Hi, we have two beautiful rotty sisters and would like to find some kennels for them to board. Our previous rott had boarded a couple of times a a lovley kennel but I have just discovered they lock them up at 6pm until 8am!!! Any help or advice would be welcome x

Hi Ellie,

I'm on the Wirral and use Greenfields. They're great and really flexible too. Nando is a bit of a handful at times due to his size but the girls there are fantastic with him and manage him really well.

I've visited Glenbrittle too but in the end went for Greenfields.

If you went for the option of home boarding, I can recommend the ladies who walk Nando, they are fantastic and reasonably priced, too.

Josh

I've used Glennbrittle.  While I wasn't particularly happy about leaving my dogs in kennels, I thought this was the best (having visited them all!!!).  They were in one of the kennels with UPVC windows and doors and an outside run - it was much quieter than normal kennels because of this soundproofing. 

I hate to say it, but I've heard some bad reports about Greenfields.  I'm sure you can hear bad reports about any kennels, and it was 6 years ago when I was looking into kennels, but it stuck with me.

Hi,

I've heard some bad things about most kennels to be honest but I found that the staff at Greenfields have been great and we've used them with all our dogs in the past.

They're flexible and will feed Nando raw whilst we're away. The staff are all qualified in Animal Mangement and it says it all that Nando goes bounding in there everytime we go. I found Glenbrittle to cater a bit more for the smaller dogs but I did like them too, I just liked the feeling I got from the staff at Greenfields and they are genuinely excited to see Nando when we visit.

Josh

I'm sure you're right Josh - I just know that if I were looking for kennels, I'd rather people told me everything they knew or had heard, just in case ;-)

Oh of course, May I ask what the complaint actually was?

"I have just discovered they lock them up at 6pm until 8am!!!"

I have worked in kennels and this seems to be common practise.

That's why I won't use kennels. My dogs are used to a late-night wee and would really suffer either having to hold it in for 14 hours or having to wee in their kennel.

This is where I liked Greenfields as their outdoor area is accesible to wee in via a cat flap and the owners live on site.

I do home boarding now and we get up in the wee small hours (no pun intended) if a boarder needs to go out (ours use the dog flap), whatever time it is. I think it must be very upsetting for dogs who are normally clean to have to wee/poo in their own sleeping area because they are locked up for so long in kennels.

"This is where I liked Greenfields as their outdoor area is accesible to wee in via a cat flap and the owners live on site."

This would only be helpful if (a) the dog was small enough to get through a cat flap and (b) he/she knew how to use it in the first place. The owners being on site would make no difference at all I woldn't have thought - I doubt many of them would get out of bed to let a boarding dog out to be clean (and how would they hear him/her whine in the first place? They are also used to dogs barking so doubt that would get their attention and they are likely to disrupt all the other dogs by going in to see the dog so unlikely to do it unless they thought something really was the matter).

This would only be helpful if (a) the dog was small enough to get through a cat flap and (b) he/she knew how to use it in the first place. The owners being on site would make no difference at all I woldn't have thought - I doubt many of them would get out of bed to let a boarding dog out to be clean (and how would they hear him/her whine in the first place? They are also used to dogs barking so doubt that would get their attention and they are likely to disrupt all the other dogs by going in to see the dog so unlikely to do it unless they thought something really was the matter).

Sorry, by 'cat flap' I simply meant a flap for them to get in and out. 'Dogflap' sounds a bit weird doesn't it! LOL. I feel like the owners being on site would just mean they'd generally see all the dogs/cats a bit more and know if there were any behaviours out-of-place. Of course that is just in theory and I imagine it would only be noticeable in dogs they'd had for a week or more.

>as their outdoor area is accesible to wee in via a cat flap

That's fine for dogs that have been taught how to use a dog flap at home. Ones that have never seen one before won't know what it's for, and will simply ask to go out the way they do at home. Add the distress of needing to toilet and not being able to get outside to the strange smells (probably overpowering chemical cleaner smells - remember how much more sensitive a dog's sense of smell is compared to ours) as well as all the stress pheromones and noise from other agitated dogs in strange territory ... no, that's not for me.

Thanks, this has been really helpful. I have been to visit Glenbrittle a couple of years ago and wasn't particulary impressed. I guess I just want a home-from-home and boarding sounds like a good alternative - providing I can find someone who will love two big rotties!!! Any recommendations gratefully recieved!

>Add the distress of needing to toilet and not being able to get outside to the strange smells (probably overpowering chemical cleaner smells - remember how much more sensitive a dog's sense of smell is compared to ours) as well as all the stress pheromones and noise from other agitated dogs in strange territory ... no, that's not for me<

strongly agree.. boarding kennels ..not for my dogs!!

That's fine for dogs that have been taught how to use a dog flap at home. Ones that have never seen one before won't know what it's for, and will simply ask to go out the way they do at home. Add the distress of needing to toilet and not being able to get outside to the strange smells (probably overpowering chemical cleaner smells - remember how much more sensitive a dog's sense of smell is compared to ours) as well as all the stress pheromones and noise from other agitated dogs in strange territory ... no, that's not for me.
On my multiple visits there I have seen the majority of dogs out in their outdoor runs. As you say, they have a strong sense of smell, and they can clearly 'smell the outdoors' through the flaps. These are all down at the dog's line of sight and the material used to exclude drafts is transparent.

I might not take a dog there with a nervous disposition however as Nando is well balanced and does so well there, I think it is great for him. It's not for everyone and, if I did have the option of home boarding him then I would. However, I feel he is MUCH safer and much more likely to cause a problem (being a big, bouncy boisterous dog) in a home boarding situation. If we were going on holiday then I would pay for a house sitter/dog minder, however our situation is that our house is being renovated bit-by-bit so it is not an ideal place for a dog, especially as the next room to be done the back room & conservatory, the two rooms where he spends 99% of his time!

I understand they're definitely not for everyone- but this thread was about someone asking for recommendations at a kennel, and I'm not sure the right thing to do is to try to guilt people for making a decision that you wouldn't necessarily make yourself.

>"...I've heard some bad things about most kennels to be honest..." <

>"...I understand they're definitely not for everyone- but this thread was about someone asking for recommendations at a kennel, and I'm not sure the right thing to do is to try to guilt people for making a decision that you wouldn't necessarily make yourself..."<

I'm not sure the which side of the fence you are on .. Parrysite..

You can make a comment as above but it appears that others are not as welcome to give their opinion..

Also there are people who read these posts that maybe don't know that some Kennels living standards leave a lot to be desired regardless of what they may advertise... IMO home boarding or pay a good friend to look after your pet.

There used to be a kennels nr Biddulph (I know - a bit far - BUT) who were always highly recommended by anyone that used them.  I know two very different owners, and dogs, that both raved about their very different experiences of using them.  It appears that this was a place who didn't believe that one size fits all and were prepared to offer each dog exactly what it, and it's owner, needed.

I never had to use them as we only had one dog whilst we were living there and he simply travelled with us most of the time or went to my mother in laws...

I will do my best to remember/google/make a call to see if I can recall the kennel name and see if they are still going.

I'm not sure the which side of the fence you are on .. Parrysite..

You can make a comment as above but it appears that others are not as welcome to give their opinion..

Also there are people who read these posts that maybe don't know that some Kennels living standards leave a lot to be desired regardless of what they may advertise... IMO home boarding or pay a good friend to look after your pet.

Not sure how 'I've heard some bad things about most kennels to be honest' shows anything other than just what it says. I have HEARD bad things about most chinese restaurants, too. 'They served dog there etc.' What I mean is that you OFTEN get very bad comments about many places that are not always true, urban myths of sorts. 'A friend of a friend says X/Y/Z about this dog food/this dog groomers/this kennels/this dog walker.'

Up until a few hours ago (after these posts were even made, in fact) the owner had asked for recommendations about kennels, not home boarders. Therefore, I feel my comments about kennels were completely justified.

> I will do my best to remember/google/make a call to see if I can recall the kennel name and see if they are still going.

OK slight geographical hitch NOT quite Biddulph but nr Macclesfield, Cheshire.  Gunmore Kennels.  Used to be run by a no nonsense (by all accounts) and very knowledgable dog woman called Cath, who wasn't best known for her people skills but the dogs come first, second and third!!

Obviously visit first to make up your own mind but, as I say, I had it highly recommended by two people I know and trust, and several more when it came up in conversation.  Good luck - great kennels are as rare as hens teeth

A lot will depend on the individual dog. My Mums Dobe used to love the kennels he went to. He used to drag her in, however he was an only dog and very dog friendly so loved the company. (Even if it was through a fence) They lived on a large estate and he rarely saw other dogs. My girls would hate every moment of kennels. They have a live in dog sitter and thats how they are happiest. It is a case of trying things to see what fits best. There are very few kennels who let dogs out overnight. The vast majority shut the dogs in after evening feeding/excersise and do not go near them again till morning. In many cases that means dogs are shut in from 7pm till 8am or thereabouts. You need to go and look and to talk to other dog owners who use the kennels. I own a large breed that is susseptable to bloat and I would not be happy knowing that for 12 hours or thereabouts no one saw them, or that they may need to toilet and were forced to use thier kennels. Good dog sitters are worth thier weight in gold. If you choose to go down the sitter route then again you need to go by personal recomendation. My sitter knows that I do not want the dogs off leads at all and she honours that ( one I had ignored it and I found out !! she made a quick exit...) Better for my blood pressure to know my girls are safe on leads, even if they have to suffer road walks for 2 weeks, than they get lost. They are at home and have the garden as usuall and they cope fine. I like the fact that they have the same routein and food. (They are raw fed so kennels could be a problem).
Some kennels are fantastic and dogs are let out later and again earlier in the mornings. Kennels are kept clean and dry and food requirements are adheared to, but the vast majority are average. Very few kennel owners go near the kennels after lock up in order to keep noise to a minimum. Some have CCTV these days and that would make me a little more comfortable, but then it depends on who is watching the monitor..
As they say, you pays your money and takes your chance. For me the extra expence (Not a great difference with 3 large breed dogs) is worth every penny, not to mention that my 3 would have to be split up and that would upset them.
Aileen

Not sure how? It immediately infers that you're against kennels 'because you've heard some bad things about them...'



Anyway I prefer not to listen to a 'friend of a friend' when it comes to the welfare of my dog, the thought of leaving them for a week in the hands of a complete stranger knocks me cold, staying in completely unfamiliar surroundings, scared in the belief that I'm never coming back haunts me to the point where I couldn't enjoy my holiday.



Personal experience is always best, though failing that a trusted source



Not looking for an argument here, especially over semantics, like I said before though that's my opinion, everyone has theirs and all are different.

Roni~

The point I was illustrating is that I take no notice of the bad things people say as the majority are secondhand stories, 'friend of a friend' type stories. What I do take notice of is trusted sources and friends, as well as what I see with my own eyes.

The surroundings are not completely unfamiliar, Nando visited the kennels many times before he went. He pulls my arm off to get there, actually. He is a very sociable dog and as such the kennels are like a holiday for him! As I said earlier, it is personal choice and we have had dogs in the past who wouldn't fare well in kennels so we didn't use them for those dogs.

Personal experience is exactly why I am recommending these particular kennels to this owner!

A lot will depend on the individual dog. My Mums Dobe used to love the kennels he went to. He used to drag her in, however he was an only dog and very dog friendly so loved the company. (Even if it was through a fence)

You have just described my Nando :)) He is exactly the same, as was our terrier cross who also loved kennels. The kennel owners are great with him and also will continue with his raw diet.

I just felt Josh was trying to give his opinion for his situation and dog whilst also saying this is the situation as I find it but I understand its not the same for everyone therfore suggesting th eop has alook for herself with some prior knowledge. Didnt think he was on any side :)
Certainly for me keenels would be a last resort but then so far  have not had to think that way having home boarders or house sitters. Also I rarely go away , 3 days in august with oh and son at home being the most for years, as prefer to stay with my dogs among other reasons but again I am not judging those who do go away