[vickig]

Just wondering. How many kennel when they're on vacation or whatever. (if you take vacations without the dogs). IHow did your dogs fare?

 

[Snowflake]

We board our dogs at doggie daycare. They love it. They go to DC about 2 days each week, so they are familiar with it and enjoy it over there.

We also make sure they keep them together during the evenings and nights.

Every time we've come back, they are happy and well cared for....but so glad to see us!

 

[patm]

I kennel my 2 when we go on somewhere together (except my parents - we take the dogs there). I've used the same kennel for years - they have indoor/outdoor kennel runs, fairly good size, it's clean, heated in winter, fans in summer. I always try to get them in a kennel together, but sometimes she doens't have the bigger runs open and they have to stay separately (hasn't happened in a long while.) She feeds them her food if that's OK with you, will give them medicine, etc. My 2 are so excited when they get there that I open the car door and they run to the building, go inside, bark at all the dogs along the run, go to "their pen", run inside it, then turn around and look at me like "OK mom - we're here!" When I pick them up a week later, I stand outside the door, they tear outside the building, and run to the car and jump up in it. It's 10 dollars a night or 9 dollars a dog for more than one dog. Not bad.

 

[Bob Pr.]

Whenever I've flown to Vermont or Florida, I've kenneled Puff several times, often for about 5-7 days at a nice kennel in our area. Her air conditioned "room" is about 4' x 4' and I leave her bed and favorite stuffed Teddy Bear with her as well as all her pre-measured meals (plus a few extra, just in case); several times a day, a sliding door is lifted so she can go outside to a concrete run about 4' x 40' with chainlink walls and ceiling --adjacent "rooms" are racked parallel to each other so she can visit other dogs through the fence. Puff's done very well there. (But in recent years, I've driven and taken her with me -- she's a great traveling companion.)

The first ever time she was separated from me was when she was spayed and stayed at the KSU vet hospital from Thursday afternoon to Saturday noon at less than a year old. For awhile, he was a bit miffed and distant from me when we reunited but warmed up again after about 30 minutes.

With my first Lab, Bess, she'd been with my fiancée and me as a young pup to about 2 years of age without any separation. When we married, we left on a 2 week honeymoon and put Bess in a good kennel. When we returned, Bess acted almost psychotic, not responding to either of us for several days -- extremely unlike her usual behavior. Finally, I was able to get her interested in fetching (which she usually loved more than anything). That did it -- her reserve and aloofness melted and she returned to being her usual super-affectionate and responsive self. After that first terrible experience, she had no trouble with being kenneled for a week's time.

If you're concerned about the possible effect, you might try one overnight in advance for practice and experience. Separation anxiety occurs in both Labs and their peeps.

ETA: leaving Puff's meals with her.

 

[Labradorable]

I don't use a kennel, so I'm not much help here. My mom/dad or my sister or my good friend are my dog sitters.

 

[Belles mom]

Not much help here. I only tried to board Belle a couple of times and it was horrible......horrible.....horrible..... As long as I can ever help it (upon my death only) I will never board my dogs anywhere......

 

[labby]

Vacation? What's that?

 

[allthatjazz]

I have boarded Jazzy and the Beags a couple of times. Mostly when we both have to go out of town together for say, a wedding. We have a nice kennel not too far from here, in the country. Nice and clean with air conditioning and heat and indoor/outdoor runs. My three stayed in three kennels next to each other, but were let into the play area together 2 times a day. You can bring their beds(to put on top of the dog cots) and their toys. You are encouraged to bring your own food, so there isn't a tummy problem because of a change in diet. Still, when I return and they take me back to get them I can hardly get leashes on while they are trying to drag me to the car! Thsi summer we are renting a cottage at the beach...and it is dog friendly, Yeah!

 

[cinderbay]

LOL agreed..what is a vacation?? Unless it involves a dog show i don't have those.
I am lucky to take my dogs to family. Yup all SIX!
I use to board back when I only had three. But now the few times I needed it I just had someone come watch them at the house. It costs me less and they have the comfort of their home and the yard to run in.
But when I did board I was happy with were I took them. I think the key is finding the right place.

 

[myfavoritedog]

Not much help here either, since I have never boarded mine. But if you find a place that is good, it can be a lifesaver. I have, so far, been fortunate enough to have someone who can house sit and care for them while I am away.

 

[Shelbz]

We have a doggy daycare/pet resort, we have boarded Shelby overnite a few times, she does well and loves it. It is an indoor/outdoor facility, the only time they are in the kennel is bedtime and feedings. The lobby is set up like a preschool, each dog has a cubbie with their name on it for their belongings. The kennels will have their name along with a picture they have taken on the outside of it. Indoor and outdoor play area, which is airconditioned inside, the outside area is covered and has water misters, since temps here can reach triple digits.

 

[kelli]

I've had to board tuck a few times and he's always been fine. I'm probably more stressed about the whole thing than he is.. but he's never shown any sign of stress or anxiety when i've picked him up or dropped him off.

Now that I have Koda.. i don't know what that's going to be like.. I doubt I'd put her and tuck in the same run.. tucker likes to have his own space and koda has zero respect for person space.

Plus koda has more seperation anxiety issues than tuck does.. i think that's because she's a rescue.. do dogs have abandonment issues? Anyway.. so far our experiences have been good. =)

 

[mollyrock]

I have to board Lucy and Cricket when we travel. My mom is close by but they are too much for my mom to handle. I don't have friends that have the time or are dog people that can watch them either.
They have been going to the same kennel for years. I don't like it, but they get to play with other dogs and they always run right in when they get dropped off. I think like Kelli said that it is more stressful for me than them.

 

[Dukesdad]

I board the boys several times a year at excellent kennels. For stays one week or longer they stay at Camp Canine and have a ball.
In the second photo on the Camp Canine website you can see Duke and Freckles.
http://www.campcaninetexas.com/

For long weekends They stay at the Houston Dog Ranch. Again it's a first rate facility located only four miles from my home.
http://www.houstondogranch.com/

The best sign of an excellent kennel is the lack of any offensive odor. When I first visited the Houston Dog Ranch I thought it was brand new because there was absolutely no door of any kind including disinfectants. Turns out they had been open for a year and a half.

 

[Thunders Mom]

Never have, never will. I told DH if we can't take the dogs with us, we don't go. End of subject. Ok, DD comes to our house while we go to Sturgis for one week, other than that, no.

 

[Di]

We kenneled Sammi once, it was a friends kennel and a great place. Bu It will never happen again- the kennel was great- no complaints about her care, she just did not to well with it at all! So if we go somewhere 99% of the time she comes with us- if not she stays home and we have someone come in. That works so much better for us and her!

 

[TobysTrix]

We "kennel" ours, but I'm not sure it's really the right term. They go stay at a place in town that's owned and operated by the woman who used to own the doggie daycare we take them to twice a week (that's now owned by a friend - that location cannot board dogs due to zoning regulations). I call the boarding facility "camp", they have a huge open indoor play area, an outdoor play area, no crates or cages at night (unless you bring your own or a dog becomes a problem with others), and staff present 24/7. Bring your own food to avoid tummy issues, but if you run short for some reason, they'll phone first and then feed their own, which is all high-end good quality stuff. They'll administer meds or any other routine if needed. Costs an arm and a leg, but it's worth it since I trust them, and the dogs absolutely love being there. When I drop them off, they take off to the play area like "Mom who?" but at least they have the good grace to act like they missed me when I pick them up!

 

[vickig]

I board mine at a kennel which I've been using for years, but have a friend who always hires somebody to come to her home for her dog. I'm glad I'm not the only one whose dogs seem to like the kennel. Although if you can get a kennel at $10/dog, that's amazing. Here it's more like 25/dog. (California, whattaya expect?)

 

[sandyriver]

Wow...$10 a dog that is a steal!!! Oregon ranges from $18-25 per dog and the kennel I work at always has other kennels in the area complaining about the low $15-18 rates being so low....the owners been around for years so she does not feel she has to raise her prices too high just to keep up with the market. A lot of people are glad she keeps thing low.

A great place to work!! Dogs get let out at least four times a day for playtime with humans....gear it to the dog Also they do not charge extra for med's, leash walks, snuggles,etc. I get a great joy in seeing 'happy' guests.

I did board my own fella there but he was not too happy drooled, diarriah, pacing,etc because of some separation anxiety. I also do not go anywhere without him and vacations are dogshows Just had to fly back east last summer for family obligation.

If you can break them in gradually to being boarded that is best. I find most dogs are good for a week or week and a half. Any longer than that and I find even the best dog starts feeling the stress. If you have to board longer than two weeks definitely go with cageless boarding i.e. daycare or petsitter.

Try to make everything familiar for them. I bought a cheap pillow and slept with it in my bed for a longtime so plenty of my scent also some clothes that I could board him with....does help to comfort them. Bring all their favorite toys and food. Don't bring anything that you don't normally feed. A lot of kennel guests will bring new treats or canned food because they feel guilty about leaving their dog so they figure some nice yummies but if the dog has not had them before sometimes it has a negative effect on their tummy.

Just like anything research out the facility and 'drop in' on them for a tour. Should not have any strong odor and not too heavy on disinfectant smell either. Vets are a good place for references because they'll know if the kennel has had any outbreaks of bordatella or other possible illnesses in the kennel.

 

[Bob Pr.]

I agree with everything that sandyriver advised.

The last time I used our kennel (a couple years ago), it was $10/each day or partial day. The kennel is owned by a breeder who shows championship Boxers and about 10 of the 40 suites/runs are for them. Posssibly their rates are higher now -- maybe $15? -- but probably not more.

I also always put some of my used, worn underwear and socks beneath the cushion of Puff's bed so she continued to have my scent with her.

Puff was always happy to go there and displayed no resentment or pique when I picked her up on my return.