We recently moved into a pub (
) with a small courtyard cum smoking area. Attatched to this are 3 garages, one of which is now a kennel for the boys. We bricked halfway down to make it more secure (now no access from the up and over door) and installed a panel with a door which is ALWAYS padlocked. The walls are painted an off white colour to seal them and help brighten the place up.We have always been aware that this will be a compromise as far as customers fussing the boys are concerned but so far they have all been very good (both dogs and customers!) We have signs up with a little info on the dogs, breed, age and name etc, as well as warnings that they are tattooed and microchipped. The kennel is visible from the bar area so I think we have security fairly well covered and (though we do not mention it) they sleep in a small cage in the office at night as we are happier doing this than leaving them outside unattended.
HOWEVER, we are getting comments that the kennel is bare and the dogs will "get bored"
Numerous explanations that they go out to work with Phil most days, have plentiful walks and stimulation have little effect. Do you guys have any suggestions as to how we can make the kennel seem more "acceptable" to those customers who do not understand what our dogs do, without further compromising them? In an ideal world I would not listen to them but these are our customers, we took the decision to have the dogs out there and I want to try and strike a reasonable balance.Vicky
