Dog Kennels? (Denver, Ken Caryl, Parker: daycares, vacation home, live)

[Bender303]

This might be a weird problem. I have to travel sometimes back to NYC and since I have a dog, I have to board him during those times. Unfortunately he is a rescue with a difficult past and can be apprehensive and even defensive around strangers. When I was in New York, I had good luck boarding him at places that are essentially just regular dog boarding kennels; he would be taken out for walks and "play time," but was otherwise in his kennel a lot of the time. But apparently every place in Denver is a yuppie "dog daycare" where the dogs are out playing with other dogs or with the workers most of the time, which unfortunately creates a lot of chaos that just isn't good for him or ultimately for the workers either. He needs a more one on one situation.

So, that in mind, does anyone know of places that are not "dog daycares" but do more traditional boarding? Obviously I would love it if my dog could be out playing all day while I'm across the country, but that just isn't feasible. And searching "Denver kennels" or whatever just brings up lots of dog daycares where they advertise that they are "not just a kennel!" and that the dogs are constantly being interacted with, which is literally the opposite of what I need for him.

[ayoitzrimz]

We had luck with https://www.overlandanimalhospital.com/ for our dog aggressive rescue. You have to pay extra for private play time which sucks but that means she gets taken out a few times a day and has the court yard all to herself . They also have cameras in the kennel and each kennel has indoor and outdoor area with a doggie door.

Other Than that we are trying rover.com on our next trip

[guyatwork37]

We use come, sit, stay down in Ken Caryl. A good amount of outside play time, a pool, and private "rooms".

[SkyDog77]

Have you looked at www.rover.com ?

It may be just as expensive to have a pet sitter as boarding. Maybe cheaper. I've noticed that a lot of the people on there will board your dog at their house. As long as they don't have a dog, it may be a better solution for you.

[flamadiddle]

I would also suggest trying a reputable pet sitter service. I have two "energetic" rescues that are tough to deal with so I tried a pet sitter during our recent vacation and it worked out really well. They came three times per day and sent me updates each day with pictures. The dogs were allowed to remain in the home (less stress) and I didn't have to wrestle two Tasmanian devils to/from the kennel!

Most pet sittters will want to make a courtesy visit ahead of your trip so plan accordingly. That gives them a chance to get to know the dog(s) and vice versa and all the things you will need done while they are there.

Unfortunately I cannot recommend one in Denver since I'm no longer there, but try Yelp for some ideas and then cross reference the reviews with other review sites.

For example > https://www.yelp.com/search?find_des...ver%2C+CO&ns=1

Another tip since your dog is defensive. Even though the pet sitter visited us before the trip, I had a feeling my dogs were not going to be all warm and fuzzy when she arrived to an empty home on her first visit so I left a big bag of jerky treats on the kitchen island so she could offer them a treat as she approached them in the mud room. She said this worked great and that they warmed right up to her after she gave them a jerky treat. The rest is history and I'll be using her again in the future.

Good Luck!

[emm74]

Most people I know use individuals who either house sit or do drop ins to walk and feed the dog while they are out of town. Some petsitters will board in their own home, but they seem to usually have their own dogs (which makes sense, they are obviously dog lovers to begin with!)

[IndyRC]

We have had great luck with rover.com. There are people on there that do not have their own pets, so maybe that could work.

[pikabike]

When we had dogs and lived in the area, we sometime boarded them at Silveracres Kennel (yes, a bona fide kennel), near Aspen Park. Sometimes we had a dog sitter visit our home twice a day instead.

I liked the kennel better because the dogs were kept safe and, at that time at least, the caretaker really understood dogs--not just the average dog, but all kinds of dogs. It was a no-frills place but the individual dog runs had both indoor and outdoor space, were kept clean, and the environment was out in the woods rather than near other homes or businesses or highways. Also, the caretaker placed the dogs so as to eliminate fence-fighting and other bad behaviors.

I, too, hated the lack of real kennels when we moved to a town with only "doggie B and B" vacation homes. They are unsuitable for dogs that wish to be left alone rather than forced to "play" with other dogs.

[NoDoubt1993]

Check out Club Pet in Parker. They have a good reputation, and we've used them for 7 years.