Boarding, Daycare & IVDD care for Sausages

Some sausages trot through the door like they’ve been waiting all week for their holiday. Others pause, look back at their humans, and you can almost hear the tiny internal monologue: “Wait… you’re leaving me… here?” I hold space for both. Missing their humans is normal, healthy, and something I’m beautifully set up to support. Here’s how I help each little long body settle, soften, and find their rhythm again. Familiar scents come first The very first thing I do is surround

Every summer, Long Dog Hotel hums with a special kind of energy — the sound of paws padding across the garden, tails thumping against beds, and the gentle shuffle of dachshunds finding their favourite spots. It’s our busiest season, and it’s also the most heart‑filling one. ☀️ The Summer Rush Begins As the days get longer, the bookings start to stack up. Families plan holidays, dachshunds prepare for their own, and suddenly the calendar looks like a parade of familiar names —

If you’ve ever shared your life with a dachshund, you already know — they’re not quite like any other dog. Every week at Long Dog Hotel, I meet new sausages with their own little quirks, and yet somehow, they all seem to belong to the same wonderfully eccentric club. This isn’t a guide or a list of “shoulds.” It’s just a peek behind the scenes at the small, hilarious, and heart‑melting things we see every day. 🐾 The Blanket Burrowers No matter how warm the room is, there’s a

(An observational peek behind the scenes at Long Dog Hotel) One of my favourite parts of welcoming a new dachshund is seeing what their humans pack for their little holiday. Every bag tells a story — who this dog is, what comforts them, what routines matter, and how deeply they’re loved. Over time, I’ve noticed the same themes appearing again and again. This isn’t advice, and it’s not a checklist — just a gentle look at what dachshund families tend to bring when their long do

Introducing dachshunds to one another is a little bit like introducing two people at a dinner party — the magic only happens when everyone feels safe, unhurried, and free to be themselves. At Long Dog Hotel, calm introductions aren’t a “step” in the process; they’re the foundation of everything that follows. Because when a long dog feels secure from the very first moment, their whole stay becomes easier, softer, and more joyful. Below is a little window into how we do it. 🌿

The heart of summer at Long Dog Hotel When the Hampshire sun starts to warm the garden, our focus shifts to keeping every sausage comfortable, hydrated, and happy. Dachshunds are famously brave but not built for heat — their long bodies and short legs mean they feel the temperature quickly. So our summer setup is all about gentle cooling, calm routines, and plenty of shade. 🌿 The environment Shaded zones: We’ve created natural shade using tents and parasols so sausages can

Every dachshund moves in their own rhythm. Some bounce, some shuffle, some glide like tiny submarines through the grass. And some — especially those with mild to moderate IVDD history or age‑related stiffness — move with a little more care, a little more thought, and a lot of courage. At Long Dog Hotel, supporting dachshunds with mobility sensitivities isn’t a special service. It’s woven into everything we do. It’s how we lift, how we set up spaces, how we plan playtime, and

Summer at Long Dog Hotel is one of my favourite seasons. The garden wakes up, the sausages wake up, and suddenly everything feels a little brighter, a little sillier, and a lot more wiggly. But with warmer weather comes a shift in how dachshunds move, rest, explore, and play — especially those with mild to moderate IVDD history. Preparing for summer isn’t just about opening the back door and letting the sunshine in. It’s about creating an environment where every long dog can

If you share your life with a dachshund, you already know they’re not “just small dogs.” They’re long, low, determined, sensitive, clever, dramatic, affectionate, and occasionally convinced they’re ten feet tall. They’re also a breed with very specific physical needs — especially when it comes to their backs. At Long Dog Hotel, specialist handling isn’t a marketing phrase. It’s the foundation of how we care for every sausage who trots through the gate. Many of our guests live

A gentle guide to understanding early signs of IVDD in dachshunds At the Long Dog Hotel, I meet a lot of wonderful sausages with wonderfully devoted humans. And one phrase I hear often — always with love, always with concern — is: “He’s just a little stiff sometimes. Nothing serious.” It’s such a common sentence. And it’s one I want to gently unpack, because when it comes to dachshunds, “just a little stiffness” can be the very first whisper of IVDD. This blog isn’t here to s

As the days stretch a little longer and the garden starts humming with life, our sausages suddenly rediscover their inner adventurer. Spring is a gorgeous season for dachshunds — softer sunshine, warmer walks, and plenty of new smells to investigate. But it also brings a few sneaky hazards that can catch even the most attentive owners off‑guard. At the Long Dog Hotel, spring is when I start seeing the same patterns year after year. So here’s a calm, friendly guide to help you

I know many of you will skip read the following and others won't bother at all but that's life. But it has to be said...so pull up a chair and grab a cuppa or something stronger and read. I get abuse and rude people fairly often who don’t like my charges so I thought id share with you an insight into a dog boarders life below…. Apparently Licenced home boarders are GREEDY because we won't support owners budgets with our costs at £40-£80 per night depending on time of ye

We know all about IVDD here at the Long Dog Hotel, sadly our rainbow pup Poppy suffered with it and both current Directors, Millie Moo and Dolly have suffered with it. This is the reason why we only accept quiet chilled pups at the hotel to allow IVDD warriors a chance to enjoy a holiday without fear of being jumped on. IVDD stands for Intervertebral Disc Disease , a condition that affects the spine of animals, particularly dogs. It occurs when the intervertebral discs (the

🐶 As a dog boarder and especially one who looks after medical/elderly/ivdd pups I have to be super careful which whom I take on so for me the trial process is more in depth to make 100% sure your dog will fit with my regulars who are appreciative of a quiet holiday 🐶 Trials are a one off fee and although I understand I am a higher than most boarders, I am extremely picky on whom I accept at the hotel due to not taking on overly boisterous behaviour. 🐶 Trials are more money

I just want to highlight the hard truth -dealing with the general public is emotionally hard work when running a business. We all run our own business the best way that suits us as individuals, we don’t run it to suit anyone else. As the customer, the choice is yours to choose to work around the business rules or choose another boarder. Treat people how you wish to be treated and respect how that person wishes to run their business as it’s not your business to run. I speak fo

…The unfortunate truth of owning and running a business. Running a business is really rewarding but really hard work. What they don't tell you is that it can cause severe stress and anxiety, and can drain you mentally to the point of depression in even the most laid-back people. People will talk about you, compare you to others, use you, they may not be kind, not respond to you, they will view you as a service and not a person anymore. You start to worry about disappointing p

You wouldn’t employ a solicitor to do a plumbers job so it shouldn’t be any different when looking for a suitable boarder for your beloved dog…find the right one that fits your requirements and budget. Think about how you currently look after your own dog. Sometimes cheaper rates mean boarders get more dogs in but this could be at the cost of your dogs welfare so get curious on behalf of your dog, they are relying on you to get it right! Below are a few pointers to think abou

I am a Trustee for my local group, Oakley Stitchers we make all sorts of things that go to hospitals, care homes, dog charities or individual's all over the UK-do look us up! My lovely client Schmidt (pictured below) wanted a handmade fitted jumper to take home with him. One of my amazing stitcher ladies kindly makes them for me. If you'd like one they are £10 and all I need is the length of your pup! Easy as that 😊 ..get in touch ready for those chilly months xx

Here at the hotel there are no steps for pups to go up and down so we can make sure all our boarding IVDD pups are safe. We dont have any steps inside the house, the upstairs is blocked off with a baby gate.

Our everyday life is about our dogs. While our friends/family are on vacation or having family celebrations, we spend our time looking after our wonderful guests, settling them in, walking them, cuddling them, keeping them safe, feeding them, playing with them, caring for them, constant washing/cleaning, new dog meetings, dealing with mounds of paperwork/accounts and updating clients daily. All of our own plans are made to not coincide with our guests holiday dates/times and