Boarding kennel- cage free or not?

[AbbyK9]

I know that my dog would not enjoy a "cage free" boarding facility where all dogs are allowed to run and play with one another, so if I had to board, I would say a place that has kennels and runs would be best for her. I would never have a stranger come and sit her in my home due to the fact that we have firearms among other valuables and I just don't trust strangers in my house unsupervised to begin with.

Ideally, I would have a friend come over and watch her, or leave her at a friend's house. My friend Jess used to take her while we were gone a few times and she loved playing with Jess's dog Max, he's her favorite dog friend. Unfortunately, they have now moved.

I wouldn't hesitate leaving her with Mrs.K as she gets along very well with her newest bitch, Nala, and her boys. However, she doesn't always appreciate Indra's style of play, so Mrs.K probably really would have her hands full watching her.

[Stosh]

I take Stosh to a place that sounds a lot like yours. A friend that shows Dobermans got into boarding kind of by accident- she has a great set up with the individual in/out kennels and a huge fenced common area. She started boarding for friends, friends of friends. She and her husband are retired and someone is always home with the dogs. She lets the dogs out 5-6 times a day by themselves so they can potty in private in case they won't go in the kennel, and she'll let a couple play together 2-3 times a day. Her husband really likes Stosh and he lets him follow him around while he's puttering in the yard and doing the chores. Stosh is very happy and comfortable there- I'm not sure he would do well in a cage free setting because he's a rather exuberant player and sometimes intimidates other dogs with all the bouncing and barking. I think it's a perfect situation for him- he has some interaction with others but has his own space too

[ozzymama]

Usually board in home - someone comes here, but I prefer the kennel idea. Mine don't need friends Dolly will be boarded that way this weekend while dh and I are away.

[BlackGSD]

I voted kennel. My dogs don't need nor want to play with strange dogs. I don't want them to view strange dogs as playmates.

[Freestep]

Right now, with Vinca being a social puppy, I opt for cage-free boarding. The gal that runs the doggie daycare is a behaviorist, so I trust her to make good decisions about when and who my dog plays with. She's also a client, so while the cage-free boarding is pretty expensive at $50/night, we do trade so it works out. If I didn't have the trade going I don't know if I'd be able to afford it! I don't have a problem boarding at a kennel-run type facility either. I board my older girl at a kennel facility, even though she gets along with other dogs, at this stage of her life she doesn't want to play with punky puppies all day long--she gets enough of that at home!

I do boarding for select grooming clients. My grooming shop is on the same property as my home, so I can be flexible--I have kennel runs, an outdoor play area, and my house. Only certain of my client dogs are allowed to stay in my home with my other dogs and cats. Most of them get use of an outdoor kennel, with playtime out in the exercise yard, and they come inside the shop at night. If I have more than one dog boarding at a time, they get the "playcare" option if they are dog-social. But I'm a bit on the paranoid side, so I tend to err on the side of caution when making decisions about letting dogs run together.

[GSDBESTK9]

In my home care.