Leaving a dog in kennels

Birker2020

Birker2020

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O/H and I have a beagle we rescued about two months ago from a shelter. She is two years of age, a beagle bitch called Summer.

Her previous owners couldn't cope when she jumped up to snatch food out of their childrens hands when they dangled food to tease her with so she went back into the kennels at the rescue place and was there for 3 months before partner had her. She came from a lovely wefare organisation in Wales.

We go on holiday a week today and due to unforseen circumstances have had to kennel her whilst we are away as no one in the family can have her now. We've been to see the kennels and booked her in and my o/h's previous dog many many years ago was kenneled there whilst he went away on holiday with his ex and the kids and they were pleased with how she'd been looked after. The owners of the kennels breed beagles as well for showing, so she is in capable hands. Plus the fact she is used to kennels having lived much of her life in one!

What's upsetting us is that we feel that she might think that we have given up on her like her previous owners and don't want her anymore and are returning her to kennels. Obviously in a weeks time she will know that's not the case when we pick her up again but even so, a week must be a long time to a dog feeling miserable and abandoned.

Or are we being daft? Caesar Malone (Dog Whisperer) says dogs live in the moment. So they have no concept of time or of people abandoning them, i.e. don't have the same emotions as people. Is this really true? Will she be miserable, or will she adapt?
 
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I don't think it's daft. Our rescue dog spent almost 9 months in kennels waiting for a home. Not been on holiday since we got him as I can't face the thought of him thinking we don't want him anymore. I'm probably being silly but that's just how I feel. I've read about places where they stay in the persons house and I would consider that.
 
applecart14 said:
……..

What's upsetting us is that we feel that she might think that we have given up on her like her previous owners and don't want her anymore and are returning her to kennels. ……..

Or are we being daft? Caesar Malone (Dog Whisperer) says dogs live in the moment. So they have no concept of time or of people abandoning them, i.e. don't have the same emotions as people. Is this really true? Will she be miserable, or will she adapt?
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In the nicest way; Yes, you're being daft :). Milan is right, and no harm will come to your dog, or her appreciation of you, by leaving her in well managed boarding kennels. Dogs, especially those which have come from kennelled environments would very rarely, if ever, have the power of reason. There are those dogs perhaps which have had 24/7 contact with their owners and from the start of their lives, who may pine and miss their owners, but even then, they're surprisingly forgiving, and as they live in 'the moment', when the owner returns then all is back to the way that it was.

I've also taken in dogs for friends whilst they've been on holiday, and they've actually enjoyed their coexistence with other dogs in kennels, and appeared to have no wish to return to their owners.

Alec.
 
Would you feel better if you could leave her at the kennels for a couple of hours a few times before you go away? She would then have learnt that you come back for her. I think it depends on the rescue dog' s previous experiences of kennel life. Some dogs go to pieces in the pound but most survive ok and I assume life in the boarding kennels you would leave her at would be less stressful than the pound.
 
We put out 2 girls in a kennel for 2 nights for my brothers wedding, they have never been the same since, they didn't poo the entire time they were there and ended up messing in the house, started barking, startling easily, they were walked twice a day and it is a kennel my sister in laws family use often,
safe to say, none of my animals will ever go in a kennel/cattery ever again, I would rather miss out.
 
I'm not sure I believe the whole 'dogs live in the moment' to be honest. In fact, no, I definitely don't.

Have you looked in to home boarding? We use a fabulous lady in Carmarthen.
 
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I was so concerned about putting my 4 greyhounds in kennels that I arranged for a friend to house sit when I went on holiday. When we got home, the hounds were totally indifferent to us coming home and were wandering around the house looking for their house-sitting friends :D (granted it was 2am so they weren't expecting anyone to come into their house!)

I have put other rescue greyhounds in kennels before, some couldn't care less, some were really distressed - it all depends how bonded with you the dog is, I have always founds dogs have a much closer link to you than bitches, so get a lot more upset.
 
I had this concern with my two pups, one a rescue. Went to look at the kennels and decided i would absolutely not leave them there! I have found a dog boarder very locally who has them. I am taking them there about once a fortnight and they seem very settled there with the other dogs in a home environment. I will feel happier when i go on holiday knowing that they have been there already and that they will get a home from home experience.
 
The problem you'll have is if you're upset or anxious when you drop her off, she will pick up on that and react to it.

Some friends of ours tried a couple of one night stays with theirs before leaving them for a week so they knew they were relaxed and the dogs knew the staff. Personally, I drop mine off and dance out the door at the thought of freedom (ok...I'm exaggerating....but I'm not fussed about leaving them and they are relaxed happy souls in kennels)
 
Don't make a fuss when you leave her (difficult I know) also leave a piece of your clothing so she can get your scent and her bed a toys it may help.
 
Totally depends on the kennels. We visited loads, awful places with dingy kennels where all the dogs were cooped up 23/24 hours a day, no sunlight, no respite from the row upon row of barking dogs. We were fortunate to be recommended a gundog lady with a stock fenced field of a few acres, huge kennels, not many of them. I happily leave them there. I am a little worried that she said Bear, my soppy one, cried and seemed disorientated for two hours when I left him last week. The OH says it's my fault for making him so soft.

If you're happy with the kennels, OP, then I think the dog will be fine.
 
Im sure your dog will be fine and adapt very well, I would take her normal food, some toys and her bed if they will allow it. Dont let it spoil your holiday, your dog is being fed,exercised and most importantly is safe, I know my Dobes havent been in kennels since I adopted them but I know they would adapt very well, dogs are very adaptable and Im sure yours will settle very quickly as it sounds a nice kennel with people who are experienced of the breed. Just go and enjoy your holiday.
 
It does totally depend on the kennels. You should be able to bring your own food, toys, bedding and anything else that might help. Just go look at different places and don't put in the first one you see and they should ask to see your vaccination certificates.
 
What Dobiegirl and Alec Swan said (she cannot think far enough into thinking you have left and are not returning) that is your own thought process through the dogs eyes. She will no doubt stress a little due to noise and environmental change but she will adapt. If you really are worried then seek a good home boarder.
 
Dobiegirl said:
Im sure your dog will be fine and adapt very well, I would take her normal food, some toys and her bed if they will allow it. Dont let it spoil your holiday, your dog is being fed,exercised and most importantly is safe, I know my Dobes havent been in kennels since I adopted them but I know they would adapt very well, dogs are very adaptable and Im sure yours will settle very quickly as it sounds a nice kennel with people who are experienced of the breed. Just go and enjoy your holiday.
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I agree with everything that Dobiegirl has said. It sounds as if you've already assessed the kennels and feel you can trust them. Them being breeders of beagles can only be a good thing.

It's true though that no two kennels are the same. I have seen some awful ones, e.g. where they paint a lovely picture over the phone, but when you go and see the kennels, it's cramped, no individual run only small sleeping quarters, not cleaned out regularly at all due to many piles of dog pooh everywhere, etc. Others claims they exercise the dogs regularly, but for the amount of staff they employ and the amount of dogs they take in, there's no way they can walk each dog at least twice a day.

I've been using a lovely kennel locally for the last few years, and know I can trust the owners. They only have a total of 8 kennels and the dogs are taken out every 2 hours. I also have 2 cats, and they go to a beautifully made cattery, large individual chalets with loads of tree trunks inside each chalet, lovely owners. Similarly, the owner of the fully livery yard provide excellent care to my horse (incl first aid if need be) and I trust her implicitly.

I haven't got the option of letting family members/friends come and look after my pets if we go away. But to be honest, I'd be more worried that something will go wrong if I did do it like that. One of my cats are nervous with most other people, and if she were to escape, she certainly will not come back indoors. As for the dogs, I'd be worried that something will go wrong on them being walked by someone else.

Go and enjoy your holiday - your beagle will be left in good hands and will be safe.

ETA: I like Cesar Millan a lot.
 
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Thank you all for your lovely and positive comments. Its been great hearing from you about your experiences. I feel more comfortable leaving her now and feel happy that the kennels we have chosen are very experienced with the breed.

She is quite a confident dog is so much as soon as she goes through the front door at my Mum and Dad's house she is off exploring all the rooms without a backward glance, whereas partners previous beagle would wait until she had 'permission' and then wouldn't go upstairs without you by her side. But then on the other side of the coin, Summer is not very confident with other dogs when she meets them for the first time and often has her tail between her legs. She is getting better, just not sure she's had much socialisation.
 
I would agree with those that say it very much depends on the kennel and the people - if you get a good feeling from the place and the dogs look excited but happy, then great. If you have any misgivings about the kennel then find somewhere else.
I have a dog who was in rescue for 18 months and the first couple of kennels I tried with him he couldn't get out of fast enough. The place he goes now he drags me up to the gate to get in, loves the people and they try hard to adapt things slightly to suit him (deaf and very anxious about life due to brain damage). I do always take his own bed a blanket of his own and a t-shirt that I sleep with for a week - he carries this round with him all week but I do believe it helps to reassure him that I am still around, just not visible. I would strongly suggest doing a couple of overnighters before you leave her a week so she knows the routine - I did an overnighter and a 2 nighter before mine was first left in the best kennel, and it made a huge difference.
 
I think it depends on the kennel and also the dog itself! I know we could never leave Mollie in a kennel, she was tied up and abandoned in a park as a puppy and went to the Dogs Trust. Then was rehomed, but they couldn't handle her so brought her back. Then we got her but she was extremely distressed in the kennels and every time you leave her (even at home!) she does panic a bit.

I also don't like Cesar Millan. Yes people do project their emotions onto dogs and expect them to have the same capabilities that we do, but I honestly believe Mollie remembers being abandoned as she doesn't react like any other dog I know to being left.

I'd probably prefer home boarding but again if it's a nice kennel with the appropriate amount of attention and exercise it could be doable.
 
applecart14 said:
Caesar Malone (Dog Whisperer) says dogs live in the moment. So they have no concept of time or of people abandoning them, i.e. don't have the same emotions as people. Is this really true? Will she be miserable, or will she adapt?
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Ha! Dogs live in the moment! B.S.

I live opposite a boarding kennel. The ones that have been before appear happy to go back . On the other hand I hear poor sad dogs absolutely crying their little hearts out from the moment the car leaves. Howling, completely distraught, sometimes this happens for hours, sometimes (and most often with the talky husky types) for days.

I don't think you are being daft at all, to say (as CM does) dogs do not miss what, and who, is familiar, is a blanket statement that I personally cannot subscribe to at all. Whether they have a concept of time is something only they know I suspect. I suspect it will be far less of a shock to her as she is accustomed to kennels, Summer will most likely be delighted to see you when you return and it sounds as if she will be in capable hands, so her physical needs will be met, there really isn't much you can do about it if you have no other option.
 
Mine go to a do sitter which I prefer. They get fab walks and cuddles on the sofa every night. I'm sure however your dog will be fine, and getting them used to kennels is not a bad idea!
 
I want to know how I would get my dogs sofa in a kennel.
I swore that after my separation anxiety suffering collie I would be tough and put the next dog in kennels, which I did after visiting a few but did not like it, me not the dog. So its back to a dog sitter, he gets to keep his sofa, and I have a very loud burglar deterrent that weighs 40kg, which snarls at the front door.
 
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