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Pet Boarding
updated: Dec 06, 2010, 4:39 PM

Best pet (dog) boarding? Where do Edhatters take their pets to be boarded? Thanks!

Places People Are Talking About:

ABC Vet Hospital	Camp Canine	Critter Sitters
Dioji	Hughes Kennel	Pet Sitters of Santa Barbara
Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch	SB Humane Society	SB Pet Hospital
Village Veterinary Clinic	White's Pet Hospital

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 126141	2010-12-06 04:42 PM
I don't recommend boarding. Ever! I use Critter Sitters. They leave your pet in the home environment and take care of it. They will also do other things, if needed, like plant care.
COMMENT 126142	2010-12-06 04:43 PM
I'm not big on boarding either but Dioji is pretty accommodating to my spoiled two.
COMMENT 126147	2010-12-06 04:53 PM
Dioji has my vote, if you really need to board your dog.
COMMENT 126148	2010-12-06 04:54 PM
2x Critter Sitters! Your pets get to stay in the comfort of their own home and get all the loving attention they need. Kami is the best
COMMENT 126149	2010-12-06 04:59 PM
I use Dioji - They are the best. However, I wish I knew a good "critter-sitter." My dog is always too worked up after boarding, no matter how caring the place may be. If you have a good one, would you mind posting their info?
COMMENT 126152	2010-12-06 05:06 PM
Critter Sitters is the ideal solution, if you don't mind paying their mind-blowing fee (relative to boarding, that is). Dioji is good but much more expensive than other places.
COMMENT 126154P	2010-12-06 05:11 PM
Hands down, Dioji. Anything other type of boarding is hinging on cruel. Dioji is more expensive for a reason. They don't leave your dog unattended and they are in a no-kennel situation.
COMMENT 126159P	2010-12-06 05:39 PM
What about birds? My parrot is free to roam the house.....
COMMENT 126161	2010-12-06 05:45 PM
CritterSitters has my vote. Their service is not much more than boarding and fees depend on numbers of visits per day and other services like overnight house-sitting, etc. My dog I family and my home is my home-they're worth a few dollars extra.
COMMENT 126167	2010-12-06 06:35 PM
Dioji is The Best Ever! If you do not want to have someone in and out of your house than this is the place if you ask me.My German Shorthair Dasher has been Spoiled by the love of Dioji since they opened.Please consider that your beloved dog is gonna be cared 4 for 24hrs and that is extra assurance that your pooch will have a great time.All the other boarding may be less $$ but who wants Fido in a Cage!!! Check them out....They have my vote and have been amazing EVERY TIME!
COMMENT 126172	2010-12-06 06:47 PM
126141, the question was "Where do Edhatters take their pets to be boarded?" not "Do you approve of boarding?"
COMMENT 126174	2010-12-06 06:49 PM
We've always had a very good experience with the caring staff at the Santa Barbara Humane Society. Got our dog and cat there in the beginning, and are quite comfortable boarding both there when the rare need arises. Never heard of Dioji or Critter Sitters.... haven't really needed to look beyond the Humane Society.
SBJULES	2010-12-06 07:01 PM
Camp Canine.
STARGIRL	2010-12-06 07:11 PM
Dioji! They have a bedroom where a staff member sleeps in a bed, and all the dogs are welcome to snuggle up or pick a futon for themselves. Camp Canine and all the other boarding facilities crate the dogs at night.
COMMENT 126197	2010-12-06 08:46 PM
pet sitters of santa barbara
COMMENT 126207P	2010-12-06 09:45 PM
I like Hughes Kennel (for dogs). They are expensive but owners live there. Some people are concerned that you cannot go back to view the kennel area but my dog is excited when we pull into the driveway to drop them off so I figure they are well cared for. They will let your dog play with other dogs. My dog does not do well at the humane society since all he does in the exercise area is sit and look at the other dogs. I might try Doji though.
COMMENT 126236P	2010-12-07 07:28 AM
We've always used the Humane Society - we have a large dog and the staff has always been really good about letting him out in one of their large exercise yards (you have to reserve one in that part of the facility). If the exercise yard kennels are full, they rotate each dog in and out for about two hours, but when our dog was there, the kennel had few "guests" and he was outside for a long time in the morning and afternoon as were the other dogs. We had the dog there for an extended period after a family member was recovering from surgery and we were able to take him for a walk, go sit in an enclosed grassy area with him off the leash, and even bring him home for the day. Only $10/night (or something amazingly reasonble like that). We've also boarded our cat several times (ask for a "room with a view of the grassy area") and she goes in and out at will. $8/night. Can't beat it and they're really nice people there.
COMMENT 126267	2010-12-07 08:30 AM
I recently moved to Lompoc and have started using the Village Veterinary Clinic. The staff is lovely and knowing that my dog is already at the vet if something happens while I am away gives me peace of mind. They have very reasonable rates and offer a variety of options, including rooms with outdoor facing windows and webcams so you can check in on them. All of the exorbitant "pet hotels" and "pet day spas" in SB are a bit ridiculous . . .
COMMENT 126271P	2010-12-07 08:38 AM
My dog had a blast at Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch out by El Capitan Canyon. If your dog is social and likes lots of exercise this is a good option for you.
COMMENT 126275	2010-12-07 08:50 AM
Santa Barbara Humane Society is reasonable and takes both dogs and cats.
COMMENT 126278	2010-12-07 08:53 AM
172. . . There are plenty of folks who don't realize there is another choice to boarding. We all know what the question was. Some prefer to be humane to their beloved family members.
COMMENT 126302	2010-12-07 09:38 AM
I personally would never leave my dog in a situation like the Humane Society. I think you have to be careful particularly if you have a rescue dog who was in a shelter or a timid dog who doesn't do well with noise. The barking and constant stress the other dogs are in at the Humane Society is really not ideal for a dog to be placed into for any period of time. Even the most mellow, sturdy-seeming dog can be highly stressed by this kind of environment. Go to the kennel and look at the dogs there. They are pacing, biting their feet, jumping, wailing and doing all sorts of stress-incuded behavior. They may be reasonable, but I'd urge people to think about the environment and how it might affect your dog or cat first. If you can't afford a place where they can be in a stress free environment, maybe consider asking a trusted friend or relative to watch them at their home, or yours. I'd use the Humane Society as a last resort.
AQUAHOLIC	2010-12-07 10:19 AM
Thank you all for the great posts...I was the originator of the question. We rescued our dog from the Humane Society 3 mos. ago and I concur that it is not an ideal place to board, plus I felt it would be extra cruel to "send" him back, even if only temporary. I have used Dioji exclusively, but was curious if anyone had an alternative that didn't cost $75... BTW, that's more than I pay when I Priceline a hotel for the occasional weekend away! Okay...Dioji is still the winner...Thanks!
ABOMB	2010-12-07 10:35 AM
Dioji all the way!! For me the peace of mind that my dog is being cared for in the best way possible is worth the price. No crates, and the webcam so I can watch my pooch playing when I'm out of town! Last time my dog was there, they noticed he was sick (I'll spare you the details), and they went ahead and took him to our dog's vet for us while we were out of town and took care of all of his medication. They are great.
COMMENT 126349	2010-12-07 11:12 AM
Are you kidding me???? Dioji is $75 per night??? Or is that for 3 nights? If you can afford that, great. But for the rest of us, the Humane Society is a decent alternative (if the stay is not too long), and it only costs $12 per night. I have also boarded my dog a White's Pet Hospital (we used them as our vet), and the cost was low and they took good care of him. Believe me, your dog will be about as miserable at home alone as he or she is at any kennel. As long as the kennel is clean and the dog gets exercised at least once a day, you'd be a fool to waste that much money on top-of-the-line accomodations.
COMMENT 126352	2010-12-07 11:17 AM
I recently had to board my little French Bulldog and I have used SBPetHospital when she was ill and needed meds while I was away. She's a dog who suffers from a lot of separation anxiety, but always fared well. This time I tried Camp Canine and I must say that I was really impressed with the grounds there and the staff is all so nice and friendly. There are separate areas where the smaller and larger dogs can run around and play. The price was a little steep with new clients boarding at $70.00 per night, but I was quite pleased that they provided all food (holistic food) and as a bonus, my little one was bathed and smelling fresh and clean when I picked her up. I would use Camp Canine again.
AQUAHOLIC	2010-12-07 11:31 AM
$75 is for ONE night!...I know, it borders on insanity, and I am reluctant to tell ANYONE (except Edhatters) what I have paid to board my dog....even if it has been very infrequent. I agree that house sitting is not a good solution, esp. in our dogs case...his owners dumped him at the HS (where he stayed for THREE months!) after paying for the third surgery to remove rocks from his stomach. He ate them out of sheer boredom having been left alone in his own yard for 10 hours a day. He will get the Dioji treatment until I won't feel too guilty about taking him to a caged environment for boarding. I will look into some of the good suggestions posted here.
COMMENT 126360	2010-12-07 11:57 AM
I have had a petsitting business here for over 20 years. I'm not taking new overnight clients, so have no vested interest in posting this comment. I wanted to let you all know that the quality of pet sitters varies widely, and while there are some horror stories, there are also the loving, heartwarming ones. There is an "underground" of quality pet sitters who do not advertise, and have many years of experience. For $50./night, my pet clients/friends receive nearly all my time, massage, toys, daily outings and more, They become true friends. Not one person has ever come home to a stressed pet. The job is all about the pet's happiness , not about "fitting it into my schedule". And, no other people are invited to my client's home while I am there. All privacy is respected.
COMMENT 126369	2010-12-07 12:47 PM
Several years ago we tried White's and ABC for our large lab, but he would always end up with an injured tail because he would wag his tail constantly, hitting it against the crate - needless to say, this was not an ideal situation for him. I think one vet sedated him because of it and tried to charge us for it. After that we started using the Humane Society and felt that he was well cared for there. Luckily we don't have to worry about boarding too often! I don't think Dioji was around back when we were looking into the options.
COMMENT 126382	2010-12-07 01:23 PM
We need to put a stop to these high fees for quality care. Quality care needs to be provided at affordable prices - this is an absolute so that those with multiple dogs or without huge budgets can rest assured they are receiving top care in their absence. By supporting venues that provide excellent care but obviously only want the wealthy creates a situation in which pets may suffer with inferior (affordable) care. Many may choose to leave their pets home alone with no care at all. We should be looking for solutions such as sharing pet-sitting or quality care at reasonable fees. $75 is insanity! For two dogs that's $150 a night ... ask yourself if this is reasonable. The Humane Society serves a needed function to help with homeless dogs. Not suitable for boarding unless the animal can handle the stress. The choice should not be between a highly stressful venue or one which will break the bank.
COMMENT 126399	2010-12-07 02:38 PM
We love Camp Canine. It is a bit pricey too, but calmer environment for my little dog then Dioji. She is always happy to get there and is happily playing with the other dogs when I come to pick her up.
COMMENT 126402	2010-12-07 02:54 PM
126382 - You obviously have never boarded a dog at the Humane Shelter, nor seen their boarding facilities. Their boarding area is separate from the area for strays. I wouldn't call the amenities luxurious by any stretch of the imagination, but it is very neat and clean. And if you make reservations early enough you can reserve time for your dog in one of their large play areas for only $2 more per day. There is absolutely nothing bad about the Humane Shelter. I wouldn't board a dog there for more than a week, but then again, I probably wouldn't board a dog anywhere for that long.
SPARKEY	2010-12-07 09:18 PM
Very interesting how this forum changed. My rescue has stayed with her friends, at the Humane Society and at home while I've gone out of town. She is happiest at home. Because she has separation anxiety, staying in our home means to her that I will come home. She stayed at the Humane Society during the week that LaConchita was hit and she was miserable, damp and in desparate need of a bath. I was gone 6 days. When she stayed with her friends, they noticed that she got depressed. I will hire a pet sitter next time. Some of the commenters should understand that people who have pets got them knowing that they need to work them into their lives and when you want to take a vacation without your pet you have to pay a price. Suck it up and be responsible.
COMMENT 126737	2010-12-08 08:28 PM
Montecito Pet Hospital on the mesa.
COMMENT 242202	2011-12-19 02:26 PM
Critter Sitters & specifically Kami has been watching my dogs now since 2008. I had 3 large dogs, 2 rotties & a boxer. I lost my eldest Rottie the end of 2008. She continues to watch my other 2 dogs. She house/dog sits on a regular basis as I travel ofen on business. I always feel comfortable leaving the dogs & house behind. She insures the dogs are very comfy while I am away & the house is always in good order upon my return. She loves dogs & animals & my dogs love her. Don't know what I'd do without her. By far best value for the service.