Happy Home Dog Boarding
About us
Meet Cheryl, Harry, Sam, Max and Indiana
Before you leave your dog anywhere, it’s important that you know where and who you are leaving them with.
So here we are, please allow ourselves to introduce…ourselves.
We brought home our first Cav, a tiny Blenheim named Sprocket back in 2009, and we have been completely in love with this amazing little breed ever since.Cavvy Cuddles was created when we realised the importance of home boarding where you can meet the people who are going to be looking after your dogs. Our experience with Cavaliers and their specific needs allows us to provide a wonderful holiday home for them when their humans are away.
Cavvy Cuddles was created when we realised the importance of home boarding where you can meet the people who are going to be looking after your dogs. We have changed to home boarding only Cavaliers because they are almost always just the right fit for our home environment. Our experience with this breed and their specific needs allows us to provide a wonderful holiday home for them when their humans are away.
Cheryl has worked with dogs professionally since 2012 and, prior to lockdown volunteered regularly at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. After a lifetime obsession with dogs (having been refused one of her own as a youngster) Cheryl is making up for lost time by working from home full-time as both a dog photographer and running the home boarding and doggy daycare service. Husband Harry is a freelance writer who also works from home, providing marketing know-how, puppy cuddles and witty banter (apparently).
After bringing our first Cavalier Sprocket home in 2009 we quickly made friends with other Cav pawrents. Rarely going on holiday ourselves we began caring for Sprocket’s wee pals when their humans went away. After buying our first home back in 2015 in the beautiful Esk valley word of our caring home boarding service soon spread throughout the Cavalier community. Due to popular demand, in 2016 we passed the necassary inspection becoming a professionally licensed and insured home boarding service.
Since then our loving home boarding service has become so popular, and our home is only little, we have decided to now only home board Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
We are Cheryl, Harry, Sam and Max
and our wee dog Indiana.
Having our wee boys Sam and Max, and being self-employed although we are at home most of the time, our home environment can be busy at times. Therefore the dogs who stay with us must be content to settle on the sofa after a good walk, and Cavaliers, providing their needs are met, excell at this!Before our human pups, we were first proud humans to two gorgeous little fur-kids, therefore we understand how special that bond is. We know how hard it is to leave them and recognise through experience the relief when you leave them in the right hands, after all, we only take on dogs who are fully content in our home, and that comes across in the pupdates we send you.
Caring for your Cavvy
While staying with us they are part of our family too, in our loving home. We have excellent walking opportunities right on our doorstep, we also have a big car for daytrip adventures. We love a sofa cuddle after our walks! Your Cav will not be kennelled here, but instead will be able to choose to snuggle up on the sofa, or their own bed/space if they prefer. We monitor the cameras from our phones to ensure that the puppers are all settled and content at bedtime, and we are only upstairs if they require a little reassurance should they become unsettled.
Please try to ask any questions you have when you first get in touch, and always be upfront from the onset about your Cavalier’s needs. Then, when you bring your little one to meet us, you’ll able to see where they will be staying and meet our Tri Cav Indiana to ensure that they get along, offering you peace of mind when the time comes to leave them with us.
So much change has occurred in the last two years, baby steps are sometimes required and we are happy to support your Cavvy if they need time to adjust to a new environment. We can ease them in with little and often visits until they are ready to attempt a big sleepover.
Introducing Indiana
We value enriched off lead walks, but please be reassured that we never allow dogs off lead until we are first bonded with them, in a safe place, have achieved a reliable recall and never near roads. If your dog has only ever known on lead walks, please don’t worry, we can still accommodate their needs and hopefully, one day they may get to enjoy an off lead walk with us, but only when they are ready, and you have given permission.Raw feeding is the absolute best you can give your dog as it’s a species appropriate diet.
Please don’t worry if your dog is not raw fed, ours weren’t either as I was too scared for too long to try it. Now, I would never go back to alternative foods. If you’re interested in learning what I have learned please feel free to ask, I love to share knowledge. Our companions aren’t here for long, they deserve the best!Have you considered a professional dog photoshoot whilst your Cav stays with us? Cheryl takes the most stunning professional photographs of dogs and has a talent for catching them at their best. Alternatively gift vouchers make the perfect gift for family and friends!
Indiana is our resident Cav. She loves to run free, play zoomies and swim. Indiana is more like a Border Collie trapped in the tiniest Cavy body.
She LOVES people, their dogs, their food and has so much energy that I began agility class with her once she turned one and we haven’t looked back.
HOME BOARDING FOR CAVALIERS
We offer short and long-term home boarding for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
As experience Cav owners, we know that they are a special breed, and like to spend time with each other.
We only take Cavaliers in our home, which means they will always share space with dogs of their own size and temperament. And it means we can all fit on the sofa for cuddles too!
Does your Cavalier need a place to stay?
Prices
Home boarding is priced at £40 per dog, per night, a daycare fee of £30 is applicable if your dog is collected after 10am on the day of departure.
Our prices reflect the care and attention your Cavalier will receive during their stay with Cavvy Cuddles.
We do not board dogs we have never met, nor had a sleepover with us. We have a great group of regular boarding Cavaliers, who stay with us throughout the year.
You will receive regular “pupdates” from us – including photos, videos and messages – on how your dog is getting on.
Interested? Get in touch to enquire or ask us a question.
Important Info to read before boarding with us
All new boarders must have a minimum of one night sleepover with us prior to their big stay, costing £40 per dog, per night.
We have found this to be very successful. It’s a great opportunity to ensure that your dog is suited to our home boarding environment, and also eases them into being without you, making their longer stay with us far less stessful. This pre-stay visit is a one-off cost for new boarders, there is no registration fee.
Attention new enquiries!
Lockdown has affected everyone, including our dogs, and we are seeing a massive increase in separation anxiety with the dogs coming to meet us, not just in lockdown puppies, special action and support is required.
Separation Anxiety (SA): when a dog cannot cope with a human leaving the room or home, however briefly. The dog cannot bear being out of sight, nor separated, even if only by a stairgate or a door. These dogs do not have the tools to be able to settle and can quickly become very distressed, resulting in uncontrollable crying, barking, scratching and howling.
Sadly we cannot accomodate dogs with severe SA. However, there is hope for some dogs who can become more relaxed over time, if a good bond is established. given our professional experience of working with dogs, if we see signs of SA in your dog, we will advise if we think we are able to accomodate. In order to establish a good bond with us your dog may need to come to us regularly for walks, daycare before even attempting a sleepover.
We do not want to waste anyone’s time, and only want what is best for your dog. Therefore you must be fully committed to supporting your pupper through this transition by ensuring regular contact with us in order to achieve the goal of a successful sleepover which must always take place before booking their big stay with us.
It is vital that you understand that sleepovers are a dry run to see how your dog copes in our home environment. You MUST be available should your dog not be coping and needs to go home.
Sometimes, despite our very best efforts to comfort and establish a bond, some dogs simply cannot settle in our home, when this happens during a sleepover we will never prolong their distress and will return your dog to you asap. With that in mind, please always ensure that you are available should your dog need to be brought back home the night of their sleepover.
New dogs are NEVER booked in prior to a successful sleepover! It is vital that you are aware of this, please only consider your dog booked in after a successful sleepover and the 50% non-refundable deposit has been paid.
Because of this we are unable to accomodate last minute enquiries for dogs we have never met. New enquirers must allow enough time to meet and establish a bond if required, prior to an attempt at a sleepover.
Boarding dogs leaving after 10am on the day of their departure will incur a flat rate daycare fee of £30, and must be collected prior to 5pm.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to book your dog’s stay with us, the remaining 50% is required prior to your dog’s arrival. Please always get in touch with us before paying your deposit to ensure availability.
Boarding Requirements
In order to ensure all dogs staying with us are going to be happy, we need to make sure of a few things first:
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Your dog is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, or of a very similar relaxed and easy going nature, and of a similar size too, around 10 kilos. Sorry but this does NOT include puppies of breeds larger than an adult Cavalier.
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Fully insured.
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Fully vaccinated and appropriate parasite preventions in place.
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Microchipped.
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Neutered if over 6 months.
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Housetrained.
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Good recall, we support the use of long lines for recall training until a firm bond is established. We never allow dogs off-lead near roads, no matter how well they know us. Not even our own dog !
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Sociable with all types of dogs and people, including children.
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Is NOT Reactive: When a dog reacts in a negative, sometimes frightening manner towards objects, people and animal by lunging, barking and growling.
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Does NOT have Seperation Anxiety (SA): When a dog cannot cope being seperated, or out of sight of a human, however briefly.
Dogs with SA can become very distressed becoming anxious, resulting in crying, barking, scratching and howling.
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Does not eat dog poo, is not destructive nor marks (peeing around the house).
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As dog owners ourselves, we understand that sometimes exemptions need to be made for the dog’s health and welfare. Depending on the reasons we may still be able to help. Please always be as open as possible about your dog’s needs, we only want what’s best for them. If we are unable to accomodate we will always try to recommend someone who we think may be able to help.
Next Steps
Providing your dog meets the above checklist criteria please drop us an email happyhomedogboarding@gmail.com in order to check availability and for information on how to book your dog in for a meeting with us. Let us know a bit about your dog, and what dates you are thinking about going away. If we are unable to accommodate, for whatever reason, we will endeavour to help you find a good alternative.
Long before anything is booked, we ask that you and your dog come to meet us. This is a very relaxed meeting, normally only half an hour. It’s a chance for you and your dog to meet our family including our resident dog Indiana. At this point we can asses how to best proceed with your dog’s individual needs in mind. If you haven’t already, please see ‘Important notes‘ above.
Payment
Once dates are agreed with us, you can pay your non-refundable deposit (50% of total cost of stay) online through PayPal. You can also do a bank transfer – just let us know and we’ll send you our details.
Doggy Daycare
We offer walks and cuddles with our daycare service for small dogs
Our popular home daycare service is available to small, sweet natured dogs local to Bonnyrigg and Loanhead.
Daycare includes our fantastic adventure walk in the beautiful valley where we live (and sometimes even the beach!)
Are you looking for someone to walk and care for your dog during the day?
What is Doggy Daycare?
Does your dog love spending time with other dogs in a safe and loving environment? Would you like to give your dog a great day out with us during the week? Then doggy daycare is perfect. Let your dog spend the day with us whilst you go off and do your own thing without having to worry. We’ll even send regular pupdates via WhatsApp throughout the day!
We are all about the dogs having the best time, ideally off-lead and in a safe space, providing that they have excellent recall and only in fields and woodland far away from any roads. We work to establish a good bond before allowing dogs off-lead, initially using safety lines attached to harnesses until we know that the dog is bonded to us. We always make sure to have your permission before letting your dog off-lead.
There’s little better than to see dogs running free with their pals, sniffing out mouse houses, playing chase the butterfly, snaffling sprinkled treats, posing for photos and paddling in the river. Our daily walk is enriched with sensory stimulating terrain. This is their time to relax and be dogs doing doggy things managed by experienced dog handlers in a safe environment.
Afterwards we enjoy sofa cuddles and healthy snacks in our family home until it’s time to return your pupper back to you.
Please see our boarding requirements via the Prices & Booking page to give you an idea of the sort of dogs we cater for. We will only take on compatible size and personalities.
You’ll receive regular pupdates showing you photos and videos of just how much fun your wee pal is having. We know how much you’ll be missing them.
Prices
Daycare (9:30am-3:30pm) including pick up and drop off – £30
Weekend daycare £40
Additional Details
- No
- No
FAQs
happyhomedogboarding@gmail.com
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