2010 Summer Promotion

2010 Summer Promotion for First Time Boarders

From 1 August 2010 to 31 December 2010, we will offer a first night free for all new customers.

Terms and conditions for this promotion include:
1) You must be boarding with us for the first time.
2) Check in time for the night is after 7.30pm (after our and the dog's dinner time)
3) Booking must be done at least 3 days in advance.
4) All existing boarding rates prevail.
5) Your boarding pet can be dogs, small animals and terrapins/tortoise.
6) As always, we have always had the policy of not accepting unsterilized male dogs.

Side note:
Prevailing rates for dogs:
$15/day for boarding more than 10 days for up to 14 days
$17/day for boarding 4 to 10 days
$20/day for 1 to 3 days
$10/day for day care, up to 14h per day

For other pet animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, tortoise, terrapins etc), please contact me at 98240115 for prevailing rates.

Yours sincerely,
Rachel

August 2010: This Summer

This Summer 2010, we have changed a new blog design! All facts and boarding details remain the same though. Please take some time to view the details and hopefully they will answer some of the more frequently asked questions.

More updates:
We are a small scale home business and mostly we do business with the regulars. Sometimes the satisfied regulars refer their friends to us and this is how we operate (the tech savvy age is not so suitable for us yet, so no twitter or facebook networking, just traditional word of mouth).
So if by chance you came to know of us on dog forums or 88DB where we used to advertise when we first started out, please take note that the email address has changed to rachels.pooch@gmail.com. My handphone number remains the same: 98240115 I would suggest contacting me via my handphone as it is most likely to reach me fastest. Please leave a message and preferably your email address so that I can email you our boarding checklist if you wish to board your dogs.

Next:
Some pet owners have feedback to me that I seldom answer my phone or return emails. The reason is simple. These contacts have been advertised online and I have as a result received numerous unknown calls and spam emails. As a result, I seldom answer my phone if I see a strange number and most emails get directed to the spam inbox. The new gmail account is better so please email there! Remember to leave a name (either yours or your lovely pet dog's!) so that we know who we are talking to!

Lastly, boarding rates remain the same! We didn't see the need to increase it or apply a 7% GST so don't worry. No matter what, drop us an email and we will quote you the rate for your intended period of stay!

Thank you!

Yours sincerely,
Rachel and family
woof!

Money Matters

Now for the money matters:
Note: All rates are revisable :)

Currently Rates are at:
a) Dogs:
$15/day for boarding more than 10 days for up to 14 days
$17/day for boarding 4 to 10 days
$20/day for 1 to 3 days
$10/day for day care, up to 14h per day

For other pet animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, tortoise, terrapins etc), please contact me at 98240115 for prevailing rates.

b) Small animals:
Include Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Chinchillas.
For other exotic animals, please contact us. We regret if we may reject your pet if we feel we are unable to take care of it properly or if our home environment is not suitable for your pet.

c) Terrapins/Tortoise
Depends on size of pet (as it will affect the amount of water needed to maintain the hygiene of the living environment of the pet. Email or sms us for a quote.)

Here, we believe in transparency when it comes to money.
For long term boarding, please check availability and rates. Thank you.

Pet Boarding This Holiday Season

Dear Visitors and Customers,

Thank you for your continuous support in us. We are available this holiday season once more to take care of your pets.

Please take a look at the house rules before boarding.
Do note that vacancies for dogs are filling up fast due to a limited number of pooches we take in at each period of time.

Due to a surge in requests recently, we will not be providing pre-boarding visits at our place in order to protect the privacy of all humans and dogs in our house. I hope you will understand. But we do have a good reputation.

If there are any enquires, feel free to drop an email to rachels.pooch@gmail.com. We will revert within 2 days. If there have been any emails that were not replied, I apologize sincerely.

In addition, we have received many enquires about boarding during the CNY. I'm sorry but we will not be operating during that festival. =)

Thank you!

Happy holidays,
Rachel, family & Fluffy our resident dog.

Change of Email Address

Dear Visitors,

Please note a change in email address.

Email or forward your inquiries on dog boarding to the following email: rachels.pooch@gmail.com (rachels DOT pooch AT gmail DOT com)

We are open for dog boarding during this holiday period.

Please take some time to read the stated house rules.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you!

Yours sincerely,
Rachel and family
May 2009

Announcement

Dear visitors,

I have problem accessing to my Hotmail currently. All bookings made for December should already be confirmed earlier.
We are currently unable to accept any new bookings until further notice.
Should you have any enquiries, please leave me an email and I will read it when Hotmail is up again.

Thank you!

Yours sincerely,
Rachel

Announcement- End of HouseKeeping

Announcement
End of Summer's HouseKeeping
Start of Autumn Season

Dear all,

We have come to the end of our housekeeping and we're once again open for the autumn =)

1) The summer package is no longer in effect.

2) For all bookings made on 9 Sep 2008 and after, the rate is back to the Usual Rate. (last updated on 30 Sep 2008)

3) All house rules still applicable. Please take a minute to read through!

For bookings and enquires, please email xuanxuan009@hotmail.com

Thank you!

Regards,
Rachel and family.

Announcement

We are officially closed for housekeeping until further notice.

Thank you for all your support. See you next holiday!

Yours sincerely,
Rachel and family

Announcement: Housekeeping

ANNOUNCEMENT

24 June 2008

Dear visitors,

Our Rachel's Pooch House will be closed for housekeeping from August 2008 onwards until further notice.

Bookings accepted before today, 23 June 2008, will not be affected.

If you and your furkid would still like to engage our service for JULY 2008, please drop us an email. You can also check the availability status here.

Sorry for any inconveniences casued. We look forward to seeing you on the next holiday season!

Yours sincerely,
Rachel and family

Announcement

Announcement

2 June 2008

Dear all,

Thank you for your support and patience. We are fully booked for June.

If you would like to make a reservation or enquiries for July bookings, please feel free to email me.

Yours sincerely,

Rachel and family.

Announcement

Dear all,

We are fully booked for May as we can only take a maximum of 3 dogs (stretched to the limit) at any one time without more than 2 days of overlapping in boarding periods.
If there are any boarders who backs out last minute, I estimate I will be able to update the available slot for booking by this Saturday, 10 may 2008.
Deep apologies if I cannot accept more boarders for May.

For June boarders, please feel free to contact me @ 98240115 or email me @ xuanxuan009@hotmail.com or check the Availability Status.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Rachel.

Announcement

Many thanks to all who have called!

I sincerely apologise if I have to reject a few of the callers. If you need urgent boarding and cannot find one, please refer to Why choose us? I have a listed a few alternatives which you can seek.

Once again, thank you! Please feel free to browse through my site and contact me for any enquiries.

Yours sincerely,
Rachel.

The Boarding Procedure

This is the general procedure for boarding:

1) Look at this blog and get all the details =p plus the photos.

2) Email me to enquire or make a booking.

3) Confirm the booking and I will send you a form or the Pre Boarding Checklist via email. Fill it in as accurately as possible and return to us via email.

4) After all is set and details are given, your pet can move in on the actual day of boarding.

Generally, I collect full payment on the 1st day of boarding.

Cheers.
Yours sincerely,
Rachel

Location and Contact Details

Boarding Location: Bukit Panjang Petir Rd/ North-West Area

Please email me at xuanxuan009@hotmail.com for more details and enquiries. Thank you!

We take every email message seriously.
However, we seek your patience and understanding if we did not reply immediately.
(I normally check my email at least once in the morning and once at night. Thanks for your understanding!)

Basic Details and Guidelines of Boarding

Of course, this ought to be the most important detail of all. But please note, the list is not comprehensive. It only provides most basic guidelines during the boarding period. We respect that each furkid is a different invidual with a different personality with his/her own needs. Upon confirmation of boarding, all details and daily itinerary will be further editted. =)

Details of boarding:
Pooches
1) No more than 2 dogs will be boarded at the same time together as we let them roam freely in the house. If there are more than 2 dogs, it will be too rowdy. We want to provide a stress-free, warm and loving home environment during the furkids period of stay.

2) Morning/Evening daily walks (However, if it rains, the dogs will be kept indoors, except for outdoor trained dogs)

3) 2 meals a day for each adult pooch and 3 meals a day for puppies. Kibbles/canned food must be provided by owner. Home Cooked Food will be made available if required.

4) Treats and rewards will be supplied by me (but u can bring some too) during playtime or when I see the little friend needs a moral pick up! (Esp the moment u leave, most pooches will be quite frantic) And once again, please specify if your pooch has any food allergies.

5) Air conditioned sleeping room will be made available upon request. Also, preferably, bring along your furkid's own bed as it will be more comfortable.

6) If bathing is required, please specify how many times during the boarding period. There will be no extra charges but please provide shampoo and at least 1 towel.

7) Please provide at the very least a collar, leash and at least 1 toy for your pooch during his/her stay.

Other details shall be discussed prior to boarding =)



Small animals
1) Cage bedding will be changed and cleaned as frequently as we see them soiled, so, please provide sufficient bedding during period of stay.

2) Dry food and hay is a must for all small animals as we will not provide them with the exception of fresh vegetables. Fresh vegetables will be fed once a day in the morning or otherwise, as specified by owner.

3) Cages must come with water bottles and must be intact (No spoilt or flimsy cages because we want to avoid acidences)

Other details shall be discussed prior to boarding =)

House Rules FAQ

Certain house rules must be observed...Both by me and the little 4 legged companion at my feet..
House Rules FAQ:

Firstly, you might wanna ask: Rachel, you provide boarding for BOTH dogs and small animals?

Rule #1 Dogs and small animals will never be allowed contact.
All cages or tanks/containers will be seperated and put in the shaded balcony which is seperated from living room with glass doors.
__________
Secondly, Rachel, you know all pooches need to do their business right...As parents we dont mind doing the dirty work...but..you?

Rule #2 All pooches must be paper/toilet/outdoor trained. (Still, I will allow for accidents =))
This is to maintain a standard of hygiene in my house. We do want to keep the boarding house a clean and nice smelling place to live in!
__________
Thirdly, Rachel, you say you board 2 dogs at the same time, sometimes....what if they are of opposite sex? I want to keep my kid a virgin please!! No stress for my kid!

Rule #3 Male pooches must be sterilised. And if female pooches are not spayed, their heat period must notified in advance!
I am slightly more loving towards females =x sorry. Sometimes I think they need more protection. But I do have fostered and boarded females that act like males...O_O
__________
Fourthly, you know, Rachel, food and lodging comes as a package.

Rule #4 If no dog food is provided, the pooches will eat whatever my OWN pooch eats =) and food will not be laid out for more than 1h....
However, for small animals, please provide dry food. Type of fresh vegetables to be given will be given and owner should specify if he/she doesnt want any type of food fed.
__________

Fifth, Rachel, my doggie is naughty. Can you please dont hit him too hard?

Rule #5 There will be no form of body punishment of any kind on any animals in my house. Thats a rule in my house. We never use canes or sticks or any object that will cause pooches any kind of pain. In addition, we will never mete out any kind of punishment harsher than a short scold. Also, the pooches will never be chained up or starved as a punishment. These are my household policies and we abide by them strictly.

Lastly,
Rule #6 Any kind of allergies must be specified (for ALL pets) and any taboos must also be notified before house boarding.


So far thats all..
But stay tuned in case we update any of these rules =p

Services

My family and I, provide home pet boarding for

1) small sized dogs (e.g. Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, Maltese, Poms, Pugs or any other mixed breeds whose size is just like a small breed dog ^^) AND all puppies less than 1 year old.

2) Small animals (e.g Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Tortoise/Terrapins, that comes in cages and containers no more than 80cm in length).

Both day care and overnight boarding are available.

Note:
Allowance will be made if you really need an urgent or convenient and close proximity home boarder for a medium to large breed dog.

How To Make Your Dog Smell Better

This is one of the most informative article I have come across. Some of the dogs that I have boarded does stink a bit when they come =x haha

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Dog-Smell-Better

How To Make Your Dog Smell Better

If you have a pup that carries around bad smelling-stink, she's not very pleasant to be around. The dog's bad odors can even start to linger around the house! This page will teach you how to get rid of your dog's bad smell, and now, you can enjoy her again!

Steps
-- Bring your dog to the veterinarian (you should already have 6-month checkups). The vet should tell you whether or not your dog's smell has to do with her being sick. (many dogs let off bad odors when they are sick, so this could be the case). If he tells you your dog isn't sick, try the following:

--Groom your dog. This will most likely clean up most of the stink. Here's how to groom to get rid of stink:
Bathing

Buy some dog shampoo (conditioner is optional depending on the type of coat). It doesn't matter if you buy shampoo that is especially for the dog's coat type, but it is better to use a shampoo that is formulated to get rid of smell (not masked with a scent. Do not use Juicy Couture dog shampoo; the dog hates it because of the scent! It doesn't clean and drives dogs nuts because the smell is over-whelming! It is probably not even PH balanced.)

Directions for Bathing
Wet your dog completely starting from the top of the head to the end of the tail.
Take the shampoo and squirt some in your hands. Start to lather from the top of the neck to the end of the tail. Shampoo the outside of the ears, the legs, the chest, belly, featherings (if any), and the rest of the body. (Don't get in eyes!)
Rinse the shampoo out of the coat until ALL the shampoo is out. Next, shampoo the head. You should use a tearless shampoo (most puppy shampoos are tearless) on the head, just in case. To shampoo the head start at the top, and work your way down to the muzzle. Afterwards, rinse the head, trying to aviod getting the soap dripped into the eyes, and make sure all the shampoo has been rinsed off!
Let your dog shake the water off once. Half the drying is done right there. Take the towel stroke the fur in the direction it grows until the dripping stops. Do not rub, as this can be annoying to your dog. After, your dog will still be damp, but not wet. This is perfect. Take out your Dog Blow-Drier and while brushing or combing your dog's hair, dry until coat isn't wet anymore. Make sure the blow-drier is on the coolest setting possible.

--Regular Grooming
Besides having a dirty coat, many other parts of your dog can contribute to his smelliness.
Ears- If ears aren't cleaned regularly, wax can build up and cause stink. Also, if they aren't cleaned, they can cause redness, swelling, and infection. They also will attract ear mites.

--How to Clean the Ears
Use either ear wipes, or ear cleanser and wipe the ear where wax is evident and through the different crevasses in the ear. The wax is usually a brown or black color. Be careful not to stick your finger through the ear canal. For the cleanser, I like to use Oxyfresh Pet Ear Cleaner. Squirt the solution in the dog's ear and rub the ear in a circular motion. Take a cotton ball, place it right under the flap, and tip your dog's head toward it. The solution will be caught in the cotton ball. Next, take a clean cotton ball and wipe were the solution stayed. Your dog's ears should be very clean afterwards!

--Teeth- Bad doggie breath is one of many things that WILL contribute to make a smelly puppy!
How to Clean Teeth
If your dog's teeth are unhealthy, seek professional cleaning. Otherwise, do this:
Find a dog toothbrush that will suite the size of your dog's mouth.
Take your dog's toothbrush and dog toothpaste. There is also a tiny finger brush with plastic bristles you can buy. You can buy these at any pet store, in pet catalogs (such as Doctor's Foster and Smith), or from your veterinarian. Brushing your dog's teeth is very important and can prevent painful and costly dental surgeries.
Take the toothpaste and squirt a pea-sized amount on the toothbrush. Gently, move your dog's lip upward so you can see it's teeth. Brush all the teeth inside the mouth for about one minute. You should brush your dog's teeth at least twice a week. I reccomend Oxyfresh's Pet Gel as a toothpaste, it doesn't have sugars in it like many other pet toothpastes, and it is virtually taste-free so the dog won't lick it up before you brush, plus it cleans better than any other dog toothpaste (from experience).
To get rid of daily smells on your dog, wipe him daily with a doggie bath wipe. This deodorizes the coat and makes it clean. You can also use a waterless dog shampoo (I like to use Miracle Coat). This gets rid of odors.

This is optional: Buy some doggie cologne (mildly scented please) and do three squirts all over your pooch. This will cover up some odors for the day.

--Bedding
Your dog's bedding will contribute to his smell. Here are some hints to get cleaner and good-smelling bedding, for a better smelling pooch.

First, look at your dog's bedding type. What type of bed does he have? Is it a cuddle nest, wicker basket with towels, a crate with a crate bed, a dog-cot, or a pillow bed?
For Cuddle nests, Snuggle Nests, Pillow Bed, or Orthopedic bed (with cloth-based removable covers).
First, remove the cover off the bed. If there is a lot of hair on it take a hair remover and get the hair off, or just shake it out outside.
Next, put the cover in the washing machine on cold water. Add the detergent but not too much softener (a little is good, a lot is not, a lot will make the dog itch and scratch).
When it is done being washed, put in in the drier (put the heat setting on low). You will need to wash his bed weekly (biweekly if it really stinks).
Put the cover on the bed, and you're good to go.

Wicker basket with towels
Take the dirty towels out of the wicker basket. If they have hair or crumbs in them shake them off outside.
Put the towels in the washing machine on the cold water selection. Add the detergent but not too much softener (a little is good, a lot is not, a lot will make the dog itch and scratch).
When it is done being washed, put in in the drier (put the heat setting on medium).
You will need to change the towels daily! (fold the clean ones up for next time, put some new towels in the bed).

For a Crate with Crate Bed
##First, remove the crate bed, crate bumpers, and if applicable, crate cover from the crate. If there is a lot of hair on them shake them outside.
Next, put the crate bed, bumbers, and cover in the washing machine on cold water. Add the detergent but not too much softener (a little is good, a lot is not, a lot will make the dog itch and scratch).
When it is done being washed, put in in the drier (put the heat setting on low). You will need to wash the crate bed biweekly.
While the crate bed is in the drier (it should take about an hour to dry) place the crate outside so that it can air out. You can spray it down with the hose to clean it. Under the crate bed, there is usually a plastic crate pan. Spray that off with the hose too. If the crate is really dirty you can take some mild, non-toxic, and biodegradable dish-soap and clean it with that and a sponge or toothbrush. Make sure to rinse it all off.
After one hour, take the crate bed and bumbers and place inside the crate. Put the cover on top. Bring the crate back inside, and you're good to go!

For pet cots
Bring your pet cot outside.
Spray with the hose to get it wet.
Now, take some mild, non-toxic, and biodegradable dish soap and a tooth brush and scrub to lift up stink, dirt and debris.
Spray it down again with the hose to rinse off all the soap.
Wipe down with a lint-free cloth or towel to dry.
You should clean your pet cot about every other day.'

--Think about your dog's food. Many manufactured dog foods can contribute to an unpleasant doggie stink if they have terrible ingredients. People have noticed that by giving your dog a homemade diet can decrease stink. See the tips section for ideas.

Tips
1) Make sure that you bathe your smelly dog every other week.
2) Brush your dog's teeth daily.
3) Clean your dog's ears twice or three times weekly.
4) Clean your dog with a bath wipe daily to deodorize his coat and get rid of smells.
5) For dog beds with removable covers, between the bed and cover you can slip some lavender buds for a clean, fresh scent. Make sure to change these weekly. These also can have a calming effect on your dog.
6) Sometimes manufactured dog foods contain ingredients that can make dogs pass gass, have bad breath, or contribute to a smelly coat. Many people have noticed that by giving your dog a homemade raw diet with added supplements can reduce smells. Talk with your vet.

--Try to avoid manufactured treats, as some of these ingredients can make dogs pass gass, have bad breath, or contribute to a smelly coat. Instead, try the following RAW fruits and vegtables.

For fresh breath, give your dogs parsley. You can even ground it up, and sprinkle into their food. Many dogs also enjoy carrots, apples, oranges, pears, bananas, berries, papayas, mangoes, canteloupe, honey dew melon, bell peppers (make sure seeds are REMOVED), spinach, romaine lettuce, and much more! Remember, these are only as treats. You need to feed your dog a diet like above in additon to treats. Make sure to reseach any human food before giving it to your dog though, as it may be poisonous.

How to bath your dog

I got this article from the web. It is nice short and quite specific. Would like to share with all readers
Source: http://www.essortment.com/all/bathedog_rrvk.htm

How to bathe your dog
Learn how to properly bathe your dog in this informative article!

When it's time to give either Fido or Fifi a bath, you need to know the proper way to bathe him or her. You should also know that dogs should be bathed only when they are dirty or when they need a flea bath. Too much bathing removes the natural oils in their skin and fur, and can leave their skin dried out and flaky. This can cause frequent scratching too.

To start, the best place to bathe your dog is on the bathtub or in or outside in a utility tub. Only bathe your dog outside if your water hose has both hot and cold water connected to it.
A rubber mat should be placed in the bottom of the tub so your dog's feet don't slide around, and so he orshe will feel more secure and safe. Most dogs dont't care to be bathed anyhow, so you need to make them feel as comfortable as possible. Speaking of comfortable, the water temperature in the tub should be lukewarm, not too hot or cold.

You will need several towels; depending on the length and thickness fo your dog's fur, dog shampoo,and cotton balls. You can use baby shampoo in a pinch, but it is generally not recommended for use on a dog.

Next, place a cotton ball in each of your dog's ears, just inside the canal, not too far inside. This will help to keep water out of his or her ears. Place your dog in the tub and thoroughly wet his or her coat down with the spray hose. Then, start with the main body and begin to lather it with the dog shampoo. Work the shampoo into a thick, rich lather. If you are using flea shampoo, some brands recommend leaving the suds on the dog's body for then minutes or so. Read the directions on the bottle and follow them carefully in order to achieve the desired results. Lather the main body, stomach, legs, feet, and tail.

Lastly,pour a small amount of shampoo into your hands and gently lather up the fur around the face and on the head. Be careful not to get the lather into your dog's eyes. Wait any prescribed amount of time if you are using flea shampoo.

Now, when you rinse off all of the suds, carefully rinse the face and head first. Cover your dog's eyes with your hand and gently rinse off the top of the head and around the eyes. Then, gently cover your dog's nose and rinse off the rest of the face and neck. Next, work your way down the body, making sure to rinse out all of the suds and shampoo residue.

Remove the cotton balls from his or her ears and gently squeeze out any excess water in your dog's tail, feet, etc.-anywhere the fur is long.

Use the towels to damp-dry his or her coat. If the weather is warm enough, your dog can be left to air-dry after the initial towel drying. If the weather is cold, however, you should use a hair dryer set on the lowest setting to dry his or her coat thoroughly. Be careful to hold the hair dryer far enough away that they don't get burned by it. Also, if your dog is long-haired, it would be a good idea to comb his or her fur at this time.

And, finally, your dog is clean, fresh and sweet-smelling once again!

Why choose us?

Many might ask the question: Why board with Rachel's Pooch House?

This is because...

1) I offer highly affordable boarding rates for short term home pet boarding without quality compromises.
One might have noticed that short term boarding are actually quite expensive at pet hotels and similar institutes.

2) I board your pet at my own house. It is warm and cosy, with 24hours pet care, free roaming and individual attention. Pooches get to sleep with me at night too, unlike big pet hotels...where they get closed up in small "compartments". =p At my place, we don't even keep them away in play pens.

3) I'm located in Bukit Panjang. Nearby facilities are...nature park trails, parks, gardens... All adequate to meet your pooches' daily need for fresh air and green grass. The closest main road to me is an approximate 10mins walk away. (So, no fear that your pooch will run off into the dangerous roads when I bring them for walks.)

However,

I apologise sincerely, if I have to reject any offers because of a few restrictions.

1) Short term boarding of up to 2 weeks and only a maximum of 2 dogs boarding at the same time.

2) Pet Transport is not always readily available. Apologies again.

3) I cannot accomodate large breeds like Huskies and Golden Retrievers.

4) We have to reject a few feline owners because we simply have no experience in taking care of them. Unless...well, unless you dont mind and you are really urgent, give me a ring.

In case your find our service unsuitable, please feel free to refer to the following alternatives:

-Florence Pets Haven, 16 Pasir Ris Farmway 2 S(519316)Tel: 6583 1928

-Mitchville K-9 Kennels ,Plot T92 Seletar West Farmway 1 S(790000) Tel: 6482 0084

-Pet Hotel, 20 Pasir Ris Farmway 2, S(519317) Tel: 6582 2222

-Petsville, 16 Kim Keat RoadTel: 62973931

-Pet Movers, (S) Pte Ltd No. 4 Pasir Ris Farmway 2 Singapore 519318 Tel: 6581 3688

-Pawswork, http://pawsworkz.com.sg/store/services.html

(pls note that I am in no ways affiliated to any of the above associations)

Have a great day and thanks for viewing!

Yours sincerely,
Rachel and family, the home pet sitters.