New style boarding kennel:
European-style dog boarding in
San Diego and Orange County
AS the newest addition to San Diego’s pet boarding scene, Camp Country Canines & Cats uniquely offers a wholesome European style of boarding at its lovely manor estate. From June 2009 lucky San Diego area dogs and cats whose owners are traveling or who just want to give their pets a fun treat can enjoy the summer at Camp Country Canines & Cats’ lovely country manor.
Dogs happily frolic all day in the tranquil retreat's park-like grounds. They enjoy estate-wide sunrise and sunset romps on the tree-laden grassy hills, with separate huge yard day-play in their selected social groupings. Peacefully oblivious to the canine set, the cat guests thrive in the manor's safe, charming upstairs group playrooms with massive bird-watching windows, human furnishings and stairwells to fun third floor lofts.
The philosophy of this newly relocated 14-year-old business, says owner Donni Adams, is to “acknowledge that every individual fur kid guest is a treasured family member, and to give each the fun, security and comforts which we would want for our very special own!” Country Canines & Cats follows the European style of boarding which provides their guests with a wholesome, natural balance of exercise, socialization, rest and nutrition in a home-like environment.
1. Only friendly dogs and cats are accepted, and the dogs must be well-socialized. With dogs, clients are invited for a prior tour or to have Country Canines visit the home for a personal meeting. But Country Canines emphasizes that neither a tour with pooch or a home visit may be meaningful in assessing Fido’s temperament as, aside from obvious cases of aggression, it usually takes a few days for any dog to progress from the respectful “honeymoon stage” to “showing his true colors”. With cats, the same tour sans the cat and home visit options are offered, but most clients don’t know how to predict their cat’s behavior with others - but expect the worst. Owner Donni’s experience is that “when cats are out of their home territory and gently progressed with kindness into a new environment, their curiosity factor tends to win out and they learn that having other cat friends while away from home makes for great fun and play!”
2. Both dogs and cats are placed in small social groups. Social grouping is the central tenet of Camp Country Canines & Cats’ boarding style. In order to realize the benefits of social grouping, they say that it is important for the group size to be small. Country Canines & Cats creates playgroups of four to six dogs in play yards, and two to three cats in play rooms. This provides social and play opportunities without the dynamics of a larger group which can become quite stressful.
3. A compatible group type is selected for each individual dog and cat. The camp's boarding style is to establish group types based on size, energy level, play style and temperament. A few examples of their group types are seniors, youngsters, the smaller set and those who are shy. They share their main objective in making decisions regarding group selection as being finding two to three others which any guest will enjoy spending time with.
4. Lots of fun “Room-to-Zoom” and “Space-to-Race” for feline and canine alike. For dogs, the property’s entire acreage is opened for heavily supervised free romps at sunrise fresh out of bed and in the evenings before retiring, with the staff evidently enjoying the frolics as much as the dogs. The in-between day-play is with their social grouping in separate huge yards, each with massive oak and willow trees for shade, and fun inherent activities like the cool pool, straw mountain, rock boulders, and dogs’ logs. For recreation breaks, hammocks and doggie houses are scattered throughout each yard for the few who prefer comfort over the grassy ground.
5. There is plenty of human interaction for both dogs and cats in this home-like environment. All you have to do is meet the team and see the daily schedules for both dogs and cats to know that this is a special place which dotes on its guests with immense amounts of personal attention and affection. Unlike boarding facilities with quantity as a goal, this is a boutique operation which is intentionally kept small for that personal touch. Also, incorporating home-like elements into the boarding environment is an important feature. As the owner’s loved residence, this happens as a matter of course. The ambiance is one which the clients would appreciate at their own high end homes, with lovely landscaping, wind chimes, classical music and fresh mountain air. All is fresh and clean, with grounds maintenance and maid service non-stop each day.
6. The dogs are separated for eating and sleeping, the cats for eating if needed. While offering a social environment for dogs is essential to providing wholesome boarding, it is equally important to provide each dog with his/her own individual “den” during mealtimes and at night for sleeping. Like their cousins in the wild who are den animals, having their own cozy den gives dogs great security. Feeding the dogs in their den ensures their comfort and privacy during mealtimes. And after a day filled with lots of stimulating activity, even dogs who have not been “crate-trained” quickly crave the security of a den-like space for sleeping. Unlike their cousins in the wild, these pampered pooches are tucked in on bedding of thick foam mattresses and soft covers with a night biscuit comfortably inside the “Canine Casita” indoor housing.
7. There is an active, structured daily routine. Dogs and cats feel most secure when their day is active but has a familiar routine. By the second or third day of their stay, both canines and felines who are new are already anticipating the next activity, be it cat lap time with feather toys, dog ball and kong games, or mealtimes for all. For all fur kids, each new day starts at sunrise with a startling bird chorus and anticipation of the day’s new adventures to come.
Camp Country Canines & Cats is located in the mountains of North San Diego County near Escondido: http://www.campcountrycanines.com. As their upscale clients lead very busy lives, they provide convenient door-to-door transport from San Diego and La Jolla to Oceanside and Carlsbad. Clients receive souvenir camp photos along with their content pets on their return, and are emailed photos of their “fur kids” while away.
