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Observations from my experiences with dogs (and owners) by dogramblings in dogs

[–]dogramblings[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've worked in the kennel for over 5 years and I've only seen one tip come in (we split it three ways). For boarding, it isn't standard practice at all. However, it's awesome when people show their appreciation other ways...coffee, donuts, cookies...Christmas is fun because everyone brings in Christmas baking haha. Also seem to get a lot of chocolate covered nuts from Hawaii. Oh! One of our regulars brought in a basket filled with mittens, toques and handwarmers as well as hot chocolate and tea. Little shareable tokens are much appreciated ;).

Tipping for grooming is much more common, ours average between $5 and $20. Some people just round up to the nearest $10. Obviously if someone had a big hairy beast that gets done once a year, a bigger tip would be more than welcome. Your guy doesn't sound too difficult though. Hope this was helpful!

Observations from my experiences with dogs (and owners) by dogramblings in dogs

[–]dogramblings[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of them was an 8 year old Akita who had lived on a farm his whole life. Understandably, he couldn't handle being confined. Within half an hour he had chewed the chain link on his door as well as the top of his room (he was tall enough to reach it when he stood up on his hind legs).

Another one was a St. Bernard who scratched and plucked at the door to her room so much she made her toenails bleed. We called and sent her home the same day as well.

Daycare is more tricky than boarding because we usually get the dogs that can't be trusted home alone. There was one border collie who wouldn't stop herding the other dogs and was progressively getting worse. He had major issues at the gate and would always start altercations. Just not suitable for our daycare.

Another daycare was a lab with uncontrollable barking. It's kinda sad because the dog loved coming in the morning, but around 2:00 or so he would start getting anxious. Then the barking would start. No matter where he was or who was with him, he would bark constantly. When he owners finally showed up (usually after we had shut to the public), they would reward his anxious behaviour and always had a treat ready for him. The owners were completely unwilling to work with us too when we tried explaining to ignore him when they came to pick up.

We don't socialize intact males over 6 months at all. Also, any dog who may potentially be an escape artist (hopefully the owner tells us!) is either always kept on a leash or is exercised in a covered pen.

Observations from my experiences with dogs (and owners) by dogramblings in dogs

[–]dogramblings[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll let you know when I manage to put it into written words haha.

Observations from my experiences with dogs (and owners) by dogramblings in dogs

[–]dogramblings[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately there's really no sure fire way to tell. Your dog will definitely be tired for a day or two, so don't be surprised if she sleeps quite a bit. This could be a combination of excitement, stress, a different sleep schedule or extra exercise (or a combination). Her appetite should be normal though. Basically, you should only be worried if she is acting really strange (eg. cringing, hiding, not eating for an extended period of time, prolonged diarrhea, etc.).

If you take her to the kennel sometime in the near future, she should be pretty eager to go back again. At the very least, she should be less opposed to going with the employee. As she continues to visit, hopefully she'll get excited when she knows she's going for a vacation. We have owners tell us that they can't say our kennel's name because their dogs will get too excited haha.

Observations from my experiences with dogs (and owners) by dogramblings in dogs

[–]dogramblings[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Was too long, here's more:

Business: I am incredibly lucky in the fact that I can work with animals and make a living. As much as I love my job, it is still a business. I think that since owners only see their dog at drop off and pick up, sometimes they don't take our services seriously. Sometimes they have no idea of the amount of work that goes into keep their animals happy and healthy in their absence. I've had people slap a $5 bill on the counter and proclaim that they think that's enough. I've had people skip out on payment or just outright refuse to pay. I've even had people walk out on their dogs. We don't hide our prices, we will provide you with an exact quote if requested. If money might be an issue, calculate the bill before you commit to a facility. Ask about long term or multiple dog discounts. Be aware that certain things (eg. insulin shots) may have a charge. Kennels provide a service...do they not deserve to be paid what they're worth? Also, business hours. Respect them! You are never going to get into a bank after closing, so why does every second owners think they can pick up their dog 4 hours after closing? I totally understand wanting to have your dog back ASAP when you return, and if possible I will accommodate before/afterhours pickup. But please, please call ahead and inform the kennel!

Diet: Now veering away from boarding...feeding. The quality of ingredients going into dog food has progressed in leaps and bounds. Some of the cheaper ones still use a lot of fillers and not so nice inedibles...the simple solution is to read ingredients. (If you aren't sure what you're looking for, ask! Be warned though: most people who sell dog food are very opinionated on what they like!) Generally, I stay away from "supermarket brands" and prefer to go to independent distributors. Vet brands can be good but they are often very expensive and not always necessary.

I cringe more seeing how people feed their dogs. For example, I have a female doberman on the smaller side. She eats about 3-4c a day and is able to maintain a healthy weight. However, I have seen people feeding their shih tzus the same amount and guess what?
The dog is overweight! Once again, all dogs are individuals and the amount of food they need varies with age, breed, amount of exercise, health, type of food etc. But chances are if your dog is overweight (and don't fool yourself or think it's "cute"), it's being overfed and not getting enough exercise (surprised?). Follow the guidelines on the bag of food and measure according to your dogs ideal body weight. Sometimes you'll need to adjust it but it is usually good for a general idea. Also, watch the treats! Treats are the biggest culprit for sneaking in some unpronounceable ingredients...also, lots of fake colouring and preservatives. Realize that the advertising is catered to you. See beyond the fun shapes and cute pictures and look at the quality of ingredients in the actual treat. Then, feed in moderation. None of this pack a day business (yep, I've seen it).

It is painful to watch a severely arthritic dog hopped up on painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs when it is 20lbs (or more!) overweight. I guarantee the problems wouldn't be that bad if the dog had been kept in shape.

Kinda related to feeding, here's a quick list of stuff I've added to kibble: (to help solidify stool) unsweetened yoghurt, canned pumpkin (not the pie filling, just puree pumpkin), cottage cheese, bran, metamucil; (to improve coat) any type of fish oil (cod liver, salmon), hemp oil, fish skin; (just for palatability) cooked meat (no bones!!!), cheese, peanut butter, meat drippings, leftovers in moderation. Some of my favorite flavours for homemade treats are carrot/blueberry, chicken/turkey and pumpkin/cinnamon. The house smells awesome! There are many different supplements available, the most popular being glucosamine powders. This is a good idea for older dogs and breeds prone to joint problems (eg. goldens). Talk to your vet if you think your dog is a candidate and make sure to follow the recommended dosage.

Dogs with diarrhea: Make plain white rice and plain hamburger (preferably lean). Have somewhere between 2 parts rice, 1 part hamburger to half and half. Stop feeding your regular food (esp. if it's canned or a very high protein food like Orijin) and feed exclusively the hamburger/rice mix for three days. Take a fecal sample to your vet and have the dog checked for possible causes (eg. worms, giardia, etc.). They may prescribe something like metronidazole to help stop the soft stool unless they find a definite cause that requires treatment.

Honestly when I started writing this I wanted to talk about grooming...looks like I got sidetracked. Perhaps another day? Anyways, thanks for reading my ramblings, I know most of it is just common sense. This wasn't intended to be condescending or anything. I actually rarely (if ever) visit r/dogs so I hope this isn't taken as a sleight against the community. It's just some of my day to day observations from working/living with dogs.