When you go away for any length of time, it may be good to have your dog stay at a kennel rather than relying on a friend or neighbour to look in on him or her; dogs are social creatures, and they may have less stress when they're around other animals and people for that extended time. This can also reduce any risks of injury to your pet, as they will then get full-time supervision. When you're ready to choose a boarding kennel for your dog, note a few details to consider, so you know you find the perfect place for your pet.
Noise
Any kennel will have the sound of some barking, and this isn't necessarily bad, as dogs will bark when they're active and interacting with other dogs. However, too much barking can mean that dogs are stressed and are looking for attention, or are being aggressive with other dogs. A kennel should have enough room to separate aggressive and active breeds from smaller and quieter dogs, which will reduce some of the barking. Consider the level of noise you hear in a kennel and if dogs are barking at each other, or are simply making noise as they're being active.
Room to play and relax
Do you have a big dog that's very active, or a quieter dog who loves to lounge around all day? A kennel should fit your dog's personality; it should have room inside or out for larger dogs to run and play, rather than having to sit in an actual kennel throughout the day. For smaller dogs, the kennel should have indoor areas with lots of dog beds for relaxing, as they also shouldn't sit in a cage all day. Note your own dog's personality and ensure the kennel will fit their needs in particular.
Food and water
Food may not always be put out for the dogs but may be served at particular times to cut down on waste and mess and to ensure all the dogs have a chance to eat. However, water should always be available for the dogs, and it should be easily accessible and kept in bowls or receptacles that are clean and sanitary. Check on the watering stations at a kennel and note if the water bowls seem clean, or if they have lots of dust, dog hair, or even a line of algae around the water, which is an indication that they're not cleaned and sanitized regularly and may not be safe for your dog.
Share16 October 2017
My son is a bit nervous. I thought a pet would be a good solution for him but I knew that we needed to find a pet with the right temperament so that it didn't stress him out anymore. Originally I didn't know much about how to assess animal temperaments so I spent some time looking at different ways of assessing animal 'personalities' and talking to some animal experts about the most calm options for pets. This blog has some of the information that I have picked up over my search as well as pictures of our beautiful new pet cat!
