Brigstock Boarding Kennels

10/11/2022

Friends of Brigstock Boarding Kennels, it is with some sadness that I must announce that after fourteen years custodianship of the site, that the Kennels will close at the end of November.

We have decided, as one of us reaches a significant Birthday in a few weeks’ time, to retire, before being retired by a higher power. My wife reminds me that it has been five years since our last holiday together and five years before that and believe it or not, ten years before that.

Ironically the Kennels has just had it's busiest year ever and we have enjoyed every minute with your furry friends, who are always pleased to see us but this intern has meant that we have had to commit more and more of our time to ensure the quality of service that we provide and would expect if we boarded our own dogs, as the provision of our service is a 24 hour job.

The dogs boarded have always been a pleasure and it has truly been my good fortune to meet them all, some of the humans that they bought with them have had to be tolerated, well mostly!!. But on the whole the vast majority of you have been a true pleasure, even if you have had more holidays than me!!

I am certain that it will not be too long before the Kennels opens again in some form but it is time to pass the mantle over to a younger team and to that end the property remains up for sale.

I distinctly remember boarding my then dog Max, at these kennels for the millennium celebrations in 2000 and the then owner telling me that the business was to be put up for sale as he was just running out of time, well we have come full circle and here we are again running out of time.

It has been a great honour and pleasure to be trusted with your loyal companions past and present and we thank you all.

Steve Drury.

02/08/2022

**Update- phonelines are fixed and working now**

We are currently experiencing an issue with our BT phone line. For any customers requiring a quick response please contact us though facebook messenger, our mobile or email address [email protected]

30/07/2022

We have a double kennel available between 31/07-04/-08 (before 10am collection). If any customers require a kennel for these dates please call 01536 373565 :-)

18/07/2022

Stay safe xx

18/07/2022

With the current heatwave we are encouraging owners to bring in cool coats/bandanas etc where possible to compliment the procedures we have in place to ensure dogs as comfortable as possible.

Our staff are starting earlier to ensure dogs are able to safely walk in the morning. We are constantly monitoring temperatures and adapting our routine to the dogs needs. They are therefore getting extra enrichment sessions with staff and where they are allowed we have created dog safe frozen treats (please excuse the messy freezer!)

Please be careful with giving frozen treats or ice cubes to dogs as ingesting them whole can actually cause their body temperature to rise as the body reacts to ingesting something cold.

Similarly hosing dogs down should be done carefully as using a hose pipe could lead to shock if the temperature change is too drastic. Cool coats or wet towels are fantastic as they pull heat from yours body as the water evaporates.

Drinking from swimming pools or the hose should be avoided as inhaling the water whilst drinking could potentially cause aspiration pneumonia where water enters the lungs.

Stay safe

18/07/2022

With the heatwave in full swing you may be tempted to give your dogs frozen yogurts, ice cream etc but please check the ingredients carefully for Xylitol. It is an artificial sweetener that is often added to foods that is extremely toxic to dogs.

18/07/2022

18/07/2022

We have a limited number of kennels available this week from 19/07 to 22/07. Please call the kennels on 01536 373565 if you require boarding or daycare

17/05/2022

It has come to our attention that a local villager may be spreading disinformation about our kennels and our refusal to have their dog back. Without going into too many details any customer who emotionally manipulates us into having their dog board with the threat of the their dog being put down if we don’t will not be welcome back when one of their dogs has subsequently died. This long standing customer is now upset as they are unable to get in at any other kennels. Please take hear say with a pinch of salt as there is always more to a story then the emotionally disgruntled 🙏 We will always put your dogs and our staff first

01/01/2022

A very happy new year 🥳🥳🥳 to all our customers. We hope it brings you all health, happiness and prosperity and plenty of boneos for your pooches.

After the last 18 months we took the decision to close over the Christmas period but we will be business as usual from tomorrow and we are excited to welcome you back.

Thank you for your continued support throughout the difficult Covid months we’ve all gone through. Hopefully things will continue to return to a sense of normality for us all and we look forward to seeing you and your pooches soon ❤️

26/12/2021

We’d like to wish all our customers a very merry Christmas. We are quite sure all your dogs have made the good list and should receive a visit from Santa-paws but if your dog is like mine, they’ve only made the well behaved good dog list by the tip of their tails 🤶🎄

08/10/2021

Have you thought about day boarding?

With the Furlough scheme now ended and many people returning back to work a lot of people are finding themselves with the predicament of what to do with their dog. There are several options: dog walkers, friends, popping home on breaks, day care, day boarding and so on. But there is also the added complication for a lot of dogs of what the covid effect. To go from having their families at home and constant company to less daily interaction is creating separation anxiety for many dogs, even those that pre-covid were used to their owners daily routines.

'The signs most commonly associated with this disorder include vocalising, salivation, destructive behaviour (especially at exits eg doors and windows), urination or defecation indoors/in unwanted locations, lack of appetite when alone, self-trauma like licking or chewing when alone, and attempted or successful escapes.

In severe cases, pets may even break through fences or windows, chew through walls or doors, and engage in other dangerous behaviour when they are feeling panic. Often, the signs of anxiety such as pacing, panting, jumping up on the owner or attention-seeking, avoiding confinement areas, or trying to escape begin when the owner first starts preparing to leave home (brushing teeth, picking up keys, lacing up shoes, etc.).

The good news is, there is a lot we can do to help prevent separation distress, and to treat it if it occurs.

How can I meet the needs of my pets?
Pets need their daily needs met in order to remain both physically and mentally healthy. Of course, proper nutrition, medical care, and grooming/husbandry are at the top of the list. Some other crucial daily needs of companion animals:

Protection from undue stress or fear
Physical exercise (cats, too!), including individual maximum speed at least once a day
Mental stimulation (including foraging, training using positive reinforcement by building the skills you want your pet to have a little every day, playing structured games, solving puzzles, social interaction, exploring novel environments)
Social interactions with family members
Time for calm rest/Alone time (unless this causes distress)

Developing a routine that includes a plan for meeting the needs of companion animals on a daily basis is so important. Routines build predictability which helps life to feel more stable and less uncertain. Stability reduces anxiety in people and in animals. It can be difficult to maintain routines such as daily walks, playtimes, rest times, work and mealtimes during the pandemic: both for people and for pets. The routine does not need to be strict, meaning the same activity at the same time every day, but it should be regular, allowing time for each activity each day. Maintaining a routine can help protect against separation distress once the family is spending more time away from home.

How can I tell if my pet is showing signs of stress?

Common body language signs of stress in dogs include: refusing treats, takes treats roughly when normally gentle, dilated pupils/wide eyes, furrowed brow, ears held down or to the side, pacing, panting when not hot, shaking off when not wet, licking lips in the absence of food, yawning when not tired, look/move away from stressors, tail held low or tucked, head held low, looking away or moving away, being overly solicitous, attention-seeking (jumping, pawing, licking), fidgety (cannot settle), moving slower than normal, tense muscles, trembling, and vocalisation.'

This is where we can meet your needs. We are offering day boarding places between 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday for £18 per day per dog. With this they will have either 3 lead walks a day or 2 lead walks and an off lead play session with toys in our enclosed exercise area. They will have enrichment sessions, treats and lots of fuss and cuddles.

All of our staff are highly trained and experienced in caring for dogs with separation issues. Our aim is for you to have a happy and hopefully tired dog by the end of the day so that when you get in from work you can enjoy some home cuddles. If you would like more information or would like to book your dog a place, please call 01536 373565.

01/08/2021

Good afternoon
At the moment we are seeing an increase in dogs not being fully vaccinated either owing to a booster restart or a dog not having had the kennel cough vaccination due to Covid. When the pandemic started the Canine Feline Sector Group issued guidance that at a kennels discretion dogs could be accepted up to 2 months past a vaccination expiry date as there is an overlap. As of March, the CFSG and Northamptonshire Council updated the Covid Protocol so that dogs’ vaccinations must be in date and valid for the length of their stay.

We are particularly experiencing issues with dogs not having had the kennel cough vaccination, and we are having to turn them away. This causes great upset to owners as you can imagine and of course does have a knock-on effect on our business. However, vets are offering customers advice that is incompatible with boarding kennels.

Common questions customers ask:
1.Why is there a 14-day period from my dog having the kennel cough vaccination and you being able to accept him, my vet says he will be fine after a couple of days?
2.Do you not have an isolation block you can put my dog in?
3.My vet says dogs haven’t been going into kennels during Covid so they aren’t administering it?
4.I asked for my dog to have everything at his booster why haven’t they given it?
5.My dogs have the KC vaccination at different times why can’t ‘Alfred’ come in when its only ‘Bruce’ that just had it?
6.Is it only in kennels dogs become infected?
7.How is it spread?
8.The vaccine doesn’t protect against all strains so why does he need it?
9. My dog has been imported on a passport so he has everything why can't he board?
10.My vet says its fine, why are you being difficult with your policy?
11.How can I check if ‘Bruce’ has had it?
12.Can I have my money back?

Kennel Cough is a highly contagious upper airway disease due to the disease being airborne by nature. As a kennels we cannot take a dog in knowing they have any contagious illness, kennels have a duty of care to all dogs in their care and must prevent the spread of infection. We cannot take your dog if it goes away and has the vaccination and then comes back. Our kennels requires 14 days from the date of the KC vaccination before admission.

Our Isolation block is solely for dogs that become unwell during their stay or have additional health needs that are risk assessed and that have been care planned to accommodate.

The KC infection is spread in airborne droplets (much like with flu in humans). Every time a dog coughs, barks, sneezes, or exhales these are produced. Contagious particles can remain in the environment on surfaces for 24 hours and can be transmitted by close contact with an infected dog, as well as exposed surfaces the droplets reach and peoples clothes, hands, hair if exposed.

KC is highly contagious and dogs in close proximity can quickly become infected once exposed. It is not unique to kennels and dogs can catch it in many different environments even if its contact during a walk with an infected dog.

The vaccination doesn’t protect against all strains of the kennel cough infection (much like the human flu vaccination) but the protection that is available is always better than none.

‘Vaccinated dogs can shed the Bordetella Bronchiseptica vaccine strain for 6 weeks and the canine parainfluenza vaccine strain for a few days after receiving the vaccination. Dogs may react to the vaccine strains with mild and temporary respiratory signs’.

We insist of 14 days as our guidance suggest between 5 to 7 days that dogs can shed the vaccination and are most contagious to other dogs. We require the 14 days in total to ensure that a dog does not shown symptoms of illness after the initial shedding process.

If you have 2 dogs but vaccinate them at different times against kennel cough, we cannot take either dog whilst one is going through the 14-day waiting period owing to the possibility of infection transmission between the dogs.

The KC vaccination is not considered a Core vaccination, it has to be asked for in addition to the annual booster and vets generally will not give it unless you specifically ask for it.

We have had multiple occurrences of owners of recued dogs from abroad being told their dog has a passport and is fully vaccinated. If there is no sticker for the KC vaccine we cannot accept them despite what you have been told by organisations. In these cases the dogs have never had the KC vaccination as it is not considered essential to travel between countries.

Vets are highly trained individuals but boarding kennels have guidance and licensing conditions that we have to adhere to that does differ from the advice that is given at times. Most vets do have a good understanding but at times when there is an issue at their end, we have experienced some vets attempting to shift the blame onto our policy.

If we have to turn your dog away due to vaccination issues any money paid is and will be non-refundable and non-transferrable.

We will ask if your dog is up to date with their vaccinations at the time of your booking and if you say ‘yes’ we have to take your word until you show us your vaccination card. If you say no we will advise you on the latest possible day for you to have the KC vaccine before boarding for any dates you request. If you are unsure you can opt to email us a photo of the vaccination card for us to check or you can call your vet to check vaccinations before boarding.

We do not want to turn dogs away but we have a duty of care to all dogs in our care. We don't want to upset customers or ruin plans but when it comes to vaccinations we have to have a firm policy. When we turn you away our business is affected either through loss of revenue or unhappy customers.

If ever there is a time when we as a kennels incorrectly accept a dog internal investigations are conducted and owners will be refunded their deposit on a stay if they are turned away but had previously been accepted.

28/07/2021

Diane Tomkins please be aware that defamatory libel, particularly making malicious falsehoods can be treated as a criminal offence under UK law!

Following our reply to Diane Tomkins review she has since deleted it, suggesting she has realised the seriousness of her behaviour.

I understand that customers may feel angry and frustrated at times and on occasions where we feel we could have done better we will hold our hands up BUT we will not tolerate malicious attacks.

Our reply to Diane Tomkins is below in full.

Shame on you Ms Tomkins, be careful what you say because not only are you lying you are spreading slander which is libelous and if you continue we will direct your comments to our solicitor for a response. For those of you that care to read our reviews you will see that on the whole they are extremely good unfortunately from time to time when customers like Ms Tomkins decide to change their plans at the eleventh hour and are refused their non returnable deposit the reviews go downhill quickly. It has been an incredibly tough 18 months for kennels who have had no income but to be able to achieve the service and commitment that we offer we expect customers on the whole to honour their word and not edge their bets. We try to accommodate dog lovers and give them the service they deserve but some dog owners continue to lie to meet their own ends. This is a kennels for dog lovers who love their dogs as much as we love their dogs. Ms Tomkins please feel free to use another provider.

20/07/2021

☀️ Good afternoon ☀️
We hope you are all enjoying the sunshine as much as we are!

For any customers that are boarding from now to August, if you could please bring in any cooling coats/vests, cooling bandanas and cool mats/toys with your dogs.

We are trying to keep all of our dogs as cool as possible but these extra things will help.

Thank you and see you all soon 🐾