Nauset Kennels

Wow! Who would have thought that constructing a new building would cause us to change almost every aspect of our business? Silly, naive, girls we were! We just thought we would have a little bit more elbow room. Instead, we’ve spent the last year examining our business. Our construction turned into a business exercise that I think all business owners should go through even without the new building!

So what’s new you ask? Let’s start first with the most noticeable things. After 38 years, our wonderful logo, originally designed by Kirsten’s mother, is now more reflective of who we are as a business and the lighthouses that are the Cape. The new logo moves from the dog and cat with their suitcases going on vacation concept (see below) to a lighthouse totem pole of pets (see above), a shining beacon in the pet care industry.

We are also in the process of changing our name from Nauset Kennels to Nauset Pet Services. Similar to our logo, we are no longer “just a kennel.” We’ve always offered many of these services, but on a much smaller scale. We have always offered day care, but no one thought of it in terms of advertising. Seventeen years ago, Brewster was our one day care dog, hanging out in the grooming room with Nancy.

New logo, new name, what else? Well, as Kirsten likes to remind herself, we really aren’t the little mom and pop kennel that we used to be. Like so many of our colleagues, our industry has changed dramatically. Look at your own attitude towards your pets - like so many others, I bet your pet is far from just the family dog or “that cat” anymore. We are constantly re-educating, learning new things, trying to make each animal’s experience with us the best it can be. Just today I realized that even the food we feed in the kennel is vastly different from the food we fed when I first started so long ago.

In that effort to create the best experience for each animal, we started offering pet sitting knowing that not every animal is comfortable in a kennel environment. This idea, which used to seem contrary to the concept of the kennel, now compliments our services quite well. We love going to Jake and Cali’s house, feeding them, making sure they have been out, and sitting on the front stoop snuggling with them in the sun.

We now offer pick-up and delivery to more than just Provincetown and for more than just grooming. Katie used to climb in the Subaru wagon twice a week. We now have three vehicles of all different sizes going two different directions!

Perhaps some of the more difficult but important changes are in our policies. We require deposits on holiday and summer reservations. We won’t waiver on your vaccinations and have implemented more stringent requirements. Your pet’s paperwork needs to be in to us before your first visit.

What hasn’t changed though is our commitment to your pets. Yes, we are “bigger” now. Yes, we have a new name to reflect what we truly offer. And yes, we’ve added staff and changed some of our more relaxed policies to stricter policies. But all of these changes were made and implemented with you and your pet in mind. Our deposit requirement is to ensure that people don’t just make reservations on the off-chance that they might be going away for Thanksgiving and then decide not to show up (which happened with enough regularity that it became a nightmare having to turn away so many clients every summer weekend or holiday).

Along the way we’ve been having a ball. Not every change is easy to implement and not every customer gets it or agrees with it. Change is hard. But we are loving the challenge of continuing to provide the absolute best care that we can for your pet.

Kirsten and I attended a Geek Girl Camp on Saturday, a great conference with lots of familiar faces. It seems we were all there learning to navigate our businesses within this fabulous world of technology.

I finished the day exhausted, but whirring with excitement to start using what I learned. At the after-conference appetizers and drinks, it seemed everyone had learned something, and was anxious to implement, try out, or create something new.

So just what does technology have to do with running a kennel? I can just hear my mom guffawing in the background as I log in to Facebook to check the kennel account. She’d probably make some snide remark about uploading a video to YouTube. She just might even ask if it’s all worth it, wondering if the time spent fussing around with technology takes away from my time with customers or the animals.

In some ways, yes. I don’t interact in quite the same way with the customers as I used to. And while blogging is not the same as running around the yard with the dogs, it is satisfying in a different way.

If I can ever get my act together and actually put all of what I learned into motion, this Geek Girl stuff will allow us to do things we never thought about. That video I will soon upload to YouTube will be able to show people who don’t live just around the corner an opportunity to see the kennel. The kennel’s Facebook account allows us to share bits and pieces of daily life, events, announcements, pictures, and all sorts of information with a lot of people quickly. It also allows them to comment in return. Our website works similarly, but without the group concept. Technology, while it seems almost counterintuitive, is allowing us to create, refine, and further relationships with customers.

I suppose, though, if you are reading this then you probably already get it, don’t you?

At an after-school activity the other day I watched as a child accidentally got hurt. The people in charge were very helpful and sent the child off with her parent. I’m not sure if the child went to the doctor or what, but I found myself thinking about the kennel and things that happen here.

We will be the first to say that accidents happen, even here. If you ever visit a kennel or day care facility that won’t fess up to bad things that have happened, then they are not being honest with you or themselves. I’ve heard lots of different stories being in the industry: pet sitters who have accidentally had the bird get out and the dog eats it; pet sitters whose charges have gotten away from them; groomers who have seriously cut a dog; kennels that have dropped a dog. The list goes on. We ourselves have had dogs literally escape the kennel or the walker. We’ve dealt with punctures in day care from other dogs. We’ve even had dogs die while with us. Trust me, nothing happens on purpose and it all eats at us. And eats at us.

Since we know that accidents happen, what is most important is how the kennel, day-care, pet-sitter, or facility reacts and responds to that accident. Our goal is to first treat the pet and to notify the owners. Once we know that the pet or the situation is stabilized, then we assess and discuss. Our primary goal, once we have taken care of the pet and the owner, is to ensure that the same mistake does not happen again.

In our situation, if the mistake is our fault or we feel we could have prevented the accident, then we will assume financial responsibility for a certain percentage of any accompanying bills. Many times, even when something happens that is clearly not our fault, out of good faith and customer service, we will also assume part of the bills. Once the pet is no longer in our care, we will follow up on the progress of the animal. Not only do we want to continue our relationship with that customer, we truly do value your pets as our own, and never want them to be in pain or be fearful coming to us.

We are up front about the fact that things happen here, very rarely, but they happen. I am sure that I have scared a customer or two, who say things like, “And if anything ever happened to my baby…” I very quickly stop them, letting them know that I cannot make that guarantee. We will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of your babies while they are with us, but accidents happen. Things happen.

Instead, what I can guarantee is that we don’t take any accident lightly and we do use every experience as a learning experience. We also never forget a situation, no matter how long its been. We’ve changed entire routines based on a minor accident with a pet in our care.

So the next time something happens, unless gross negligence is in play, watch how the situation is treated. Then pause to consider, if it was truly an accident and the situation has been handled as well as possible, has the shoe ever been on my own foot? Have I ever had things happen that I never meant to? Humans err. It isn’t a perfect system, but it allows us to grow and learn, and to continually be humble.

We had to scratch our heads this morning when someone brought it to our attention that they saw a posting on Craig’s List about kennel cough and our facilities. We scratched our heads for a number of reasons, particularly the fact that we haven’t been contacted by any of our clients to let us know that their dog has kennel cough, nor have we ourselves noticed anything (we often are the first to notice and will let our customers know if we suspect a case of kennel cough).

Hmmm…a disgruntled customer? An angry neighbor? We won’t know because this person posted anonymously on Craig’s List. If you suspect your dog has kennel cough, call the kennel or day care facility directly. Posting anonymously to Craig’s List doesn’t allow us to address your concerns, nor does it allow us to follow a procedure we have in place to track kennel cough. As my friend Karen would say, “Put on your big girl panties and call us. Don’t hide behind anonymous postings!” (Sorry for offending anyone, but unless your job is in jeopardy or your family is at risk, own up to any criticisms or comments.)

I would like to thank you though for the opportunity to do another informative blog! Sometimes I need an idea, so thank you for that!

We have indeed suffered through cases of kennel cough throughout our almost forty years of business. In fact, three summers ago we even shut down our facility for two weeks to try to clear it out. Sixteen years ago, I knew of kennel cough, since it has always been a required vaccine, but didn’t ever hear of it. In fact, we were somewhat lax about the vaccine, even letting people have their dogs vaccinated the same day the dog was due to come in for boarding.

Like everything, kennel cough seems to have changed a bit though, and we are indeed seeing more cases of it in our area. Typically when we have it, other areas of the Cape will have it as well, usually in pockets. And, like the flu or a cold, it can be mild to severe in the numbers of dogs it affects. In certain areas of the country, veterinarians require the vaccine to be given every six months due to a higher incidence rate in that area. Here, the vaccine is usually an annual vaccine, but it depends on your vet.

Perhaps I should provide a definition of kennel cough. Kennel cough is a respiratory infection caused by both bacteria and viruses. It is rarely serious, but should be treated by a veterinarian. While there is a vaccine, like our human vaccines, it only covers so many strains of kennel cough, so yes, your dog can still get kennel cough even though she has been vaccinated. Signs of kennel cough are pretty simple: a hacking cough or “hard sneezing” like sound. Watch this video for an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx7tveHyFqk

Some vets treat kennel cough with antibiotics, while others take a wait and see approach. On our end, we require all our boarding and day care pets to be vaccinated for kennel cough, following manufacturer’s guidelines that the dog be inoculated seven to ten days prior to boarding (I can’t tell you how many customers we have to turn away because of this policy). If we receive a phone call from a customer or suspect a dog staying with us has kennel cough, we start tracking. All employees are notified to keep an eye out for any potential new cases. From there, we keep an eye on a dog we suspect might have the cough if it is actually with us and will often call the vet immediately as a precaution. If we find that there are more than three confirmed cases, we start to let our customers know, focusing specifically on any pets for which the illness might actually be worse for them (puppies, elderly, ill, etc.). Our cleaning regime is stepped up to include bleach - bleaching the floors, the walls, the runs, sponges and cleaning towels, toys, the vacuum filters, the vacuum, the wash, etc. Our cleaning routine, while already at a high standard, is the main focus if we suspect any type of bug, not just kennel cough. We will also lime our play yards and let them sit a few days. And yes, we will even shut down our operations if need be. The wonderful thing about our new facility is that we can now shut down just the affected side if necessary.

We certainly don’t try to hide kennel cough from anyone. In fact, we even call around to other kennels and day cares in the area to inquire about their dogs, so we certainly put it out there so customers can decide what to do.

Kennel cough is a part of running a kennel, just like coughs and colds are a part of running a school or a day care. Some dogs will get it, others won’t. Most will have mild cases, but a few won’t. We’ve even known families of dogs where one will get it and another will not. If you suspect, call. Be responsible and let your kennel or day care know. Keep your pet away from other dogs until you are sure he isn’t coughing on anyone else. Call your vet. And don’t be ashamed and feel the need to post anonymous postings on Craig’s List! You aren’t helping anyone by fomenting anger (yes, some of our customers and our employees are angry at your post) and fear. Be informed and take corrective measures to insure the safety of your dog and others.

For more information, check out the following sites. They are all pretty similar in what they say, but are presented from various angles - boarding dogs, training dogs, day care, etc.

http://www.kennelcoughindogs.com/

http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Kennel_Cough

http://www.workingdogs.com/deboerken_cough.htm

http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=11339267 (just a note - this one is fascinating because the owner of this facility doesn’t even require the vaccine!)

Over the course of the summer, we had quite the learning curve being in the new building. You see, while we had spent years (yes, years) researching and learning, and then what seemed like years securing the financing, working with the architect and then finally building the building, until we actually moved in, we never realized how much our business model would change just from moving into a new building. And while I would love to say that we had the foresight to plan for such change, we didn’t. Retrospect is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

So, over the course of moving and settling in, we adjusted our business. Boy, did we hit the ground running! Some of the changes we were more than happy to make. The new building gave us an opportunity to correct and alter in a way that the old building couldn’t. There were those necessary changes that weren’t in our original plan, but were a must. Part of doing business though, and we know that we were able to improve upon an already solid product or service. And we were just thrilled to have an opportunity to take our business to a new level. All should be good, right?

Well, some of our two-legged customers are still adjusting to these changes. Since the early 1970’s we have basically run the day-to-day affairs as it related to the animals the same as always. Sure, we tweaked some things here and there, but for the most part, it was reliable. Now we’ve gone and changed what so many knew and expected.

I understand their frustration. Whenever I go to a favorite restaurant and find changes to a menu, I cringe, hoping I can find something similar to replace an old favorite. If I venture into a store and can’t find something they’ve always carried, it frustrates me. At the health club, my kids’ school, the doctor’s office, everywhere I go there is change. Honestly, I don’t always deal with such changes well, and often wonder what they’re thinking. I’ve even been heard to say, “I can’t be the only one who thinks this change is stupid!” Trust me, if you are frustrated, I get it.

More often than not, I end up eating those words and seeing the change as positive and usually necessary. Change in all aspects of our lives can be hard, but for businesses, it is inevitable and necessary to maintain a vital, thriving business. Yes, it is difficult to balance change with consistency. The consistency is found in the end product though. Is the customer (both two and four legged) leaving happy? Are we providing the absolute best service? Would we be happy as a customer here, even with the changes?

The answer to those questions is a resounding yes. We feel confident that our changes have helped us to up our already high level of care and provide more amenities and services. While we know that we will always look for ways to improve, and yes, change, we hope that all of you know that your pets are still the most important part of our day. And that will never change.

So I am still trying to figure out iMovie, but didn’t want to wait to post these on our site. (This means you have to listen to my voice in the background as opposed to music! It also means that no editing has taken place.)

Wrestling in the Small Area

Sadie shows us her pool skills!

Day Care continues its fun - swimming in the pool, racing around the yard, wrestling with each other (the dogs, not us!), digging holes, and all that good dog stuff.

Beau and the Big Yard

Tucker’s pool time

Enjoy!

We’ve been waiting patiently and the great folks at Landmark Fence here in Eastham helped us out (huge thank yous!) and installed the fence for our new play yard. Cape Cod Ready Mix poured the concrete trench that prevents dogs from being able to dig under the fencing. This yard is attached to the kennel and is used solely for boarding dogs.

As you can see, it is HUGE! So, how does it work? Well, we work very hard to try to get every dog out in the yard at some point in the day. This yard is supervised and we usually take groups of 2-6 dogs out at at time. Some get to stay out longer than others depending on how well they are getting along and if it’s a good mix. The dogs love the kiddie swim pool and the opportunity to roam around sniffing all the good doggie smells.

For those unsocial dogs, it can be a bit trickier, but we know that they love their time outdoor too, so we try like heck to get each one out.

Some dogs absolutely cannot go in this yard. Any dog who is actively looking for a way out will be brought back inside. A dog who is just making a huge ruckus cannot stay in the yard. Dogs who won’t come when called or run and play a game of chase when it is time to come in won’t go out again. And any dog who is a known escape artist is not allowed in the yard. We’ll let you know at the end of a visit if your dog falls into one of these categories.

We get a lot of requests from boarders and neighbors to use the yard. Unfortunately, the yard is only for kennel use. We need access to it and couldn’t possibly compete with the numbers of families asking to use the yard.

We also get a lot of questions about the cost. Our standard boarding fee includes the possibility of yard time. I say possibility because it is not a guarantee that every single dog will get out in the yard during a visit. For those owners who absolutely want their dogs to have yard time, we offer a 20 minute play time for $8.00. That time can be designated for walking on the bike trail, playing one-on-one with one of us, loving (what dog doesn’t love a good belly rub?), or socializing with a few good buddies. If you want your dog to be outside for the majority of the day, ask about doggie day care.

We love our new yard and are loving the great weather that we’ve had! We’re sure you’ll find it “tail-waggin’good”!

We went shopping in town yesterday at a store owned and run by a local. While we are not friends with her, we are friendly. She asked us about business and the construction, and we asked how her business was going. At some point in the conversation she said something along the lines of how she really should use our kennel, but she had been using another kennel for over ten years and she is very comfortable there. She couldn’t have sounded more apologetic. Kirsten immediately soothed her worry, saying how great this other kennel is and how you should stick with what feels right. And while the business person in me screamed, “No! We are better than that other kennel! Come see for yourself!” I knew that ultimately, she has to do what feels right for her. We’d love for her to come and see what we have to offer, but she, and most importantly her dog, are comfortable at the other kennel.

How does a pet owner decide on a kennel, particularly when there is more than one in the area? There are a lot of opinions on this subject, but for me, it comes down to a few simple factors.

First, what do other people have to say about the kennel? Don’t just ask or listen to one person; ask lots of people. Listen carefully. Sometimes people just always have to have something negative to say, or there are those who will not ever be really happy. There are also those people who truly could care less where their pet goes, so filter those out too.

Second, visit the kennel and look at what it has to offer. Don’t necessarily be blinded by the newest and the best (ironic that I’d be saying this, what with our construction!). Does the kennel offer what your pet needs? For example, we have an open cat room, where cats can wander, even going outside into their own enclosed area. Most cats love the freedom. Some owners, though, do not want to vaccinate for feline leukemia, a requirement for us because of our open cat room. Owners who don’t want to vaccinate might opt for a kennel that crates the cats, thus nullifying the need for the vaccine. Another example concerns the actual kennel. Some people are very impressed with kennels that offer hotel-like accommodations for their pets, complete with a bed and a tv. Heck, I’ve even thought that those places look like fun. Sometimes such establishments offer themed rooms: does Karl the dog want to stay in the jungle room or the cartoon room? For some people, this option is truly important. Our kennel doesn’t offer such rooms. We do offer amazing care, fresh bedding every night, and while we don’t have t.v. in the kennel, we do have beautiful classical playing that many of the dogs enjoy singing to. (Personally, I don’t want my dogs minds infected by t.v. - too much violence!).

Finally, how do you feel when you drop off and pick up your pet? Go with your gut on this one, but don’t overreact either. Some animals are, by nature, going to make you feel terrible for subjecting them to a kennel and not allowing them to go with you. Kids do the same thing a lot of the time. Most of our boarders who act this way could win Academy Awards for Best Performance in Creating Guilt and Anxiety in your Human, because the minute you leave, they are either romping with the other dogs or preparing for an afternoon of sleeping, eating, checking out the others, and stuff like that. Another question: is your pet coming home relatively clean? While it is unfair to ask a kennel to bathe your pet at no charge every single time he boards, it is not unreasonable to expect your pet to be clean and not covered in feces or urine. When you are away from your pet, you need to be able to enjoy yourself. If you are constantly doubting your decision, you might want to try a new kennel on your next trip. Only then can you figure out if you are just a nervous owner who can never fully relax while you are away or you realized that something about the other kennel didn’t sit right until you tried somewhere else.

And remember, while it is our goal to make every experience a “tail-waggin’” one, things happen. Allow a kennel or any business, to explain themselves. If you have a question or a problem, ask! As a business owner, I need to know the good, the bad, and the seriously ugly. I may not know about an incident unless you tell me. And I certainly can’t be expected to fix something unless I know about it. Truth be told, I have just started practicing this as a customer. It has never been easy for me to complain. However, I realized that if I want to know about people’s experiences at our kennel, then other business owners need to know about my experiences as a customer as well. It might surprise some of you that I go through a mental list of customers on a regular basis. I called Kirsten in a panic the other day saying, “Where is so-and-so? We haven’t seen her in a long time! Is everything alright?!” She laughed because I do this regularly and told me that we haven’t seen the dog in question because she is recovering from knee surgery.

Perhaps some day our business acquantaince will come by and check us out. We sure hope so! In the meantime, I will keep asking Kirsten, “Hey - did that other business owner come by yet and take a look around?”

Over the past week, we heard from three of our clients that their beloved dogs had died and gone to doggie heaven. The previous week, we heard from two clients. Each phone call brings the crew around the desk to reminisce and smile with the memories, our memories that we created with each pet that walks through our doors.

We aren’t lucky enough to share the special memories that you have with your pet: the first time you saw him and his litter mates; that time she comforted you when you were blue; or how she would wait for you to sit down and then jump up purring with delight. We are, however, lucky enough to be able to create our own memories and experiences with your animals, much like teachers at school or counselors at camp. There is Sadie, our pet of the month, who doesn’t like to walk across our gray floor, but tolerates the yellow section of flooring and Little Desi, who spends more time in our laps than anywhere else in the kennel. There was Brewster, our very first day boarder, who would greet us every morning from her perch on an old grooming table. And I know that we will never forget Max, a pointer, who was always so excited to come visit the kennel that his whole body would just shiver and shake with anticipation.

Like you, we relish those triumphant moments, such as watching Breezy find her way in the play yard even though it was totally out of her comfort zone. Similarly, we are disappointed when a pet behaves poorly or doesn’t have an enjoyable experience. And we are truly saddened when we hear the news we seem to be hearing a lot lately: that Dax, Teddy, Uma, Casey and Max have all gone to what we hope is a better place. Thanks for letting us share in your memories…we’ll miss you!