A word about diarrhea:

Certain dogs get diarrhea while boarding, whether the owner brings the dog's own food or not. Our normal procedure for dealing with this is a multi-step process.

1. We pull food up, as we do not want them eating if they are not feeling well.

2. We have them skip a meal, to let their stomach settle a bit.

3. We give them rice, and sometimes a pepto-bismol product, we may mix in some boiled chicken or ground beef into the rice. Some dog will not eat this, but it is still an option that they have.

If the diarrhea persists or we notice a change in the dog's temperament, we will call the owner. If it turns bloody, we will inform the owner and ask them where they want to go from there.

FAQ: When should I pick up my pet so I'm not charged an extra sday boarding?

A: Just like a hotel, Valley View Kennels has a checkout time: 11am, 7 days a week. Your pets' stay goes from the date of drop-off until the prior day if picking up before 11am. You will be charged for the day after 11am because we've provided most of your pet's daily services by that time.

FAQ: What type of food do you feed while my dog is boarding?

A: We feed Pedigree. It is a mid-grade, dry food that does well for most dogs' appetites. Although, if your dog does not normally eat Pedigree, we strongly recommend you bring your dog's food because it takes 4-5 days for a dog to adapt to a new diet and 2 days to get back on their regular diet. This diet change may increase the risk of colitis/diarrhea. Also, your dog may not prefer Pedigree at all and not want to eat during their stay. We encourage reducing your pet's stress level while boarding and this is one way to accommodate that.

FAQ: Will there always be someone at the kennels around the clock?

A: Yes! Always. We, the owners, live here on-site and are so close in proximity to the kennels that any disturbances or emergencies are quickly addressed and handled. When you contact us at our phone number you are in direct contact with us at any time of day or night. This gives you the peace of mind needed to carry on your business or vacation knowing the status of your dog is just a phone call away.

The dogs are also checked on frequently, but we have found that leaving the dogs alone for part of the day helps keep the stress levels down quite a bit. Dogs tend to sleep through most of the day, and disturbing them frequently reduces the amount they sleep, and raises their stress levels. We want your dog's stay to be as stress free as possible, there is music on all day, kept on a light station, and in our experience this has kept the dogs in a much more quiet state.

FAQ: My pet is on medication. Can you give this to my pet while they are boarding?

A: We can do so, free of charge. The only exceptions to being charged are when administering medication is more than twice a day, not during a feeding time or your pet's behavior does not accommodate us to medicate them effectively. Injections do cost extra, $1 per injection. Feel free to discuss this at the time of your board with our staff so we can make the arrangements.

FAQ: What vaccination(s) does my pet have to be up to date with to board?

A: Distemper and Parvo (commonly shown on your vaccination record as DHLPP), Rabies and Bordatella (Kennel Cough). Young puppies do need to have at least one round of vaccinations to be accepted for boarding. We do offer the bordatella here for $6, and it is intranasal drops through the nose, so no shots or needles. You will have to provide a record of these vaccinations when your pet is boarded.

FAQ: My dog is in heat/pregnant; can I board them at your facility?

A: No, when your dog comes out of heat, or has weaned her litter, you can board her here. Having a dog in heat, in the kennels, greatly disturbs the other dogs boarding here. Valley View Kennels will not board any pregnant dogs due to the potential of great stress and her losing the litter.

FAQ: I need to board my dog for an extended period of time, what are the details of long-term boarding?

A: Any stays over 10 days require 50% of the total to be paid up front, and the rest to be paid upon pick-up of your pet. Long term is defined as longer than 10 days. If the dog's vaccinations expire while it is at our facility, it must be revaccinated prior to boarding, unless other arrangements are made. We suggest that long term boarders have at least 3 playtimes a week to keep them of sound mind. We want all long-term boarders to have a blanket or bed, and the owner must provide this. There are discounts for long-term boarders, please speak to the owners to discuss these discounts.

FAQ: Where will my dog stay while boarding?

A: Each dog is in an individual run. All of our runs are indoor/outdoor, and measure 4' by 5' on the inside. Most of the outdoor runs are 20' long. We also have double-runs, but are limited. We can accommodate the largest (Great Danes) to the smallest (Chihuahua) of pets. We use cedar shavings on the inside of the runs to provide a bedding material. We love the benefits that cedar comes with: it absorbs any messes or spills, smells great, and acts as a flea/tick/fly repellent.

FAQ: What comfort items should I bring for my dog?

A: We recommend bringing a bed to make your pet more comfortable. Any toys/treat/chewing options are also allowed; your pet will be unsupervised with these items, so keep this in mind if your pet is an active chewer.

FAQ: My dog is aggressive; can I board it at Valley View Kennels?

A: Yes, you can. Dog’s that are dog and/or people aggressive have a higher boarding rate of $5 more per day on top of the dog’s normal boarding rate. Please understand that we have to take extra precautions to board aggressive dogs. If we have to separate the dog out from the other dogs in the kennels or our employees have to take special precautions when dealing with your pet, the $5 added fee would be added to the bill.

Please note that there will be an additional $10 charge for nail trimming of difficult dogs

FAQ: How do I make an appointment to have my pet groomed?

A: Please call ahead. We can accommodate basic baths (includes nails, ears and teeth) at any time during regular business hours, but professional shaving, scissoring and trims need to be scheduled in advance. We have limited room due to our focus and dedication to quality and having our best groomers available for your pet's appointment. Grooms normally start at $35 and up dependant on your pet's need. We will give you an estimate when you drop your pet off.

FAQ: I have an appointment for my dog to get groomed. Can I stay with him while he gets groomed?

A: We have a policy for owners to NOT be around their dog while being groomed. Dogs tend to act up more when their owner's are present, which stresses them out more, and it takes longer for them to get groomed. We try to avoid stress as much as possible.

We are usually pretty quick with scheduled grooms, depending on how many dogs are being groomed and what grooms need to be done. Most dogs are done within two hours. We only hire groomers that are good with the dogs but also do excellent grooms. We will call you if there is a problem or if we have a question about your dog and their groom.

FAQ: How often should my dog get professionally groomed?

A: It depends. We generally suggest that longer haired dogs (maltese, shih tzu, poodle, etc.) be groomed once every 6-8 weeks, depending on the condition of their coat. The more the owner brushes the dog, the better for their coat.

Going to long in-between grooms can lead to skin problems, especially if the dog is bathed and not dried out entirely within a few hours. Bacterial and fungal infections of the skin can start this way, and matting gets tighter on the dog.

For shorter haired dogs, they should be bathed at least once every 8 weeks, and more frequently if the dog smells or rolls in something unpleasant.

FAQ: My dog has a few mats, will he have to be shaved?

A: If the mats are too close to the skin, we will have to shave the dog. If the dog has a few, isolated mats, we will try to de-mat the hair. We will not de-mat a dog that is overly matted and feel that a fresh start is what is best for the dog. De-matting a dog that is severly matted takes a long time and can be painful, especially over a large area. The groomer will talk to you about what needs to be done with your dog when you bring your dog in.

FAQ: I have a long haired dog, how often should I brush her?

A: Brushing a long haired dog should be done at least twice a week to prevent matting. A slicker brush is a good start. Pay special attention to behind the ears and around the tail.

FAQ: How often should I brush my short haired dog?

A: Most short haired dogs should be brushed once a week to remove the dead hair, or more during shedding season.

Dogs with a thick undercoat should be brushed out with both a slicker and an undercoat rake.

NOTE: Our groomers come in on an appointment-only basis. If you fail to arrive for your appointment or cancel less than 24 hours in advance, you maybe subject to a $5 cancellation fee. Two or more missed appointments (or cancellations less than 24 hours in advance) will result in a loss of grooming services for your pet.
In order to schedule an appointment after two missed appointments, you must pay, in advance and over the phone, a $5 cancellation fee for every missed appointment.

FAQ: Can I cut my dog's nails and how important is it to my dog's health?

A: Yes! You can cut your dogs nails using a special tool just for dog nails. You can get these at your local pet supplier. We also offer this service at our facility for a small $5 charge. Most owners are unsure of how far to cut their dog's nails, which is why we offer it as a service here. Keeping your dog's nails trimmed is very important on many levels. Dogs with long nails may experience discomfort walking, splitting of the nail or just be apt to accidentally scratching loved ones when "shaking" your hand. Uncut dewclaws (the higher up nail on your dog that does not touch the ground) may actually grow into your dog's paw if not attended to. We recommend cutting your dog's nails at an early age and doing it about twice a month, or as needed. It's important for your dog to get used to us humans manipulating them in the case of injuries or just general maintenance like bathing and brushing.

FAQ: Aren't there blood vessels in my dog's nails?

A: Yes, so be careful! If this is your first time clipping your dog's nails, you may want someone who's experienced present. The blood vessel inside a dog's nail is known as the "quick." If you cut the nail too short, your dog will experience some bleeding and the dog may yelp. Styptic powder can be stop used to nail bleeding if this occurs. The easiest dog nails to cut are clear/white nails as you can see the quick and avoid an "accident."

FAQ: How often should I bathe my dog?

A: We recommend once a month, for normal dogs. In the case of the dog rolling in something unpleasant, than more frequent is okay. Too much bathing can harm a dog's coat, as it strips essential oils out of the hair. Going long times in between bathes is not recommended either.

FAQ: I have heard about brushing my dog's teeth. Do I really need to?

A: YES!! Brushing your dog's teeth keeps their teeth healthier for longer. For smaller dogs this can help prevent tooth loss long term. Plus, it improves their breath.

FAQ: What kind of dog food do you recommend?

A: We recommend anything that has meat (not a meat meal, or by product) as the first ingredient. We also prefer to feed a dry food over strictly wet food. We would NEVER recommend a semi-moist food, as there are WAY too many chemicals needed to make the food stable enough to be semi-moist.

Corn is not digested by dogs very well and it is often used as a "filler" and can lead to loose stool, and cause allergies in dogs. Soybean meal is also something to avoid, dogs don't digest it well, it is a poor quality protein, and can give dogs gas.

Any meal or byproduct meal is cooked twice, thus reducing the nutrients in it, so you have to feed more to keep the weight on your dog. Meals are made from a product, cooked and ground into the meal, then added to the dog food, which is also cooked, so there is not much nutritional value to it.

Here are the first five ingredients in some"popular" dog foods:

We currently feed Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul.

We recommend the following dog foods: Artemis, Innova, Evo, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul, California Natural, Canidae, Evolve, Fromm, Healthwise, Merrick, Timberwolf, and Wellness.

If you have never heard of these foods the reason is that many GREAT dog food companies don’t advertise, they rely on word of mouth, not pumping tons of money into an advertisement. The dog foods that have to advertise all the time have to advertise for a reason, because their product is lacking, in my mind.

Most of these dog foods can be found at Bill’s Wonderland of Pets. Bill’s is located on the White Horse Pike in Somerdale (600 N White Horse Pike, Somerdale). Their Phone number is (856) 435-0800. The staff at Bill’s is very knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with. Please tell them that you got their information from Valley View Kennels.

We think that an educated consumer would never choose a cheap dog food, just because it is cheaper. That cheap dog food may give your dog allergies, loose stools, shorten their life span or worse. Paying more for a better dog food makes sense in the end, as your dog is ingesting less of it in the long run, and will have better health as well.

AAFCO's standards (like the Food and Drug Administration for pets) is really lacking. The studies are short and use less then 8 dogs total to test each dog food that comes on the market.

For adult maintenance dog food to pass the AAFCO test:

Those tests are lacking in our mind. So educate yourself with what is actually going on. Just because a dog food is advertised for, does not make it good for your pet. We all know that eating at McDonalds on a daily basis can be harmful, but look at their commercials, they advertise a whole lot. Advertising means nothing.

If you want to be educated about what goes into your dog, research it on the internet. Then go to Petsmart, or your local dog food store (without your dog), and flip over some bags of dog food and really look at the ingredients.

FAQ: How should I switch my dog over to a new dog food?

A: Switching a dog over to new dog food should take about 7-10 days. The trick is to slowly introduce the new food, while slowly weaning your dog off his old food. Try 25% new/75% old for three days. Then 50%new/50% old for three days. Then 75%new /25% old for three days. If your dog gets diarrhea, give him a some rice in with the food, and maybe half an Imodium to a full Imodium, depending on the dogs size. Switching a dog's food too quickly can give them diarrhea.

FAQ: Should I have my dog spayed/neutered, and at what age?

A: Unless you get your dog from a breeder, that has been breeding and showing their dogs, we recommend spaying your dog. If you got your dog from a pet store, please alter your dog. No reputable breeder, in their right mind, would send their puppies to a pet store. Dog's from a pet store are from puppy mills, no matter what the salesman there told you. These dogs are often loaded with health problems, that generally do not come up until later on in life, way past the "one year warranty."

If you have a mixed breed dog, please alter the dog immediately. Thousands of dogs die every day because of the lack of homes available, and having just one litter contributes to the growing problem.

Also, when you have an intact female, she will come into "heat" every 5 months or so, and it is literally, a bloody mess. Having an intact male can increase the chance of roaming, and they also have a tendency to be quicker acting and do more damage when they do bite.

Also, if your male dog goes out and impregnates a female show dog, you, as the dog owner will be responsible for that litter and how much the owner of that litter would have made off of the litter, and with the larger lessor known breeds, a puppy can cost upwards of $2,500. So a litter of 8 mixed breed dogs would cost you $20,000. It is just something to think about.

Spaying and neutering can happen at 8 weeks and older. Animal Welfare Association can do your dog's spay/neuter procedure, their phone number 856-424-2288, ext 105. The spay for female dogs can range from $75 to $110. For males to be neutered the cost from $65 and $90. Dogs that weigh more then 100 lbs cost a little more then these prices reflect.

FAQ: My dogs has papers, shouldn't I breed it?

A: Papers, from the AKC can be completely worthless. Papers just mean that two dogs of the same breed were bred together. It does not mean that they are quality dogs, or that they will produce quality dogs. Many of a dog's health problems can inherited by recessive genes, so if you don;t know the dog's parents/grandparents health problems you could be setting the puppies that you breed up for some major health problems.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is just a registering body. Think of them as the Department of Motor Vehicles, they register the car, but can't guaranty if the car is going to fall apart.

There are many knock-off registries around. The AKC is the "Gold Standard" of registries. Anything else is just a knock off.

FAQ: My dog has fleas, what should I do?

A: Fleas, in the New Jersey area, come around from April to October. There are more fleas about 10 days after it rains. If your dog has fleas, you have to take a multiple step approach to treating them, as a flea bath won't do it all. If you see one flea, assume there are 10 you don't see. If your dog has fleas, so does your yard, house and car.

Preventing fleas is much easier then dealing with them. You will be less rushed, frustrated, and the dog will be less irritated as well.

We use cedar shavings here at Valley View Kennels as a bedding material because it helps prevent fleas, ticks and flies, as they don't like the strong smell.

Adding a small amount of garlic powder to your dogs food on a daily basis can help keep the fleas away as well.

FAQ: I have a big yard, does my dog REALLY need to go on walks?

A: YES!!! A big yard does not stimulate your dog mentally, which is what a controlled walk will do.

There are two types of stimulation: physical and mental, one without the other is useless and can lead to behavioral problems in the long run. The key word to the walk is CONTROLLED. A dog should know how to heel and not pull you down the street. The dog should walk without sniffing the ground the entire time. It should be a nice relaxed walk. This is crucial for your dog's normal mental state of mind.

Taking control and leading your dog is very important. I often suggest that people get a backpack for their dog (after the dog is fully grown, no younger then 1 year), and put some weight in the backpack, start off with 10% of the dog's weight and go up from there, up to 25% of the dog's body weight, making sure it is balanced on both sides, and the backpack is adjusted appropriately. This will help drain the energy out of your dog, as he has to pay attention to something else besides just the walk.

Every dog needs to be exercised, with a walk at LEAST three times a week, for 45 minutes each time. Adding obedience into your walk will help take the energy out as well. Doing this will help to keep your dog mentally stable.

FAQ: What is the best collar for my dog?

FAQ: What are heartworms, and how do I prevent it?

A: Heartworms are a parasitic worm that live in your dog's heart. Heartworms are transmitted from one dog to the next via mosquitos. Heartworm "season" is from about May through October, depending on the weather. Heartworms live in the heart, multiple and can kill your dog if untreated (They block capillaries and create circulatory stress). There are a few different treatments for heartworm depending on how severe the infestation is, all of which are rather costly.

To prevent heartworms, your dog needs to be on a monthly heartwormer, purchased at your vet, who will also do a blood test to make sure your dog is heartworm negative before starting the preventative. Giving a dog heartworm medication without testing them first is very dangerous and can kill the dog.

FAQ:What kind of leash should I use for my dog?

A: I have the personal preference for a 6 foot leather leash, 3/8 inch in width.

Flexileads are not good for your dog. It confuses them with boundries and is often times made of a material that the dog can bit through quite easily.

After the leather, I prefer nylon, but if you have had the unfortunate experience of it passing through your hand too quickly and causing burns, you will understand why I prefer leather.