Dogs Need Vacations, Too
A few months ago, we found out that the Memphis Moms Blog sister site conference was to be in Orlando, Florida at the amazing Walt Disney World resorts. Immediately we started planning how we could turn this into an entire family vacation. Y’all. Disney is expensive and if you go, you really need to do it right. So we decided on being away for five nights. Then it dawned on my husband and I that it’s going to be difficult to find someone to watch our dogs for that long. We have amazing neighbors and sometimes we can bribe the occasional college student, but honestly, it’s a lot of work to take care of two large dogs.
Then it dawned on me. Pets need vacations, too.
But, I was still a little apprehensive. We’ve never kenneled Hidalgo (shepherd mix) or Stella (black lab). And it wasn’t the cost, so much as it was that I just didn’t know how they’d react to being dropped off somewhere. But then again, the last time we went away, Stella destroyed our window sill. So…. back to the drawing board on what to do with them for five nights.
Then, I heard about PetSuites. Immediately I felt like this would be a place my “fur babies” would enjoy. When I called to book them, the person on the other line was super sweet, answering all one hundred thousand ( probably ridiculous) questions I had about boarding. I learned that I needed to take them to the vet to have their shots updated and to receive a special boarding vaccination, but other than that, they were ready to go on their own vacation!
Conveniently located off of 385, Pet Suites is a building set off the street with a large, easily accessible parking lot. When you enter the facility, you’ll find a check-in desk and a lobby full of amazing pet products for purchase. (The t-shirts are SO CUTE!)
My husband’s task was dropping off the dogs at PetSuites. When he arrived, they carefully checked to make sure the dogs’ registration and records were correct. Ended up, there was a little snafu with the dogs’ shot records. After he was able to obtain the correct paperwork, they were welcomed into the back area and led to their kennel. (Side note: while it was a slight pain to retrieve the paperwork that day, it was actually wonderful to see that the workers were on top of it and noticed the incorrect dates. Pet safety is the number one concern!)
Hidalgo and Stella had a blast! Every dog undergoes a compatibility test to see if they qualify for group playtime. (Don’t worry! Dogs that don’t still get private play!) The outdoor area has multiple fenced in “playgrounds” and agility structures. The one that Stella loved the most had a bone shaped pool for her to splash in! On rainy days, they spent time in an indoor play room.
Every day we were away, Pet Suites texted a picture of the dogs with a clever message about their stay. The kids really looked forward to the daily messages and even responded back! The above and beyond service to our family was very impressive.
On top of long-term boarding, PetSuites also offers grooming services and doggy day care (daily drop off and pick up). If you forget to provide food, they’ll gladly provide it at an additional cost.
After returning from our trip of a lifetime, it was wonderful to pick up two happy dogs! (And to return to a house that was not chewed up by a teething puppy!) If you would like to also experience this level of happy, here’s a code for $35 off your first service (boarding, daycare, grooming — not valid on retail items). New Customers Only. All you have to do is type the code “SOCIAL35” in the additional information section when filling out the registration form online: https://collierville.
Oh, forgot to mention — they take cats too!
