[Bryn-gwlad] Looking for kennel recommendations for Gulf Wars

[Joseph & Michelle Baiocchi]

Like you, I take my dogs with me whenever I can.  I hate having to board them and usually use a pet sitter - a family friend who stays at our house while we're gone so they won't feel abandonned.  But last time we took a vacation, the pet sitter wasn't available and we couldn't take them along.  After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, and checking out every kennel in the greater Austin area, I finally settled on Gold Ducat Kennels in Leander.  http://www.goldducatkennels.com/index.htm
   
  The owner is someone I know from dog training classes many years ago.  She breeds, trains, and shows good quality Golden Retrievers so she has real in-depth dog knowledge.  I was particularly pleased with the fact that she wasn't put off by my dogs' bones-and-raw-foods (B.A.R.F.) diet, and that she takes the dogs out to exercise on her eight acres 2x daily, weather permitting - at no extra charge, I might add.  Some of the dogs are allowed to play together (not an option for my two, as the male is intact and the female doesn't like other dogs) and she keeps the really small ones in her house.  Yet her prices were the same or lower than almost every other kennel I looked at.
   
  We were gone for two weeks.  When we returned, my dogs were healthy, happy, clearly NOT stressed, and had firmed up and trimmed down from all the exercise - which was a GOOD thing!  They were obviously comfortable with Helen, and she liked them too - and even forgave Flyer for killing one of her chickens (something I had warned her would surely happen if the opportunity arose).  She even sent us home with some yard eggs and a few pounds of cabrito.
   
  I would not hesitate at all to board my dogs there again.  I give Gold Ducat two thunbs up and five stars!
   
  Sigriðr / Michelle
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