Preparing for a stay in kennels

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milo'n'molly

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Looking for some advice, I have a 6 year old dog that has never stayed in kennels before and is generally quite clingy who may need to stay in quarantine kennels for 10 days. I know if I just send him he will hate it and scream the place down. My question is am I better off just doing it and hope he will deal with it and calm down after time or should I try practice with a few shorter stays and let him get used to the idea? My problem is that I won't be able to practice at the same kennels he will be staying at (as they are in Australia)
It is really really worrying me to the point where I have considered getting another dog so that he has some company and even not going.
Any advice? Tips? Success stories?
 
I had a neurotic dog who I bought back from Oz, so she was kennelled for 6 months. I didn't visit her as I was still in the divorce courts over there but my mum did every week. Mine just shut down, took to her bed and didn't move much. She did eat, drink and all that. She did bite a couple of the kennel people when they tried to cheer her up but luckily no harm done. She came out much the same as she went in, tbh, I don't think they register time like we do and 10 days is not very long. He might lose his voice for a few days!
 
Thanks, I just feel awful about it. The one and only time he has had to stay somewhere (other than friends and family) was when he was kept in overnight at the vets. I went to pick him up the morning after and could hear him from the waiting room, he was exhausted and tried to climb under my jumper when he saw me but to be fair it was all forgotten about within 48hrs. I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to help prepare him or just jump in and suck it up
 
Would he be allowed to have a sedative if very distressed? Perhaps you could ask the kennels. Are you sedating him for the flight?
 
According to the vets he isn't allowed a sedative for the flight. Did yours get in trouble for biting in kennels? Mine has never bitten anyone but if he is stressed out I wouldn't say that he won't, I would hate to be responsible for putting him in that situation then getting him in trouble.
 
When I kept a Gundog kennel, and often had 10 or more dogs, I didn't do boarding per se, but sometimes friends, or someone from the pub perhaps would ask if I'd take the dog in for a while. It's a strange thing, but those dogs which arrived without instructions or feed bowls or blankets or toys, are often a pain in the arse and needed to understand the rules. Those dogs which arrived with a dietary list, a full instruction sheet, their own beddybise, and with their feed bowls and toys, were mostly chucked in at the deep end, the 'accessories' were put on one side for them until they went home, and I can't remember one which didn't settle.

There was once a lovely Labrador bitch of about a year which arrived and she was near neurotic. I ignored the owners wishes, and within a couple of days, she'd calmed down. I decided, just for fun to start doing a bit with her. Her owners returned after a month and I asked them if they'd like to see the progress that we'd made. They said that they would. After a few minutes of retrieving work and a bit of obedience and the usual basics, and the wife was in tears! The next day, "Would you like to keep her" I was asked. They were both moved to see that the dog had slotted neatly in to a pack existence, and they could clearly see that she preferred a kennelled and an active life, and Bridie became mine. The point is that all so often dogs actually settle to kennels, and with a bit of care and time and attention, they quite surprise their owners.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear OP that your dog will actually enjoy his holiday and may well quite enjoy his time away. I wouldn't worry too much, and in your shoes, I'd chuck him in at the deep end. Try it, you may be surprised!

Alec.
 
I intended to sedate mine for the flight but she spat it out, I was too slow and the lab who wasn't flying wolfed the pill. In some ways they say not sedated is better as it isn't suppressing the fear reflex.
She didn't get into trouble for biting - they may have walloped her at the time, I don't know, mum was just told when she visited.
I really would not worry - they are at least safe in kennels, 10 days is not very long and I personally have never heard of a dog having long term ill effects from stress.
 
You could always try a product like Zylkene or Adaptil. Some people swear by them, others don't. But no harm in trying!
 
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