IT'S the ultimate in dog care - a luxury kennel with central heating and padded beds, linked to an outdoor run with a machine blowing liver- or peanut-flavoured bubbles.

The five-star dog hotel offers a choice of standard luxury kennel, with full uPVC windows instead of bars, or a double-sized kennel suite, with a stunning view over the 14th hole of Harwood golf course near Bolton.

And, rather than feeling guilty over leaving their precious pet in a boarding kennel while they jet off for a five-star fortnight, the more discerning dog lover can now recline on their sun lounger knowing the pet pooch is also enjoying life in the lap of luxury.

Shelley Honey and husband Jeff have quit the rat race to get themselves a slice of the good life and create a bit of doggy heaven.

The Honeys and their four children have moved out of their suburban family home into a farmhouse at Harwood which has been transformed into boarding kennels with a difference.

Shelley - who charges é12 a day for each dog - even texts every owner with regular updates of how their pet is getting on while they are away.

She said: "Dogs absolutely love the bubble machine - they go mad for it. And I always text owners about four or five times while they are away to give them updates on their dogs."

Hot shower

After daily walkies over Harwood fields, Shelley's dogs are treated to a luxury hot shower in a specially-built wet room.

To entertain the dogs while they are in their `suites', Shelley has special dog toys filled with treats for the pets to sniff out.

And Shelley and Jeff are even looking to expand their dog hotel to include an on-site grooming service so dogs can enjoy luxury spa treatments while their owners are getting their very own rest and relaxation.

Shelley, who has four dogs of her own - Molly, Jasper, Poppy Primrose and LuLu - said: "I am a real dog lover, and to me putting a dog in an ordinary boarding kennel is a bit like putting them in prison.

"I once went on holiday and left my dogs in kennels - and I hated every minute of it.

"Jeff and I decided to move to the country and change our lives. Jeff works for a firm of solicitors but is going part-time to help with the kennels.

"Building them is a dream come true and we have put our heart and soul into it.

"We have four teenagers and at first they weren't happy at moving into the middle of nowhere. But now they all get stuck in and love helping out with all the dogs."

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