Tipping Question

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

We are going to California the end of May. We will have to board our 2 dogs for 12 nights. It is a doggy daycare type business where they are free to hang out in the playroom with the other daycare dogs all night and then sleep in the large crates at night. It is a nice place and as good as I can find for the length of time. It isn't cheap, we'll be paying about $750. Am I supposed to tip on top of that? Do you tip boarding kennel places? TIA!

 

[Neesy228]

We used to board our dogs at a place like this and we never tipped. It didnt even occur to me since it was so expensive already!

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

We used to board our dogs at a place like this and we never tipped. It didnt even occur to me since it was so expensive already!

Well, that is what I was thinking but I am constantly learning of new places I am supposed to tip so I just don't know anymore! I don't want to stiff anyone but I do feel that I am paying plenty in the boarding fee.

 

[AmyAnne]

Wow. That's a lot of money for boarding - just curious, have you thought about leaving the pets at home and having someone come in to feed them?

I don't think I would tip either, but we just pay a neighbor to come in and feed the pets, $20 a day.

 

[tasha99]

I had never even considered tipping at kennels. Glad to hear it's not expected since we are moving in June and have booked 15 days in a kitty condo style kennel (cats must be cheaper--it'll be about $400 for them to share a condo).

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We board our dogs every few months and tipping has never occurred to me, so no, I don't tip. I do tip the groomer at the kennel when I have her groom our dogs during their stay.

 

[ssawka]

Nope, never tip @ the kennel. Here's why:

1) We take our dog to a mom & pop shop. Generally, I won't tip someone who sets their own prices.

2) At that price, considering the facility probably has low costs, you would expect the proprietor to pay their employees a decent salary. In a restaurant the profit margin is often low, so providing a tip to the wait staff is understandable, although I still think the restaurants should still be required to pay minimum wages. But, that's a debate for another time.

 

[edk35]

We too spend a fortune boarding two dogs each time we travel. Our place is very nice, but it is expensive for a week to 10 day trip. We always have to figure in that cost too in our vacation budget. We pay 27 bucks a day but 29 during the summer and major holidays. They do give us a 25% discount on one dog because we board them in the same run. IT is an indoor/outdoor HUGE run. Now on top of that....we pay for SOCIAL play where they go outside into the play yards with the doggy daycare dogs for an hour each day. (We have been told that they do let them stay out much longer than that though) That is an additional 8 bucks per dog per day. THEN add on their baths at end. NO WE DO NOT TIP!! LOL If they board for 10 days or more they give us 1/2 off of their baths. We also get a 10% military discount off the boarding. Which is nice...but it does add up.

 

[ssawka]

We too spend a fortune boarding two dogs each time we travel. Our place is very nice, but it is expensive for a week to 10 day trip. We always have to figure in that cost too in our vacation budget. We pay 27 bucks a day but 29 during the summer and major holidays. They do give us a 25% discount on one dog because we board them in the same run. IT is an indoor/outdoor HUGE run. Now on top of that....we pay for SOCIAL play where they go outside into the play yards with the doggy daycare dogs for an hour each day. (We have been told that they do let them stay out much longer than that though) That is an additional 8 bucks per dog per day. THEN add on their baths at end. NO WE DO NOT TIP!! LOL If they board for 10 days or more they give us 1/2 off of their baths. We also get a 10% military discount off the boarding. Which is nice...but it does add up.

The price for boarding isn't bad, I think it is the norm. I think the kennel we use charges about the same. They do include the bath for free for stays over 5 days.

We usually pay for the extra play time for about half the days. The extra play time charge always makes me a bit nervous, because you have no idea whether or not it is occurring and the pet won't be able to tell you. At the kennel we use, the play time is individualized. They still get "group play" every day.

 

[edk35]

The price for boarding isn't bad, I think it is the norm. I think the kennel we use charges about the same. They do include the bath for free for stays over 5 days.

We usually pay for the extra play time for about half the days. The extra play time charge always makes me a bit nervous, because you have no idea whether or not it is occurring and the pet won't be able to tell you. At the kennel we use, the play time is individualized. They still get "group play" every day.

I wish ours including group play. They have other options too.....there are different activity plans. This last trip in March....we got a coupon in the mail for the 16 bucks a day activity package. It included a morning walk, evening walk, social play and a munchie chew stick at night. The coupon was good for two dogs and was 1/2 off...so the same as paying 1 hour of social play. We used that for their last day before we picked them up the next day. I am sure they felt like royal canines!! Yes we do HOPE they are getting the extras we actually pay for. Oldest dog has been going since she was 6 months and she is now almost 12. They do have cameras that you can go online and see things happening. We are never near a computer on vacation to do that though. We sometimes let them get the social play every day but drop off and pick up day and then sometimes we do every other day. I just always feel guilty if they don't get it most days.

Our place: www.happytailspetresort.com

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Good to know that tipping isn't usual! Whew!

I know the place we are using is pricey but my dogs aren't used to being kenneled and I work from home so they aren't even used to being left alone much. I am willing to pay the extra expense for a little more peace of mind.

I really like this place because they are out of the kennels from 6 AM-7 PM in the play area. There was no extra charge for this, it is just how they board. I did a drop in visit and got a full tour of the facility from the owner in the middle of the afternoon and there was not one dog in the kenneled area so I feel confident that they will be out. The kennels were really large too and we get 2 that open in the middle so the dogs can cuddle up together at night which I know they will find comforting.

I did take the dogs in for a furminator treatment at the grooming salon within the facility a couple weeks ago. I dropped them off and they put them in the play area for a few hours and them pulled them back to be groomed (no extra charge). I talked with the owner after about how they did. She said my older golden (5) was more interested in hanging with the people but seemed fine. My younger golden (8 months) was the life of the playtime party! She felt they would both settle in well and didn't forsee any issues.

I hope it goes well. I am a little nervous. Usually my dogs stay with my parents while we vacation but my parents 16 year old dog is not doing the best health-wise. She's a little 20 lb ****zu-poodle mix and my parents worry that having the 2 big, younger dogs around for 12 days would be too much for her which I totally understand.

 

[teCh0010]

I board mine at a dog daycare (Camp BowWow). I pay $32 per night by buying 10 night blocks, or it would be $36 straight up. Most of the day is free play in an in/out run with other dogs the same size.

I've never thought about tipping, and I don't see anyone else either.

 

[ssawka]

Good to know that tipping isn't usual! Whew!

I know the place we are using is pricey but my dogs aren't used to being kenneled and I work from home so they aren't even used to being left alone much. I am willing to pay the extra expense for a little more peace of mind.

I really like this place because they are out of the kennels from 6 AM-7 PM in the play area. There was no extra charge for this, it is just how they board. I did a drop in visit and got a full tour of the facility from the owner in the middle of the afternoon and there was not one dog in the kenneled area so I feel confident that they will be out. The kennels were really large too and we get 2 that open in the middle so the dogs can cuddle up together at night which I know they will find comforting.

I did take the dogs in for a furminator treatment at the grooming salon within the facility a couple weeks ago. I dropped them off and they put them in the play area for a few hours and them pulled them back to be groomed (no extra charge). I talked with the owner after about how they did. She said my older golden (5) was more interested in hanging with the people but seemed fine. My younger golden (8 months) was the life of the playtime party! She felt they would both settle in well and didn't forsee any issues.

I hope it goes well. I am a little nervous. Usually my dogs stay with my parents while we vacation but my parents 16 year old dog is not doing the best health-wise. She's a little 20 lb ****zu-poodle mix and my parents worry that having the 2 big, younger dogs around for 12 days would be too much for her which I totally understand.

Nevermind