Dogs shopping at outlet stores on Black Friday 08
Dog training the importance of art and of the systematic proces

What is luxury pet dog boarding? Does a dog know when it has high status accommodations? I do a dog homestay bed and breakfast program for those who need or want to board their dog in a home environment. The homestay bed and breakfast program is where the dog lives in my home with me. I live in a modest house and it may not seem like luxury to humans, but to the pet it is probably better than staying in a fancy luxury suit. I feel that dogs are much more Epicurean than people.

Luxury dog boarding and Greek philosophy
Epicurus was a Greek philosopher who felt the purpose of philosophy was to attain a happy, tranquil life, characterized by the absence of pain and fear, and by living a life surrounded by friends. I think many of our dogs could be great philosophers and teach their human masters a thing or two. Epicurus’s ideal corresponds nicely with Maslow’s theory of hierarchical need fulfillment. After a certain optimal state is reached, excesses may actually be of no benefit for the dog. Making a dog feel pampered by providing fancy color coordinated rooms is probably more for the human’s needs than the dogs. A dog’s eye is made different than a human’s and they don’t see color nearly as well as we do. However, many of the excesses used by pet parents to pamper their dogs will satisfy our human desire for status display. Status is a valid and driving force in human behavior and serves an important social purpose. Dogs derive status in a different manner.

Important basic needs and dog boarding

Each dog is an individual and will have different needs. Most boarding dogs are fairly well off in canine terms. Actually American dogs often receive better care than many of the unfortunate people who live in developing counties. This means that most American dogs like their owners are quite well fed. So this is a need that we usually don’t need to worry about. Even a basic field kennel can meet a dog’s lower level needs. These include food, water, and shelter. There are certain luxuries that can be offered at this level. Common offerings include special food and treats, toys, private rooms for boarding, and indoor/outdoor dog runs, among others. Most of these indulgences probably do not matter too much, except that of temperature regulation. In general small dogs need to be provided warmth when it is cold and large dogs need a way to cold down when it is hot.

Food and water may need to be monitored in some dogs to prevent problems such as bloat. Bloat is where the stomach flips and nothing can get out. Bloat can kill a dog. Bloat is most often seen in big dogs that eat a lot before or after heavy exercise. This is even more likely when eating is accompanied with drinking large quantities of water.

The higher we move on the needs hierarchy the closer we move to a kind of balanced happiness. To be in a state of Epicurean happiness may be the ultimate luxury. At some point this balanced state of happiness will turn into actualization. The secret is to know how to separate what is needed to reach each successive stage with what is just decorative fluff. I am not saying beauty is of no use. Beauty does have a purpose in self actualization and in commerce. However we need the ability to discern where and when function trumps fancy. Actualization does not always come quickly, but our histories either move us closer to or father away from this higher state of beneficial comfort.

Dog boarding luxury = safety and security

The next level of needs is where we start getting into what I think of as real luxury. After food, water, and shelter the next need to fulfill is that of safety and security. Feeling safe and secure is different than being safe and secure. This is where each owner needs to know their own dog and themselves. Some dogs like the excitement of a noisy kennel and some do not. Some dogs feel safer if they are around other dogs all day and other like being home alone better.

Know your dog’s emotional disposition to fulfill its needs. Feeling emotionally comfortable is a significant luxury. This is what those in the pet industry provide in one form or another. It’s important for pet care givers to meet the security and safety needs for both four footed k9 customers as well as for the two footed ones who pay the bills. This creates a complex mix that needs to be sorted out by each human and for each individual dog. The decision requires weighing the perceived and real benefits of each offering. When I am leaving my own dogs the biggest factor in my decision is usually the staff of the pet care organization..

In home pet sitting, Luxury pet suites, and Doggy day care

In home pet sitting meets some of these needs by providing care in the dog’s familiar surroundings. Luxury pet suites provide isolated climate controlled rooms. Doggy day care when combined with boarding merges social interaction with other features. Private boarding such as my home stay programs combines many of these features restricted to just a very small number dogs. What one dog considers luxury another may feel as over taxing stress.

In home pet sitting visits

Probably the biggest advantage to having a pet sitter care for your dog is that the dog is in its home environment. Most animals feel most secure when in their home territories. A disadvantage is that even though the dog is cared for several times a day it is still alone most of the time. When routines change, the dog’s behavior may change too. When the dog is behaving differently than normal it’s helpful to have a human around to supervise and guide that behavior.

Crate training for you dogs wellbeing

Dogs are very adaptable creatures and have evolved to be quite happy in new locations. Not all dogs, but most. This is probably due to the individual dog’s early socialization. Pet owners can do their dogs a big favor by teaching them to like being in a dog crate. The crate then becomes a portable territory. If there is an emergency such as a flood (Katrina), or an Earthquake, or fire (Western United States, Australia), or a tornado, emergency responders will be able to house the dog and not traumatize it further. That is if it’s crate trained. Also your dog will feel more comfortable when staying in new locations. The crate can make even a sensitive dog more flexible in their ability to feel secure. Having a familiar place such as a crate can supplement a dog’s emotional handiness. By crate training your dog, you will be giving it the proper history to feel more secure and safe in the future.

Luxury dog boarding facilities

Luxury dog boarding facilities are interesting and a good choice for some dogs. Usually these dog boarding facilities are comprised of several suites or rooms. Often these rooms will have a theme. I consider the themed rooms more marketing than substance, but it will give you something to talk to your friends about. On the practical side, the rooms are isolated from other dog and usually climate controlled. Another advantage is that the pet, in theory, is monitored more closely than if they were in a regular dog kennel.

Standard indoor outdoor kennels are usually not considered luxury accommodation, but I did want to mention them as an option. I am probably just old fashioned, but I like well managed indoor outdoor kennels. If the noise and chaos is controlled and the dogs get enough personal attention, I believe this could qualify as a luxury experience. Personal attention may include fun low stress training, walks, and/or social play. The more of these social elements that are incorporated into the dogs day the higher on the luxury scale I would rate it.

Social needs the next level of luxury

Social needs or what Maslow called love and belonging and are the next area of dog boarding luxury that can be fulfilled. Some pet care solutions meet these needs better than others. Epicurean Luxury is all about good feelings and meeting needs. While feeling safe is essential for calm and peace of mind, feeling loved is one of the most luxurious feelings there is. Being with a friend or close acquaintance can boost confidence and increase the feeling of security. There are a whole host of good brain chemicals that go along with the acceptance and bonding of close friendship. It’s easy to see why both Epicurus and Maslow felt that close friendships are important for experiencing the luxury of happiness. Familiarity and acceptance are important parts of the bonding process. It seems reasonable that these two elements apply to both social encounters and environmental conditions.

Doggy day care + boarding

Doggy day care when combined with boarding is a great combination for friendly social dogs. If there is staff to oversee the many dogs and if at least some structure can be maintained during the dogs stay, this is a good choice. In this combination the dogs get a good deal of supervision along with social interaction. Many dog day care facilities have dog suites or use crates at night. I think either one of these is just fine. Unless the dog simply hates the crate. Often what an owner thinks is a real aversion to the crate is simple a minor protest. An analogy may be if a child refused to go to bed and wanted to sleep with the parents. If the child is always allowed to sleep in the parent’s bed would that mean the parents should give up on having the child sleep in a bed its own? Would the parents tell everyone “we don’t make our child go to bed because they don’t like the bed.”

A luxury dog boarding experience consists of meeting the dogs basic needs within a safe and secure environment that feels safe and secure, coupled with a fair amount of social interaction, especially with people. Low stress equals high comfort. Low stress plus the love of social bonding equals real luxury.

Many people want their dog’s stay away from home to not only be comfortable but educational as well. That is really what we specialize in. click the link to read more about our dog boarding and training homestay camp, the boarding kennel alternative.

Wishing you the best in dog training and in life
Andrew Ledford
Author of
Dog Training Best Friends Learning Together