I am looking at a luxury kennel in Yorkshire, called Top Dog kennels. Has anyone used them herd anything about them? Thanks

they have a website- http://www.topdog-kennels.co.uk/ never used them myself though

Hi,

I haven't heard of them but did just go on their website..it looks very good but before i would book i would want to see photo's and read testmonials from other users etc.

I am always on the lookout for very good/luxury boarding but never found one that i was completly happy with..but for about the same price you may want to consider boarding your animal within a family home which i prefer as the dog is getting one to one attention etc.

Annee

It's always a good idea to go and look round yourself - and check things like exercise routines and so on, how often the dogs are checked, etc, etc.  Appearances can be VERY deceptive.

Take the last kennels I worked at - I looked at their website the other day.  It looks lovely, all clean, the cats' pens are full of toys, the dogs get exercised twice a day.  Bedding is fine.

In reality - nothing is disinfected unless a dog has gone home; if the bedding gets wet it ends up taken away for the rest of the stay; it's too cold for a lot of the dogs, and no-one notices the cold ones shivering; the cat pens are mostly tiny and empty save for a bed, bowl and tray (the one with the toys is the 'penthouse' and the key word here is the 'one'); the 'exercise' is a 5 minute (max) walk on lead while the kennel is cleaned.  The dogs are checked twice a day during cleaning/walking and left in the hours inbetween; their first walk is 8 o clock and the last is around 7pm; but because there are two kennel blocks to walk, if the first dog goes out at 8 then its last walk is at about half past 3, and it won't go out again - at all - until 8 the next morning.

So always, always best to go and check for yourself, and ask questions.  On the face of it the above kennel is lovely - and my lot were booked into it - luckily I did a college assignment there and unbooked them.  Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole!

Likewise, another kennel looked and sounded lovely - spacious kennels certainly - but after 3 days away, I got back to find that the dogs weren't exercised at all!  Remy in his frustration legged it out the car to sniff around - in the front yard which was not fenced.

We have booked Murphy in for a couple nights. We are going to have a look at it and check it out extensively. Many thanks!

I'd be really interested to know what it's like.  We are visiting that area later this year and the friends we're seeing don't get on with dogs.  Something like that would be really helpful for the odd night if it's as good as it says!

The problem that I have with lots of kennels are the first and last toileting times.  I visited what at first appeared to be a really nice set up. till I got to the times of opening up and closing.  the first dog got taken to the free run area at eight and had about ten mins runaround. so by 'doing' each dog the last would poss not get out until about 10-30 ---11-00.  ( they do not let them into the runs attached to the kennel as the dogs would just toilet in them!!)  and the same with last pee's so a dog could maybe be shut up at 6.00 if it was the first for last pee's.  my girls would wet their knicker first before wetting in a kennel.  Needless to say I do not do kennels.  I would rather get someone in to stay with them in their own home.   

Check and double check.  I used a top notch (expensive) kennels for the first time and it all looked great and the dog was put in what looked like the VIP kennel.  Away I went with no worries thinking he'd have a great time.  However, we came home early and turned up at the kennels unexpectedly.  The dog was in a very cramped kennel/run (and he's small) and had been put in a pen with others (despite me saying on no account to mix) so he had been fighting as well.  He was downright miserable and had kennel cough to boot.  Things not always what they seem. 

CG

We're heading up this way at Easter and would love to know if anybody has checked this kennel out?  It seems to have changed website address to www.barley-cottage.com

Hi, i tried to access the web site for the kennels, but it's not working at the moment, so don't know where you are in Yorkshire. We use one called Snowlandia near York which is excellent.

www.snowlandia.co.uk/index.html

OOps, just seen the post that says the web address has changed and you are near York. Snowlandia hasn't got all the facilities like dog bone shaped swimming lake, doggy theme park and motorized rabbit, but it has a large paddock and the dogs love to go there. They are also fond of the staff too, which makes me feel better when I have to leave them there. It's more reasonably priced too which helps if you have more than one dog. I was recommended it by two of my friends, one has a Rottie and the other 2 Yorkies and a Dobe. I have Bichons so it's the sort of place where big and small dogs feel comfortable as they have different kennels for the smaller ones.
Are you near enough to look around them before you make up your mind?

Liz

Our friends are actually near Harrogate.  I may stop off there on the way up.  Thanks for the response.

Just google mapped this kennels and it does look very swish. Saw a pool, but not bone shaped.
I live near York and I use Stugdales kennels at Flaxton. I've always found them to be very good and accomodating with my 'girls'.
someone goes in at about 11pm to let them out for their 'last orders' and mornings start about 7am. They have big fenced in exercise paddocks where, as long as the dogs get on, they can go out a few at a time to have a play. One of the owners goes in with them as well to have a play with them. tuggy or throwing a ball etc. They will feed exactly what you want them to have and when.
My girls don't turn a hair about staying there.