We took our dog to a kennel a few times, in the first year of her adoption. However, after we saw how Cleo spent her time, via the webcams, and how long it took for her to settle back in once she was home again - we began creating Team Cleo. This is a group of our empty nester friends, who are happy to have Cleo come stay over. They know her, and she not only knows them, but she also knows their home and its routine.
We're fortunate to have these households available. With the launch of Dog Vacay, if you can find households in your own town.
via mashable.com
Traveling Dog Owner? Meet the Airbnb for Dogs
Leaving your dog at a kennel can be heartbreaking, and asking a friend to dog-sit can feel intrusive. So what is a traveling dog owner to do?
A new site called Dog Vacay hopes you’ll instead find a local home for your dog while you’re away. On Thursday, it’s launching Airbnb-type listings for dog boarders.
The startup allows anyone who wants to host dogs in his or her home to apply for a listing on the site. Homeowners set their own price, choose their own schedules and can specify what types of dogs they’re willing to host. Dog owners can book nights directly through the site, which takes a 5% to 10% fee depending on the frequency of the host’s transactions.
Like Airbnb, Dog Vacay does some legwork to make sure everyone in the transaction feels comfortable. Hosts can verify their addresses and phone numbers, add certifications like “Dog CPR” (yep, that exists), or be interviewed over the phone or in-person by the startup to receive a badge on their profiles. All parties can use Facebook Connect to see mutual friends. Dog Vacay insures dogs (but not yet homes) up to $25,000 for emergencies, and dog owners can request periodic photo updates during their dog’s stay. [...]
What an interesting idea!
Posted by: Pup Fan | March 04, 2012 at 10:02 AM
I agree AJ. I thought this was a great idea when you don't know people but want a "welcoming and friendly home"
Posted by: Sharon | March 05, 2012 at 06:12 PM
I've made arrangements like that with a few people I've met at the dog park, after I got to know them a little. I'm very happy with it, if necessary my dog can spend some time staying over in the house of one of his doggie friends. And vice versa, we welcome some of my dog's doggie friends to stay with us, regularly.
Posted by: karen @ collars for dogs | March 09, 2012 at 11:59 AM