Mixing Dogs At Kennels

[Diva]

I worked at a few kennels 10 years ago and we would double up (minimum) all kennels in school holidays. I didn't last long after that. The owners of the dogs were never aware of it - they only allowed inspections by appointments so we could move dogs into yards/other kennel blocks. In hindsight I can tell you not one of the staff there knew a thing about behaviours and it's just sheer luck that nothing went wrong :

Scary isn't it. Two strangers put together in a too small enclosure with food triggers around can be risky enough, but 2 on 1 is crazy. No wonder some dogs come out of kennelling very stressed. Or injured.

[wayrod]

Most issues commented on seem to stem from behavioural issues. What about bio-security concerns? Wouldn't that be a bigger risk?

[cliffandmandy]

OMG, thanks for the replies. I have not been able to check until today and I did not expect that many replies. reading through it appears to be a mixed bunch some are happy other are not. I was just putting the question out there for a bit of market research as we are looking at opening Kennels. Some replies assumed I meant board the dogs with others, there is no way I would do this. I was trying to get an idea of what pet owners thought of the idea of SUPERVISED LIMITED play time with others of a similar nature in small groups after the dog had been assessed. Supervised means supervised not just left alone whilst staff sat and had a cup of tea.

Sometimes people have no choice but to board their beloved pet, anything can happen, we had to fly back to UK for family emergency and had no choice, no family here to look after him and yes we have friends but I could not put on these people for 4 weeks and also we think what if he runs off from friends we would feel bad and so would they. The kennels I put him in were good, he was kenneled alone but had supervised play time with other like natured dogs, four was the max.

There is any interesting boarding kennel on facebook Royvon Kennels. www.facebook.com/DogHotels/photos it is a boarding and training establishment and they put hundreds of photos on facebook, I must say I am not sure I would run this many dogs together but in some photos you see 2 staff and then there is the person with the camera, they appear to be always busy with boarders or training so they must have a good reputation.

Anyway thank you everybody for all your replies (taken on board and digested)

Ps sorry if I didnt do a link to facebook properly.

[Greytmate]

Supervision and assessment are fine, but those most qualified to supervise or assess would probably be the most likely also to think it's not a good idea to mix strange dogs at kennels. Some people's idea of supervision is to watch, with no clue what they are watching for, or to assess with no understanding of what they are assessing. The terms are almost meaningless when used in a general way.

It is those that are less educated about dogs and maybe a little anthropomorphic that see the most value in having their dog 'socialise' with strange dogs. You just have to look at many of the people that spend time in dogs parks.

If you were opening a kennel and providing that 'service' you would have to weigh up how much business that would draw in compared to the amount of business lost due to mishaps. Maybe you wouldn't weigh up the costs, you would just keep the dogs as safely as possible, separated from strange dogs.

[OSoSwift]

I am building a boarding kennel at the moment and although a couple of people are happy to have their dogs mix with other dogs(usually smaller dog owners I have found) there is no way we will being doing this.

We believe there is too much potential for a problem. I would be totally shattered if I was entrusted to look after someones dog and it got into a fight and injured because I chose to run it with an unknown dog.

I remember when I worked in a kennel years ago a family brought in their two Entire male Stffords who happily loved togetehr and had never had even one minor altercation. They were to sleep together and to be exercised together. One morning around 4 days in we went in to two dogs who had had a rather large barney. They both were covered in puncture marks around heads, necks and shoulders, bloody all over and thankfully we had two dogs who were still alive. After that the owners asked they were kenneled seperately but exercised together. The owners did not lay any blame as they had asked for those arrangements but it goes to show what can happen with the stress of boarding

[MsKatie]

I am building a boarding kennel at the moment and although a couple of people are happy to have their dogs mix with other dogs(usually smaller dog owners I have found) there is no way we will being doing this.

We believe there is too much potential for a problem. I would be totally shattered if I was entrusted to look after someones dog and it got into a fight and injured because I chose to run it with an unknown dog.

I remember when I worked in a kennel years ago a family brought in their two Entire male Stffords who happily loved togetehr and had never had even one minor altercation. They were to sleep together and to be exercised together. One morning around 4 days in we went in to two dogs who had had a rather large barney. They both were covered in puncture marks around heads, necks and shoulders, bloody all over and thankfully we had two dogs who were still alive. After that the owners asked they were kenneled seperately but exercised together. The owners did not lay any blame as they had asked for those arrangements but it goes to show what can happen with the stress of boarding

This is why I have my 2 kenneled next to each other - but in separate runs - and exercised together - I think that with a confined space nd no place to get space from each other there coud be issues. ours are used to being crated separately at night.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Interesting that the boarding kennel that won at the recent MDBA awards actually does mix the dogs, according to their website. Is this awarded on best practice or customer satisfaction?

[Rebanne]

Interesting that the boarding kennel that won at the recent MDBA awards actually does mix the dogs, according to their website. Is this awarded on best practice or customer satisfaction?

either way I hope it was only with owners permission

[mita]

Even if dogs are put in separate kennels, it's a good idea to check how they're constructed. Some people in Brisbane, a few years back, lost their tibbie who was in a separate kennel enclosure. Dog, in the next separate kennel scaled the high wire wall and killed the poor little thing.

Each kennel had a closed section leading out into a little exercise yard. No top over the exercise section.

I doubt if any kennel, these days, would have construction like that.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Even if dogs are put in separate kennels, it's a good idea to check how they're constructed. Some people in Brisbane, a few years back, lost their tibbie who was in a separate kennel enclosure. Dog, in the next separate kennel scaled the high wire wall and killed the poor little thing.

Each kennel had a closed section leading out into a little exercise yard. No top over the exercise section.

I doubt if any kennel, these days, would have construction like that.

You're right - dogs could climb the enclosures. Most of the exercise yards I have seen are all open at the top - another thing to worry about. Poor little tibbie - I presume it was a larger dog who did that? Another reason to make sure that large and small dog kennels are kept at a good distance from each other.

[Salukifan]

Mixing dogs in kennels. Hmmmn

Kennel cough got that name for a REASON

[cliffandmandy]

Mixing dogs in kennels. Hmmmn

Kennel cough got that name for a REASON

But kennel cough is airbourne so even if the dogs do not mix or interact can it not still be passed around a boarding kennel.

[OSoSwift]

Not all kennels are covered over the top. I know of a Boxer that got badly damaged while a lone kennel attendant did all she could to beat the offending dog off - who had scaled a fence - she did manage to get it off and drag the injured dog through a gate. She was very lucky to avoid serious injury herself.

My kennels are fully covered inside and out. The exercise yards will not be, but one will have angled in bits at the top for dogs who even think about climbing. The whole area is double fenced.

All my pens and yards have been designed as Bundy proof. My friend has a Whippet that can scale pretty much anything. So she is our test bunny.

[mita]

Not all kennels are covered over the top. I know of a Boxer that got badly damaged while a lone kennel attendant did all she could to beat the offending dog off - who had scaled a fence - she did manage to get it off and drag the injured dog through a gate. She was very lucky to avoid serious injury herself.

My kennels are fully covered inside and out. The exercise yards will not be, but one will have angled in bits at the top for dogs who even think about climbing. The whole area is double fenced.

That's dreadful there'd still be kennels where they lack the foresight to see that dogs could scale the fence into another dog's space.

And, good on you, for designing your kennels so it cannot happen.

[OSoSwift]

Thank you :D

I have been researching for around two and a half years, asking questions, reading everything on here and other places that I could find. I guess no set up is ever perfect but I have tried to incorporate all the things I see as essential and very important. I don't think I could sleep if there were no mesh roofs over the tops of the runs, I would ahve nightmares there was dogs escaping all over the place!

[alpha bet]

Thank you :D

I have been researching for around two and a half years, asking questions, reading everything on here and other places that I could find. I guess no set up is ever perfect but I have tried to incorporate all the things I see as essential and very important. I don't think I could sleep if there were no mesh roofs over the tops of the runs, I would ahve nightmares there was dogs escaping all over the place!

Cool, so have you got your kennels up and running now.... best of luck... let us know how things go

[OSoSwift]

Thank you :D

I have been researching for around two and a half years, asking questions, reading everything on here and other places that I could find. I guess no set up is ever perfect but I have tried to incorporate all the things I see as essential and very important. I don't think I could sleep if there were no mesh roofs over the tops of the runs, I would ahve nightmares there was dogs escaping all over the place!

Cool, so have you got your kennels up and running now.... best of luck... let us know how things go

Nope still building, hopefully in a round 6 to 8 weeks :)

[Guest Willow]

This is going to be the perfect Kennels....shame you are south, or you would have me first in the queue to book my dog in!!!

[Odin-Genie]

Supervision and assessment are fine, but those most qualified to supervise or assess would probably be the most likely also to think it's not a good idea to mix strange dogs at kennels. Some people's idea of supervision is to watch, with no clue what they are watching for, or to assess with no understanding of what they are assessing. The terms are almost meaningless when used in a general way.

It is those that are less educated about dogs and maybe a little anthropomorphic that see the most value in having their dog 'socialise' with strange dogs. You just have to look at many of the people that spend time in dogs parks.

If you were opening a kennel and providing that 'service' you would have to weigh up how much business that would draw in compared to the amount of business lost due to mishaps. Maybe you wouldn't weigh up the costs, you would just keep the dogs as safely as possible, separated from strange dogs.

That's an interesting point. Some kennel playgrounds that I have visited looked more like dog parks with about 20 dogs thrown in with one supervisor. If anything goes wrong, I fail to see how one person could manage the situation.

But it would be interesting to see what the mishap rate is at kennels.