Pet Sitters and Boarders

July 18, 2005 10:47 AM

Has anyone ever used the Petsmart PetsHotel? Alternatively, are there any Austinites out there who can personally recommend an Austin/Round Rock area petsitter or boarder for small dogs?

We unexpectedly have to board our very pampered shih tzu and chihuahua for about a week. Ideally, we'd like to leave the dogs with someone who cares for dogs in the home (theirs, not ours, as we only have an apartment, so housesitting is not an option). If we have to go with an actual boarding facility, it would have to be a more "indoor-oriented environment" (we'd like the dogs to be in a little "room" -- rather than in pens or cages). It's also important that the two dogs be kept together (they like to snuggle). There are plenty of people out there who view their dogs more as family members than as pets, so there must be facilities like this available. We'd especially love to find a place that caters to small dogs.

posted by roundrock to pets & animals (3 comments total)

I've had a friend board his dalmation at Canine Hilton before, and it seemed like a great facility. This was about 9 months ago. Your mileage may vary with regard to smaller dog suitability.
posted by TuffAustin at 11:55 AM on July 18, 2005

Our dog is definitely a part of our family, and we take him to Taurus Training on South Lamar (There's also a location further north.)

The dogs spend a lot of the day playing outside and are grouped according to size and personality. The people who work there really love the dogs.

They do keep the dogs in crates there when they're not outside playing, but if I remember correctly, dogs from the same family can stay together.

Taurus is not cheap, but I always feel comfortable leaving my dog there.
posted by sonnet at 2:08 PM on July 18, 2005

Our dog is a regular at the local Madison, WI PetSmart, both for grooming and lodging. They've got a "walkies" area out back for some daily outside time, but the majority of their time there is spent indoors. We've been very satisified with their rates and treatment of our little girl.
posted by thanotopsis at 3:07 PM on July 18, 2005