Where can I board a senior dog near Barrie?
By Ellen Raven · Published
Lake Country Pets boards senior dogs in Ellen and Ralph's home in Oro-Medonte, about 20 minutes from Barrie. Older dogs get a quiet house, a soft bed, extra toilet breaks and medication on their vet's schedule. There are only a few dogs at a time, and boarding is $55 a night.
Why a home suits an older dog
Change is harder on a senior dog than on a young one. A kennel run means hard floors, barking all day and staff who change with every shift, which is a lot for a dog with stiff joints or poor hearing. In a home, your dog keeps one routine, sees the same two people every day, and has a soft bed or a couch to settle on.
Ellen and Ralph look after a small number of dogs at a time, so a slower dog never has to compete with a group of young ones for space or attention. Ellen has looked after dogs for 40 years, and she knows an older dog sets its own pace.
How Ellen cares for a senior dog
Meals go in at your dog's usual times and in the usual amounts. Toilet breaks in the yard come more often, and nobody hurries a dog who takes the steps slowly. If your dog takes medication for arthritis, heart disease, a thyroid problem or diabetes, Ellen gives it on the schedule your vet set and logs every dose.
Tell her about any hearing or sight loss at the Meet & Greet, so she knows to approach from the front. If something changes during the stay, she calls you first and your vet second, so put both numbers on the booking. Photo updates come through every stay.
Before you book
Bring a list of every medication with doses and times, your vet's phone number, and the bed or blanket your dog sleeps on at home. A familiar smell helps an older dog through the first night. The free Meet & Greet is the time to bring up mobility, night-time accidents or food changes.
Overnight boarding is $55 a night and daycare is $45 a day, with no extra charge for medication. If your dog would rather stay home, Ellen does drop-in visits and house sitting in Barrie and Orillia instead.
Ready when you are
Every stay starts with a free Meet & Greet, and payment and cancellation rules are in the terms of service. Related pages: