Mutt Monday Prepares for Vacation

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Whether you're headed to Grandma's house in the next county or off on a world tour, your pet needs to be prepared for his time without you, just as you must prepare to leave. Today's Blog Hop includes lots of ideas and angles for getting  Fido ready for your vacation.

Whether your dog will be hanging with the ruff crowd at a boarding facility or being cared for at home by a pet sitter, he needs preparation in order to assure a safe and happy experience. Feel free to leave questions or comments at any of the posts you read below.

Bloggers are invited to link up their own archived articles on the topic of Vacation Dog Care and Pet Sitters. We'd love to have more input; feel free to link up as many posts as you like.

This week's theme will run through next Monday, at which time we'll open a new theme:

Indoor Fun in the Heat of the Sun

Thanks for joining in, and please give a quick click to let your friends know what's new here. Thanks much!

I just read up on Vacation #Dog Care @AllThingsDog+look 4ward 2 'Indoor Fun' at next week's #MuttMonday: http://t.co/HFb3nAvlGV
— Carrie Boyko (@AllThingsDog) July 14, 2013

Dog Boarding While You're Away: Making the Choice

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

While dedicated dog boarding facilities are available in most areas, many are adding new services--daycare for their canine visitors who simply need a place to play for the day.


You may be asking yourself how this impacts the boarding topic.  The answer is not a clear one.  Make a few calls to local boarding and daycare facilities, and you'll see what I mean.  You'll find everything from the equivalent of a vet boarding stay, to the all-inclusive outdoor play place that dogs' off-leash dreams are made of.


Last weekend I addressed The Pros and Cons of Veterinary Boarding. Today, let's venture into your options at other facilities.


You're probably sneering but I'm completely serious.  And there's more.  When you find that off-leash, free-play dream "park", the differences can continue to mount, meaning you still have more questions to ask:

1. Hours and days of operations?
2. On a sunny day, how much indoor naptime will my dog take as a part of the routine?
3. What is the size of the outdoor play area, and are there more than one?
4. Is there an area for extensive, long distance running?
5. What supervision is provided?
6. Are there toys, and if so, what kind? How are they monitored for safety, and resource guarding?
7. Is there an indoor or covered play area for extremely hot, wet, or cold days?
8. Are there shade areas or covered play areas for rain and protection from hot sun?
9. Is there night monitoring?  What kind?  What happens in case of fire?
10. Are the staff experienced with and trained to handle dog fights, first aid and other complications of group dog play?
11. How are the dogs' kennels cleaned and soiled bedding handled?
12. What is the cost of a night's stay and what is included in this fee? Are there any ala carte items I should know about? Is there anything I can do to get a discount?
13. What extras might I have to pay, and are there perks that I can purchase separately?
14. Is there water play available and how is its use structured for the enjoyment and safety of all?

An elite boarding facility will frequently offer a complete menu of dog treats to choose from for naptime, special spa treatments, grooming services and even one-on-one play time with an attendant. Realize, however, that these services may not be as important to Fido as a safe and social play experience.


After you do your research and the math, you'll generally find one facility that suits your budget and your Fido just perfectly. What it all comes down to is safety and appropriate daily activity for YOUR dog, whatever his needs may be.

The Pros and Cons of Veterinary Boarding

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Energetic, Playful Dogs
 Need Daily, Active Exercise

Don't get me wrong, boarding at your veterinarian's office is a needed and important service. Pets who prefer a quiet crate when you're away are safely supervised in a vet's kennel area. I've talked to dozens of owners who tell me their dog hardly moves while they are gone, won't eat or drink, and the toys remain untouched. Each dog is different, and so is the decision for each owner.


If your dog has health conditions that need monitoring, requires administration of challenging medications (injections, etc.) or is disabled and cannot safely be left alone for a period of time at home, the vet's office may be your best bet for boarding during your vacation or other trip.


Likewise, if your pup has become familiar with your vet's office and staff, he may feel more at home there with people he already knows and trusts when you suddenly disappear for a getaway. Wouldn't it be grand if we could sit down and explain to Fido about our business trip that he can't go along on because he would be bored in the Board Meeting (pun intended!).


Leaving your dog is always an emotional time, and deciding on what's best for him is a very individual decision. You need to screw your head on straight and give some consideration to his safety, needs and comfort, in order to make the best decision for him.


If your dog, unlike the ones mentioned above, is young, healthy, active and in need of plenty of exercise, the vet's office may not be the right choice. Granted, emergency medical care would be an important benefit, but will you return to a raging lunatic with kennel-induced "cabin fever"? This is for you to answer. I'll talk about some of your options in an upcoming post on other forms of boarding, as well as pet sitters and dog walkers. Stay tuned.


Today's post is part of the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The rules below have been copied from Life with Dogs on July 8, 2011. The other hosts are Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Happy hopping!

• Link up your pet blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below. You only need to add your link once to be seen on all the Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop Linky Tools for that week. Note that if your blog is not pet related your link will be removed. Also note that only one post per blog is acceptable, and links promoting giveaways that are unrelated to the pet blogger hop will be removed. This is a community building exercise and not a promotional vehicle – please treat it as such.
• Grab the “Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop” button on the right hand side of this site and include it in your Saturday Blog hop post so that your readers will know what is going on. *Note – posting is optional. Feel free to just link and follow.
• Follow your co-hosts listed in the first 3 slots of the Linky Tool.
• Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
• Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from the blog hop.
• Follow back when you get a new follower through the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop.
• Make friends and grow. ♥

Vacation Dog Care: How to Choose What's Best for Your Dog

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

(c) Carrie Boyko
My Pack's Favorite Doggie Daycare
is an All-Inclusive Resort

It's amazing the differences between all the various types of boarding. You'd think there were simply veterinarians and stand-alone dog boarding, if you're a newcomer to this search. But the world is a changing place and nowadays you can find nearly anything you desire for Fido.

(c) Carrie Boyko

Boarding and Daycare 
Often Includes

 Social Time as well as Naps

1. Traditional dog boarding at a Veterinarian: This is your first choice if your Rover has health problems that could quickly become life-threatening or dangerous. Think again if you have a young, healthy, social dog that needs plenty of exercise. He's likely to get a few potty breaks a day and come home with a ton of bottled-up energy to unload on you.
2. Doggie Daycare: Most of these facilities board also, and they typically cater to highly-social dogs. If your Rover is not well-socialized, this may not be the place for him. Each has a different spin on their prices, what's included, their facilities, and the extras they can offer. Know what you need and ask questions. How much playtime and socialization time will Fido really get? Every facility is different; make no assumptions. Check out several in your area to choose the one that best suits your dog's needs for socialization, quiet time, and special services such as medications or grooming. Realize that the prices will vary greatly based upon the services that are included.
3. Pet sitters: Now you're treading in scary territory, but often necessary. If your Fido is unsocialized, anxious, dominant, aggressive, or fearful, he'll most likely need to stay at home or with a vet. Consider his exercise needs, as well, and whether you require a professional dog walker to handle him, if he's a tough-to-walk Rover. Are you comfortable with leaving Fido alone for periods of time, and if so, how much freedom in the house will you give him? Choose a pet sitter based on referrals that include dogs with your own list of issues, and go over your needs with them in person, showing them everything they need to know while you are away. Know your sitter and his or her qualifications, as well as shortcomings. Many vet techs and vet nurses moonlight as pet sitters, but may not be available for daytime potty breaks. Some families choose to use a neighbor for daytime outings, and a pet sitter for meals and walks. You do have options. The knowledge that a veterinary health worker has of health issues is a plus, especially if your Fido is giving you any reason to be nervous. Watch for signs of illness before you leave, just in case you might need to change your plan at the last minute, to a vet boarding. Do you have a smoke alarm system that calls the fire department, and are your doors marked with information on your pets' presence?  Does your pet sitter have backup in case of illness or other inability to show up? Consider leaving a key hidden just in case they lose or misplace their key to your home. Ask a neighbor to be their emergency backup. Finally, exchange cell phone numbers and run a test call well before you leave home. Realize that your destination may not have cell coverage, so plan ahead.
4. House sitters: You're probably thinking this is the ideal setup, and often you would be correct. If you know and trust your sitter, and he or she has the skills to handle your dog's exercise, as well as potential character flaws and health issues, you're in business--maybe! Keep in mind that a house sitter may not be a "pet sitter" and know the difference before you commit.

Here's my 'Story from H' on the latter option. Strap on your seatbelt; this is a wild ride from many years ago. Andy (name changed for privacy) arrived for a "training preview", ready to care for my one dog, two cats, and a bird--one cat being diabetic. A diabetic himself, Andy knew the drill with insulin injections and seemed quite comfortable with the arrangement, given the perks we had offered.

When our kitty passed away in a diabetic coma just two days before our departure, we knew it was her time. Figuring we already had the house sitter lined up, we just decided to go with the flow, even though we really did not need his skill level. Little did we know at the time that there are many skills of a house sitter that aren't in the manual. Read on...

We had offered a comfy bed, use of our cable TV, a quick-use "how to" for the remote control, and a freezer/refrigerator full of food, in exchange for someone to stay with the pets, deal with potty breaks, litter boxes and insulin shots. I guess we can cross that last one out now, huh?

No sooner did we get to our destination, than our sitter was investigating the home workout machine. Just as he was leaning over it to read a sign, our kitty jumped and spooked him, causing him to fall toward the wall and hit a button--the emergency alarm button--used when there is an intruder. Seriously loud sirens began to go off, giving him a severe headache and scaring the tar out of the pets.

Andy tried, but failed, to turn off the alarm, as we had not given him the password. Having not set the alarm, we did not think it necessary. In hindsight, we'd likely do that differently next time. 

Trying to reach us by cell phone for the alarm code was not fruitful, as we had arrived at our destination--an area out of cell phone coverage. Little did we know that he was trying feverishly to reach us. When we got no answer to our own calls, we assumed he was simply out.

After about an hour, a neighbor appeared at the door and offered to help. She ripped the batteries out of the alarm box, severing the cables to permanently disable the piercing noise that had petrified the entire neighborhood.

Crisis over, Andy settled back to cook his dinner, soon finding that he was unable to get the TV to work. Cable and phone service were out and there was not a TV in the house that had reception. A thunderstorm soon took out the power, leaving the house in darkness, after which Andy decided to flee.

For the remainder of our stay in no-cell-land, Andy stayed at his home and came back and forth to care for the pets. It wasn't the best arrangement, but it allowed him a TV and home phone, which remained out of service at our house. When we finally emerged from the boondocks, my voice mail was full of his terrified calls regarding sirens, TVs, and no power. With the phone out at our house, there was no way to reach Andy, until he was finally able to catch us from his own home phone, while on our return home. Needless to say, we did not have his home phone number--another mistake, since he did not have a cell phone.

The moral of the story is "A house sitter is a house sitter, NOT a pet sitter", and "A Pet sitter is a pet sitter, not a house sitter"--usually.


Thanks to Julie F. of Bow Wow Resort for allowing us to photograph Tanner and Oliver's favorite place to play when mom's away!

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Summer Vacations and Dog Boarding Drama

by Carrie Boyko

© Bow Wow Resort

Tanner Enjoys Visiting his Neighbor

During Naptime

Does your dog whine or tuck his tail between his legs when you arrive at your vet's boarding facility? Perhaps you've received that dreaded phone call that he was howling all night, wouldn't eat, or refused to play during his brief interlude with sunshine.


Pet sitters are a good alternative for those dogs that are not socialized or crate trained, allowing them to stay comfortably in their own homes. However, your dog does need to be able to manage his lonely time without destroying your home, while you are gone. If at all possible, try to get a pet sitter that will give your dog a vigorous walk or other exercise, to assure he is in resting mode when she locks the door behind her.


This morning I droppped off my dogs at our favorite boarding facility. It's not one of those posh places where the pool is dogbone shaped and all services are ala carte. It is a free-for-all, outdoor play facility. No crates, no menus of activities to pay separately for, just lots of fun with friends and multiple areas to run, climb, splash and tumble through. To Xena, Tanner, and Oliver, this is their home away from home. When we turn the corner toward Bow Wow Resort, they start their enthusiastic yodels and cat calls--pun intended.


As we enter, Xena and Oliver do a funny little hop-spin that indicates "I'm so happy!" and off they go to find their friends. Tanner did not even look back to say goodbye. As every mom who ever dropped off a child to daycare or 'moms morning out' knows, that is a good sign the kid loves it there.


It is very quiet at home. I miss them. But in a couple of hours, I'll be leaving for a brief vacation, and I can do this safe in the knowledge that my pups are happy and having fun. What's more is that when I pick them up, they will let me know this with a welcoming kiss and a very, very, very long nap as they drop inside the front door when we arrive home. That's my assurance that they had fun. Sleep well, gang. Momma will be home soon.


Related Reading:


Bow Wow Resort--Hang with the Ruff Crowd (a.k.a. Adventures at Doggie Daycare)
Whose Mom is that, Guys?--a 5 Minutes for Fido commentary

Visit Adopt a Dog Park

Help protect our precious dog parks

© Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved

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Go Camping with Your Dogs: Part I

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© photo copyright Carrie Boyko 2009

Time to Set Up Our Bed, Mom!

We're Pooped from all that Hiking

Dog activities seem to have an infinite number of variations that add to my bonding with and enjoyment of the pups in my life. A recent camping adventure to visit my sons out of state became a canine camp, for sure.


After some friends from our agility class began camping with their dogs in an RV, my ticker went to work. I wanted to try it but had to work out my concerns. Weekends away have always represented certain things to me:

• missing my dogs
• worrying about my dogs
• getting a dog sitter or kennel care ( we use a daycare where daytime is outdoor play time--no all day crates)
• and finally, the cost of the above

Evaluating what we normally pay for hotels, airline tickets, dog boarding (per pet), and all meals out, I put pen to paper and discovered that an RV trip had the surprising potential (no guarantees here) to be enjoyed for about the same cost, without the worries.

After a few conversations with my friends, and then my hubby, we finally decided to give RV travel a trial run with a rental unit. I started this investigation by checking out the various types available and the gas mileage to be expected.

Hubby and I visited a few dealers to get the sales pitch on several different styles, looking at the pros and cons of each. There is much to consider.

When I moved on to rental research I quickly learned that my options were narrowed considerably by our desire to take the dogs. Since a large majority of retired (not me, not yet!) or semi-retired (what exactly is that, anyway?) RV travelers choose this mode of adventure in order to include their canine companions, it was unexpected that many rental locations do not allow dogs to come along. Tisk!

Like me, many renters are doing a trial run before considering a purchase. These same companies that rent RVs and travel trailers also sell them. Are they shooting themselves in the foot? Seems so. Or perhaps they are just letting the other guys do the selling for them. Hmmm....

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Playing Cards Inside the RV

Enough of my ranting. We ultimately found Cruise America and happily rented their smallest RV. With 3 dogs along for a planned 4 nights of camping, hiking, new dog park visits and family time, we set off RV Adventure With the Dogs.

Join me as I continue this story in upcoming posts. You may be surprised to learn where our challenges lay. Curious? Did you see the movie RV, with Robin Williams and Cheryl Hines?

If you don't want to miss a word of my stories, tips and drama, be sure to subscribe at the top right of the blog. Hope to see you soon. Happy camping!

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Bow Wow Resort--Hang with the Ruff Crowd!

I used to use pet sitters when I had to leave my dogs at home while I traveled or simply was gone for a very long day. While there are some nice pet sitters out there, my preference was always that my dogs be able to be active and to play with other dogs. A few years ago a friend told me how she solved this problem with her dog, Mahon, by letting him spend the day at a local "Doggie Daycare". I have to say I couldn't envision myself taking my furry best friends to "Daycare", but after I visited, observed, and met the staff, I was sold. No more pet sitters for me. My original concept of daycare was way off.

Now my pups have a new home when I'm on the road, Bow Wow Resort. Located on Highway 436 at Bear Lake Road, I am lucky to have it so close to my home. I've also found it to be the perfect solution when I am having a party or other event at the house. There are times when a bouncy Golden Retriever may not be welcomed by my guests. It's understandable that you may occasionally need a dog-free home for a quiet or more formal event. Holiday parties can be difficult to manage, when your counter-surfing, big dog steals the food and runs wild around the house, sharing his excitement with your appalled guests. I've definitely been there.

If I haven't given you enough reason to check out Bow Wow Resort, I can definitely share more.

• Safety is the first thing I noticed, as each prospective guest is interviewed with a series of individual greetings with other guests, to evaluate his socialization skills.
• The facilities are exceptionally clean and the staff, well, let's just say they are the reason I am willing to take my furry family there. My gang feels welcomed and at home each time we arrive.
• Covered outdoor areas and climate-controlled indoor areas for play are all available for your pup's special needs.
• The outdoor play yard has various obstacles and play spaces, a splash pool for cooling off on warm days, shade areas and supervised game time. Tanner loves playing fetch with Ashley!
• Socializing with other dogs is extremely important to canines, who are by nature, pack animals. Doggie daycare provides the opportunity for dogs to socialize and enhance their skills in this area, with supervision to assure that everyone plays nicely. Like me, you may find that your dogs will become better at being friendly playmates in all of their dog encounters, even outside of Bow Wow Resort.
• Bow Wow's staff of dog lovers will make you feel right at home, always happy to provide whatever assistance or special care your dog may need.
• Grooming is offered so that your dog can get his new "do" or a bath while he's away from you for the day.
• Outdoor playtime is not a la carte at Bow Wow. Dogs play freely for the entire morning before retiring for a much needed nap, following lunch. Naps are taken in private rooms; no crates like you find at typical boarding facilities. After naptime, the dogs are again let out to play and explore until you arrive to take them home for the evening.
• Forgot to bring food for your dog? No problem. They'll provide the food or biscuit treats if you don't bring Fido's special chow from home, and there's no extra charge.
• Dogs who are boarding will receive their dinner, a rest period, and then once again have an opportunity to follow nature's call at bedtime--around 9 or 9:30.
• Overnight boarding is available nearly year round, and is quite popular with the dogs. I've talked to many owners who excitedly exclaim, "My dog loves it here!" My pack totally agrees.
• With a staff of 6, I feel confident that all my dogs will get the attention and supervision that they deserve, while enjoying their play time with friends. I leave them there worry free, able to concentrate on my day without concern for their welfare.
• Finally, Bow Wow's owner/manager, Julie Fisher, has years of experience in animal training, having previously been a Sea World whale and dolphin trainer for 18 years. If you need assistance with training, Julie is always there to help.

Now I'll let you in on a little secret. After writing all the reasons that I love Bow Wow Resort, I've realized that there is one thing that overshadows them all. When I pick up Tanner, Xena and Oliver, after a day of playtime with their Bow Wow friends, they are satisfied, calm and yet still ready for anything I have planned in the evening. Whether it be an evening walk or an Agility class, my boys are calm enough to listen and participate, but not too tired to enjoy the activity. This is a wonderful balance that makes the small daycare fees I invest very worthwhile. Tanner and Oliver hope to see your dog there real soon.


Tanner loves Zeus!