Happydog Homestay

About

I will care for your dog in my own home while you're away. Your dog will be loved just like one of the family :)

Story

The service I offer is looking after your dog in my own home. Your dog would need to be well behaved and used to being inside a home. It would also need to be fully housetrained, up to date with vaccinations, flea & worm treatment, socialised with all other dogs (big and small) and it needs to be cat proof!

There are no kennels here; this is a homestay service not a boarding kennel. The dogs live in our home and are loved just like our own dog Elmo. Elmo is an 8yr old Labrador/Golden Retriever who adores other dogs to play with, and we also have 3 cats.

As this is a private home, we try not to have more than 4 dogs staying here at any one time (this includes Elmo). That way all the dogs still get individual attention with playtime, cuddles etc. Your dog will be taken for a 45-60min walk every day, plus free running time to play on our 2.5 acre property (as long as it doesn’t have a tendency to run away). Our morning walk usually includes a beach swim for the water loving dogs, except of course during the winter months when its too cold. The dogs sleep inside at night, usually on the couch or in bed with the kids!

The cost for your dog to be cared for in a loving home environment is $25 per day. This is a flat rate for most breeds, sizes etc as all the dogs here get the same high standard of care & attention. They are not simply left in a kennel/run all day like in a boarding kennel; they live with us 24hrs per day and are played with, cuddled, taken for daily walks & outings etc. Boarding kennels charge less for smaller dogs simply because it costs less to feed them. The only exception here is for toy breeds ie. Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier etc. The cost for them is $20 per day as they are too tiny to be taken on a long 60 min walk - these breeds are taken for shorter walks instead. You need to supply your dog’s usual food, as a sudden change of diet usually results in an upset tummy.

I have a Diploma in Canine Behaviour through Massey University, and am a qualified Canine Behaviour Counsellor (Animal Care College in the UK). I'm happy to email copies of these qualifications upon request.I was a professional dog handler for 7 years in Auckland and at that time I also ran a private business doing in home consultations for behaviour problems (dogs).