First time in kennels

[Marquire]

I am putting my 9 month old Labrador into kennels this weekend for the first time and I'm quite apprehensive about it.

I did a lot of research on kennels in the area, went to see a few and eventually decided on a really nice one. The people seem very experienced and answered around a million questions I had. I went to see it a couple of times, always unannounced, and I really couldn't fault it. Each dog has a large inside kennel (heated) and a large outside run which is covered. The dogs can see each other and talk through the mesh runs and just behind the kennels is 200 acres of public access woodlands where the dogs are exercised.

So why does it still feel like I'm sending my baby to puppy prison for 3 days?????

Someone tell me I am being stupid!

Marie

 

[WelshRareBit]

Your doggy will be fine! You are being silly!!! He/she will have a lovely holiday! xx

 

[CAYLA]

She will be fine....U sound like the owners that phone me...cos they are also aprehensive of putting their dogs in kennels...I home board them, but the kennels are fine, esp as you have looked into them first, some do free trial periods....to to see how they settle...more for the owners I think

It's natural to worry

 

[Luce1504]

I used to work in a boarding kennels for 7 years and in my opinion the young dogs that came into us always saw being in kennels as a fun experience as theres so much going on! and it also means that if they ever have to come into kennels as an emergency in the future that they are much more likely to be relaxed and settle in straight away, meaning you have one less thing to worry about and can therefore get on with whatever has happened at home e.g. we had dogs brought in when owners child was critically ill, or house had flooded etc. So, aslong as you are happy with the kennels, I am sure he will have a whale of a time and I'd look upon it as being good life experience for your pup.

 

[lucylocket]

Could I just slightly hijack this thread and ask the kennel people if they would put an old dog in kennels.My doggie is 12 and getting a bit frail, and on medication,so we have put off going away because Im scared something might happen while we are away. We havenet been away for three years and as I have a very big birthday coming up we wanted to have a special holiday. What do you think, should I put her in ?

 

[Luce1504]

Hi, we used to get loads of golden oldies in at our kennels that we're on all sorts of different kinds of medication and believe me we became experts at adminstering medication to even the most fussy of dogs (& cats).

As to how they cope a lot depends on firstly their breed and disposition, boisterous labs etc cope very well even when they are old, and secondly has she been in kennels before and coped well in the past? I think if she has and has always been fine before then there is no reason why just because she is a few years older she won't be. The only dogs that ever worried us were small old and very nervous dogs as they had a tendency just to curl up in a corner and refuse to move and not eat, but even then with a bit of extra tlc and trying to build up a relationship we often got them to come out of themselves.

I would ring up the kennels and discuss your concerns, if the dog is nervous I would ask if they have any quieter kennels, (we used to have a holding block that was joined onto the house that rarely got used and so the really nervous ones used to be put in their as they were away from the noise), I would ask if you can take your own bedding and food to help her settle in, and if she is on a lot of medication I would buy one of those tablet organisers you can buy in boots or similar and put all her medication into the relevant slots as it makes it much easier!

 

[lucylocket]

Thanks for your input. Yes she has been in kennels before, she is more sensitive than nervous I think. Its just that she has 3 lots of medication and I do wonder if she will get it regularly in kennels. She has lots of cysts that if she scratches could turn nasty and when she gets one opening up I have to hibiscrub it and keep a strict eye in case it gets infected. Also the tablet dispenser is a good idea, hadnt thought about that, thanks. I thin kthe trouble is with holidays you have to book fairly well in advance and you never quite know whats going to be happening with her in the next two or three months, and might have to cancel and lose the cash, as insurance wontcover dogs illness ! Im desperate to do a trip to Jordan or Eqypt before I get too old to do the heat and the trekking about !

 

[WelshRareBit]

My 12 yo mongrel (lab lookalike heh) went into kennels for the first time at 12. He was VERY nervous of strangers and fear agressive.
He went to a local rescue kennels who also run a boarding kennels. When we got back after 4 days, he was fine. He was a bit bewildered and scared, but fine in himself.

I can sympathy with the questions you are asking, as incidently my dog had to be PTS 2 months later, so I did kick myself for putting him in kennels so close to the end of his little life.

Have you no family members who could look after your dog - or a house sitter so your dog could stay in familiar surroundings? Sorry to bring a downer on it but if Im honest I could have waited to take my holiday a little longer, and well, if I had those four extra days with my dog now Id be over the moon.

 

[Luce1504]

obviously all kennels are different but I know if she had come into our kennels she would definitely have had all her medication, as it was part of the daily routine to administer it. We had a special medicine cabinet where they were all kept all labelled up and a big white board where it was written what they got, plus we always tended to have more than one on medication at any one time and got quite a few diabetics and epileptics in where it was essential they got medication on time so it becomes second nature to have to sort out medication.

As the other post does say, there were sad occassions where dogs died whilst in the kennels, or shortly after having gone home and I can't begin to imagine how distressing that must be for the owners.

So its just a case of weighing everything up and assessing her health and as to whether or not there is any real possibility that she may go downhill whilst your away and if you can live with yourself if that is the case. But i would say that most kennels are run very professionally and that she would have the best care whilst she was there but sometimes that may not be enough.

 

[prose]

I board Stella three times a year, and have long gotten over the guilt factor. Your dog will be just fine

We get sent photos while we're away of Stella curled up on someone's knee, Stella playing with all the other dogs, Stella with a toy...you get the drift. In any case, it definitely helps ease the guilt.