Questions about Kenneling?

meoklmrk91

I will have to kennel my dog for the first time ever this summer, he is 3 years old and I probably should have done this with him before hand but because he suffers from separation anxiety(has gotten much better recently) I have never even considered it before. He can also be a bit to a handful so I don't know anyone that I could trust or expect to take him(this has also gotten much better). Kenneling seems to be the best option, I want to see the kennels first and if I like the facilities and the person that runs them then I will want to do a few trails, some with him there just during the day and then an overnight or two when I am nearby and can come and get him if there is any big issues. Am I being too over protective? I just want to make this as seamless as possible for everyone involved, especially him. Is there anything else I should consider?

Whispered

Good idea to do a few trials and it's very important you see the facilities and meet the people who will be looking after your dog. Don't worry you're not being over protective at all.

maggiepip

You're not being over protective at all, just very responsible and kind. Your plan is actually whats considered best practice before leaving any dog in kennels for a longer period. See how they cope with shorter stays and get the dog a bit familliar with the surroundings so coping with the longer stays should be easier on the dog. I hope it goes ok for you.

DBB

Would you think that a home boarding set-up might suit him? Would he get on in a small gang of dogs? There are one or two people down your way that come with great references :-)

meoklmrk91

DBB wrote: »

Would you think that a home boarding set-up might suit him? Would he get on in a small gang of dogs? There are one or two people down your way that come with great references :-)

It is possible DBB, I'm just not sure how he will react to any given situation, he like other dogs but he can be very annoying to them as well, it would probably make him feel safer to be in the house as well. I'm going to go and look at the kennels and see how I get on, it would be really handy as they are only over the road, come recommended and do doggy day care as well so if I was just going away for the day then I could drop him over and not have to worry about being home for a specific time. Still if I'm not happy then he won't be going anywhere near it, will be giving a call this week to ask for a look at the facilities and will try for a busy time. If I'm not then I may look at home boarding. I actually used to do it myself as a teen, had loads of doggies of all shapes and sizes staying with us just one at time.

tk123

How is he when you hand him over - this is one of my biggest problems/worries with Bailey. He won't let a trainer take him at a class so don't think I'd be able to hand him over without him getting upset/freaked out!

meoklmrk91

tk123 wrote: »

How is he when you hand him over - this is one of my biggest problems/worries with Bailey. He won't let a trainer take him at a class so don't think I'd be able to hand him over without him getting upset/freaked out!

I have no idea, he will stay with someone else on the lead if I am nearby and preferably able to see me. If I like the facilities and the person running it then we will do a trail, if he ends up freaking out then I think a different approach will be needed, I won't have him stressed out, some dogs do fine in kennels, others it really, really upsets them and can leave them out of sorts for weeks after, if that happens then we will be trying home kennelling, it's just having someone less than 10 minutes away that I can drop him to sounds great to me, so I want to give it a go first.

Whispered

Tk where I worked we would let owners into the runs to set up their dog and have a goodbye cuddle if they wanted so there wasn't a "handing over" as such unless the dog and owner was happy for there to be one. Maybe if you had to kennel a set up like that would help?

Op I just wanted to assure you that while some dogs don't take to kennelling the majority settle a lot quicker than the owners imagine. The fact there is usually a good solid routine along with fun and games means they learn very quickly what to expect and when. In my experience a lot of nervous dogs thrive with the routine and do better than people expect.

I totally agree with you trying to find a kennel close to you. Ours has been a godsend on a few occasions!

meoklmrk91

Whispered wrote: »

Tk where I worked we would let owners into the runs to set up their dog and have a goodbye cuddle if they wanted so there wasn't a "handing over" as such unless the dog and owner was happy for there to be one. Maybe if you had to kennel a set up like that would help?

Op I just wanted to assure you that while some dogs don't take to kennelling the majority settle a lot quicker than the owners imagine. The fact there is usually a good solid routine along with fun and games means they learn very quickly what to expect and when. In my experience a lot of nervous dogs thrive with the routine and do better than people expect.

I totally agree with you trying to find a kennel close to you. Ours has been a godsend on a few occasions!

Thanks for that Whispered, it does make me feel better, it probably won't be until August that he will need to there over night so plenty of time to do the trials etc. all going well