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Dougaldogs... is a small in-home dog boarding facility on a 50 acre farm in the Northumberland Hills, less than 100 km east of Toronto.  The
farmhouse is a beautifully restored century home with a large addition
containing 4000 sq ft of indoor play area for the guests.  This area has a
fireplace, a grooming/bathing area, a lounge equipped with sofas & TV, 12
individual stalls for meal times and much more!  And directly outside is a
100% doggie-proofed 5000 sq ft play area.  Beyond that, 50 acres of long
grass through which to roam on our frequent walks.  We are officially licensed as a kennel ... but we don't like to use that "k" word....

 

We are neither a kennel nor a camp but a true home-boarding operation.

All dogs are screened before staying with us to ensure they are well-socialized and are not aggressive. We only accept dogs that have been neutered/spayed and we have a list of breed restrictions (see below). And we keep our numbers low: maximum twelve guests at any one time but usually between six and eight. We are officially licensed as a kennel by the municipal government…but we prefer to think of
ourselves as providing true luxury home-boarding to the discerning dog.

The farmhouse itself is over 5000 square feet (that’s including the indoor pool!) so there is lots of room for our guests. Dogs used to sleeping with their owners can sleep in the master bedroom or if used to sleeping alone, they can sleep in one of our dog rooms – either on one of the couches or in their own stall. These two big & bright dog rooms have slip-covered couches, satellite TV/stereo, big comfy dog beds (all with removable washable covers), stainless steel food bowls, fresh spring water … and lots of healthy treats of course (no rawhide unless requested)! Heavy duty sheet vinyl flooring keeps the floor clean, warm and dry…. No nasty cold concrete. And nothing to topple over and nothing to break. These rooms are constantly monitored with our wireless surveillance system (both audio and video) and the rooms are only steps away from the master bedroom so a human is always just seconds away.

There are twelve sleeping/feeding stalls (six per room) custom made of solid wood construction with picket-fence style gates (crates are available for those who use one at home). Some of our stalls easily convert to “double rooms” so dogs from the same household can slumber together. Each dog is served their morning and evening meal in one of the stalls – having their own space is critical as feeding time can definitely bring out the worst in even the best pups!. And some pups need a little more time to fully appreciate their food without interruptions. Lingering labs can be bothersome to say the least.
 



{ About the Owner }

 

 

 

 

Our property is 50 acres of beautiful rolling hills and open fields covered with long grass.
The entire property is fenced but our play area immediately behind the house is 100% doggie-proofed with a 6 foot vinyl coated chain link fence and a one foot apron of wire mesh buried underground to stop any of those diggers out there!  Not that anybody would want to leave….  We just like knowing they are completely secure.”
 
A typical day at dougaldogs starts at about 7 am with breakfast of course!  After that we go into the play area for a short romp and whatever else!!  After breakfast is digested we head out on the morning walk.  Dogs are off-leash unless otherwise advised so please let us know if your dog tends to wander.  Again, the farm perimeter is fenced but an experienced escape artist could probably find their way out.  Dogs are pack animals and generally like to stick together but a determined terrier or scent-hound could venture pretty far a field.
 
After that we head back to the farmhouse for a beverage and maybe a nap… perhaps a few games.  Maybe a little Frisbee, a little Chuck-it, some tug toys or just a good romp.

The afternoon walk is usually the same as the morning walk although sometimes shorter. It depends on how frisky the group is. Dinner is served fairly early – usually around 5 pm. We find with all the activity they get pretty hungry and impatient for their evening meal! Don’t worry if they usually eat later: they will be hungry! Then we go back outside to the play area until everyone has had ample time do their business after which we retire to the living room to settle down for the evening.  We might have a fire, watch a little TV or just relax.  We find the dogs are usually pretty tired after a big day on the farm so things are pretty quiet until bedtime.
 

 

 

 
We know that it’s pretty rough (ruff?) for your pup to be away from home so we do everything possible to minimize their anxiety .

So our aim at dougaldogs is to keep your pup happy and relaxed. We want our guests to feel that this is their home away from home. We insist that all our guests visit the farm and look around before their initial stay. And most importantly to meet Rachel & Dougal! For especially sensitive dogs it is best that the dog is brought to the farm by their owners for their first stay … they can use the shuttle for the return trip and for future visits.
 

 

 

 

 

* Unacceptable breeds as defined per our insurance people (i.e. not us!) are as follows: pit bulls, Akitas, Alaskan malamutes, Siberian huskies, German shepherds, dingos (?), Rottweilers, Dobermans, and Chow Chows. Sorry but we too were surprised at some of the breeds included on this list but we must abide by the rules to maintain our insurance.