DogBoy's Dog BlogDog boarding, training, daycare and wellness in the Austin area

As the holiday season approaches, Noodle and I have been talking about how grateful we are to have so many wonderful people and pups in our lives. We love seeing all of your warm smiles and wagging tails, and we want to think of ways to thank you for all you do to keep the DogBoy’s family alive and well. Noodle had an amazing idea, and I want to share it with you.

We want to invite you to become a special part of the DogBoy’s community - an elite group of dog-loving ambassadors who want to be a part of building the future of DogBoy’s services and products. You can be an integral part of growing DogBoy’s the way you want to see it grow. Do you ever walk into a restaurant or other local business and think to yourself, “This place would be so great if they asked me what I think and what I would do differently”? I know I do. Well I am here today to invite you to do just that.

We’re going to create a Facebook group of DogBoy’s Ambassadors, with only those of you who want to actively be a part of giving input about what you want for your dog. We want to be a part of providing that for you, so please, contact me and tell me you want to be an official DogBoy’s Ambassador.

We’re also going to have a special Holiday Open House this year to say thank you in person. Come celebrate the season with us on Friday, December 9th from 6-8 pm at the TWC. We will have yummy homemade appetizers and adult beverages, invite local vets and our wellness practitioners, and have wonderful door prizes to give away. This party is just for humans, but we will have presents for you to take home to your pups! Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

For our Christmas boarders, we will be celebrating the holidays again this year with our Second Annual Santa Paws! Purchase any retail item from DogBoy’s, and we’ll wrap it and open it with your dog on Christmas Eve. Last year we had so many presents under the tree! If you are boarding over the Christmas holiday and would like to participate in this fun event, just purchase a gift and leave it with the front desk. We’ll make sure it gets labeled and to your pup, and will hopefully get a good picture or two of the fun, which we will gladly share with you after the holiday.

For those of you who have been patiently waiting for our Private Dog Park, we are almost ready! We are in the process of ordering the signage and making the final arrangements. We hope to be open by the first of the year. We will have an official Dog Park Open House in February. Thank you so much for your patience!

Enjoy this beautiful weather, give that pup of yours a belly rub, and we hope to see you or hear from you soon!

With joy,

DogGirl

Howdy, Dog Lover!

We also care for many dogs that are more heat sensitive than others. Short-nosed dogs (aka Brachycephalic dogs) like boxers, bulldogs, pugs and puggles are watched especially closely. The roof of their mouth acts like a radiator in a car - short snouts equal an inefficient cooling system. Other dogs that overheat easily are the very large breeds, like our Pyrenees and mastiffs, as well as dogs on thyroid medications. Elderly dogs and those with heart conditions also have trouble with the heat as well as younger dogs. We keep an extra-close watch on these dogs when they’re here in summer months, and you will often see a well-behaved boarding dog spending time in the office when they need to be indoors more.

One of the things that makes DogBoy’s extra special is that the dogs we care for get to play outside in playgroups, hand-picked by staff who are trained in dog behavior. On an ideal day, that means they are outside for a full day’s play, whether they are here for daycare or boarding. But your dog’s safety is our top priority, which means on days when the temperature or heat index is close to 100 or hotter, they can’t play outside all day without overheating.

So what do we do?

Well, when it’s this hot outside, we have to change things up a bit. DogBoy’s kennels have always been designed to keep the cool in with reflective roofing and 4′ thick concrete slabs that hold on to the earth’s temperature. We also have air-conditioned kennels, so dogs have a comfortable place to cool down. To take advantage of the cooler times of day, the dogs get playtime in the morning. And we start early! We get the AC going in the kennels around 10 am, and when it starts to get hot around mid-day we bring the dogs inside for a rest and cool-down period. On days when we have lots of dogs on the property, we may also bring dogs into the office or to our beautiful and spacious Training and Wellness Center. After cooling off, we let the dogs out for potty breaks and shorter, supervised hikes. While on hikes, we turn on the sprinklers and hose dogs down to help cool them off. When boarding numbers are high, we limit day care, so everyone has dedicated space to cool down.

Our hard-working kennel staff makes sure that there is fresh, cool water in the buckets and kiddie pools, placed in the shade so your dogs can have a refreshing drink and cool themselves off with a splash if they want to. Our team refreshes these water sources again mid-day so that when the dogs come out after their rest break to play, they have plenty of clean cool water.

Thanks again for your questions, and keep ‘em coming. We want you to travel worry-free, and enjoy your time away from your dog, while at work or on the road, with confidence that we’re taking care of all the details. Enjoy these last few weeks of summer and we’ll see you again soon!

Stay cool,

DogGirl

P.S. For those of you who want to know more about our old friend Mr. Blue, the pawthor of True Blue Leadership, who will be visiting DogBoy’s for an official Book Signing and Pawtography Event Tuesday, September 27th, check out his video:

Hello Dog Lovers,

Each year, DogBoy & I go on a long vacation. We live on the property with DogBoy’s boarding kennel on one side, and the Training & Wellness center on the other, a view of the agility field out our kitchen window, and a view of one of the playgroups our our bathroom window. Employees are all around walking back and forth, and customers are (thankfully) coming in and out daily. Sometimes, being in the middle of it all leaves us feeling a little like we’re living in a bubble. Because we live, eat, work and raise our family all in the same place, when we need a vacation we have to really get away (far away or for a long time, or both) to accomplish that.

So far, we have not yet taken our dogs along for the ride. There is no room in the car for the big dogs (sorry guys), and taking little Noodle would make eating out difficult. Some of the national parks we went to this trip weren’t very dog friendly either. Not to mention our dogs get excellent care at DogBoy’s while we’re gone!

I’m sure Noodle, Rebel and Tessa are getting lots of exercise, belly rubs, and plenty of opportunities for playtime with other dogs. Getting to romp around on 15 acres is like dog heaven. Anytime they’re out of the house, their tails are wagging, and their tongues are hanging out from sheer bliss. They want all the other dogs to know the truth: they run this place. But at night, when they’re sleeping soundly in their air-conditioned runs, I think about them and wish they were curled up in my lap or at my feet.

I think next year, I might see if I can talk DogBoy into letting me bring Noodle along. After 15 years in the pet care industry, I’m almost embarrassed to say that I’ve never taken my pups on vacation with me. I’m curious to know if you’ve traveled with your dog, and what your experiences have been?

Happy Tails!
DogGirl

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Thanks to businessbroad.com for the image.

Noodle is feeling patriotic today!

Howdy, Y’all! Noodle Here.

My Mom and Dad are out celebrating the 4th of July without me this year, but I want you to know that that’s not necessarily a bad thing! I’m holding down the fort at the Ranch (all 10 lbs of me), making sure all the other dogs have company, and I’m busy keep away the intruders in the tall grass (All grass is tall to me).

My mom says that the 4th of July is a real reason to celebrate. Rumor has it, she’s visiting the home of a Navy pilot, who’s home for only a short visit near the end of a VERY long deployment. I love snuggling on my mom’s lap while she’s reading her friend’s military spouse blog, Witty Little Secret.

Sometimes she laughs (fun for me), and sometimes she cries (good for her), but she always leaves with a better understanding of what it’s like to truly sacrifice for the sake of our country.

Okay, back to me and my cuddly self. Did I mention I miss my mom? There is one more thing I need you to know before tonight. If your county doesn’t have a burn ban like Travis County does, and you actually get to go out and see fireworks tonight, do my four-legged friends a favor and DON’T bring them along. I know you love to take us lots of places, and most times that’s a good thing! But fireworks stress us out, so please keep us home indoors where it’s safe. Windows closed, shades drawn, and music up are all things that will improve the mood. If your pups have access to your back yard where the scary fireworks are, make sure their collars and tags are on, JUST IN CASE they feel the need to escape and go AWOL. If you have time, download this really cool CD called Through a Dog’s Ear, it’s music just for me that is especially made to calm us down. Here’s even more safety tips for dogs during fireworks.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July, dog friends, and come home soon, Mom!

Love, Noodle

Nicole Mlakar Photography, http://www.nicolemlakarphotography.com

Summer’s here, and it’s time to start being conscious of the heat. Not just in regards to ourselves, but also with our dogs. Most of us know when the heat’s getting to us, our children or our friends; do you know what to look for in your four-legged friends? Dogs do sweat, but unlike with people, it is not their primary means of cooling down. In fact, once the temperature or heat index reaches the upper-90s to low 100s, all dogs have a much more difficult time cooling down.

VetInfo.com has an excellent summary of the signs to look for, but here are the major symptoms:

1. Heavy panting and hyperventilation;
2. “Belling” of the tongue; if your dog is panting heavily, his tongue will flare out into a bell-like shape at the bottom;
3. Lethargy or confusion;
4. Staggering gate.

As the dog’s body temperature rises:

1. Gray or pale gums;
2. Shallow and/or labored breathing;
3. Vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

Some dogs are more at risk than others. Much like people, puppies and senior dogs are more prone to heat stress. Short-snouted breeds such as pugs or boxers also overheat very quickly, as do dogs on thyroid medications such as soloxine or thyroxine. Both of these factors make dogs less able to regulate their body temperature, especially when it comes to keeping cool. Finally, overweight dogs are at increased risk for heat exhaustion—one more incentive to make sure your dog maintains a proper weight.

Working at the front desk at DogBoy’s, one of the most common questions I get from clients and prospective clients is “What do you do with the dogs when it gets hot?” Typically, we turn on the air conditioning in the kennel buildings in the late morning, then bring the dogs in at mid-day for a few hours’ rest to cool off. Dogs who are particularly intolerant of the heat will spend much more time indoors, either in our kennel buildings or in the front office—where they’ll still get lots of people time and spoiling.

For the dogs that do get to spend more time outdoors, our hard-working kennel staff refreshes the water buckets and baby pools at noon so there’s lots of nice cold water to play in and drink. And as long as our pond has water that is safe to swim in, our best behaved and water-loving dogs will be able to have a dip as well during our pond hikes.

As always, we are happy to accommodate your dog’s special needs—heat-related or otherwise. And don’t forget: summer fills up fast, even on non-holiday weekends, so if you haven’t reserved a spot for your dog during your summer vacation, give us a call or email!

written by Jay Robison

photo by Nicole Mlakar Photography

Long time no see! This last month has been a whirlwind. Our Training & Wellness Center is complete, the Open House is next Saturday (10 - 2 - please join us!), we’re busy with new fencing, signage, phone lines, furniture, and my iPhone has officially turned into a Pachinko machine. Bing-ba-bing-bing-bing!

We have visited some wonderful local vets this month, letting them know all about what we’re up to, and how we can all work together to improve pet care in our community. First we met with Dr. Carolyn Love of Love Pet Hospital, who gave us lots of great info on how to find local acupuncture vets and chiropractors (and vets) who are trained in animal chiropractic care. We also enjoyed meeting her Office Manager, Robin, who had some great stories to share.

Next was a great heart to heart with our own vet, Dr. Todd Riggan of White Rock Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Todd was excited about all the training classes we’re teaching, and gave us the name of the chiropractor who treats his pet patients. We are looking forward to learning more about him hopefully getting him out to treat pups at DogBoy’s as well. We love White Rock Vet!

Soon after we were knocking on the door of Dr. Neans and his super friendly crew at Central Texas Animal Hospital. It was great hearing stories of how much Dr. Neans has seen Pflugerville grow over the years, and brainstorming about how we can work together to help the community continue to understand the importance of spaying & neutering their pets. Thanks to Dr. Sameer Modak & their Office Manager Michelle for meeting with us as well.

Dr. Gudipally over at Pflugerville Animal Hospital introduced us to his super friendly long haired chihuahua named Levi, and a sweet kitty who’s name escapes me. His business is growing, and he’s now treating pets in two locations. Way to go!

Today, with DogBoy out of town, I visited our last two (but no less important) vets. Dr. Watson at Tech Ridge Pet Hospital has such a kind heart, and his staff was so welcoming to me. They even let me sit behind the front desk like one of their own. Dr. Watson was interested to learn more about diet and its affect on behavior, and we look forward to talking more about that! See our Diet Sheet if you’re curious to know more.

Finally, I got the sheer pleasure to meet Dr. Sutton at Hometown Animal Care. We laughed about the ups and downs of the boarding industry and he told me all about the up and coming Round Rock location of the Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital. This second location (original is off Ben White, near Hwy 290 & 71) will be a specialty hospital by day and a top notch ER by night. We can’t wait for them to open! A big thanks to Cindy for giving me the grand tour.

We are so grateful to all our local vets, and can’t wait to work more closely with them in the coming year. What they all had in common was how open they were to our desire to bring alternative medicine to this area, and their sharing of the wonderful reputation we have built in this 15 years of business. Did I mention that? This is our 15th year!!! Woo Hoo! Get ready for a year of fun and lots of new adventures! Hope to see you at the Open House!

Maisy is thankful too!

This Thanksgiving, we had so much to be grateful for - a caring and oh-so-hard working staff, a new building that’s almost completed, and a kennel FULL of dogs ready to play and enjoy the weekend. We celebrated the holiday this year by offering a home-cooked thanksgiving dinner and I can’t wait to tell you about it.

As this was our first year to do this, we offered it as an option to Thanksgiving boarders. DogBoy’s boards a lot of dogs on special diets, so we didn’t want to assume that everyone would want to participate. Out of the almost 100 boarding dogs, we served 44 a Thanksgiving meal of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, peas & carrots, and a pumpkin cookie with yogurt frosting for dessert! Dinner was served on festive glass dishware, with a beautiful fall placemat. Sweet.

After all was said and done, we cooked 60 lbs of turkey, 30 lbs of potatoes, 18 cups of peas & carrots, and 44 Pumpkin Cookies with Yogurt Frosting (easy on the tummy!).

The pups were so eager to eat their special meal! Here are some fun stats from the dinner:

29 Dogs ate their turkey first

9 Dogs ate their potatoes first
6 Dogs went straight for dessert!

Ella wants seconds!

The little dogs were especially funny because their plates were as big as they were! Ella, pictured left, inhaled her cookie first, licked her plate clean and pushed it out for more! This special event was so much fun, and I want to send a big thanks to Jenny & Paula for doing the cooking. You ladies rock.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!