I was just exchanging tweets with the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau_love those guys!_about pet-friendly hotels in NOLA. The CVB enthusiastically suggested we bring our dog the next time we’re in New Orleans, and there’s almost nothing I appreciate more when chatting about our dog than enthusiasm.
Our little girlie
We always drive to New Orleans when we visit, and we always bring the dog. But we have a habit of booking our room later rather than sooner and miss out on availability at the dog-friendly hotels. Because we want to have the little girlie with us for at least part of the trip, we board her at Canine Connection, located at 4920 Tchoupitoulas Street in the Uptown neighborhood, while we’re in New Orleans.
It’s really tough to release your pet to another’s care for even a short time, especially if your pet is like ours. She tries to dig in, entrench her paws into the floor, resisting the takeaway. Every single time, a staff member has to pick her up and carry her from the front area. We watch as her little legs splay out away from her body for fearful balance and her tail tucks tight, up and in.
But the whole time the staff are cooing, oohing, and aahing over the dog. One by one, they break out into a deep smile as soon as they see her and launch into enthusiastic, high-pitched but calm hellos. That’s what I_the dog’s human_need to experience, and they know this.
We found the front counter area to the doggie daycare and boarding facility to be bright, clean, well maintained, and welcoming. And we were particularly, completely smitten by the large laughing dog paintings. Hanging on the wall behind the counter, the dog portraits are commissioned artwork by Aidi Kansas, a New Orleans native. In them she captures the brightest, most poignant features of the dogs.
The policies at Canine Connection are well considered, professional, and reasonable. They allow for us to leave with our dog a toy, her pillow, and her blanket_a big deal to me. The facility is equipped with web cams in the common play areas so we can check in on our little girlie during the day. (We’re pleased to report that she gets along with the other dogs and seems to behave herself.) The hours of operation are generous and accommodating; even more generous is the fact that we can pick her up on a Sunday, even before the place has opened for the day.
The article tweeted by the New Orleans CVB, picked up from the NewOrleans.com blog and titled ”Lucky dogs! Pet-friendly hotels in New Orleans,” showcases_complete with fabulous photos_several New Orleans hotels that allow dogs and the pampered treatment the pets are afforded. I encourage you to take these establishments up on their offer to accommodate you and your dog. But when you can’t, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Canine Connection, where your dog can socialize under the staff’s attentive supervision and receive the kind care our dog enjoys throughout her stay.
