BHV Learning from Lessons

September 8, 2024

What makes BHV different? We had a crazy incident last week. One of our long term clients was moving to Florida. She has 4 dogs that frequently board with us. Two of them were staying with us, and we were told that a transport driver would be picking them up to drive them out to her.

I was out of town at the time I saw the note in our communication log, and assumed this driver was someone who was trusted and knew the dogs. I make it home from my trip, it was a 12 hour drive, so the next day I was exhausted. I woke up from a nap to a text message from the client letting me know that one of her dogs, Harley, had slipped her collar at a welcome center near the Louisiana and Mississippi border. The transporter, security guards, and animal control chased her for hours around the center but were not able to catch her. The animal control officer decided he was going to dart her (I have never heard of this) and when he did, she took off running. They chased her, but they eventually lost her. Once I had received the text from the client, she had already been missing for 24 hrs. The area she was lost in was 120,000 acres of forrest that NASA had cleared of homes and businesses years ago so they could do rocket testing. This area was dense, it was wet, and for a dog who knew nothing but her comfy life and backyard… it was an absolute nightmare.

I was stunned when I read the text. If you know me though, I knew I had to do something. The transporter had left the area and continued down to Florida with the client’s other dog. So Harley was just out there. Immediately I tried to locate the welcome center on a map. I wasn’t exactly sure about location, so I posted what the owner told me was correct and got moving. I posted pictures all over any lost and found pages on Facebook from Alabama to Louisiana. I pleaded for help and let everyone know I wasn’t from that area. I also hit trucker lost and found pages and every city or town in between. I had the owner contact a drone company, who was willing to head out, but we didn’t have anyone there to catch the dog if he found her. I was 12 hours away and the client was 8 hours away. Right away I started to receive comments etc from my posts. My location was wrong. I found the correct location, edited all the posts, and the search began. Some women reached out to me over messenger who lived in the area and went out that night at 10 pm to see if maybe Harley was still at the welcome center… no luck.

The next morning at 6 am, I got on the phone with these amazing women and they were in their vehicles with treats etc to begin the hunt. The drone guy was also on his way, but wouldn’t arrive until 8 am. Luckily…. we wouldn’t need him. I ask for the transporter to call one of the local women and tell them exactly where he last saw her. There wasn’t any judgement, we just wanted to find Harley. I told the women she isn’t aggressive, she is scared, and will probably be in that same area. We chatted on the phone while they were looking, they went to the last area where she was spotted, and guess what?? She was out there. The chase was on. They stopped traffic, the bribed her with treats, and they were able to secure her. Not only that, they were willing to drive 4 hours to meet the owner half way and deliver her safe and sound.

Medically Harley had a systemic infection of unknown origin all over her body, her eyes were scratched, and she had lacerations on her feet. She was beat up, but she was going to live.

After all of this, I learned there are people out there that you don’t even know that are willing to help. These ladies and this network have become my friends. They never would have known she was out there because my client just didn’t know what to do. I didn’t either, but I am crazy. Luckily I found a group of people just as crazy as me. I will do ANYTHING to help BHV dogs and really, any animal. I am glad I was able to put myself out there and get her back due to the kindness of others.

Dog Facilities: Which One is Right for You and Your Pup

June 29, 2024

Let’s be real. The pet industry is booming. When it comes to pet care there are so many options available to us. How do you figure out what type of place is best for your dog? I am going to go over what I look for when trusting dog facilities here in Austin and how to set your dog up to succeed when transitioning them to a boarding facility.

Who Owns This Place?

Start with their website. Who owns this facility? Is it a chain? Is it a huge conglomerate that has bought out a local facility, and those original owners have nothing to do with the business anymore? Why does this even matter? When I was starting our second location, I was shocked by how many facilities in Austin are either franchises or were home grown, but now are owned by huge companies. When an owner is hands on at a facility and you can actually know them and meet them, they have a personal relationship with you and your dog. When I take my dogs to the vet, I like that my vet knows us. I like that she is invested in us. It is the same for a facility.

Who are the People?

Having a relationship with the people who are taking care of your dog is a must. I have used places before on my travels in which I had to board my dogs last minute, and let me tell you, I was frightened. You should never feel this way. Your dog should never feel this way either. You should never be charged for pictures of your dog. I have seen this as an upsell at other facilities and it shocks me. The place you choose to leave your dog, should WANT to show you what your dog is up to. They should be excited to take care of your dog. They should never have an issue giving you updates and pictures.

Can you Take a Peek?

When you visit the facility, at any time of day, do they let you tour their spaces in the back? I don’t know about you, but I want to see where my dog is going to stay. I don’t always have the time to stop everything to go at a certain time to tour the facility. In my opinion, dogs are always going to be on site right? So when they say it disturbs the dogs etc, I find that a bit unsettling. I’m not trying to move in and hang out, I just want a little peek. You should be able to look around at any facility you are trusting with your dog. When you are walking around… look up, look down, and smell the air. Do you see cameras? Do you see a fire system, fire extinguishers? Does the facility seem clean and maintained? Do the dogs have water and bedding? Do you get the general sense the staff is understaffed and stressed, or just generally busy but still in control? These things matter. It shows the facility is willing to spend money to make their space safe for the dogs. Anyone can buy crates from Petsmart and keep dogs. But does the facility go above and beyond, even if that means they make less money, because they want the experience for your dog to be the best it can be? Keep this in mind when you are searching for the best place for your dog.

Set Your Dog up to Succeed

Just because you think your dog will love boarding at a facility and doing dog daycare, this isn’t always the case. Many times people will do a trial day and then drop their dog off for boarding for weeks. Sometimes the dog will get stress poops and then the owner is shocked by this. Dogs do better at facilities when they are eased into them and it is made a part of their routine. Any change to your pup’s normal day to day can be a big change for them. I know sometimes it is hard to avoid, but allowing your dog the time to adjust to a new facility allows for success and happiness all around.

Below are some great things to ask yourself before you register for any boarding facility but also before registering for BHV. We want to make sure your dog is set up for success.

  • Does your dog to great with other dogs? Meaning, does your dog love other dogs and being in communal dog settings? At BHV we require dogs to get along with other dogs. Not sometimes, but all of the time. This helps to ensure that all dogs can have a safe, fun time.  If your pup has a bite history with either dogs or people, this could be a stressful environment for them. We do not do training. So please, do not put your dog in a situation where it may fail to get the benefits of communal dog play.
  • Is your dog anxious? How does your dog do at home? Are they destructive? Are they anxious when you leave? At BHV we love all dogs, but have found that dogs that have high anxiety do not do well in this environment. BHV is a fast paced fun atmosphere that some dogs just do not want to be a part of. Unfortunately we are not trainers, so curbing this behavior, while in this setting, is something we simply are not qualified for. 
  • Can your dog be destructive when you leave? At BHV we provide pups with their own luxury suites. These suites have been built to safely house many types of dog personalities. If your dog is a chewer, destructive, anxious, OR displays any or all of these qualities… BHV may not be the right fit. In order for dogs to do well in a boarding/daycare situation, they must be able to be comfortable and non destructive. 
  • Is your dog healthy? This is a big one. When dogs are not feeling their best, they do not act their best while at BHV. Is your dog wearing a cone? Recovering from surgery? Coming off of an illness but still showing symptoms? BHV may not be the right place at that moment in time. We of course can dispense medications for dogs who are on the up and up, feeling better, but just need to finish some meds. However, when your dog isn’t feeling great and the vet doesn’t think it is a good idea for them to be around other dogs, BHV is not the best place for your pet’s recovery. BHV is an active, fun place where other dogs are running around wrestling and swimming in pools. Bringing your pup to BHV to be exposed to a bunch of other dogs while recovering surgery isn’t the best idea. We would prefer they rest at home until fully recovered so they can come to BHV feeling rested and healthy and ready to play with their friends. 

I hope all of these tips were helpful for you in your search for pet care!

Vanessa Calabria