kennelling for first time

barbiegirl

Hi guys,

Our two are going into kennels with the DSPCA on Friday for the first time. Normally my brother minds them for us in our house, but this time he wasn't available.

They are nearly 3 and 1.5 and are spoilt. Good, well trained dogs, but spoilt and loved to bits.

I guess I am worried about them settling in. We will be leaving two dirty t-shirts with them, so they have our scent, and they are being kennelled together, but Sindy has never been somewhere strange with no-one she knows, and she is a very quiet, nervous and gentle girl. Fargo is a rescue who was abandoned at 6 weeks, and when we got him at 5 months it took ages for him to really trust that this was now his home, and for the worried look on his face to go away.

The kennels have said to just bring their food, the t-shirts and their walking gear, but should we bring some of their toys too?

I guess I will be one of those over protective owners calling them to check up. :rolleyes: Has anyone got some nice stories about the kennells to put me and therefore them at ease, or any suggestions?

spur

Poor you, I can sympathise and empathise!
I have 2 dogs. I had 1 on his own for a while and he's a rescue (both are). My previous dog had always been minded by family, but he had lived with them originally so that was easy.
When I got this fella, I knew I had to sort out kennesl. Got a recommendation and put him in. I was up to 90, he was (and is) a climber and I was convinced he would escape. I was talked down from ringing the kennels by the person who recommended them. I collected his lordship 2 days later and he was absolutely fine and had been all the time - was suitably happy to see me alright. We put him into those kennels on and off over a year and he used to race over to the owner when he was left out.
I discovered another kennels closer to me and the drop-off/pick-up times worked out better so I decided to try them. Back to the worries and the conviction he was going to escape! It all went great and they loved him and he loved them. So we've used that kennels since, dog gets out of car and races around the property to check out any new smells - he's always thrilled to see me, but hasn't any issue at all when he'd dropped off there. And then we got a 2nd dog and it wasn't really planned and we had something booked only 2 weeks after we got him, I was up to 90 about that as he was just out of a rescue centre. We had them housed separately and they both got on fine and at times were out together and got on fine too. They've been there 2 or 3 times since, 2nd fella decided he wasn't going into the kennel one night - no problem with being on the property, but he decided life was better sniffing around. We coaxed him in and he was fine once he was actually inside the kennel - he's a little brat anyway and is not a fan of "bed" command.
Then we had something booked and kennels were closed! I would have cancelled the trip but a young relation was involved and it would have been cruel (my OH would probably have killed me anyway!) So I had to figure out a plan. And we found another kennels - we didn't have any reason not to go back to #1 other than I was embarrassed at not having been there for 2 years! So we dropped both off to this kennels and this time had them share one kennel. I was as up to 90 as ever, convinced #1 was going to climb out and #2 would find a hole somewhere - he's a complete escape artist anyway! My OH is sick of listening to my imaginings and reminds me these places are all professionally run and they probably have higher climbers than a collie and smaller escape artists than another collie! They've been to this other kennel twice and it's worked out great and they are both equally happy to go there. This woman knows she's our backup kennel and knows the other kennel owner well and gets alot of overflow from them.
Another dog owner I know is using the 2nd kennels soon as she has holidays (very long ones) booked and our mutual 1st choice kennel is closed for a few days of it. She asked me how I knew the dogs were happy there, her point was they can't tell you! But they can!!
My 1st dog is confident now that when he's dropped somewhere I always come back for him. The 2nd dog is just a confident, happy little dog and is happy as long as anybody is with him!
At the end of this very long post, it will be fine. You're quite normal to worry! But it will all be fine. I've been kenneling for 3.5 years now and as you can see have used 3 kennels in that time - and me experience has been positive in all 3 - and I know the dogs have been properly treated in all 3.
My piece of advice to you is drop them off and walk away. It is the hardest thing you'll do, but if you're upset and hanging around for another teary goodbye, you'll upset them more - they're hugely sensitive to your feelings - if they think you're confident in what's happening, it'll be normal for them too.
Best of luck with it!