Owners of Pets Articles about dogs, cats, birds and all other pets!

The start of the year isn’t a good time to be in the budget hotel business. TripAdvisor, HotelsCheap, BudgetTravel, all of them put out their Top 10 best and worst lists around the new year. And do people have some mean hotel reviews to share about these cut-price affairs! One says about the premium VGP hotel in Chennai, India, “There were loud bangs outside the room. We later found out that the hotel staff were shooting stray dogs that had got in”; about the Heritage Marina Hotel in San Francisco, one customer says things like, “It would be safer and cleaner to sleep on the streets”; and about a hotel in Virginia, that “There was dried blood and hair in the made bed like someone had slaughtered a small animal.” And then they go on to prove it too with detailed facts, names of the desk clerks on duty and everything.

Hotel reviews on sites like TripAdvisor are really getting hotel owners all worked up. Half of them claim that the mean badmouthing is just a dirty business trick that competitors use to get a leg up in business. Many of them plan to sue. If you want to pick up some interesting reading, you should probably head over to TripAdvisor.com for its 2010 Dirtiest Hotels list. It looks like people wait all year for its excellent insults on display. The website has been advertising for this list for years, and it always gets great reader response. Hotel owners who have been getting away with murder for decades, suddenly feel completely helpless in the face of the power of the Internet. They protest that this is too much power out of a businessman’s hands. In fact, the hotel lobby in Europe is trying to get the government to regulate the review website industry, to make sure that what gets published, is real, and not evil-minded, under-the-belt sabotage.

But these websites are careful; they wouldn’t want to jeopardize the advertising relationships they have in place with the hotels that advertise on their website. Websites that publish hotel reviews have every incentive to go and say something nice about everyone. But to the casual reader, it does ring true that there should be some terrible hotels out there. Even traditional printed travel guides hate being shown up by these upstart websites. They have been joining in the protest parade against website reviews. Oyster.com, another famous hotel reviews site, is equally hated. Oyster likes to send its own journalists to check out the worst hotels, and come back with its own pictures to publish. What can people say to that?

We’ve all been to a couple of the bad ones, haven’t we? To me, the mean reviews seem to ring completely true. They have to be; hotels are notoriously difficult to maintain.

Frank has been writing articles online for nearly 4 years now. Come visit his latest website www.ExtendedWarrantyForCars.org that discusses extended warranty for cars.

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We all know that your dog is a member of the family and for many people going away on holiday can be a real struggle as leaving them in the kennels can be traumatic. The Dog Friendly Holiday Parks across the UK give you a really excellent option as you can take them away with you and no longer have to worry about leaving them for the short time or the week or more you are away. There are lots of locations for you to check out across the length and the breadth of the UK so you will find a holiday park location right near to where you want to go. The dog friendly parks are ideal as they have loads of open space where you can spend time with your family and your dog has space to run around and relax.

We know alot more about mans best friend in todays world and we know that it is important for the dogs to have a holiday as well and this really is a great option. The Pet Friendly Holiday Parks are also very cost effective and you might pay as little as just £3.00 per night on top of your time away to take your dog with you and this will give you a great deal of peace of mind. Remember to check out the hundreds of locations where you could spend time with the whole family and not have to leave an important member in the kennels!

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One of the hardest things to do is to leave your pet behind when you decide to take some time off from your busy schedule. Before we go on vacation (let me tell you it always leaves me feeling guilty) we need to find an appropriate shelter, pay the fess, if you’ve done it before you would be familiar with the drill. There is an article on my site which discusses the ways in finding pet friendly cabin rentals. Wouldn’t it be great to bring our pets along if possible.

Sometimes, if pets are not normally allowed, they will consent to offer a few of the cabins with this restriction removed. This is partly so that a section of the population which would like to bring a pet is not excluded completely, and partly because there is money to be made from catering to this group. Pet owners are naturally resentful if they are denied the same vacation opportunities as those without pets, and even if they end up paying a higher premium, most will accept this as a natural consequence of having a living pet. Please drop by and read more and I hope you find the information useful. My web site has other information on finding the right mountain cabin rentals for your vacation. Thanks for dropping by.

Filed under: Animal Shelters, Cats, Dogs, General, Hotels, Pets
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I think when I go off on a vacation and leave my pet behind an emotion akin to betrayal overcomes me. Call me a sooky lala but one of the hardest things when planning for a vacation that I have found is actually deciding where to take a valuable member of the family. There are not many places where your pet may be welcome. I have an article on my website which helps you decide where to find pet friendly cabin rentals.

Pet friendly cabin rentals are not always that easy to find, although in most resorts it is usually possible to find someone who is prepared to rent you a cabin if you bring a pet. There will usually be an extra consideration for this, principally to cover extra insurance against damage. In resort areas where the cabins are all owned and rented by the resort itself, there will usually be a uniform policy in place concerning children and pets…

If you would like to read more please drop by and have a read about the different options available to vacation in mountain cabins. See you there.

Filed under: Animal Shelters, Cats, Dogs, Educational, General, Hotels, News, Pets
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If you live in or have visited San Diego you have probably noticed all of the great spas advertised here. There are also great services to pamper pets too. If you need to get away for the day or just want to treat your dog to something special San Diego doggy day care services are just what you need.

There are many services available for dogs including one San Diego pet resort and there are certain items you should really look for when searching. You want to find one that offers personalized care, a modern facility, uses top of the line pet care products, has web cameras for owner viewing, plush bedding, top of the line grooming, and personalized suites are a big plus too.

Filed under: Dogs, General, Hotels, Pets
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Are you looking for pet-friendly accommodations in and around Yosemite National Park? Well fear not, many of Yosemite’s most popular hotels and lodges both inside and outside the park are more than willing to welcome your pets with arms wide open.

Have a look at this extensive list of fine hotels and lodges which all accept pets and learn what their pet policy is.

Yosemite In-Park Pet Friendly Lodging

Yosemite Vacation Homes

Yosemite Vacation Homes are individually owned properties which offer all the comforts of your regular home. Many of these vacation homes (although not all) will allow pets. One of the things that makes these homes particularly special for guests traveling with pets is that there are hiking trails in the area where you can walk with your leased pet without the fear of getting in trouble with a park ranger.

Pet Friendly Lodging just outside Yosemite Park

Tenaya Lodge

The Tenaya Lodge is a modern lodge with natural décor and lots of activity venues and amenities. The Tenaya Lodge provides a comfortable mix of modern conveniences and old fashion charm. Tenaya does allow pets with only a one-time fee and they do not allow more than three pets per room. Pets should not be left alone in your room under any circumstances; however this can easily be avoided as the Tenaya Lodge is one of the few lodging options in the area that offers in-house pet sitting.

Best Western Way Station

The Best Western Yosemite Way Station is situated near the scenic Sierra Foothills and in close proximity to hiking in Yosemite National Park. Although there are restrictions on taking your pets into the park, this location is still pretty hard to beat, when traveling with your pet.

The Apple Tree Inn

The Apple Tree Inn is a beautiful lodging complex located just south of Yosemite Park in the town of Fish Camp. Although the Apple Tree Inn does place some room restrictions on guests with pets, it is still a great option. One thing that will make your pet especially happy is that the Apple Tree Inn complex offers lots of room for you to get out and walk and exercise your pet during your stay.

Narrow Gauge

The Narrow Gauge goes that extra step toward making your pet feel at home. This beautifully landscaped property offers lots of room for you and your pet to get out and stretch your legs, the friendly staff also treats your pet like a little VIP by furnishing him with complimentary doggie treats.

Yosemite Bug

The Yosemite Bug has a pretty lenient policy regarding pets. They charge a single fee per pet, for your whole stay, not per night, and they put very few restrictions on your lodging options.

This is just a small list of the lodging properties at Yosemite Park which will welcome both you and your pets. For a complete list of all Yosemite pet friendly hotels and lodging options both in and around the park, visit: http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/yosemite_pets.htm

Filed under: Dogs, General, Hotels, Pets
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Pets add a lot of happiness too our lives. They give us companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love. That is why I find it so disturbing how so many people treat their pets. Basically, pets are treated as mere objects. People leave them at home all day without even considering options like hiring a pet sitter to take care of them. Pet boarding is not just a consideration, it is an essential. Pets have been bred over generations to depend on human companionship, and it should be a two-way street. If we are going to use them for their companionship, we owe them the loyalty of watching over their needs while we are not at home. That is why, whenever I’m going to be gone for more than a few hours, I try to use pet boarding.

Filed under: Animals, Hotels, Vetrinarians
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I used to have a pet friendly apartment rental problem because I have a big dog. Landlords always assume that a big dog will mean big trouble, but this is not always the case. My dog is exceptionally well-behaved and, even though he is a Great Dane, he causes very little damage to houses he lives in. Once I started having all of my prospective landlords meet my dog Duke ahead of time, it was much easier for me to find a pet friendly rental. For the past several years, in fact, I have had no trouble at all finding pet friendly apartment rentals anywhere I go.

Pet friendly vacation rentals are another thing altogether. Usually the only places where you can really find pet friendly rentals are when you are renting vacation cottages from families that also own a pet.

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What most pet owners need is a professional pet boarding service – a safe, secure and entertaining environment where they can leave their pets. Pet boarding gives pet owners peace of mind that their pets are in good hands, being fed and lovingly cared for. Statistics show that more than 30,000,000 pet owners every year make use of full-time, experienced boarding kennel operators or pet boarding service providers, a figure big enough to convince you that pet boarding is a booming business.

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Pet friendly motels and pet friendly hotels are not as difficult to find as you might think. Although many hotels still don’t allow pets of any kind in their rooms, there are a substantial amount that do. Most of the time there will be no extra charge for accommodating your furry critter, but sometimes you will be asked to pay a small fee usually ranging anywhere from 5 dollars to 50 dollars. Pet friendly hotels and pet friendly motels are very convenient for people who like to travel and not have to go through the hassle of leaving their pet to the care of friends, family or expensive pet care establishments.

Filed under: Animals, Dogs, General, Hotels, Pets
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I have a friend who wants to build a dog house but trying to find plans is not easy. I’ve searched online but only found this place that list dog house plans.

Filed under: Dogs, Educational, Hotels, News, Stores
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Many pet owners have the same problem every year: they want to go on holiday but have no one to look after their beloved pets. So they stay at home only dreaming of visiting foreign countries. However, today at many popular tourist destinations you will find hotels, apartments or bed and breakfast that actually accept visitors with pets. In most cases these are dog or cat friendly accommodations. Of course these accommodations require certain behaviour of your pet and so it is not very advisable to travel for example with a very young puppy.

There is an amazingly wide range of holiday destinations available that are pet friendly. Most of them only accept dogs, but there are evens some destinations that welcome animals such as birds or horses. All you have to go to find such a holiday location is to ask your travel agent or simply to log on the internet where you will find a vast variety of offers available. On most of the sites you can also book your holiday online, which is very easy and convenient as you can compare prices. To make your holiday perfect you should also try to find out about dog friendly restaurants or pubs and dog-friendly attractions around your hotel. This can be done online too.

From luxury holiday to a city trip, there are many options for a holiday with your pet. When you do some research you will soon realize that you don’t longer need to stay at home because of your pet while other people go on holiday.

Filed under: Animals, Cats, Dogs, Educational, Hotels, Pets, Products
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One of the things I’ve loved about my South Dakota family vacations is that everywhere we go we can take our pets with us. I was called to Sioux Falls on an emergency work problem one time and I couldn’t leave my dog home alone and there was no time to find any care for her. That’s when I first discovered pet friendly motels. What a relief that was. Later on when I was starting to plan vacations in South Dakota that memory stuck with me and I started to inquire if the places I wanted to stay had a pet friendly policy. Almost all of them do, even some of the higher end establishments. I didn’t realize how many people traveled with their pets until I was relaxing in my room one evening and the fire alarm went off. I put the dog on her leash and we proceeded outside. Much to my surprise there were more dogs than people standing there. Several couples had three or four dogs that traveled with them. One thing I did notice was that none of the dogs seemed aggressive towards people or the other dogs. I think that must be a byproduct of the dogs being around their owners in so many situations.

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If you are thinking of a South Dakota Vacation you may want to consider going during hunting season when you can take your dog for a good workout in the rolling hills of South Dakota.  The area is filled with deer, birds and whatever the season is open for and your dog will love having the opportunity to show you how good he/she is.

The hotels in the state are used to having people arrive with their pets (which the owners always refer to as their hunting dog) and having the dogs stay in the room with the owner.  They often will have areas that the owners can walk their dogs without having to worry about the messes that are created, they just clean them up and go back to their room waiting for the opportunity to take the dog out for a good run.

South Dakota Family Vacations are not only geared for the hunter, but it’s a perfect place to go, enjoy the outdoors, get a good work out for your dog and perhaps actually get lucky and take home a deer or whatever the season allows you to hunt.

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Jack Russells are working dogs. Small, compact and athletic, they’re in their element when outside, with space to run and play – and above all, dig. Jack Russells are a common choice for people living in apartments or cramped living conditions however, just because they’re a smaller breed, doesn’t mean they don’t require the same quality living coditions as other breeds.

Provided you follow a few simple steps to ensure your home is set up adequately, Russell’s are a good breed to live with in your apartments. Like any dog, if you neglect your Jack Russell, the cramped living conditions will lead to a range of longterm behavioral and development problems……

Read the full article on living with a Jack Russell in your apartment.

Filed under: Adopting Pets, Dogs, General, Hotels, Pets
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Taking your pet along with you when you travel presents special problems. Some of the difficulties involved for the pet are motion sickness, disorientation or fright, or anxiety. With some preparation, you can eliminate these problems and ensure that your pet will be just as comfortable as you, as well as ensuring your peace of mind.

Read Traveling With Pets

Filed under: Animals, General, Hotels, Pets
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