Does your dog act different when you put him in kennel?

[disneydreamersx4]

We are going away in August for a weekend and will be putting our 1 yr old dog in the kennel for the first time. The kennel has indoor and covered outdoor space for him plus lite music WE will leave his two favorite toys (Kong and rope). Now next year we are hoping to go away for two weeks and leave him in the kennel. That sounds like a long time for boarding him by our house so we might take him with us to our vacation destination and board him there so we can visit him at the kennel. OR has anyone gone away for two weeks and have no problems boarding their dog??

I just hope he realizes we're coming back for him

 

[pixie dust 112]

My dog loves the kennel! He is exhausted when he gets home, after running around with all the other dogs!

 

[MichelleVW]

They are usually just happy to be home!

 

[disneydreamersx4]

Do you mean you don't board your dogs?

 

[BlueIrish]

Some dogs have no issue with kennels. The weekend in August will let you know how your dog will react. He might love it.
Some dogs will get depressed/anxiety, and can cause themselves to get sick. A weekend trip is a great practice run.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

We had to take our rat terrier to the vet last month because she was sick. She had to stay overnight for 2 nights. Now she barks in a different way. It's so weird. I told my DD that she must have picked up an accent from another dog
It is very odd though. She barks nothing like she did before. It's a much higher pitch.

 

[Cat0727]

We went to Florida (and Disney!) for 2 weeks and we put our dog in the kennel...never again. Poor baby was so depressed- he wouldn't eat and would flip over his bowl. He's been everywhere with us since.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Our dog had 3 seizures within 48 hours of coming back from the kennel last time. It was not our usual kennel though, so she may not have been comforable. I am weary of going anywhere unless someone can watch her at the house or the usual kennel is open.

 

[vettechick99]

Our dog and cat are soooo happy to see us return from a trip. We left them home in April for a week with a friend watching them. When we returned, we couldn't keep them off of us! Ever since then, the cat has been sleeping with us in bed (for months she was sleeping on the laundry room counter by her food) and the dog has been sleeping on the carpet by our beds (instead of in her comfy bed by the back door). Your dog will just be happy to see you - it's kinda sweet!

 

[Sarah_Rose]

My dogs also LOVE going to their boarding place, but we also don't do traditional kennels. We only take our dogs to kennel-free facilities where they have dogs and humans to run around and play with all day. Our favorite facility even gives each dog individual snuggle time where they get to hang out in the office with a human, one-on-one. Each time I have boarded my dogs at this place, my dogs have run to the fence to greet me when I arrived, and then took off back to the pack to play with their "friends".

This type of boarding facility obviously only works if your dog is friendly and well-socialized with other dogs.

As far as differences in behavior, I judge the quality of care by just how NOT DIFFERENT my dogs are when I pick them up. I have previously boarded one of my dogs at a different facility where he was always stressed and crying when he first saw us.... I knew it was time to find a new situation.

However, my dogs were automatically sitting and waiting for their food bowl to be placed down when I picked them up after a week at the kennel in early-July - something I'd never bothered to train them, myself! So, I don't consider all changes in behavior to be negative, I guess!

 

[disneydreamersx4]

thanks for your replies. Glad we are just trying a weekend first and I just may pay the extra fee now so he can play with some kennel friends. Edit (I just read the kennel doesn't have group playing but he can get out for exercise time) I'm pretty convinced now after reading a pp that two weeks without us will have some effect so I will probably be taking doggie with us and then find a kennel at our vacation spot. He'll see us during those two weeks and we'll all sleep alot better

So sorry to hear about the doggies who got sick while being boarded

 

[horseshowmom]

Just another two cents...

It really depends on the kennel. We had a dog several years ago (we lost her to old age a few years ago) that we left at one kennel for a few days. She did not do well at that kennel and came home traumatized. I had decided not to leave her anymore, but we had an emergency and had to go out of town. She loved the kennel I left her at that time (where she stayed many more times after that). I think the difference was that she had a lot of interaction with them and the other dogs there.

I have a MinPin that I adopted last summer. He had been abandoned and mistreated and was VERY nervous of strangers. I had been working with him (gradually exposing him to new experiences). In February, I carried him with me on a business trip. He stayed with me in the hotel at night but stayed at PetSmart's Doggie Daycare during the day. When I made his reservation, I explained to them that he was nervous of strangers. When we got there, they went out of their way to make him comfortable, and he had a great time the 3 days he was there (lots of interaction with staff and other dogs).

A lot depends on the kennel.

 

[momtotreasure]

It all depends on the dog. My yorkie would get very depressed but perk up after a few days. I started using in-home sitters (they'd come 2-3 times a day) and the dogs were much happier.

See if you can find some reputable pet-sitters in your area.

 

[MichelleVW]

They are usually just happy to be home!

Do you mean you don't board your dogs?

If you meant me....I mean they are happy when they get home from the kennel.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Max came home an improved dog last time. I think he realized how good a home he has!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Secret is to get a kennel you like and one the dog is used to. We board our dogs a lot.

At first they were EXHAUSTED and slept most of the next day the first couple of times.

Now it is like nothing. They come home fine and it is business as usual.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

At first they were EXHAUSTED and slept most of the next day the first couple of times.

Now it is like nothing. They come home fine and it is business as usual.

See, I consider the fact that my dogs (two German Shepherds - TONS of energy!) are always EXHAUSTED after getting home from the kennel to be a positive side of boarding them! After a week of running around with other dogs all day, I don't have to walk them or take them to the dog park for at least 3-4 days after coming home!

 

[horseshowmom]

Max came home an improved dog last time. I think he realized how good a home he has!

Maybe he thought they had been incarcerated and decided to rehabilitate himself???

 

[stichy]

We call the kennel camp because it makes us humans feel better. My dogs love camp. The get so excited when I bag the food up the day before. The start to think that every time the front door opens they get to go along. We've never had problems with them going. As soon as they get there they go running to the back and don't even want to say good bye. The only time we've ever had a problem is when we took a 2 week trip. My boxer tends to eat alot less when we are away. Not usually a problem when we go away for a week but she lost almost 10 pounds over the 2 weeks we were away. The kennel knew that I do approve of feeding her canned food to tempt her because when she comes home she refuses to eat dry. I will in the future let the kennel knoe it is okay to feed her wet food on longer trips.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

Max came home an improved dog last time. I think he realized how good a home he has!

Maybe he thought they had been incarcerated and decided to rehabilitate himself???

STOP!!!