Putting Dog in Kennel?

[milly143]

I just wanted opinion/thoughts on something. My bf's Mother is going away for 5 days at the end of May and has decided to put the dog in kennels while she is away. This is despite the fact her husband and two adult sons will be at home that week, although going to work through the day. There is a family friend who already comes round and lets the dog out throught the day if she isn't home. The dog is about 18 months old and is very timid, although this is improving slightly with dog training she is now doing. She has never stayed in kennels before. Do you think it's unfair to the dog to put her in kennels or is it better to keep her at home where she will be mostly on her own between 9-5 in the day?

[lilacben]

Well it does do young dogs good to put into kennels a few days when they are young to get used to it . But seems silly to pay out money and have the men still at home. I hate using kennels but have done from young pups. It is a holiday for them as well.

[lankeela]

Best for the dog to be somewhere secure where it will get attention during the day, if its left at home it may become destructive or upset and if its timid it might try to escape when someone comes in. I would definitely put it in kennels where it will be safe and looked after, regularly exercised and it is good socialising too.

[ladybirder]

Never in a million years would I leave a dog to be looked after by three blokes. I did this once when I went skiing for a week and they let him escape on the second day, and the youngest eventually got around to actually doing something about finding him the day before I was due home because they knew I would go mad. They found him through the police and he was sick and had lost so much weight. And oh boy was he pleased to see me. I wish I had put him in kennels where at the very least he would have been safe and fed and exercised. And in my opinion a dog shouldn't be left on its own all day, it's too long and they are social creatures. The dog will be fine in kennels, don't worry.

[milly143]

Thanks for the answers. I think I just had images in my head of the dog being all alone in a little cage looking all sad. Not that I have ever seen the inside of a kennel so it's probably nothing like that. I've grown quite fond of the dog now. It's taken her a year to let me near her but she now comes for fuss all the time so I didn't want to think of her being locked up all day. But the points you have all mentioned make complete sense so perhaps the best thing is to put her in kennels.

Ladybirder - sounds awful! I'm pretty sure (well, I hope) they are a little more responsible than that. But better safe then sorry I suppose.
Bet those boys were in the dog house! ha de ha ha.

[seekeerz]

Hate to say it but I can better ladybirder's experience - this was an older Dalmatian bitch, at the end of her breeding life, the breeder persuaded a friend to home the old girl, but the friend went overseas and husband and sons promptly put the dog in welfare with the very high likelihood that the dog would be put down after the first week,

How do I know all this - we already owned a Dallie, and the breeder rang us as a last resort - outcome - we had six years of love from a dear old lady who knew when she was well off

[ELVIS68]

Left my young terrier dog in kennels last year and went to pick him up after hols with my son expecting him to come and greet us tail wagging etc

He was a shivering wreck, had his collar missing and there was no sign of his blanket and toys we left him, took him about 2 days to get back to his normal self

I would say it is the equivalent of sending a child to a borstal prison

[seekeerz]

that's awful, too, Elvis - but had you checked out the kennels and did someone you know recommend them I use a kennel several miles away from us, because it was recommended to me, it's not close but the dogs have been well-cared for always.

[TonyV]

as See says you need to check the kennel out first milly & the people that run / own it. Same as you would if you put a child in a nursery.

[ELVIS68]

seekeerz, they was recommended, we took the dog and they showed us his kennel and they showed us the play area and told us all about the long walks they take them on etc etc

Not saying that he was mistreated or anything, just probably too used to having having 2 young kids and mum to fuss around him

[ladybirder]

That's awful Elvis - but unfortunately there are some kennels that aren't very nice. You really have to have it recommended word of mouth from somebody you trust. It's worth travelling those few extra miles to get the right one. Oh boy I bet that dog was glad to see you.

[ELVIS68]

On the plus side, whenever he starts scrounging round the dinner table, one jangle of the car keys sends him back to his bed lol

[ELVIS68]

says who EDDIE51?

[lankeela]

When I work at my friends kennels I make a point of spending more time with the timid or nervous dogs, although I often find they find the routine of the kennels easy to cope with, no stress, just being fed and let out regularly means they don't have to worry. I am certain humans worry far more than the dogs about going to kennels - most really enjoy the opportunity to see other dogs and something going on all day and being able to bark their heads off!