talking about - and I don't think either of you will be competition for the other ...

The owner of that place was excellent with the dogs she had visiting, so I never had any qualms about a return visit.  The web-cam, BTW sounds like an excellent idea!

[mydiamond]

wow congratulations to you two I kenneled Diamond once for one short night when I have to go out of town, but I didn't like it the advert says that they'd take the dogs out for a play session and walk them etc etc but when I picked Dime up he rushed to the garden and peed a WHOLE lot. I actually have to wait for about 2 minutes for him to finish peeing! I think they didn't take him out for a walk at all   Diamond hates it when he has to go through a day without walkies so he's an unhappy boy  they also seem to cage all dogs all the time... in their grooming room   it was really noisy. Dogs barking, hair dryer whirring, fur everywhere on the ground, total chaos  :wacko: so that was it for me. No more kennels for Diamond. If my family has to go out of town then my kind neighbor would look after him. 

 

To sum it all up:

- A noisy kennel might be stressful for some dogs. But I'm sure if you give every dog a decent play time and walks, they won't bark their lungs out

- What I hate the most about my kennel experience is how they don't keep the promises they wrote on the advert. In case one day something happens and you have to make a change in your kennel (for example take the webcams out) you should make sure you changed your advert as well.

 

I do say "no more kennels for Diamond" but upon reading this thread I wish I live in the UK because your kennel sounds GREAT   the best plus point so far is the webcam, like Marc says, and how you guys know something about huskies. I never feel content leaving Diamond with anyone because of that very reason: not everyone knows huskies!

[Cherrie-Nanook-Indy]

We have used Kennals a couple of times and we always use the same one as the dogs have been there before so they know them. The biggest plus for us was that a friend of mines dad worked there so we got regular text updates. The only thing that bothered me at first was that as they run a rescue centre as well and have volunteer dog walkers that may not be experienced with huskies. We were promised that only the staff would walk ours and they have kept that promise (as far as I know). We are able to put 2 in one kennel with their own blankets toys etc, the kennel had a sleeping area and then a bit of a run so they had plenty of space, there is also a fenced in area where the dogs can have supervised play with other dogs in the kennel, and they got plenty of walks. I also like that they don't charge for extra walks they all automatically get 3 walks a day. We can take our own food for them with instructions and they have never made us feel like overprotective dog parents lol. Hope this helps x Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tonyb]

wow congratulations to you two I kenneled Diamond once for one short night when I have to go out of town, but I didn't like it the advert says that they'd take the dogs out for a play session and walk them etc etc but when I picked Dime up he rushed to the garden and peed a WHOLE lot. I actually have to wait for about 2 minutes for him to finish peeing! I think they didn't take him out for a walk at all   Diamond hates it when he has to go through a day without walkies so he's an unhappy boy  they also seem to cage all dogs all the time... in their grooming room   it was really noisy. Dogs barking, hair dryer whirring, fur everywhere on the ground, total chaos  :wacko: so that was it for me. No more kennels for Diamond. If my family has to go out of town then my kind neighbor would look after him. 

 

To sum it all up:

- A noisy kennel might be stressful for some dogs. But I'm sure if you give every dog a decent play time and walks, they won't bark their lungs out

- What I hate the most about my kennel experience is how they don't keep the promises they wrote on the advert. In case one day something happens and you have to make a change in your kennel (for example take the webcams out) you should make sure you changed your advert as well.

 

I do say "no more kennels for Diamond" but upon reading this thread I wish I live in the UK because your kennel sounds GREAT   the best plus point so far is the webcam, like Marc says, and how you guys know something about huskies. I never feel content leaving Diamond with anyone because of that very reason: not everyone knows huskies!

 

Ta for the info, your point on noisy kennels is a big one us, we want a stress free resident so that is top of our priorities.

 

And you negative experience is one we share, although we like the place where we leave Fin & Muon, they are advertising aspects that are not adhered too. Not professional enough in my opinion.

 

There are some great kennels in the UK, but there are some truly awful ones too, some of the places we've seen when looking for a property (at one point looking at buying an existing business), were heart breaking. How people that supposedly care for animals can keep them in sure conditions in beyond me. Anyways, we have better and bigger plans

 

Thanks for the input.

[tonyb]

I liked

 

That you can pay for extra walks over the standard 1 walk per day as Polee is use to going out 3 times a day.  

They will feed your dog using the food you provide at the times you request

Each kennel has a large individual outside run

 

Didn't like 

 

Only one medium /  large dog per kennel although 'ankle biters' are allowed to share 

30+ dogs can be in the kennels at any one time

Have to walk past the cattery to get to the kennels

 

Cheers Lee, 

 

Would you say you preferred to paid for additional services, or would you rather it was all part of the services? e.g. you pay basic accommodation costs then choice your extras, or pay a larger amount with it all included.

 

Haha, "ankle biters" I'm considering a ban on those  

 

We're not going to be mixing Cats and Dogs, recipe for disaster.

. 

[tonyb]

We have used Kennals a couple of times and we always use the same one as the dogs have been there before so they know them. The biggest plus for us was that a friend of mines dad worked there so we got regular text updates. The only thing that bothered me at first was that as they run a rescue centre as well and have volunteer dog walkers that may not be experienced with huskies. We were promised that only the staff would walk ours and they have kept that promise (as far as I know). We are able to put 2 in one kennel with their own blankets toys etc, the kennel had a sleeping area and then a bit of a run so they had plenty of space, there is also a fenced in area where the dogs can have supervised play with other dogs in the kennel, and they got plenty of walks. I also like that they don't charge for extra walks they all automatically get 3 walks a day. We can take our own food for them with instructions and they have never made us feel like overprotective dog parents lol. Hope this helps x Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Some excellent stuff here, thanks. We think that an owner should be able to bring anything they like, it makes the holiday more relaxing for the dog. That includes, toys, food or bedding, anything really.

 

You say they walked your dogs three times a day. Do you have any idea how long these walks were (time or distance), where you able to specify? I think that would be a nice idea. Easy to implement for small kennels not so for larger ones. Good job ours will be small.

[Andy]

Many years Before we had Huskies Kelly (member Kells xx) My daughter had a Pomerainian, Foxy

Long haired fluffy, yappy but cute as a button.

and so the annual holiday abroad was booked, and we booked the pooch into Kennels in Oxford.

Had the tour, sorry for the smell they haven't been cleaned out today yet.( 10am)

Pay the money, drop off pooch. With her favourite blanket.

Come back 2 weeks later, pick up at midday as arranged on drop off.

Her fur was badly matted, and she stank to high heaven.

Blanket ??

Nope was thrown out as she soiled it. . . ??

I got the impression that they simply hadn't cleared out the kennels on a daily basis as was advertised and the poor dogs were left to 

stink it up for days without being cleared out and disinfected.

Not happy.