questions to ask when choosing home boarding?

Could anyone provide some advice on choosing a safe and good home boarding experience? We are hoping to take a vacation soon, and want to put Maggie in the safest possible place. We are in Southern California (LA area) and so things like coyotes and so on are a real concern.

Maggie's never stayed with anyone who wasn't a close friend or family member, but we have some hopes for an extended (two week) holiday abroad, and I'm feeling a bit overprotective.

thanks so much for your advice!!!!!!

~lorna

First thing I would do is ask to visit the home. I think a lot of questions will naturally arise if you are in the environment.

Lucky's dog walker does home boarding and she's proactively given me lots of info, but the most important thing to me is whether I feel my dogs would be safe in her house.

I sent an email enquiry to a big UK company who does home boarding and who gets good feedback. I asked about pricing etc. I was told there was a transportation fee of £35 and when i offered to transport my dogs myself to wherever they were staying they refused. They also said they would arrange a visit at my home with a portfolio of homes my dogs could stay at but I couldn't go and view because the people's addresses are protected by the Data Protection Act!! I basically told them to stick it as there's no way my dogs are staying somewhere I've never seen and don't even know where it is. I couldn't believe it. Hope you have much better luck than me so far.

Lorna, if you are willing to trade sitting with another Cavalier owner, you could also try the Yahoo group CavalierSitters ... As with any sitter you need to do due diligence, but at least Maggie would be with other Cavaliers.

That's another option. I'd definitely plan to meet up with them though too and check out their place too to make sure you feel safe, that it's protected from Coyotes, etc.

One question to ask is what happens to the dogs when the homeowner goes out? A friend had her Blenheim in a home boarding situation that she had used for years. This time however, the mix of dogs was volatile. The homeowner took two dogs out for a walk and left the other 4 unsupervised in the home. A fight broke out between my friend's dog and a shepherd/collie mix (maybe others also) and my friend's dog ended up losing his eye. The shepherd/collie's owner and the homeowner split the cost of all the medical care, but my friend's dog is left with only one eye. Imagine losing one of those beautiful, liquid brown eyes! I lose myself in my dog's eyes all the time. My friend now takes her dogs to another home boarding situation, but this homeowner crates all the dogs when she is not physically in the room with them. People have complained to her that their dog is not crate trained and would never go into one - so she tells them to find another boarding home.

Oh my gosh, what an awful story, but a very important fact to know. I would definitely want to know how many dogs are allowed in the home at one time, how playtime is supervised, how does she check to see if a dog is agressive, how are they fed, where do they sleep, and I absolutely would want to visit the home. I am sure there are many other important questions to be asked. Have you considered an in-home sitter?

Thanks everyone for the great replies... Cavalier Sitters sounds fantastic!

Love My Cavaliers, thanks. You summed up my uncertainty perfectly - Mags is crate trained and LOVES her crate. It's her favorite napping spot.

I wouldn't want to have her in a multi-dog environment where someone just "didn't want to lock them away" when they went out.

thanks, this is a great list of things to consider.
~lorna

I was VERY sceptical when boarding my cav for just a weekend and seperately one day from 9am-11pm but the carer selected and matched to Titch was tremendous! Absolutely out of this world,I could not have wished for anyone better to look after him! Pm me and Ill give you the web addy and phone number(uk) ;-)

I have always left Maddy with a very trusted friend, but this summer our holidays coincide. I didn't know what to do & someone suggested asking for a recommendation from my vets receptionist. I did this & she knew of several, three of which she would personally vouch for. As soon as I spoke to John I knew he was the one, he asked us to visit & my first impression was right. He is a caring dog owner with 2 very calm, friendly dogs (all dogs hit it off right away) he asked me as many questions as I asked him . I feel confident that Maddy will become part of his family while we're away & he only takes in one dog at a time - unless there are two in your family. So I would ask your vet to recommend someone.