I am going on vacation for a week in late November & usually have someone care for my dogs,but the last time we did this it did not work out too well.My husband wants to kennel them .They are 7&9 years old & my 7 year old has no bladder control .(as a result of being hit by a car a little over a year ago)Can anyone recommend a kennel who will take good care of my dogs?

You can try Good Dog on Williamsport Pike, State Line. They are a wonderful family and love dogs. They are in the phone book.

I always use the one at my vet, since they can take care of any medical problems that might arise.

Jenn,

What area are you in? I know you said you had someone take care of them last time and it didn't work, that is unfortunate. My wife runs a pet sitting business and has found that pets are more at ease in their home environment. Anyway let me know what area you are in and I wil ask the missus if she can recommend anyone in your area.

PETS VACATIONLAND
301-797-4147 10138 Garis Shop Rd Hagerstown, MD 21740

Thanks everyone,I live in Hagerstown.The biggest problem I had last time was the messes.(or lack of cleaning them)Since one of my dogs cannot control his bladder & has limited control of his bowels I thought it would be a better option to kennel them.Peace Frog thanks for suggesting your vet I was going to call my vet & see if they offer kennel services.I never used a service like this & did not want to put them in a kennel that would not properly take care of them.I am sure that there good ones & bad ones.

fixed it for ya

That's what happens when ya' get old....

I have only used Widows Mite in Lappans for grooming not boarding...clean and professional

also...
akc german shorthaired pointer puppies champion bloodlines
bitch and stud both excellent hunters
ready oct.15
males $450
females $500

A bit of Free advertising eh? I thought that was a no-no.

It's best to pick a few places and then visit each one before you decide which kennel to use. Ask for a tour of their facilities. If they will not allow you to view the actual area where your dog will be staying, mark them off your list. They'll give you some excuse why they don't allow it, but it means that don't clean regularly and they don't want you to see it.

Most places charge per pet. Some charge the same whether you bring your own food or not. Ask what extra services they provide, like play time (you pay extra), etc. Your dogs will need to be up-to-date on their vaccinations and you'll need to supply the records from your vet as proof. Also ask what vet the kennel uses in case of an emergency.

Check their hours for drop off and pick up. If they aren't open when you need to drop off or pick up, you'll end up spending more money due to having to drop them off a day early or pick them up a day later, etc.

Also, check about separation/interaction with other dogs.

One local kennel puts all the dogs out in the same fenced area together for a large part of the day. You are asked to sign a waiver that the kennel is not responsible for injury (either to your dog or injuries that your dog might inflict).

Personally, I found this unacceptable. How am I to know that a particularly vicious dog won't be in that yard? For that matter, how can I totally, with 100% certainty, predict my dog's behavior when in a strange place with strange dogs, with my presence? I can't, and neither can anyone else.

If that's important to you, be certain to ask about it. Some places allow dogs out in a fenced area to run and play, but they're alone, not with other dogs.

Also, so will allow your two dogs to share a run, others won't.

mstubble ,thanks you gave me many helpful suggestions.They are up to date on their shots ,they last saw the vet in July.I keep all my vet reciepts that has date & type of shots listed on it.Cleanliness is a major concern for me .


Thanks ,Peace frog I also am not sure how my dogs would react to other dogs in a strange environment.I would like to keep my two dogs together as much as possible I believe that would be less stressful for them.


Thanks greedy,I knew I forgot to add something.

I mainly use Brokroft's out in Smithsburg (just past the Mace Auto Body), but have used others. I didn't care for Pet's Vacationland because the pooch came back reeking of the bleach/cleaner stuff they must have used on the kennels. I used Widow's Mite once, but my dog came back absolutely exhausted, like he'd been playing non-stop the entire visit. He slept for days when he got home.

our friend greedy.... always the rebel....

Never had a problem with them smelling, but we always get the dogs groomed prior to being picked up.

The smell wasn't really a big deal because I give the dog a bath first thing upon arriving home from a kennel stay...even before I unpack. Can't stand a smelly dog! (Yoss excluded, of course )

Someone told me the other day that the SPCA in Martinsburg actually has dog kennels outside which are used for dropping off stray/unwanted dogs when the office isn't open. What the hell? So if somebody's little fru fru fur ball pet gets lost - the person that found it could walk it up to that kennel, drop it in and leave. Then somebody else decides that they can't handle their 150 pound rottweiler/stray dog mix...they can shove it in the same cage? Potential dog massacre.