Generally freaking out about kennelling the pups

Ok first my emotions about leaving my dogs EVER are terrible but worse this weekend

We are going out of town this weekend and kennelling the dogs for the first time. I am going nuts...the kennel is at our vet but I saw it and it is clean enough but so rough...concrete floors, metal walls.

They will be boarded together in a 4x6 ft run and let out in a yard together but without other dogs.

Am I just being to sensitive about my babies...what else should I have looked for to know that this will be ok...

If you have to kennel them-- ask if you can bring some stuff from home with them. Make them washable and pretty indestructable-- it will smell of home. Bring their food and - or treats- again it is what is comforting. Make sure they have a number to contact you and ask if you can call to check up on them. AND remember - you will suffer the separtation more than they will. Sandy

We do HAVE to...we are travelling with all of the family that usually helps us out keeping them

I haven't had to board Lucky yet, but one perspective I'll add ...

If I were boarding him, I think I'd be a bit relieved by the concrete floor and metal walls. Even though they don't seem cozy to us as people (and women no less!), it probably is a huge help to the kennel in keeping it sanitary given so many dogs possibly pass through there. I'd feel better knowing they can clean thoroughly.

And if you bring some personal things from home like his bed, etc., it'll make it cozy enough for him. I don't know how your kennel is, but I toured the kennel run by my vet (also a doggy day care) and they really spend a lot of time with the dogs and I'll bet your baby will be very well loved and taken care of while you are away. :flwr:

My dogs breeder has kennels. Can you call yours so that maybe your dogs can be with their doggie family? At least it's only for a weekend. Glad you used that pic for your avatar.

I did think of that, but my irrational side thinks they need my featherbed to snuggle in and cold bottled water to drink...afterall these are two of my best friends.

I am trying to think positive thoughts.

Dogs actually do pretty well in kennels and often the very fact that it isn't full of 'stuff' that is strange to them, is calming (I've deliberately used a kennel stay for a stressed dog before -- the environment is bland and secure and not full of overstimulation and really, really has helped in such cases). They will mostly sleep inside and will get lots of nice exercise in the run. To be honest I'd rather thave mine at a professional kennels than at a friends who isn't that eperienced with dogs or MY dogs. I'd be afraid of one running out the front door or a child letting one out... etc. In a good kennel, they are safe and secure plus you will have vet care available too. Sounds like a good place to leave them to me -- but if you can bring in their own bed, some toys etc, maybe an old t-shirt that smells of you -- that all makes it more cosy for them. .

I completely understand your hesitation and fear of boarding. But I do think some great points have been made. They were will be plenty stimulated at a new environment so a bland environment without too much "stuff" will probably be good for them. I would feel good that they are having supervision. When our cat was ill we boarded her at our vet's office knowing that she would have someone there round the clock should she have a problem.

I have never boarded mine and don't relish the thought of having to. We've found a great gal who comes to stay out our house while we're gone. She's gone a good bit of the day (has other dogs to care for) but the pups sleep most of the day anyway. She pops in on them a couple of times. And then she sleeps here at the house. I wouldn't trust them with my best friend. She's offered..but twice her dogs have gotten out of the house. That makes me nervous.

If nothing else...you know they will be safe.

I hear your worry. Gus is going to have to make the 4 hour flight to Chicago with me over Thanksgiving because I just can't leave him. But your dogs will have each other... which is great. Will they let you bring a blanket for their kennel?

We have never left Audrey at a kennel but have been preparing to do so for the last two months. We recently moved and there is no one here I trust to leave her with. In the end I decided a professional facility was probably the safer option. I have toured several now and too feel so awful leaving her in that place of concrete and wire! But Karlin is right, it is probably safer and less confusing for the dog! I finally chose the facility with the warmest staff and the roomiest runs. Audrey is afraid of other dogs and this facility has private sleeping quarters connected to wire enclosed indoor runs, connected to an outdoor run that they open during the day on days if there is no snow, rain, or freezing temperatures. They will also walk and/or play with her each day for as many times as you pay for. The charge is however reasonable. She just had the booster of her kennel cough vaccine. We need to board her overnight in December but will have her do a few days of daycare to get used to the place and people in advance. But I know I will be a basket case leaving her! Before we moved she always stayed with our fantastic dog sitter/trainer and I still worried.

There is another positive way of looking at this situation....

Isn't it better to know that your dogs are comfortable and calm about going into kennels...if you had an emergency and they HAD to go into kennels what a relief it would be to know they would be safe and well cared for by someone that you already know?

Even though mine are looked after by friends when I have holidays etc they have been known to spend the "odd day and one night" in the kennel enviroment for this reason alone. It gives me peace of mind that all would be OK!

Just another way of looking at it :flwr:

Alison, Wilts, U.K.

When Monty was an only dog, he went into kennels for a week. I was worried that he'd get upset and not eat, as he was a very fussy eater in those days. I even tooka box of Bonios, because i knew he'd eat those, so would have at least a couple of those in him each day.

Well, I needn't have worried. He not only ate the bonios but the no frills turkey and meal that the kennel owner (She actually bred him) gave to her own dogs. Instead of a dog going mad at our return, he was more interested in sniffing places he's missed during his stay.

The only one of mine I'd be worried about leaving is Izzy, because he's always been nevous of men and is clingy. The other three would enjoy it, I'm sure. My sister's retriever certainly did, as when she got the suitacses out , he'd go mad and continue until he got to the kennels. he just couldn't wait.

We are going to have to board Daisy for the first time in mid-December. I am also very stressed about it. I toured the "luxury" pet resort that is always rated very highly in all the consumer ratings around here.

It gave me a couple of concerns. First, for the smaller dogs, they have a 2 part kennel that is like two 2ftx2ftx2ft cubes joined together with a small opening between. That is in the sleeping room. It is not joined to the outside in any way, and they are actually stacked vertically 2 or 3 high (they are solid fiberglass, not wire). They have a day-care option where supposedly the dogs are brought out in a small dog only group every hour and a half or so to potty and to play. She explained it that for the day care either the large dog groupis out or the small dogs are out pretty much the whole day on a rotational basis of about 45 minutes each (from 8-5 only). But at the time I was there, neither group was out, which made me kind of wonder whether they really do all they say they do. We then went back in the sleeping room, and the barking was really loud. She said they only bark like that when people come into the room, but I don't know. This option is $40 a day. (Ouch) What do you all think about that setup?

My concern is that if they aren't brought out to potty after 5:00, I guess the dogs are expected to potty in the "other half" of their sleeping kennel (the cube that doesn't contain their bed). THat seems like not a good idea in terms of house training and the smell. They all have a lambs wool to sleep on, which are washed every day. They said that you can bring a bed from home but they don't encourage it and it would have to be launderable daily. I would definitely bring Daisy's own little lamb's wool thing.

My other concern is just her mixing freely with all these dogs I don't know. What if one of them attacks her? You have to sign a waiver releasing them from liability if you choose the daycare option. If you don't choose that option, then they have what is called TLC, where they bring the overnight dogs out of their kennel a couple of times a day and play with them one-on-one, and presumably take them outside to potty. With that option, she would definitely be using the other half of her sleeping kennel as her potty area.

Their other option (about $60 a day!!!) is called the jungle suite and it is a really large about 5x8 kennel with a TV in each kennel and you can bring anything from home that you want at all. Again, it doesn't connect to the outside at all. In there, I worry that she will be lonely, because she can't see people or other dogs from her kennel. What if they forget about her?

The other option is at a vet's office with the concrete indoor-outdoor kennels that are blocked off for each dog. I haven't visited it yet, but a neighbor with a dog told me about it. It is not at my vet.

I just don't know what to do. I guess maybe I'll visit both of them again and try to see which one feels the best. I visited the one I described above before we ever got Daisy to make sure we have a safe and viable place for her to be when we travel.

Sorry so long -- can you tell I'm obsessing?

Karlin said:

. To be honest I'd rather thave mine at a professional kennels than at a friends who isn't that eperienced with dogs or MY dogs. I'd be afraid of one running out the front door or a child letting one out... etc. In a good kennel, they are safe and secure plus you will have vet care available too. ).

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I completely agree. As much as it hurt to have to board my Lhasa (dreading the time when I will have to board Lily) , I would never let anyone, except my Mother keep my dogs, and she was usully with me when I was out of town. My Mother takes care of them like I do, and I know they are safe with her. Many family members, including my Brother, who loves dogs and adores Chloe, (but my sister-in-law just tolerates them), has offered many times. He really gets hurt and can't understand why I would put Chloe in a kennel rather than let him keep her. I just always knew that they were safe at the Vets, and if anything happened, the Vets were right there. I just don't trust anyone to look out for them like I do, except for my Mom.

OK ok ok - so let us know how it went!? You're coming back today!! I am sure your babies were absolutely fine!

I'm back....my boys are home safely.

All went well, but I know that my baby boy, Arthur, was stresssed about being there. Duncan seems to take everything in stride and Arthur is my worrier...my separation anxiety baby. He still has a little bit of an upset tummy from being all of the change, I guess.

It was nice to have them at the vets and in the end we took one of their crates with cushion to put in the 4x6 room they were in. When we left they were both sitting in the crate, door open, looking at us. It about killed me to leave them but all are home safe and sound and I would do it again. I thought about them a TON but not once was I worried about their safety which was priceless.

Hi Ducans mom,

I'm new to this board and before I found this thread, I PM"d you because I have the oposite concern. In late Sept early Oct of next year my family will be coming to Destin for a 10 day stay and I had hoped maybe you could give me some in sight to condo rental situatione down there that are pet friendly. In fall of 2005 we rented a condo with the understanding we could have our Laci with us, only to get there and find out that that was not true. We found a kennel in Ft Walton that I really felt was pretty good and we went and saw Laci several times that week and took her out on walks and to play etc. I am hoping to find out if there are any condo rentals, on Okaloosa Island that allow pets that you know of?? I understand that pets can not be on the beach, and I know that there is a complex in eastern Destin that allows pets, but our conference is at the Emerald Coast Conference Center on Okaloosa Island and we prefer to stay on the Island. If you have no referrels for pet friendly condo's can you tell me what Kennel you used and where it is located in relation to Okaloosa Island?

I love the avatar of the dogs on the white sandy beach. From my viewpoint you have the perfect life, two beautiful cavaliers in one of the most beautiful citys in the US! What a life!!!

Thanks,
Nean

Ashely - so glad it all worked out fine and the pups are fine. Bet you're glad to have them back home though