Traveling away from NYC for extended periods can be tricky with a large dog.  There is no dearth of options for dog owners in this city: dog day care, dog walkers, pet sitter, friends, door men etc.. But the quality of the options definitely vary.

During our last 10 day trip away, we decided to explore the possibility of leaving Mr.Brown at home and hiring a dog walker to come 3 times a day- expensive, but possibly less so than our usual dog boarding service, D is for Doggy (click on the link for the review).

Dog Walkers
Dog walkers are good for pets that require more personalized attention, and perhaps, don’t get along with other dogs!

In general, dog walker prices range per walk and per service:
- Dog Walks: A 30 minute walk where time starts the moment the dog walker enters your apartment and also includes the time it takes for him/her to put on the dog collar and dog leash.  Additional charges may apply if you require your dog to be fed and watered. ~$15 per walk
- Pet Sitting: This a la carte 45 minute service usually includes a short walk AND play time in your home.  Depending on the provider, its possible to arrange for the dog walker to sleep in your residence during your travels so your dog doesn’t feel lonely or scared. ~$45
- Pet Boarding: Depending on the provider and space in their home, you may have the option of boarding your pet with the dog walker for slightly less than an established dog boarding service. ~$55
- Misc: Traveling fees for the dog walker my apply if they are traveling outside their comfort radius.

Some questions to ask before you decide to use a dog walker for your pet:
- How much personalized attention does my dog need?
- What is included in the basic service, how much will things like feeding/watering include?
- REFERRALS!!
- How many years of experience does your dog walker have?
- Is this a full time job for your dog walker?
- Who will actually be walking my dog?
- How many dogs will be walked at a time? (Usually one household per walk is best!)
- Is my door tricky to open? Are my doormen strict?

Dog Boarding
Boarding your dog usually is a flat fee, with the exception of things like giving your dog medicine, extra walks etc..  We have only used D is for Doggy ($75/day; $60 for 5+ days)  but in general the costs include feeding and short bathroom walks.

Things to consider before boarding your dog:
- Does my dog get walks? Where does he/she go to the bathroom? ( I would avoid boarders that allow dogs to go inside the facility- this contributes to poor habits and is unsanitary)
- Where does my dog sleep? In a kennel or in a pack?
- Dogs my dog get a bed/cot to sleep on?
- Are dogs divided by size?
- Are feeding times individual or group?
- Is water free standing or only served at select times?
- Is someone with the dogs 24/7?
- REFERRALS!

Ultimately, we have decided that when we travel for more than 2-3 days, boarding gives us more peace of mind and is more affordable.

Here is a quick breakdown of pros for both options:

Hope this helps you with your decision!

Share on Facebook

D is for Doggy:

156 West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10011
(212) 633-0040

Dog boarding,  dog walking, and doggy day care is serious business in New York City.  In our neighborhood, there is literally one of each on each block catering to the plentiful amounts of 4 legged clientèle. I was referred to D is for Doggy from a friend, visited the website and their store, but was mainly sold by their doggy webcam, which is turned off during their bedtimes.

Pros:
- Details: Original owner, Gina, based the boarding set-up on natural dog behavior; dogs sleep together in packs, not in individualized crates like most boarders.  There are scented nooks throughout the rooms so dogs stay stimulated and occupied. Dogs initially remain in a holding area so they are calm when introduced to the rest of the dogs.  Small details such as this led me to believe that Mr.Brown would be in good hands.

- Price: Their pricing structure was on par with other dog boarding areas plust 15% off for 5+ nights boarding. Yes, its still expensive but, seriously, so is all of NY. Furthermore, my dog is my child and god knows my parents wasted plenty of their money on useless things for me, why can’t I do the same for my dog? Lastly, I did consider the possibility of getting a dog walker but for the amount of attention, care, and peace of mind, dog boarding worked best.

Cons:
- Inconsistent: the first time we left Mr.Brown for 3 nights. After the first day, I received an email from D Is for Doggy with a few pictures of Mr.Brown’s stay.  Even though this was a minor detail, it was VERY appreciated considering how much we were paying for them to basically walk him 1x a day and feed him 1x.  It gave me peace of mind and led me to believe that he was in good hands.  The last 2 times we have boarded him over 5 days but I have received no email, no picture to let me know how he was doing.

Furthermore, whenver I have gone to pick him up, the girl at the counter has little to no clue how Mr.Brown has been. “So, how was he”…”Good.?”  I find her lack of compliments to be, almost, rude and offensive.  I probably won’t be bringing Mr.Brown back before we move back to California.

- Attention: The first 2x I brought Mr.Brown back home, he has been super thirsty and super hyper. This leads me to believe that he isn’t being given enough water and that he hasn’t been exercised enough.  When I brought this up with the attendant, she was slightly defensive and somewhat apathetic. This really shouldn’t surprise me, this is NY after all.

Share on Facebook

Pet Mate promise:

• Great for crate training, air or car use
• Easy to assemble
• Available in 4 sizes (up to Giant)
• Secure spring latch
• Fast nut fasteners
• Side, front and back air vents
• Shell made of heavy-duty plastic that’s easy to clean
• Quick and easy assembly
• Storage compartment
• Seatbelt slot for car safety

Sniffing Snout Review:
If you are contemplating about buying one of these kennels, I would HIGHLY recommend checking your local Craigslist to see if anyone is selling used.  These kennels are big (especially for large breed owners), bulky, space-hungry and usually pretty popular garage sale items. Plus they are expensive brand new!

I didn’t adequately plan ahead and was only able to find an XL size on Craigslist. I urgently needed a travel case for Mr.Brown, so I stopped by my local Petsmart and walked out with the Pet Make Kennel in Large.  These are extremely easy to assemble, if not a bit tedious- there are holes punched around the perimeter of the kennel, and you use the supplied ‘fast-nut’ fastners to hold the top and bottom together.  The top and bottom are easily stacked into each other when not in use.

Mr.Brown has never lived in a cage before, usually preferring to lie down next to his human friends, so I was wary about getting him adjusted to his mobile home before his cross-country flight.  However, this didn’t end being much of a problem. I assembled the case but left the cage opening piece off. I put a treat inside the cage and Mr.Brown eagerly climbed in.  I would suggest using positive reinforcement techniques to get your dog adjusted to the kennel; never push your dog in during an anxious or tense state, otherwise he/she will see the kennel as punishment.

I bought a few accessories for the cage to ease the stress of travel: 1) a cushioned mat and 2) a water dispenser. Unfortunately, the water dispenser was not approved for airline travel so its somewhere in the abyss of my parents’ garage. I would recommend the mat, I’ve climbed into Mr.Brown’s kennel a few time and can attest that it’s very comfortable.

Share on Facebook