Anybody Ever Use the Kennel

[Been2Disney]

Trying to plan an upcoming trip and my parents who usually "dog sit" just can't do it anymore due to age. Dog is like member of family and can't imagine letting him stay at a kennel here at home for 9 days. Has anyone ever used the kennel at Disney? Any advice?

 

[SnackyStacky]

Kennel your dog at home. It will be far easier, and better for the animal.

The Disney kennels provide absolutely NO services. You have to feed your dog, and are required to walk him or her twice a day. Only the Epcot kennel will walk the dog for you for a fee of $2.50 per walk. They don't have any exercise time, or time out of their pen other than when they're walked.

 

[nasmith]

I agree-- Kennel him at Home. The kennels at WDW are small , with no runs (meant for a short period only I imagine) -- I wouldn't want to be in a box for 9 days - that's for sure! Kennels have come a long way in the past few years - there are quite a few posh kennels out there. If you are near Norfolk, VA - I could recommend a couple that are fabulous (My Sis, who has no human children uses them, and trust me - her Dogs are her babies)....

 

[zumbergc]

You may also want to check into a pet sitter. We use a pet sitter, who stays at our house to watch our cats.
They take meds so its important to have a reliable person.
We found our pet sitter thru our vet. She is a vet
tech at one of the vets we use to goto. She is also in
college. So its nice to know she is more knowledgable than the average joe about pets.

I would recommend getting references from a potential pet sitter & see how that person interacts with your dog, etc.

FYI our pet sitter rates are $10 per day per cat. The rate is higher since there is medicine involved, more work for her. I'm not really sure what she charges for non-medicine pets.

Also, a good pet sitter books up quickly. We have to book ours around 3 months out. If she's booked then we haul that cats 3 hours to my parents.

Good luck,
Connie

 

[stemikger]

I stayed, but my dog never did. My wife took my dog with her to the hotel and she left me in the kennel. I wasn't crazy about it because I wasn't walked and I was pretty much ignored. IF you think the rooms are small in Pop Century try those crates.

LOL.

 

[webray]

I agree..kennel the dog at home. Take the time to tour some of your local kennels to find one you really like, or start working with a pet sitter (best option).

The kennels at disney are small, small, small. This is one area disney could definately improve..why not make a great space for pets also.

 

[DisneyFans4]

I agree, please kennel your dog at a good place at home. I have a dog and cat who are staying near my home where they are not caged. They have runs and alot of college kids who are the staff to play with them. They are only caged at night for the purpose of sleeping. I feel so much better knowing they will be taken good care of and I can call at any time to see how they are doing. I have also heard that the kennels at disney are very small and they don't take care of the dog, that is your job. If your busy running around and doing the parks or having a meal, how can you enjoy yourself knowing you have to get back to the kennel to make sure your baby has enough food or water?? I myself just can't do it.
It is definitely something Disney should improve on. Your pets (which I don't know about everyone else but holds true for me) are family and they should be having just as much fun as we are right??

 

[disneyfreakk]

have you thought of staying at universal studios in a loews hotel?? ( i know i know, its not disney ) they let up to 2 pets in your room! plus you can pay someone to walk your dog.

or look for a resort for your dog/cat. sounds silly, but they actually have them. we cant take our 3 kids with us, so we are putting them up at one of these. they all 3 get to share a room with airconditioning, a tv and either a hot dog or dairy free ice cream each night. and they each get to go out 3 times a day for 15 min each time. also, our youngest is signed up for doggy daycare where she can go play with the other "guest" ( we are only doing this 6 times because this is an 8hr program ) the only catch is we are paying a little over $100 a night for this

but we think its worth it because last year we were only gone for 10 days and left the girls at a kennel. well my 18lb boston terrier lost almost 10lbs and had been dehydrated for the last 4 days of our trip. as a matter of fact, they didnt even notice how bad my kids looked and we had called everyday to check on them!! thank god i had just taken them to the photo studio the week before we left and could show them ( the kennel ) how bad they looked! ( they tried to tell me that my girls looked that way when they got there!! )

 

[DisneyFans4]

The place my babies are staying at is called a resort also. They advertise that they are only in their crates to sleep. They even have someone who sleeps there so they are cared for 24 hrs. a day. Even where the cat will be staying they have in that room all skylights, posts and a fish tank. Where the dogs are they said after a few visits they find out who they like and they have connecting crates so they will put them together if they like each other. If they really like each other the middle barrier comes up between the two crates so they can be together. Where the dogs play outside they are grouped by size.
It's the first time I'm using them since we just got our baby when we returned from our disney trip last August so I hope she does well.
I've heard that about the Loew's hotels and I think that is great.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.