Nauset Kennels

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?”