7 myths people have about Pet
Resorts & Dog boarding kennels.
Index
1)
My pet will be lonely & unhappy without me &
will forget who I am
2) My pet needs to play & sleep with other
dogs to have a fun holiday
3) That all the dogs get to run around together
all day
4) That all the staff are dog whisperers
5) That all Pet Resorts/Dog boarding kennels
are small & concrete
6) Are open all hours and will be cheaper if you
bring your own food & bedding
7) That all “Breed Needs” & “Special Needs” can
be catered for
Myth 1
My pet will be lonely & unhappy
without me & will forget who I am.
Your furry one will not be lonely or unhappy at a Pet Resort/Kennel if they get
to see and interact with people and/or other dogs. In fact, a Pet Resort/Kennel
generally has a lot going on, meaning more to be distracted by and interested
in. Keep in mind that your dog will be absorbing a whole new universe of smells
and sounds and have so many new things to pee on!
Ask the Resort/Kennel you are thinking of using what sort of stimulating fun
stuff they provide their furry guests and do an inspection of the
accommodation area imagining it from your dog’s perspective. Is the view
interesting? Can they see trees and clouds? Can they say hello to their doggy
neighbours? How often do people drop into their room/yard to give them a
scratch or a belly rub? Playtime is essential for a happy holiday so check how
this works – i.e. How long? How often? Is it with people or other dogs or both?
With the right level of comfort and exercise your four legged one will have a
FANTASTIC holiday and won’t miss you at all.
And don’t worry – your dog will NOT forget you. Dogs have the most
amazing memories and will remember a person from
many years previous even if they have only met
them once. Once that loving bond is
established your furry one will remember
you for all eternity!
One of the best life lessons is to
“be happy in the moment” and
dogs do this better than anyone!
My th 2
My pet needs to play & sleep with
other dogs to have a fun holiday.
This is not the case. As long as your dog is getting a good daily dose of fun
activity time, human love and has the ability to say “Hi” to its doggy neighbours
he/she will have a fabulous holiday experience.
You may think that your pet will be unhappy unless he/she is running around with
other dogs like they do at an off leash park, but holiday play time is quite a
different situation. The main difference being that in a Resort/Kennel environment
they don’t go home afterwards to relax with their human parents. Instead they
are expected to interact with other dogs 24/7. And even though dogs like to
socialise, they also love a snooze and in fact need a good daily dose of private
siesta time to maintain good mental & physical health.
Dogs that play well together don’t necessarily get on living together,
particularly in a small accommodation space where competition and fights can
start over the smallest things like toys and treats. Plus most dogs are not very
sharing when it comes to bedding, meaning it’s quite possible your dog will be
sleeping on the floor whilst his/her new roommate hogs the comfortable bed you
sent from home.
Put simply, the wrong room
buddy will equal a miserable
holiday for your furry one.
Think about it! Would your dog
prefer a comfortable Pet Resort
or a crowded youth hostel?
Make sure the Pet Resort you choose has a
good balance of fun and rest time.
My th 3
That all the dogs get to run
around together all day
When imagining their dog’s holiday stay, most people have a vision of their
dog running around from sun up to sun down in a big grassy play yard.
There are many reasons this is not the case.
Firstly there is quite a bit of work to be done before the fun stuff begins,
such as cleaning the dog’s rooms, giving medication and fresh water,
feeding & of course the office administration part which includes phone
calls, bookings and checking dogs in and out. So unfortunately Pet Resort
owners don’t get to play with dogs all day (though we wish we could!).
Secondly there will likely be a number
of play groups taking turns, relative to
the age and sizes of the dogs.
Finally, the size and number of
play yards has a big impact on how
much daily playtime can be allocated.
It is best to ask the Pet Resort/
Kennel you are considering
using how much time is
allocated to fun activities,
how this is managed and what
costs are involved.
My th 4
That all the staff are dog whisperers.
Unfortunately this is not the case! Pet Resort/Kennel staff are normal people
just like you and me. They don’t have any extra special skills, except a huge
love of dogs that has led them into a career caring for them. They may as a
result of being around animals on a daily basis, be slightly better at reading
their body language but only to a certain extent. This means that if you are
finding it difficult to handle your dog, they will too!
So any problem behaviours you are
experiencing at home with your dog
will be present during its holiday
stay and upon its return.
Keep in mind that training a dog to be “well behaved” is a
process that requires long term commitment and consistency
and is not something that will happen during a brief holiday
stay at a Pet Resort.
My th 5
That all Pet Resorts/Dog Boarding
Kennels are small and concrete
This may have been the case in the past but recently there has been a
revolution in the quality of pet holiday care available.
This means lovely accommodation is now available for our furry ones as a
modern Pet Resort/Kennel will have been designed to feel like a home away
from home providing all the comforts your
pet is used to. Spacious indoor
accommodation, soft bedding, music, air
conditioning, grass yard, sunlight and
fresh air are just a few of the comforts
you can expect.
That said there are still quite a few old kennels operating
that do fit the “small and concrete” description.
o make sure you do an inspection before
booking your pet’s holiday
Myth 6
Are open all hours and will be cheaper
if you bring your own bedding and
food from home
Pet Resort/Kennels have open and close times just like any other business.
So do the right thing and abide by these hours.
If you think you will have difficulty
fitting in with the stated operating
hours, check in advance to see if
they can accommodate the time
you need them to be open. But
don’t assume because an owner
lives on site they will be available to
you at all hours, because they too have family commitments.
Although providing your own food and
bedding may seem like a cost saver it doesn’t
actually reduce the costs for the Resort/Kennel
owner. In fact it does the opposite due to
the additional handling time required.
If high quality food and bedding is already being provided,
the choice to bring your own gear from home is
considered as an optional extra that will usually
attract a small handling fee.
Myth 7
That all “breed needs” and
“special needs” can be catered for
There is a general assumption that all Pet Resorts/Kennels can look after all
dogs, but this is definitely not the case. If you have a breed of dog that has
“special needs” such as heat sensitivity, ability to jump fences or own food
or medication to name just a few, then you will need to be twice as thorough
when it comes to choosing holiday care for your pet.
Check out our “Ten most important special needs”
www.akunapetsresorts.com.au
The more professional a Pet Resort is the more likely they
will be able to accommodate your pet’s special needs but it
is still best to check well in advance of your pet’s holiday.
Don’t know how to choose a good Pet Resort?
Worried your pet won’t have a good time?
There are many good Pet Resorts offering high quality care but there are
also many shonky operators whose primary focus is profit. Unfortunately,
telling these two apart can be quite difficult as dodgy pet resorts often look
great from the outside. Plus, Resort owners and their staff can be quite skilled
at telling you what you want to hear even though it may not be true.
D o n ’t w or r y !
This booklet has been designed to help you tell the good from the
bad and teaches you
1 · What to look for.
2 · What questions to ask.
3 · What quality of accommodation and care to expect.
With this booklet in hand you will confidently be able to find the perfect
holiday destination for your furry one.
If you would like more copies of
this booklet go to
www.akunapetsresorts.com.au
& look for the 7 Myths downloadable PDF.
Authors Ariel Endean & Marcus Nicholls
Owners of Akuna Pet Resort Hunter Valley