Dog Kennels? Need to find a good one.

[CaptainObvious]

Originally Posted by South Range Family

You talked about group playtime. That is crazy and dangerous. You can't devote your full attention to every dog like that. You also don't know what another persons dog is going to do. All it takes is one wrong butt sniffing, and you have a massive dog fight on your hands. I can just imagine having to explain how someone's Poodle killed someone else's Great Dane, by getting stuck in its throat. Group playtime? No way.

I am, honest to God, not trying to start a philosophical war between two trains of thought on the way to handle your dog here, BUT...

No group playtime? Are you serious? So, you want a horribly mal-adjusted, non-socialized loaner? THAT is what makes dogs crazy. THAT is exactly what causes aggression in dogs.

Captain

[stasia]

A former coworker used to take her dogs to Misty Pines, and she raved about it. Don't have any personal experience with it, though.

I've only boarded my dog once, much to my discontent, at Carriage Hill Kennels in Finleyville. I liked the facilities a lot, and my dog was excited but not anxious when I came to pick her up. If I ever have to board her again, I'll use Carriage Hill.

[South Range Family]

Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

No group playtime? Are you serious? So, you want a horribly mal-adjusted, non-socialized loaner? THAT is what makes dogs crazy. THAT is exactly what causes aggression in dogs.

Captain

A dog kennel is there to protect your dog, not teach it how to socialize. They are only there for a week or two. That short amount of time isn't going to change them. You don't know how a dog will react when another one is present. My two dogs stay in the same run because they live together. I certainly don't want them mixed with a strangers dog in a common area. Dogs have many personalities. You never know how they will react with each other.

[Hemingway]

I am by no means an expert, but have kenneled dogs for over 16 years for vacations. Every kennel I have ever used asks you if you want them socialize in a supervised environment-they can't ALL be wrong....also why are Dog Parks so popular today, if not for the social aspect for dogs. It stands to reason that dogs are pack animals, in a SUPERVISED environment, it is GOOD for them to socialize. I don't think it is all that healthy to isolate dogs from all others.

[CaptainObvious]

Originally Posted by South Range Family

A dog kennel is there to protect your dog, not teach it how to socialize. They are only there for a week or two. That short amount of time isn't going to change them. You don't know how a dog will react when another one is present. My two dogs stay in the same run because they live together. I certainly don't want them mixed with a strangers dog in a common area. Dogs have many personalities. You never know how they will react with each other.

You're right. A kennel is not there to teach your dog to socialize-- you are. If you bring your horriblty mal-adjusted dog to the kennel, I suppose it should be under lock and key all day as it will just get into trouble as mommy and daddy never took time to socialize it. You don't know how another dog will react...correct. So better to just keep it isolated than let it experience new things. Its a scary world out there, good thing dogs have people like you out there not letting them do anything at all because one of them would end up getting hurt.

You home-school your kids don't you?

Captain

[cleosmom]

Coming from inside the industry I'd just like to make a few suggestions;

*try to always use an ABKA accredited boarding facility as they've strict guidelines and certified Pet Care Technicians (not certain why the Cozy Inn hasn't tried for certification as from what I'm reading here and on their website they seem impressive.)

*request a tour of the facility and if they refuse, it's a red flag. give consideration for the chance of only doing tours at certain times of the day as there are legit reasons for this; feeding, rotating out to play, relieve themselves etc. etc.

*inquire as to their veterinary routine should your pet take ill or get injured while visiting, will they use your vet, one on site or the closest one?

* some kennels have a "menu" and start at a base rate and then tack on some needs as extras; medicating, play time, feeding your own food rather than theirs

*group play, if it's offered and you desire your pet to have play time with his/her friends then do inquire as to whether they place in with their own size or if it's a collage of all.

* do let them know about any quirks which might be odd to others; sneezing or coughing due to allergies, digging, fence jumpers/climbers, rock eaters, has bloated or full blown torsion in the past.

Side note, as far as group play goes I've worked at an accredited boarding kennel for five years now and not only do we board, but have doggie daycare as well and have had no serious injuries whatsoever. They are tested for their personalities and started out slowly. It's completely up to the client if they want their dog in play group or not, it is not forced and if they do desire their dog to play with friends then they do sign a play waiver stating basically that dogs are like children, no matter how closely watched-- things happen!

[Susecita]

I rarely contribute to posts that take on a life of their own but this issue re: group play has hit me a bit because I find the idea of not allowing play time in kennels reproachable. I hear that from a kennel and I run the other way. When I acquired my two dogs I made sure my dogs were highly socialized. I took them to day care and playgroups and have wiser, well adjusted animals because of this. The top names in dog training, Ian Dunbar, Patricial McConnell, Andrea Arden, yada yada, all advocate proper socialization of your animals in various supervised settings (I believe perhaps kennels where you pay money to board your animals MIGHT perhpas fall into this category?). In my life with dogs I have noticed that the worst behaved, most anxious dogs are those that have not been socialized, that do not spend time with other animals, etc. etc. In fact, recently we brought into our house such a dog who after spending some careful time with all our other dogs has become the most social, gentlest animal. She used to bite and be agressive before. Today, I trust her completely. Frankly, I would be really scared, weary, of leaving my animals with a person who does not believe in the fact that dogs are pack animals and /should/ remain in packs. If you are leaving dogs in a kennel you assume it's with staff with a modicum amount of training and a decent ratio of dogs/human to watch over them. All the places I have ever been to have more than one person watching over the dogs, precisely because only one person cannot keep an eye on every single dog. Just my two cents.

-S

[CaptainObvious]

Originally Posted by Susecita

I rarely contribute to posts that take on a life of their own but this issue re: group play has hit me a bit because I find the idea of not allowing play time in kennels reproachable. I hear that from a kennel and I run the other way. When I acquired my two dogs I made sure my dogs were highly socialized. I took them to day care and playgroups and have wiser, well adjusted animals because of this. The top names in dog training, Ian Dunbar, Patricial McConnell, Andrea Arden, yada yada, all advocate proper socialization of your animals in various supervised settings (I believe perhaps kennels where you pay money to board your animals MIGHT perhpas fall into this category?). In my life with dogs I have noticed that the worst behaved, most anxious dogs are those that have not been socialized, that do not spend time with other animals, etc. etc. In fact, recently we brought into our house such a dog who after spending some careful time with all our other dogs has become the most social, gentlest animal. She used to bite and be agressive before. Today, I trust her completely. Frankly, I would be really scared, weary, of leaving my animals with a person who does not believe in the fact that dogs are pack animals and /should/ remain in packs. If you are leaving dogs in a kennel you assume it's with staff with a modicum amount of training and a decent ratio of dogs/human to watch over them. All the places I have ever been to have more than one person watching over the dogs, precisely because only one person cannot keep an eye on every single dog. Just my two cents.

-S

Amen. I am so glad some sane and reasonable pet owners still exist.

Captain