Anyone Used Cageless Boarding Or Would You?
 

I ran across a cage free boarding facility that has been open for a while,but I never took the time to stop by. I had a few minutes and decided to go on a tour. The place was very clean and the staff were friendly (maybe a little over the top). I personally would never use a facility like this,but wanted to know if anyone has.

I asked them how they determine which dogs are permitted to board with them and they said that they only the dogs with their Golden Retriever that comes to work with them. If the dog can't get along with her,then they can't board. They had about 40 dogs there for boarding and daycare,but said that they can have up to 100 during the holidays. I asked them if they ever had a fight,and they claimed that they have never even had a scuffle before. They had a 5 acre fenced exercise yard that all of the dogs were turned out together in.

I was just curious as to whether or not anyone has boarded their dogs at a place like this before or would you consider it?

Cageless boarding really can have different definitions. I found out one place that called itself careless boarding, they just had "runs" (larger individual kennels really) rather than "cages" where the dogs stayed, some places mean the dogs do "daycare" during the day and then are in kennels at night, and other places actually mean the dogs are always free. So it can vary quite a lot as far as what they mean by cageless.
As far as whether I would do it, that would depend on what they meant by cageless, I'd also have to see the facility itself to see what I thought, how many people they have watching the dogs, how many dogs they have and how they decide what dogs can be together, and it would depend in a big part on my dog's personality and temperament.
As far as the place you described, I wouldn't go to a place that had that many dogs loose together.
In general I'd much rather hire a pet sitter instead of boarding my dog. Maybe if I had a dog who already went to a dog daycare regularly, had the right type of temperament where they loved going to daycare, and I already knew the place. Since I already have a good petsitter who is also a vet tech, I go with her over boarding.

I used to take my Australian Shepherd to a facility that was similar to what you described except that it was much smaller. Buzz ran free most of the day in a 1 acre fenced in yard. At night the dogs slept on couches in stalls in the barn. The dogs chose their own couch and stall and the owner sent me pictures of a happy Buzz laying on a couch with a newly made buddy. Honestly it worked out fine. I was really skeptical but Buzz spent two weeks at a time every summer and many smaller visits during the year and never came home injured. I only did it because it was the same price as a regular kennel and as long as Buzz was relatively happy there it seemed like a good place for him.

I would never be comfortable leaving one of my dogs in such a place. There are too many variables (other dogs) that I cannot control and that the staff may not reasonably be able to control. I wouldn't use a dog park to let my dog play with strange dogs while I was there and I wouldn't use a cageless boarding facility to let my dog play with strange dogs while I wasn't there.

Angelas I actually agree with you and no longer use this facility. I think I was pretty naive when I did use it. Still I must admit that I used the facility many times and am amazed to say that I never had any problems. But my Aussie has an extremely laid back and non-reactive personality. He is much more likely to walk away from trouble than to get involved. He doesn't seem at all scared of other dogs, just prefers to avoid conflict. I would imagine that his personality played a large part in his success in such a facility.

I wouldn't want my dogs in that scenario at all. I don't have to worry about it, because I have never and will never board them. If they can't go with me, then I just don't go. I don't do it because I don't trust anyone with my dogs:(

It is ironic to read this thread because I just had my dog evaluated for a cage free dog daycare today. Prior to this my dog has always attended a daycare with individual kennels. Friendly dogs are let out into the yard to play several times a day and then put back into their kennels. The cage free place appealed to me because I liked the idea of my dog being able to play all day. Part of me had grown frustrated with the fact that I was paying someone to leave my dog sitting in a kennel for some of the day. But then I visited the cage free facility and my thoughts changed.

For one, the guy managing the place seemed like someone who liked to party...a lot. He didn't seem professional at all to me, and he definitely wasn't someone I'd want to leave my dog with. He got a call while I was filling out paperwork in his office. He walked out and casually swung the door shut behind him. The swinging door hit my dog in the head. It didn't hit her hard, but it did cause me some concern.

The evaluation consisted of my dog meeting a bunch of the other daycare dogs. One dog was introduced to her, then another and another. The staff observed my dog's reaction to the other dogs. I peeked in the room my dog came out of when I picked her up. The room was now overcrowded with dogs and some of them looked scared. Only two dogs looked like they were truly having a good time.

My dog did ok during the evaluation, but they said they wanted to evaluate her again. I asked why and was told it was because a 5 month old puppy had growled at my dog. They thought it was possibly my dog's fault, even though they could not explain any behavior my dog was doing to warrant an angry response from another dog. I honestly just think they might have been wary of my dog because sometimes she looks mean but she really is a complete sweetheart and loves to play with other dogs.

The fact that the daycare used other people's dogs to evaluate my dog concerned me too. I would not want my dog being put in with unknown dogs to see how they react to her. What if one attacked her? This and the fact that the parking lot was busy and one truck squealed its tires while it went through made me decide not to go with this daycare. Plus, I could see that many of the dogs were stressed. I realized my dog is actually lucky to be able to play some of the day and then go into a private kennel to have a little break and get some rest. After my visit today, I am no longer a fan of cage free doggie daycare.

When I had to board previous shepherds, I specifically looked for a place with indoor/outdoor runs. I didn't want my dogs interacting with other dogs or the staff. I put them in, I took them out. I asked them to lock them outside when doing food/water changes. I just don't want my dogs messed with by others. It was also for their own safety with my bitch. It would take an act of congress to make me board Grim. I have a camper, and I have a spouse. No reason to board him. If he can't come, I'm not going. Period.

I think the cage-less places are a disaster waiting to happen. I don't believe anyone telling me with that amount of dogs that they've never had a scuffle. Honesty is number one to me, so that would have blown it all right there.

This. My dog and my mother's dog live together 24/7 and even I can't say there has never been a scuffle. Nevermind in a pack of dogs that DON'T live together.

Anyone Used Cageless Boarding Or Would You?
 

I love Avery's cageless boarding place it's a play all day and choose your bed inside kind of place. I think no matter if they are let out to play with other dogs for a few hours and returned to their kennels there is still the chance that a scuffle could occur. I want to open a cageless kennel when my husband retires from the military.


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