Boarding at Gillette Kennels
Offering boarding and training services since 1998
We constructed our boarding facility to fill a need made evident by an overwhelming number of requests from clients who attended our obedience training classes. The facility, centrally located between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, provides a serene country atmosphere while remaining close, convenient, and easy to access. We adhere to the highest standards of canine care. Our facility is cleaned and disinfected daily and all dogs are treated with kindness and respect. We are proud of the excellent reputation that our kennel has gained and invite you to call for a tour today.
All kennel runs contain both inside and outside areas. The inside is heated with in-floor radiant heat to keep your dog warm in the winter and air-conditioned for the hot summer days.
The boarding kennel contains three size runs to accommodate both large and small breeds.
Dogs have free access to the inside and outside areas from early morning to late evening (weather permitting). The runs are separated by galvanized steel panels on the inside and outside to prevent cross contamination. The outside runs are also covered to keep dogs dry when it rains or snows while providing access to fresh air.
C-Wing is not connected to our main facility. After check-in our staff will walk pets over to their run and bring along their belongings.
Runs in our C-Wing kennel contain both inside and outside areas. The inside is heated to keep your dog warm in the winter and air-conditioned for the hot summer days. Dogs have free access to the inside and outside areas from early morning to late evening (weather permitting).
The C-Wing kennel contains two size runs to accommodate both large and small breeds.
Three-foot high four-inch block walls and chain link fencing separate each individual inside area. Chain link fencing that sits on a curb to prevent cross contamination during cleaning and disinfecting separates the outside runs. The outside runs are also covered to keep dogs dry when it rains while providing access to fresh air. This kennel is used as our overflow kennel.
Our cattery is located off the reception area in a sound-proof, sun filled room.
Cat Room
The entire room, complete with rocking chairs, cozy baskets, and wide window sills, is available on a first come first serve basis.
Cat Condos
For your cat’s pleasure we offer 5 tier kitty condos – no cages!
Our experience has shown us that dogs that frequently visit our boarding kennel from puppyhood absolutely love coming here. It is like their home away from home. Many older dogs (five years or older) that have never before been boarded have a hard time adjusting to the kennel atmosphere.
It is recommended whenever possible to socialize your dog to a boarding kennel at a young age.
We suggest that individuals who have older dogs that have not been socialized in a kennel begin with a very short stay (a day or two) to let them get used to the kennel environment. We also suggest that individuals who have geriatric dogs (10 years or older) that have never been boarded before consider using an in-home pet-sitting service.
We encourage you to take a tour of our facility before you board with us. If you would like to take a tour, please call the office to schedule an appointment. We prefer to provide tours Monday - Thursday between 12:00pm - 2:00pm or 4:00pm - 6:30pm.
Feel free to bring your dog's favorite toys and/or treats. Please limit the number of toys to three items and label all toys clearly with your dog's name and your last name. In addition, we feel it is important that your dog have a clean, comfortable bed to sleep on; however, we have instituted strict bedding requirements. Bedding is also now available from us for a nominal rental fee. Please see our special services for more information.
Clients who feed their dog(s) other than Redford Naturals Lamb & Brown Rice products are encouraged to provide us with food, as a sudden change in diet can result in diarrhea. Please see our medical issues page for more information. Clients who provide us with food must present the food to us as described in our food policy.
All dogs must be up-to-date on their vaccinations. Please review our vaccinations page.
If you decide to use our kennel please be advised that all dogs must be leashed when on the premises. This is important because other clients will be coming and going with their dogs, and we are frequently providing obedience training lessons on the property.
For safety purposes please remember to bring your dog on a leash. If you arrive at the kennel without a leash please leave your dog in your vehicle while you borrow a leash from us. Please read our procedures for checking in prior to your arrival.
Checking-In
When arriving to check-in please park in the large asphalt parking lot located at 9172 East K Ave. Please enter the kennel reception room through the office entrance and follow the Check-In Procedure outlined below.
Check-In Procedure
- Please leave your pet in your vehicle while you check-in.
- Bring in your pet’s bedding, food, and/or toys. (Limit: 3 items per pet, label all items)
- Complete paperwork for check-in.
- Leash-walk your dog to the dog-walk area to eliminate (area located on the right side of the building next to the fire hydrant). Please DO NOT allow your dog to urinate on our plants or building.
- An employee will meet you at the gate by the dog walk area and add the Pet Detect tag to your pet's collar.
- Your dog must be leashed at all times. If you forget your leash, we will loan one to you.
Because our kennel is very open, clients that arrive to drop-off or pick-up boarding dogs will frequently see staff members engaging in activities such as cleaning and disinfecting, exercising or obedience training dogs, teaching private lessons, and teaching classes. We also frequently hire independent contractors to help us to maintain the grounds.
Not all staff members and individuals on the premises are qualified to check clients in and out, so please be sure to enter the reception area through the office entrance. A doorbell will automatically sound when the office entrance door is opened and a qualified staff member will assist you.
More Info
Again, please remember to leash your dog before you let him/her out of your car. It is also important that the leash be attached to a properly fitted collar. A flat collar must snugly fit around the dog’s neck. You should be able to place only two fingers between your dog’s neck and collar. The collar must not be so loose that it pulls over your dog’s head.
We also recommend that you take your dog for a brief potty walk as soon as you get him/her out of your vehicle. The designated dog walk area is conveniently located next to the parking area.
Our boarding services are computerized with state-of-the-art boarding kennel software. The kennel software enables us to keep accurate records of all of our boarding clients' important information. It also helps us to book reservations, accurately calculate charges, and streamlines arrival (check-in) and departure (check-out) activities. When checking in please be prepared to verify the scheduled departure date, the name of your veterinarian's clinic, and your dog’s name, age, and breed. Also, please provide us with feeding guidelines, a contact telephone number (where you can be reached), and your dog's medication schedule (if applicable), and indicate which special services you would like for us to provide for your dog. Please be sure to thoroughly read, sign, and date the boarding agreement.
Please check our kennel's policies and hours before you board your pet with us. We strive to develop and maintain an excellent relationship with our clients. This relationship must be built on mutual respect and consideration.
Vaccinations
Veterinarian provided proof of vaccinations must be provided prior to your dog’s initial stay. Our records must be updated annually. Vaccination records can be uploaded when booking a reservation, mailed or faxed to us at (269) 665-6970.
All dogs must have a current history of vaccinations that include:
Boarding Vaccinations Required
- Parvo/Distemper: Vaccination given within the last one (1) year
- Rabies: Vaccination given within the last one (1) year on dogs under one (1) year of age and within the last three (3) years for dogs over one (1) year of age
- Bordetella: This is the most important vaccination for dogs being boarded! We absolutely require the Bordetella vaccination prior to entry of any dog into our kennel. If you would like more information about kennel cough please see our medical issues section.
Training Vaccinations Required
- Parvo/Distemper: Vaccination given within the last one (1) year
- Rabies: Vaccination given within the last one (1) year on dogs under one (1) year of age and within the last three (3) years for dogs over one (1) year of age. Because many veterinarians to not give the rabies vaccination to young puppies, rabies is not required for puppy head start.
- Bordetella: This is the vaccination for kennel cough. It is required for training classes and is for your dog's protection. If you would like more information about kennel cough please see our medical issues section.
Recommended Vaccinations
- Leptospirosis: Vaccination given within the last one (1) year
- Influenza: Vaccination given within the last one (1) year
Medical Issues
Select a topic to learn about each of our medical policies.
Boarding Services
A variety of additional services are offered to our boarding guests at a nominal fee. In addition to the services listed below, we also offer baths. Special services will not be offered to aggressive dogs. Please review our aggressive dog policy.