Before I worked in a boarding
kennel, I thought they were the most awful places to leave
your dog. However, having now worked at one for quite some
time, I know this not to be true. As long as all the staff
love dogs, and they are not too pushed for time during the
day, some breeds can really enjoy kennels.
Being
Vigilant
I would suggest that it is
worth paying a little more money for a good kennel for your
dog. Always pay a visit to the kennel before booking and
have a list of questions. When you are given the answers,
think about whether what they are saying is feasible. If the
kennel has 100 dogs and they claim to walk every dog three
times a day, ask yourself how many staff you see, and if
this can be possible. Unfortunately, a lot of kennels
mislead dog owners, so it is imperative that you are
vigilant.
What to
Look For
When
you are shown around where the dogs live, the guests should
come to the front of the kennel, probably jumping up, to see
you, and should be happy to see you. Dogs that lie at the
back and do not want to speak to you are a bad sign. Also,
watch out for bowls of old food and water – these should
be refreshed daily in good kennels. If you want your dog to
eat a specific diet, also look out to see if all the dogs
are on a uniform food when you go to see them. If the kennel
owner does not let you see inside the building where your
dog will be housed, do not take your dog there.
Doing
Some Investigating
These
are just some pointers. I
work at a very good kennel where we look after our guests to
the best of our ability, but we have many customers who
claim other kennels in the area do more things with the
dogs. Having visited these kennels under false pretences, I
think that what they claim is impossible. It might be a good
idea to ask other kennels in one area about the other
establishments. You can usually tell if they are being
genuine or avoid the issue, and often you get workers who
have worked at several and they may tell you how much better
it is where they are now.
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