One of the key services that are critical to dog owners living abroad is a place that you can trust to take super good care of your dog when you just can't take him/her with you.
Before a jaunt up into Costa Rica this week, we made the short drive from Boquete to check out Howling Success just outside of Dolega up towards Potrerillos Arriba about 5 kilometers from the Terpel station. We met with Kristine Berg who gave us a tour of the place and an explanation of how she boards dogs for her clients. We were very impressed with her experience, knowledge and background. Our yellow lab, Newt, took to the place and all the other 'buddies' right off the bat.
We are really picky about who takes care of Newt, and we felt very comfortable and positive about leaving Newt with Kristine for a 5 day stay. The place has lots of room for dogs to roam and play, her prices are very reasonable, and she has the skills and ability to handle emergencies should they arise. She also knows how to keep the dogs in line and has excellent training capabilities if those are called for.
When we got back, we picked up Newt freshly bathed, toenails trimmed, obviously very happy to see us, but also, obviously very comfortable with Kristine. I highly recommend Kristine and Howling Success for discriminating and budget conscious dog owners out there in Chiriqui Province.
Replies
Howling Success is a terrific resource. We were looking for somewhere to park our mini Aussie for a few days. We have had fairly lousy experiences with boarding facilities in the states and had some concerns. And we were unsure how our dog was going to respond to the other dogs. Kris is great and everything couldn't have worked out better. Her set-up leaves you with a sense of confidence, and you can tell that the animals will have great care, as well as having a lot of opportunity for exercise and interaction. Brassy (our dog) seemed to blend right in and was clearly enjoying herself when we came to pick her up. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and will not hesitate to utilize Kris' services in the future, for short or long term.
Bill and Cheryl Crabbe
We concur, Kris welcomed our two Westies and they couldn't have been in better hands.
I am in obedience school at Kristine's facility. I say "I" deliberately, as I am the one who needs to learn how to help my puppy grow up to be a calm, friendly, loving companion. We've not yet had to board Erik, but I have absolutely no qualms about boarding him at Howling Success should the need arise. Kris has such an obvious love and affinity for "her" dogs, her facility is lovely and spacious and well-maintained, and she has the patience to work with pets (and pet-owners!) of all temperaments.
Would you please list her number and email? Thank you.
The importance of being Alpha. As a multiple dog person who knows from experience, I am constantly impressed at the tranquilidad I see visiting Kristine's kennels. Check these pics of previous guests and residents.