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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Because dogs need vacations, too.

Our friends have a dog, and every time they go on vacation, they're bummed to him in a kennel. So this new-ish site looks awesome...

Dog Vacay lets you find a real home where your dog can stay while you're away. Experienced dog lovers can sign up to host dogs for a small fee (starting at $15 per night); often, the hosts have other dogs and big yards, and some are even retired vets or pet trainers. One couple said that your dog can sleep in their bed, if that's what your dog is used to at home. And the cutest part: You'll get photos of your dog's vacation! :)

If you have a dog, would you do this?

(Photo by KalyxCornucopia)

97 comments:

  1. I kind of want to be the people who take in the dogs! lol

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  2. this is such a cute idea!
    i'm watching my neighbors dog for them next week for free :)

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  3. Anonymous11:50 AM

    Totally! We became dog owners during our amazing and all-too-short time, living in the US. We found that the level of dog care is far superior to anything we have here in the UK. We (and the dog) want to go back so much!

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  4. I would never have a dog in the city.

    / Avy
    http://MyMotherFuckedMickJagger.blogspot.com



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  5. That is too cute!

    www.cancerinthecity.com

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  6. i do this, when i go to pick up my dogs. they don't want to come home with me! they love it!

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  7. GREAT idea! I would absolutely do this... in a heartbeat.

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  8. i would totally do this. well, we kinda already do. while on a trip to CA, our furry babies stayed with a good friend. his two pups are best friends to ours and he spoils them all. he also brought them home to us and took care of the house a bit while we were gone. i was a little sad that my oldest was so depressed when he left ... but then its comforting to know they had such a great time.

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  9. This looks awesome, too bad there aren't too many homes in my area.

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  10. What a great idea! I would love to host a dog or have someone take my dog for a bit.

    Growing up, our family dog would always stay with friends of ours who loved our girl almost as much as we did and when they went away, we gladly took their dog too! It was a wonderful arrangement.

    http://poisonwood-poisonwood.blogspot.ca/

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  11. Genius idea!

    xx

    www.mardlemade.com

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  12. Although I want to travel the world with my pup and my fiance, I would do this if we were going some place he could not go, or if there were a lot of flights involved. I have dreams of us spending a couple of months in Paris, with the dog of course!

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  13. I would totally do that. I HATE sending Boyd to the kennel.

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  14. Lovely idea -- I think it's so cute how you get some photos from their vacation! :)

    xoxo
    Nat

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  15. We live in London and there is a dog creche near by our work that looks after your dog for £10 a day. The guy takes them running, does agility & they play together in a training area If you need them to stay over you get a "good night" photo of all the dogs cuddled up in their beds together.
    It is the best!

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  16. My mom is pretty much my dogsitter - she calls my dog her "grand-doggy" and LOVES when I ask her to watch her. My dog always gets all muddied and mulberried and slobbered on by the two big dogs...and sleeps like a rock when she gets home. I think dogs love vacations, too!

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  17. This is GENIUS. Thanks for sharing this.

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  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. Of course!

    This seems great for people who love dogs but can't make the commitment to have a pet of their own.

    www.readgeetikasblog.blogspot.com

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  20. tammy h.12:13 PM

    it's a way better option than kenneling... you and alex should offer to take a friend's dog while they're on vacation! sort of like practice for the real thing ;)

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  21. yes!! this may be the best thing you've ever posted (for dog-owners anyway)! we are ALWAYS looking for good pet-sitting options for our 2 dogs - i will definitely be using this in the future!

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  22. This is such a fantastic idea. Our dog knows that we're leaving as soon as the suitcases come out. Poor guy. We have a three week trip coming up and we're still trying to piece together coverage him. I wish this was available in Sitka, Alaska.

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  23. Oh man, I'm glad there is a site for this now! We do this with many of our friends and family. We aren't big holiday celebrating people, so often we'll have our dog and then 2 or 3 others staying with us too. It's a riot! They're our fur children, it's nice to have peace of mind that they're being individually cared for won't be overly stressed.

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  24. We have tried sending our dog to other peoples' houses, kenneling him and we find the best thing is having someone come and stay at our place. He was abandoned and has pretty high separation anxiety, being in his own space suits him best.

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  25. Love the photo, so cute! xx

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  26. I would definitely do this, but I'd have to be pretty confident in the owners and the home environment before I'd let my dog stay there for a whle. On the other hand, I'd love to host if I didn't live in a tiny apartment with no grass in sight!

    www.themidwestmaven.wordpress.com

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  27. Wow! That is really cute. We have friends here just north of Anchorage, Alaska, who have dogs, LOVE dogs, hunt, train, etc. Elvis (our lab/Jack Russell mix) goes to "doggie summer camp" while we're away and gets some well-need dog socialization time and has a blast!

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  28. Absolutely! I would enjoy my vacation much more knowing my dogs (Hank & Winnie) were also having a great time. What a great idea!

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  29. I'm confused. Why in the world would I PAY to take care of a dog? You mean get paid?

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  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  31. Yes, I've done this with my two hound dogs before. I was in the UK for nearly a month and my dogs stayed with the lady who we got them from -- she has a farm and other dogs/sheep/critters and a big pond. Bella and Beeper were so happy!

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  32. Oh, wow. What a clever idea.

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  33. That is such an awesome idea! When I go away, Warner goes to a huge acreage where they hike around and play all day and then get tucked in to their crates at night. If I didn't have this option I would definitely use Dog Vacay-SUCH a good idea!

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  34. It does sound like a good idea. I don't have a dog but when I go on holidays I hire a lady to feed/brush/play with my cat when I'm away. I don't like him being out of his natural habitat... he isn't around other animals so I imagine putting him in a kennel would be scary for him. At least he gets some human interaction each day and I'm not freaking out about him.

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  35. this is awesome! i will definitely use this. as it is i haul my dog an hour to my parents' whenever i'm away, but this is a great option when you just need one or two nights. it's so hard to ask friends to dogsit when you aren't really sure if it's up their alley. this is perfect!

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  36. what an awesome idea! cheers for that!

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  37. If my dog liked other dogs, I would totally do this! I love animals and would totally host so other people can enjoy their vacations!

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  38. This sounds great. This sounds kinda like the "foster home' that we adopted our dog from. Instead of a traditional facility for abandoned dogs, our town had several foster homes. Each home was a farm or had a huge property where dogs could run around and play with each other until they were adopted.

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  39. Anonymous1:01 PM

    This is genius! Thanks so much for posting this, because I've never heard of it. I want to try it next time we go out of town, because I too don't like leaving my dog at a kennel.

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  40. Completely adorable. I will have to look into that the next time Bella Beast needs to go on vacation!

    www.megnificentlife.blogspot.com

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  41. I just can't get over dogs being treated better than people.

    I'm sorry to be the lone troll on this comment feed because I usually gush over every post but dog vacation photos are just.too.much.

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  42. There is a doggy camp upstate! It's basically a big farm where the dogs run around all day. They will come to the city and pick up your dog, too!

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  43. I'm on the fence about this idea... it seems like a more personal (and cheap!) alternative to a kennel, but I think I might actually worry more about leaving my pups in a strangers' home.

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  44. This is a great idea! We try to bring the furry beast with us when we can, but when we can't this would be a great option.

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  45. yes i totally would! is this service only available in New York?

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  46. We have a rescue dog who is a bit skittish and really doesn't like to be around other dogs (she's friendly with people, though!). Boarding her at someone's home is really our only option for her, so this sounds great! Just have to find a house with no resident pets...

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  47. This photo is toooooo cute, and makes me sad that someone leaves him behind often. What a great idea for pet owners though, I'd definitely look into this...

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  48. Aw. Our doggie day care (phrase I never, ever thought I would use) also does dog sitting when we go on vacation, and it makes us feel so much better that he goes to someone's home who he obviously loves.

    Fortuitously, DogVacay has a deal on Groupon today for anyone in the market:
    http://www.groupon.com/deals/dc-pet-dogvacay-chicago?utm_medium=email&utm_source=channel_occasions_pet-deals&sid=11194737&user=e0814e37d048987de46cc882ae019d393e0c9e5801c789025b78fc36bad9e42c&utm_campaign=11194737&s=body&d=dc-pet-dogvacay-chicago&p=6&c=deal_title

    Hope some lucky pups make use of it!

    http://tallandsalty.blogspot.com/

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  49. I love this idea! Why didn't I think of this? Oh yeah because I have a mini zoo at home right now. :)

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  50. a.Page2:34 PM

    I love this idea! I cry every time I have to leave my dogs at a kennel (even though they take wonderful care of them). It would be so nice to take them to a loving, open home for their own little vacation!

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  51. Anonymous2:49 PM

    Thank you for posting this! We're going to try this while we're out of town for a week in July!

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  52. Anonymous2:49 PM

    Thank you for posting this! We're going to try this while we're out of town for a week in July!

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  53. I think this is a brilliant idea! I would/will definitely use this. I rely on family members to dog-sit for me when I am out of town, but occasionally they're unavailable and this would be a wonderful option.

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  54. Who knew!? I'll definitely give this a shot - my poor friends and family probably get tired of having Daphne Devereaux rotated between them. ;)

    @ Aya - I completely understand what you're saying. We had a student from the Congo in one of my college classes, and she said that was the biggest culture shock when she moved to america: "Animals here are treated better than the humans are where I'm from." Killed me.

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  55. Yes! I would definitely do this for my dog! It would be great for him to socialize with other dogs too.

    ♥, http://summeronhillwood.blogspot.ca/

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  56. Yes! I would definitely do this for my dog! It would be great for him to socialize with other dogs too.

    ♥, http://summeronhillwood.blogspot.ca/

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  57. A charming idea.
    Edward and Apple stay in their own home when we travel, though. We have someone come in to stay here. I think they're happier that way.

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  58. A charming idea.
    Edward and Apple stay in their own home when we travel, though. We have someone come in to stay here. I think they're happier that way.

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  59. Yes! I totally would do this. I love my dogs to death. I have never left them at a kennel before. We try to take them with us on our local travels whenever we can, but there are times when we travel further away and the journey might be too stressful for them so it is better for us to leave them with someone who will take care of them at home away from home. So they're happy and enjoying themselves while we are away. I always leave them with the lady who's been grooming them since they were puppies. She's got dogs of her own, has a huge yard and obviously, knows my dogs well. A couple of years ago, we went to NOLA for Thanksgiving and she wasn't available to take our dogs. This would've been a great option!!

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  60. there is no way on earth this would work with my dog! he is vocal enough when it comes to any kind of change and moans (including chicken impersonations!) and is such a handful that I wouldnt think anyone would put up with him!! that and the fact we love him so much - we as a family enjoy camping and always bring him and he enjoys it so much. i know this isnt for everyone but he's a member of the family and if he's not with us on holiday its not quite right :)
    love from london x

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  61. that's an adorable idea. it's kind of scary to trust your dog with a stranger, but if there's screenings and all that, i'd do it :)

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  62. After a really bad experience with a traditional kennel (our dog going "kennel cough") We started sening him to another kennel on a huge farm where they stayed in their own stalls rather than crates. They all got plenty of run around and play and time my dog was apparently so charming that they let him hang out in the office all day. I much prefer that than him being cooped up all day.

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  63. What a cute puppy photo! TOTALLY checking out this site!

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  64. I always think of my poor dog being so sad in a kennel when she's used to having people all to herself! This seems like a god send. Whenever I can't take her with me (she is 15 lbs so she can fly with me!) I always leave her with a family member or friend sometimes even a friend of a friend. This is the next best thing when you're tired of imposing on your friends and fam. Good find!

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  65. We were on vacation last week and our little doxen stayed with my Father in Law out in the hills around Austin. I don't think she's ever been happier! She got to go outside all day, sleep with grandma and grandpa, dip her feet in the hot tub, play with my FIL's chocolate lab, Moses. She was in heaven! I think it was just the break and bit of fresh air she needed.

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  66. This is really sweet!

    There's a kennel/dog walker/etc in Williamsburg called Eva's Play Pups, and they have a farm upstate where they'll take your dog to board it. It sounds so fun!

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  67. This is AMAZING! I will definitely check this out. I have two dogs and I hate leaving them behind. I always send them to the kennel with tons of treats and wet dog food (the good stuff!)

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  68. I guess they're still growing in North Carolina. There's only one person in my town and they live in a not so safe area :(

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  69. I love this idea! I love dogs but don't have the time to commit myself to one full-time. This would be a great way to get my dog fix & earn a bottle of wine or two while I'm at it!

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  70. What an awesome idea...I would hate to put my dog in a kennel, I'm lucky I've had family up to now who can doggy-sit.
    xxx

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  71. It would be great to have them stay in a home setting instead of in a kennel. I would feel better.

    Ann Lawson
    http://www.creativedoggytreats.com

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  72. What a great idea...how to find out more?

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  73. This is the best idea! We are totally going to do this next time we go away!

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  74. DEFINITELY looking into this. I always feel so bad when we leave Winnie Cooper (yes, that is our mini schnauzer's name) at the kennel. I know she has a great time but i worry that she gets lonely at night (yes she sleeps with us)... this is awesome!

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  75. DEFINITELY looking into this. I always feel so bad when we leave Winnie Cooper (yes, that is our mini schnauzer's name) at the kennel. I know she has a great time but i worry that she gets lonely at night (yes she sleeps with us)... this is awesome!

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  76. I totally agree with you guys. Dogs do need their vacation. They need calm and relaxation too just like us people. This rocks!

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  77. oh my word! i would totally host a dog!

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  78. This is so cool! I wish we still lived in the States so I could give this a try... I always feel so guilty every time we leave our Bailey at the kennel to go on holiday.

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  79. My dog LOVES when we go away...she gets so much attention and love...she goes to a different friend's house each time and is such a lover she gets along with all kids and dogs and cats (we're lucky)...the only requirement we have is that she sleeps with someone...it's awesome and she sometimes doesn't want to come home :(

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  80. I'd totally do this!

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  81. Huh, interesting concept! If I didn't have family and friends around to take care of my animals, I would definitely consider this.

    Kristin
    www.dressedandfed.com

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  82. My dog loves going on vacay! He is currently in AZ with the "grandparents" lol. And when they are out of town my friend is watching him. He LOVES my friend so much they have to greet each other outside haha. He always comes home so happy from their houses.

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  83. We take our dog to doggie daycare twice a week and they also do boarding. If we didn't have such exceptional service at k9dergarten in Jersey City I'd consider this!

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  84. I'm a little shocked no one is concerned about leaving pets with strangers? I would be very, very hesitant to drop off my doggies with a random person that did not have credentials. What if something went wrong? What if they mistreated your pet?

    I would be more inclined to hire a licensed petsitter to stay with them at home instead.

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  85. I think its a fabulous idea. Sure, I'd be a little hesitant to leave my pup with a stranger but its not like you ship your dog off and never meet the people. Besides, in response to Anna's comment, I would rather that then let a stranger, licensed or not, into my house.

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  86. I love this!! Another alternative to this is doggie daycares that allow overnight guests. We do that with our dogs when we go on trips and it's great. They're free to play all day with the other pups and then have their own private "room" with each other for sleeping at night. It's perfect! I would totally give this pet sitting service a try, but I know my overprotective husband probably wouldn't let us leave our pups with anyone that wasn't a professional or at least bonded and insured.

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  87. We did this when we had a greyhound - there was a woman who only boarded greys in her home, because they respond so differently to their own breed that with other dogs. Our dog LOVED it and never wanted to come home!

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  88. Wow! I've never heard of this. I love to leave my dog with a friend instead of boarding her, but I'd have to think about leaving her with a stranger, though it's an intriguing idea...

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  89. this is a great idea!

    however my dog is wayyy too spoilt to be left with anyone other than my parents or my grandmother.

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  90. For those that haven't checked out DogVacay, definitely do so.

    For those that either will not trust strangers or those that simply prefer going to friends, family or people you already know (and I see a number of you here), a complimentary service is Spotwag.com—it's meant to make coordinating pet sitting with friends and people you already know as easy as calling a kennel or pet sitter.

    Disclaimer, I'm one of the founders. We've been featured in the New York Times, MSNBC and elsewhere alongside Dog Vacay, though we both consider the services complimentary rather than strictly competitive.

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  91. Cute Puppy :), this is true we should also consider our pets as just like as, there is no bad things gonna happen with that idea, am I right? :)

    Click here to visit my blog! I would happy if I can share something to anyone also...

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  92. Totally! I agree with you. You really got a cute pup there. Seems like he had a nice and deep sleep.
    quality website
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  93. DogVacay hand approves all pet-sitters, provides comprehensive protection, veterinary support, and a 100% guarantee.

    dog boarding

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