After a little legwork, I found a fabulous kennel that Oreo loves. I asked my friends/co-workers for referrals and took tours before finding the right one. The dogs have large runs, in an AC and well-ventilated (clean-smelling) building, which is perfect for the hot, S. Calif. weather. She also gets "buddy play" every day, which is supervised playtime with the other dogs.

As I said, Oreo loves it there. When we drive up, she gets very excited and whines to get out of the car. Inside the office, she goes straight to the door leading to the back--she doesn't even say goodbye to me! Her reaction is what allows me to be able to relax while I'm gone--I'm confident she is having a good, safe time.