Since we first opened the doors of Hartwell Dog Boarding & Day Care we have met a crazy amount of dog owners who are looking for Dog Boarding in Northamptonshire for the very first time.
We are passionate about dogs, and because of that passion we know full well that you’re probably just like us… and prefer dogs to people. Let’s face it, dogs are a vitally important member of the family, so finding the right level of care is a top priority – and something we take very seriously!
In this short post I am going to dive into the 4 main fears dog owners tell us when we meet them, and how we make sure you sleep well at night knowing your dog is in the right hands!
Biggest Fear 1 – Losing a Dog
We know the biggest fear of any dog owner leaving their beloved pet with a stranger is the worry that they might stage an elaborate break out – whether from the house or slipping the collar/lead. The worst part, as I am sure you will agree, is getting that phone call while you are away from home knowing full well you cannot help. Horrible, just horrible.
Not a lot keeps me awake at night, but the thought of losing someone’s dog terrifies the hell out of me. We are thankful it has never happened but that doesn’t mean we aren’t prepared for the day it does.
While the risk will never be zero, we can do all we can to make sure it is as close as possible.
Here’s what we personally have in place;
- We have a One Door Rule with our front door. We are fortunate to have a small porch between our front door and our living room. Our One Door Rule states that only one of these doors can be open at any given time – therefore meaning no dog will ever have an escape route out of the house without first being on a lead.
- We make fantastic use of PitPatPet GPS Trackers, and attach one to each dog in our care. This means if someone does go for a solo adventure then we can track their movements through the PitPatPet App (Learn more about them here).
- Regardless of how awesome and well behaved your dog is, we always walk them on the lead. With Salcey Forest on the doorstep, and the M1 close by, to us the risk outweighs the joys of off-lead walking. Doesn’t take much for a dog to get spooked or distracted – so on lead it is!
- We also have what I would call ‘play time’ in the garden, where we do some positive recall ‘play’ training, to make sure that your dog does respond to us and has a level of recall in an emergency.
These procedures help us sleep better each night knowing full well we won’t have to make a heart-breaking phone call.
Biggest Fear 2 – How They Be Treated
Next up on our list is another fear we often hear about – worried about how their four-legged-friend will be treated by another. After all, your dog is a member of your family… you do want the best for them.
This is why in the first instance we insist on a Meet & Greet; so you can meet us, visit where your dog will be staying and allow them to explore a new environment. On top of that we can start building a relationship with your dog, getting to know them and their uniqueness.
We have a simple rule in place with any Meet & Greet; for whatever reason if you get the wrong vibe from us, or aren’t sure we are right for you or your dog… then we will not be offended! At the end of the day, we want the best for every dog we meet. If you don’t think we are right, then that is more than okay!
Another rule of ours is the One Family rule; this means we will only care for your dog/s at any one time, so your pup will not mix with any other dog. What this means is your dog will have 100% of our love and attention, they won’t have to share us!
This enables us to give them the very best care at all times.
On top of this, because we are a family home your dog will quite literally join our family and be part of our pack. Rather than them spending the lion’s share of their time in a kennel, your dog will have the run of the house and be able to have as much (or as little) human interaction as they want.
They can cuddle up on the sofa with us and watch the latest on Disney+, they can sleep in the bed with us (and yes, we have shared the bed with dogs as small as miniature sausage dogs and dogs as big as Mastiffs!), and they can even lay at our feet while we prepare dinner.
“But you won’t know my dog like I do, you won’t know all their little quirks and signs”
True, we won’t! Nether will any boarding company. But… due to the sheer amount of time we will spend with your dog each day… we will learn, and learn fast!
Biggest Fear 3 – Leaving Them Behind
The hardest part sometimes is walking away once they have been dropped off. We have had some owners have 30 minute good-byes with tears in their eyes as they back out the door waving… all the way to the owners who won’t even come in the house.
Leaving your dog, the animal you love dearly, and driving home without them is tough regardless of who you are!
You might be worried they will whine and pace by the door once you leave.
You might be worried they won’t settle for hours.
Let me reassure you we have a rock solid strategy in place that we have used time and time again to help settle your dog so they adjust to their new environment as quickly and comfortably as possible. Every dog we have ever welcomed into our home settles far quicker than their owners expect them to.
Biggest Fear 4 – Their Safety
The final fear we are going to talk about is something we do get asked; is dog boarding safe?
The simple answer is yes.
But you’re not here for simple you want to know how and why dog boarding is just as safe as using a kennel, right? Hell, possibly even safer than your own home!
To board dogs full time, like we do, we need to be awarded a license from the local council. This license gives us permission to operate and run our doggy-hotel business – a bit like what a restaurant would have to do.
In order to get a license we have to fulfill certain requirements that are essential.
- We have to be insured
- We have to hold the relevant qualifications
- We have to have procedures in place to keep your dogs safe
- Our home and garden have to be assessed for safety and suitability
- We have to have detailed risk assessments for numerous situations
- We have to have collect certain information from you
- The list goes on
Truth be told, getting licensed as a family home takes a lot of work, and countless hours of preparation to make sure we meet all the legal requirements. All the blood, sweat and tears are worth it to prove to you that the service we offer is as safe as possible – therefore giving you peace of mind!
We know trusting anyone to look after the dog you love and adore is never going to be easy – but we do all we can to make sure the level of love and care we provide is exactly what you are looking for!
Want To Work With Us?
I sincerely hope that this short blog helps put your mind at ease and gives you some confidence that working with us is the right thing for you and your dog.
If you do have other concerns that we have not touched on here – please do reach out on our ‘Contact Us’ page, I am more than happy to invest as much time as is needed to help you sleep better at night.
If you do want your dog to stay with us please click the button below and reach out – we look forward to hearing from you!
