A weekend away

We went away last weekend, both me and the hubby and the dogs. But not together. Jeffrey and I went up to Vermont and the dogs went to stay, for their first time, a kennel.

Before Sabrina, we always left Riley with his Auntie Dory and best gal pal Agave when we went away. It worked out great. Riley got to sleep over with someone he knew (and loved), play with his girlfriend, and still go to the same dog park as he always does. When Sabrina came along, two dogs just seemed like a lot to ask of someone, especially when one is a mischevious Flattie puppy! Then with Riley's knee surgery on top of that, we felt it most appropriate to go with a more professional, controlled situation. Riley's bone has not yet healed completely and exuberant playing and wrestling for an entire weekend would certainly not be good for him. Plus, in case anything did happen, I wouldn't want that kind of burden on anyone. At the kennel, we could be sure that Riley's only got controlled on-leash walks, just to be safe.

I had toured this kenneling facility several months ago and decided it was worth a try. They have several different kenneling options, but we decided to go with the posh accomodations and rented a doggy condo for the two of them to share. It was a parent guilt thing. To have the two of them locked up within a small 4x6 foot space for 3 days seemed unfair. But at least they were behind pretty french doors, had tiled floor, and Animal Planet showing on their own TV set. No steel kennels, no crates, and minimal barking in that area. I figured this type of kenneling would be a rarity for them, so spoiling them just a little while we're away was okay.

It turned out to be a great experience and I am very proud to announce that we love BEST FRIENDS (Boarding, Grooming, Training) Facility! Best Friends They were so accomodating I was so impressed. They seem to be a pretty large business chain, but they have a personal touch. They accepted a letter from my vet that exempted them from excessive vaccinations such as Bordatella (Kennel Cough), were happy to feed any kind of food I left them (including raw meat and bones!), and most of all they spent time getting to know my dogs and even gave them a little report card! I signed Sabrina up for a 2 hours play session on Saturday and I got reports of whom she played with and how she reacted to the other dogs. Riley got three Walk and Explore walks a day and I ordered two Suite Treats for the both of them at bedtime (peanut butter filled Kong) to keep them happy. I felt that they truly cared for our dogs while we were away and treated them as if they were their own. We love them!