Kenneling Dogs

[JulesP]

I've never kenneled the dogs before. I just don't go away! This is impacting on life so I am looking into kennels so I can go away.

Just spoken to one kennel and there are no staff members checking the dogs from 5pm until 7am. Is that normal?? Seems a long time that the dogs are unsupervised.

Edited August 17, 2013 by JulesP

[coogie]

Did you mean 7am? Two hours does not seem long to me, but 14 is pushing it, in my opinion.

[JulesP]

Did you mean 7am? Two hours does not seem long to me, but 14 is pushing it, in my opinion.

opps yes.

[coogie]

I think that is a long time JulesP, did they say why they are left so long? Do the owners/ operators not live on the property? I would be concerned as well, maybe some kennel owners will come in and say if it normal practice. My two would be horrified, I don't think they have ever been left to their own devices for 14 hours. The kennel near us that I would use also has CCTV as well as the owners living on the property around 100 meters from the kennel blocks.

[Cosmolo]

Just because the owners live there doesn't mean they actually check on the dogs. I know a few kennels where dogs wouldn't be checked for that same kind of time period.

[JulesP]

I guess I thought there would be some sort of night time check. Another kennel I spoke to said that they put the dogs in as it is getting dark and don't check them again until morning. They said that checking them stirs them up too much.

[Cosmolo]

It's a fair point- dogs would be likely to stir again if checked in the dark.

[coogie]

I guess I thought there would be some sort of night time check. Another kennel I spoke to said that they put the dogs in as it is getting dark and don't check them again until morning. They said that checking them stirs them up too much.

Probably a very valid point about stirring them up and from Cosmolo's post it is also a good point that being on site doesn't equate to checking. I think I still prefer on site owners/staff as I am assuming if they heard a commotion they would check. Never really thought about the length of time they may potentially be left overnight. I will be asking more specific questions if I have to kennel mine anywhere else from now on.

ETA Typing too slow!

Edited August 17, 2013 by coogie

[JulesP]

The first place I mentioned does have someone living on the property. The kennel staff must leave at 5.00pm though. The other place is ran by owners. But if they are locking the dogs up at dark that isn't much past 5.00pm anyway.

[Dogsfevr]

We live on the property & do a last night check BUT consideration must be taken into all the dogs boarded & going up there all the time at night does stir the dogs & unsettle them ,

We certainly go check if there is an non normal noise & will go up if there is a barker & shut them in but once there all settled they are left alone to sleep.

We don't shut till 6 pm & in summer the dogs may still be out till 9/10 o clock providing they are quiet.

In winter there usually brought in around 4pm if a nice day but there out all day & its starting to get cold & the dogs will tell you they have had enough.

Otherwise there in/out between the rain & that may mean out between 5/6 .

We don't have staff & are owner/operators

Different states vary as does there license for operating times & noise requirements

I think people need to be a bit realistic & unless no one sleeps there dogs are left alone for a certain period (lets say 9/10 hrs)during the night & its safe to say many average dog owners have no clue what there dogs are doing during this time or even get up if there barking .

Checking is a personal choice & many of the dogs we board would require meds between 6/7 pm .

We check around 8,30/9 & shut in the barkers at this time .

In summer we check latter but we board a smaller number but during checking some dogs do go off & require time to re settle which is harder on them so checking we do quietly & calmly .

We also take into consideration our neighbours & the effect barking dogs have when checking on the other kennels .

Whilst we are a 24/7 job we also have our own private time

[Podengo]

Where I worked we (staff) locked up at 6pm, and dogs were in their kennels from then until 7am. The kennel owners would pop in about 9pm to check on the dogs, but just a quick walk through, and they do get stirred up then.

[Cosmolo]

I think other things are more important than over night checking. Making sure you see all areas where dogs can be kennelled for instance and discuss exercise requirements etc.

Have you seen Cottage Kennels? I was very impressed with their set up and have had clients use them with some very difficult dogs who have been really happy.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Cosmolo

[sandgrubber]

No need to be freaked out. Yes, there are horror stories. But there are a lot of responsible kennel owners. I'd look for someplace where the owners manage the place, and the help, if any, have been with them for years. Make sure that 'exercise' doesn't mean kicking the dogs out for 20 minutes while we hose down the kennels. Get some recommendations.In the years I owned and operated a kennel, it was pleasing to realize that most of our dog customers enjoyed their stay. Owners often told us that the dog looked all excited when they got close enough to realize they were going to kennels. We occasionally had dogs that made it clear they didn't want to go home. And we often got comments like "what did you do to my dog....it slept for a week when it came home". Though different from home, a kennel can be a very stimulating and exciting place for a dog.

[Bubitty]

Don't freak out Jules. There a some excellent Kennels out there.

I have kennelled the kids often and it is as much of a holiday for them as it is for us! Sometimes they don't want to leave and we spend a bit of time getting them back into the car! Nothing sinister or dreadful at all! They also get very excited when they see the kennel lady!

[cali]

I dunno that seems like a long time to me, that wouldn't fly here.... the kennel I work at...we leave the dogs from 9pm to 6am(with cctv)and lots of people won't leave their dogs with us(despite preferring us for other services) because they consider that too long, so they go to small 24hr supervision kennels instead. I can't even imagine the kind of flack a kennel would get around here that left the dogs for 14 hours! I wouldn't be comfortable with it at all.

Edited August 18, 2013 by cali

[JulesP]

I think I am so stressed about it because I have had a dog die overnight. I haven't really left the dogs for long periods of time since then. 4 hours at the most.

[Clyde]

Would you consider a house sitter? I tried kennels after a nightmare experience years ago. The kennels were great and phoned me to say Esme the Stafford wasn't coping. I came back a day earlier and collected them. Now I use sitters. All dogs cope differently though and Esme is very sensitive. I just prefer having them at home. But then there's the drama of finding good sitters, it's been a bit hit and miss. I have found the best ones have been people through DOL instead of professional sitters..

[Jumabaar]

My epileptic dog would go to a 24hr vet clinic if I had to go away. I know they would hear him if he did do anything silly and that they check on the boarders quite regularly through the night. So far it hasnt been necessary but I have certainly looked into it because before we got control he would have them overnight and needs extra meds if he does have one.

[woodbyne]

We only board 8 dogs at a time and they are put to bed at 10pm then we are up at 5.00am to 5.30am to let them all out. Each dog is given an individual play session water changed and breakkie given.

Kennels aren't hosed out until its warmer in the day unless some one had had an accident then there is no choice but I prefer not to hose until at least 10am in winter. Summer totally different and some of the dogs we have had even like a game with the hose :)

If we went out and checked on them all night the dogs would be quite stressed I feel. Having said that if anyone is barking or whinging or fussing we are out there as quick as a flash. Our kennels would be 20 metres from our house. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my dogs with no one living there.

[alpha bet]

The trend nowdays is that many of the newer larger kennels are being built in industrial zones..... the zoning then doesn't allow to have any premises or even an overnight caretaker but I think you would find that the clients might not actually be aware of this. Staff get in at 7ish in the morning and are usually gone by 7 or so at night.... Thus most of the kennels don't have staff wandering around for 12 hours or so. If they did you could double the price of boarding immediately, Hanrob already charge way more than many others.

Local councils are making more difficult to get boarding kennel licenses so I doubt many new ones are being opened on private properties. Nillumbik, and Hume councils in the north of vic are basically no go zones for new kennels and even trying to squeeze out the older ones.

What surprises me in the States we saw many doggy day care centres that also offer an overnight service for those who get called away..... Pen free system of boarding where dogs are left together with bedding etc. However the staff go home and only have a CCTV system in place. Even if there was a problem, is anyone monitoring the CCTV 24 hourly and if so to respond could still be 30-45 minutes...... I am sure that most of the clients just assume that there is someone there overnight...Even at vet practices with dogs being held overnight usually don't have staff in attendance 24 hourly. They just have spot checks.

Realisitically anyone who you might have come to pet sit at your home or else to send your dog even with a nanny service is likely to be out and about for part of the day, either they are working (sometimes part time or mobile grooming or even just shopping etc)..... sometimes a pet sitter might be out overnight.... would you expect someone to house sit and not go out for 4-5 hours for a party?

Many people own dogs and go to work for 10 hours a day, if not longer, and dogs can have the same problems during the day that are possible overnight. If you work with animals you have to accept that sometimes s#*t happens. 18 years of running my own small boarding kennels I have seen many things - I've had dogs die (A dog can bleed out in about 20 min with bloat) - dogs give birth (oh no she's not pregnant just tubby) - dogs abandoned (yes some people are assholes) - dogs arrive matted and underweight (again some people are assholes) - dogs stake themselves running in the paddocks (same as they can in their own backyard) - old dogs have strokes - dogs can have fits (you only know if you see it) - Freak storms can cause panic in dogs and they will climb high fences and run or throw themselves against the walls.

Check out the facility from the dogs point of view.... what do you want for your dog and what are you prepared to pay?..... then be realistic about the risk........ MOST who run kennels are not just about the money, they genuinely love dogs and want to do the best by them.... seek whatever system suits you and consider not the business but the people who actually look after the dog.