my 7 month old boxer boy is going in the kennels in a couple of weeks while we go on holiday, i'm so worried about leaving him it's making me not want to go, we have checked the kennels out they have a good reputation, it's just the thought of him fretting and not noing whats going on, a lot of people keep saying that their dogs was never the same when they came out. anyone been through the same thing? any advice would be appreciated, he means the world to us and the kids. thanx

Hi there,
I know exactly how you feel, because I have to board Baillie, in a couple of weeks too... and I hate it.
The kennels he's going to do have a good reputation, and as he's been there before (the one and only time he's been boarded), he didn't seem to come to any harm. He went absolutely bonkers when he saw us again, which was a great feeling - but I know when I left him, I was in tears!! :(
I just kept telling myself that he was on his hols too, and was probably enjoying the peace and quiet!:)
It seemed to work for me, although I worried about him every day, and I drove my hubby mad, wanting to phone home all the time, to check he was alright! I got on and enjoyed my holidays and believe you me, you'll more than make up for it when you come home!
Go and have fun, I'm sure he'll be fine.
Sharon

my three holigans (or rather two and a half one isnt normally much trouble) are used to going to kennels, toby our cavalier is an exstud dog and came from a kennels so is used to them, and tessour lab and jack our sprocker pup are used to going to kennels in fact i get dragged to them the greeting when you get back is great thou, just make sure you wear old clothes, i used to work in a kennels and youd be durprised on how many people go suited and booted or wear light coloured clothing and unsuitable shoes to pick thier dogs up.
shame the cats aint the same, they give you a guilt trip everytime
tanya

I recently boarded 2 of my dogs for the first time and all I can say is never again.One of my boys came out with a deep puncture wound on his neck and he had completely skinned his eyebrows-the kennel owners hadn't even noticed!!They were both absolutely starving(they said they had both eaten everyday!) and downed 2 large bowls of water when they got home.
I had recommendations for these kennels,and had visited.
I can only suggest you drop in to the kennels without notice and have a look round-if they're not happy with you doing this look else where
Good luck,Archer

hiya
I dont want to worry anyone, but i used to work in kennels, and so did several of my friends. Basically, I would never ever send my dog to them. Having seen the way they treat them. They make a promise to put toys etc in with the dogs but they dont, and they leave them in a bag on the door of the kennel, ready to return to the owner. The dogs go off food, they are very isolated and left alone all night with no one nearby to help if anything goes wrong.
I could never send my dog to them, and I really wouldnt recommend them to anyone.
Im really sorry if it has made things worse, but I am trying to tell you what they dont.
x

Be careful what you say, if the kennels were so bad, why the hell did you not do something about it? You have a VERY limited knowledge of how things should NOT be done. Do not generalise on an incident specific to you, and also what about your so called friends, animal lovers? did they do something about what they knew aswell?
Dawn.

This is to no one in particular but didnt know where to place my tuppence worth as the end of the thread didnt seem appropriate place.

We are thinking of boarding our two in August (I dont want to but we cannot take them with us for this week's holiday and my husband needs a holiday) and when I rang the boarding kennels my neighbour uses (and her dog comes back perfectly happy and well) we were told that we could come and visit/inspect at any time between 8am and 6pm on weekdays and 10am and 4pm at weekends or bank holidays. I liked this as ALL the other kennels I rang wanted us to come by appointment. If anyone wants to know more if they live near me they can e mail for the address - although as I say I am trying for first time myself in August.

Gina :p

Hi here2help
I take very strong exception to your remarks about boarding kennels and I object to what I consider personal insults and would ask the moderators to remove your posting forthwith.
I own and run boarding kennels in the west midlands and what you are saying is completly untrue.First if you worked in a boarding kennel it is YOUR duty to look after the welfare of the animals in Your charge.
I fail to see why you didn't do anything about it ITS YOUR DUTY TO DO SO. first complain to the kennel owners and if nothing done then to the environmental heath officer who issues the kennel licence about it.

Having inspected many Kennels prior to buying this one I don't think I ever found one in the conditions you describe ,yes some needed improvement granted but that was not many.
I guess you are not even aware of the Boarding Establishment Act of 1963 or the revised Guidelines for kennel operators and inspectors.
Before you start having a go about boarding kennels and classing them all the same you need to open your eyes and look around.
As to leaving the dogs unattended if you had bothered to read the Act you would know it is against the law to leave the boarding premises whilst animals are boarding.
To all who have read what the poster has said is totally untrue ,my advise is to go look at kennels prior to boarding and check them out first, it is obvious that this person has a very limited knowledge of life around boarding kennels.
Bazza

well said Baz....BTW, its been ages,,,where have you been? :)

Hi Sam
If you care to e-mail me I will tell you where I am hiding out but obviously it is not right or proper for me to put it on here.
Bazza

...

I totally agree. I am currently looking into going into kennel management and, like most dog owners would rather not part with my dog. I have had to do this on a number of occasions and at different establishments. My dog has always been returned his happy and healthy normal self. Whilst I am not disputing what has been said, this is not the norm and should have been reported.

Can I please also make a point about the suggestion of just dropping in to inspect a kennel and then not using it if refused. Just because you are refused, does not mean that there is something to hide - you would normally be able to guess if this was the case. Kennels usually have strict rules about who they let in and who they do not for inspection, often this is because of the heavy routine that has to be followed, and avoidance of disturbing this and the dogs currently boarding - it's not normally because they have something to hide. If you are in doubt, you should check with the kennel when it would be appropriate to visit. When you do, it is then your choice as to whether or not you feel comfortable with the enivironment for your pet and with the staff who are running it. We all have a choice!

I dont like the thought of kennels at all so I have Darcy with a dog sitter.

She goes to the ladys house and is treated as one of the family.
She plays with her dogs the entire time and you can tell how much she loves it by how excited she gets as soon as we get out the car and she realises where she is

She sleeps in the kitchen with the ladies own dogs

Its a real relief to know she's not on her own wondering where we are (infact I dont think she thinks about us at all, she's too busy playing)

Its a tad more expensive but I think definitely worth it

Hi Racheal
I wonder if you know the risk you are putting your dog in. The thought is terrifing to say the least. Are you aware that anyone who is looking after someone else's dog/cat and does not have a boarding kennel/cattery licence they are breaking the law and can be prosecuted. The thing that worries me is if the local environmental health licencing officer get to hear about it, believe me your dog will be removed and put into the local council boarding establishment and then you will have not only pay to get your dog back but also prove it is yours in the first place.
Apart from that side of it you have to ask yourself what happens if vet treatment is needed,do they know which vet you use? will you have to pay for it even if the person you left it with bothers to go to vets in first place, next is the person looking after your dog declairing the income to the tax man, if not then again they will/can be prosecuted.
Next what happens if the "carer" goes out for the day or if the dog escapes due to a back gate being left open or your and her dogs get into a fight.
With all this to consider you are paying far more as well for absolutely no recourse if things go wrong. With a licenced boarding establishment at least they are registered and inspected on a regular basis. the owners or staff are always on site and they know the local vets etc and generally know what to look out for before problems occur.
Don't be mislead about these so called pet sitting services either when they say police approved etc it means absolutely nothing and has no authority or meaning as regarding boarding, it is a load of hype into making people believe they are better than kennels. ANYONE LOOKING AFTER ANOTHER PERSONS CAT OR DOG FOR FINANCIAL GAIN OR WHERE MONEY IS HANDED OVER MUST HAVE A BOARDING LICENCE ISSUED BY THE LOCAL COUNCIL THIS IS THE LAW FAILURE TO HAVE SUCH A LICENCE PUTS YOUR PET AT RISK

Ok so boarding kennels may not be everyones choice and I accept that. At least with licenced kennels/cattery you can be assured that failure to provide proper care can result in the kennels loosing the licence and therefore the owners livelyhood.
I cannot stress enough for owners to look at kennels first and talk to pet owners or ring the authorities to ensure the kennels are ok.
The sole reason why people are upset as to how their pets are looked after is simply because the don't check out the intended boarding establishment first. The only 2 considerations that most people think of is how much will it cost and do they have space for their pet. If only people avoided and reported to the authorities those kennels they are not happy with then something can be done to get them improved or shut down, its no good whining to other kennel owners, or even on dog boards such as this one, they are unable to do anything about it.
I say again CHECK out the kennels / cattery first, do your homework and avoid dissapointment
Bazza

I like to think I have more sense than to hand my dog over to a complete stranger without doing my homework

The lady has shown me all of her licenses and references and I am very happy with the standard of care my dog receives.
We visited with Darcy beforehand to make sure she got on with the ladies dog. and seen as Darcy is a 6 month old lab and she has the same fighting is pretty unlikely!!! (well except for play fighting which is almost continuous) I would also prefer Darcy got in a bit of a squabble with another dog than was left almost entirely on her own for days on end. When we visited for the first time they took all of our details including vet practise, insurance details, and a brief medical history!! What brand of food she was fed on and how often and how much she was fed.

They asked us what commands she was trained to and how strict we were with her on walks at meal times etc!!
They even asked if we allowed her titbits during the day because they didnt want to ruin any of our training.

As to leaving the gate open. like I said she has her own puppy who is treated as one of the family. so i am sure she is as likely to leave the gate open as I am!!

Whether she declares the income is up to her I suppose. I'm pretty sure that neither I or Darcy can be held responsible for that!!!
But she is a registered company so I'm sure she must

I like to think I am a good judge of character and I am more confident for Darcy to go there than I am for her to go t some of my friends to stay!!!!!

I think it sounds like a wonderful arrangement, Rachael.
:)

It really is, we've been so lucky to find her.

I just hope she never stops or we'll be devestated.

Her dog Eve and Darcy are just the best of friends and we even meet up some sundays now for a walk together or they miss each other too much!!!

Its so sweet to see them cuddled up together at night
Eve sleeps with one paw over Darcy

you say Licences
now you got me really worried.You say registered, you don't have to be "registered" you have to be licenced, the lady only needs 1 and that is issued by the local environment officer who has to inspect the kennels to see they meet the approved regulations. If as you say she has them in the house then I suspect she is not licenced as the Boarding Establishment Act of 1963 requires.
It does not matter how well or badly she looks after you pet it has nothing to do with it I say again IF SHE DOES NOT HAVE A LICENCE FROM THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AND DISPLAYED THEN YOUR PET IS AT RISK.
NO MATTER HOW NICE THE LADY IS AND I AM SURE SHE IS, SHE IS STILL A "back street trader" and should be stopped

How can I get it though peoples heads that of course these people are "nice" who board for profit without a licence, they are like that because they are afraid of being caught and reported.
I wonder what would happen if these people were caught more often and prosecuted would they be quite as nice then.I think not
Again I cannot stress enough that these people who board at home for profit must be avoided at all cost and anyone leaving there pet with them should be warned.

And again I admit to being a licenced boarding establishment owner, and as such I am possibly more aware of the laws and rules and regulations regarding the industry than most who post on here, as I have to abide by them on a daily basis.
So I do speak with some knowledge and authority on the subject and hopefully can prevent mistakes being made by those who love their pets but are unsure about these matters.
So please don't be misguided by the well intentioned and heed advice from someone whose business it is to know.
Bazza

Bazza

We have used both house/dog sitters and kennels.

We had a 14 yrs old Lab bitch, her daughter and a pup which we prefered to be for cared in our home. It was mainly for my older bitch Mars as she was used to being there and so did not feel it was right to put her in kennels. She had been in kennels before when she was younger but felt it would have been too much for her at her time of life. We have friends who come and live in our house if we are away and we do pay them to do it.

Since she has gone I now also use kennels. I was happy with putting them in there and was happy with the way they were looked after apart from being told off for letting my Lab puppy bitch who was about 16 weeks old at the time out in the rain without a coat on ???!!!!

Would you be willing to take on an elderly dog ? They need a lot more care than a younger dog needs.However good the kennels is, it cannot be the same as being at home having more one to one care ?

Lucy

in reply first to LJS
The answer is no we would not board an elderly dog for the first time we consider the dogs welfare first and so should the owners. Due to stress it is totally wrong for owners to even consider it ,we believe either the owners should stay at home with their pet or take it with them or make arrangements for someone to stay in the dogs home as you have done, after all the dog should come first and any owner contiplating leaving an elderly dog in kennels I would question as a dog lover.

Hi Bazza

That is good but sometimes it is not always possible to take a dog with you and sometimes you just can't stay at home for various reasons.

I would say as well even if you work full time it does not mean that a dog does not get as much attention than somebody who is there more. I am lucky enough to be at home at the moment but other wise do work full time but our girls are a very important part of our family and get lots of attention when we are at home. Perhaps in a lot of cases a lot more attention than some poeple who are at home all day !

You sound although you run a very good kennels and anybody would be lucky to have their dogs boarding with you but sometimes it is not always the case of having one near that has the reputation and in deed is a good kennels. It is perhaps the same as if you are after a babysitter for your children. I would make so sure that my dogs were in good hands as much so as if I have had to get anybody to look after my daughter. :)

Lucy

Well thanks for your advice but nothing could make me put Darcy in kennels and if the only way I can ensure she's happy is to use a "back street trader" then thats what I'll continue to do!!!!!

Plenty of people would much rather their dogs were looked after in people's own homes with less stress than caged in a kennel. Dogs have been known to have died in, escaped from and been stolen from boarding kennels- they aren't foolproof. There should be more freedom of choice.
Lara x

Lara
I agree dogs are so much better in their own homes but you have missed the point. WE are talking about dog going into pet carers homes against boarding kennels and the risks the dogs are put to when boarded in unlicenced homes. With regard to deaths take into consideration the number of days dogs board in kennels and you will find it is so negligable as to not worry thinking about it, as for dogs being stolen it is far more likely for a dog to be stolen from a home thatn a kennels as kennels are or should have someone in attendance and on site 24/7 and security precautions should be in place. As for escaping I can only say that here with 10 years of boarding and about 120,000 days/ dogs we have not had one escape yet.

No Bazza you have misread my post. I mean the pet carers own homes not the owner of the dogs' home. I can't say as I've heard stories of dogs escaping from or being stolen from pet carers homes although I have heard of it in boarding kennels despite your thinking of it being higher risk.
Your kennels sound well run and secure - you have an impressive history of no escapes. But if I remember rightly from a previous conversation with you some years ago - you don't take male German Shepherd dogs in your kennels at all for staff safety reasons? No good to me!
Lara x

Our kennels are very good - they are used by the police dog handlers to kennel their dogs :)

Daisy

lara
You are correct we do not take in male German Shepherds for our own safety. We have a very much "Hands on" policy and the males of this breed tend to be a very much one person dog and do not take kindly to strangers or strange surroundings.
Unfortunately over the years we have seen too many with temperments that are suspect. This on enquiring with owners it tends to be because as soon as anyone goes to a house the owners put the dogs in a compound out the back, or are used as semi protecting animals if only for the image they portray,or the owners just don't know how to socialise the dogs.
We used to board male German Shepherd dogs in the past but after a few incidents which could have resulted in injury we made the decision not to board them anymore.
Don't get me wrong I actually do like the breed and they are magnificant animals and I can see why people have them , its just that our particular kennels are not built in such a way that we cannot close off the sleeping area for cleaning so the dogs are exercised in our enclosed paddock individually (free running)and kennels cleaned during this time, and some dogs self guard the kennels they are in, especially the above mentioned.
Hope this explains as to why we unfortunately are unable anymore to take male German shepards ,we have no problem with females of the breed.
Bazza

One of mine Bazza has chalked up two strikes on kennel staff :(
One apparently unprovoked and the other grabbed him by the scruff of the neck in an attempt to pull him away from my spaniels food bowl :( Both regrettable incidents and fortunately not serious bites.
Lara x

We DO board puppy GSD's(Male) and continue to do so in their adulthood, they are far more accepting as babies and are usually no problem then when they grow up.
Dawn.

I'm with you, Rachael. My dogs will go into kennels only when I can find one that will give them the space and attention they have at home.

Otherwise - no chance!!
:)

Jean
you are making an impossible choice, of course dogs in kennels cannot possibly get the same attention as at home(although on occassions they actually get more if the owners are at full time work and out for 8 hrs or more a day) nobody is disputing it. But it is far better to board a dog with a licenced inspected kennel than in someones house with no checks at all being done. Can you honestly say that someone looking after you dog would welcome a stranger into their house just to see how the dog is getting on? I think not, and what guaranties do you have that the dog is not left alone all day due to shopping commitments etc? none.
If people want to do this then all I say is let them be aware of what I have said ,the risks they and their pets run, and don't complain about it afterwards cause there is nobody to lodge a complaint with if things go wrong.

I can understand pet owners concern about leaving their pets in a boarding establishment, this is why they should be checked out first.After all as a comparison who in their right mind would buy a car for example without seeing and testing it first? Nobody. So spend time looking at kennels/catterys within the area you live, ask your vets other dog owners ,environmental health offices in charge of kennel licences as to wether they have heard of any complaints. If still in doubt how about leaving your pet for a trail period first, say over a weekend to see how you pet and yourselves get on, if there are any problems from either side during this time then it is ideal way to find out before making a long booking.
Bazza

Personally I would never kennel my dog for the following reasons-

1, He is used to human and other canine company 24 hours a day,

2, I would worry about him not being supervised at night etc incase of bloat, or anything else,

3, He is used to living with other strange dogs (I frequently dogsit for people), and I would worry about him being alone,

4, My boy is used to three walks a day where he meets his friends, plus training sessions, and when I need some peace and quiet, he is used to having a stuffed Kong or Rawhide chew, which I would not want him eating without supervision,

5, I dont see how people can leave their dogs who are used to being in a house 24/7 and getting regular walks etc can justify leaving their dogs in a kennel locked behind bars!

Just my opinion :-)

Vikki

No, not just your opinion, Vikki - mine too!
:)

:)

I do get a feeling that just because people like myself who earn a living from looking after pets and run boarding establishments are resented from the postings that have been made. There seems to be a trend to "Knock" anyone on here who does things properly and according to the regulations/law. It is strange therefore that business that sell dog equipment- food - run shows-train dogs are acceptable yet they are also making money from peoples pets.
Without boarding establishment throughout the country there would be a lot of pets thrown out on the streets and left to fend for themselves while the owners were on holiday, and the owners would just go out and buy another pet on their return.
I say yet again if you know of any boarding establishments that you are worried about then inform the local envoronmantal health officer who inspects the kennels. It is only within their powers to get things improved or closed.
Bazza

I think you are taking a couple of peoples opinion far too personally :) I leave Hudson in kennels when needs must ....and no , he *doesn't* get looked after the same way as when he is at home ...but he is fed , he is excercised , he does have shelter and it doesn't kill him :D Some of us have nowhere else to leave our dogs when we have to go somewhere ....

Don't take things so personally Bazza ...not everyone can share the same opinions after all ;)

Melody

Hi melodsky
I really annoys me that some people still live in the dark ages and believe all kennels are still the same as they were 20/30 years ago. there are now new guidlines to follow and for inspectors to inforce. I cannot seem to get through to some here that no where else for the price (average around here of £7/8) would they get the same 24 hr service which also includes vat -insurance etc.
Consider what else one gets for this price, 2 gal of petrol? a round of drinks for 4? definately not a pub meal for 2. Yet people still complain, compare that with the cost of a night in a hotel per person where they still have to pay for their own meals service etc.
Yet kennel owners are working far more hours than any other profession I know of, don't mention Doctors or similar they get holidays and time off kennel owners don't.
It is possible that some are not aware for example that should a thunderstorm occur overnight Kennel/cattery owners are up to comfort and reassure pets that things are ok and then carry on the next day as well without sleep.
To own/run boarding establishments means TOTAL commitment not " I think i'll take the day off attitude as I don't feel like going to work today"
Unfortunatly there is no National Association of Boarding Establishments which I honestly believe would benifit the industry immensly not only for the kennel owners themselves but also for their clients. I personnally would like to see a grading of kennels as with hotels and their star/flag type system.
That way it would make life so much easier for clients to decide on the standard or accommodation/care they could expect.
This is an area which official bodies such as the RSPCA could do a lot of good, it would not only promote their organisation but benefit the kennels as well.
AS you hopefully can see I do agree that there so much more that could be done to continue improving boarding establishments and possibly the suggestions I have made are worth thinking about.

Bazza ..to be honest ..NONE of that will matter to someone who is not happy leaving their dog with stranger :)

I still think you are letting a few peoples opinions upset you unnecessarily.

Do you feel it necessary that 100% of the folks here agree with boarding kennels? 'Cos I don't think you will get that anywhere. Also , I feel obliged to say that I know for a fact that there are (as in any business) people out to make a quick buck and who do NOT look after the dogs well.

Which is why I would only ever leave Hudson after getting a personal recommendation from someone whose opinion I trust :)

Melody

PS Your ideas for a graduated system is a good one IMHO

Hi bazza.
I dont mean to be rude, But I do think you are missing the point that people are trying to make. They are not condemming your kennels or anything of the sort, they are merely saying that they would rather not leave their dogs in kennels. I dont think it has anything to do with price, because I personally would spend as much as I was able to afford on having millie in good hands, and also for her to enjoy HERself while we are gone. But kennels in London are also not that cheap. £12.50 is a rough guide. I also dont think that averything HAS to be done by the book all the time. A lot in this world isnt, so why should dogs be any different. It shouldnt be forced upon people to HAVE to put their dogs in an environment that they dont feel happy in. I know that you have your oppinions, and that is fine, I am sure your kennels is a very good and reputable place, but it doesnt matter how many times you say " why cant i get it through peoples heads ", it wont change a thing. People will do what they feel is best for their dog.
Please dont take offence, I am just trying to explain.
x

oops, looks like melodsky got there first. That is what i mean though. You will never get 100% agreement on one thing, which is fine.
x

When I first left school I decided the best way to learn more about dogs was to work in a local kennels. I left the first one after about 6 months. The owners were actually quite nice and some of the kennels etc were lovely ( the ones that people were allowed to see) It was the part where most of the boarders actually lived that was horrible. Brick buildings about 4'X4' with a Iron gate at the front. They were kept in here all night and only let out twice a day for 30 minutes. I left to work at another, BIG mistake. The people running the place were awful and the conditions the dogs lived in were horrendous. They were locked in what I can only describe as a metal wardrobe at night. Over the christmas period dogs were piled in together whether they liked it or not. They were inspected on a regular basis and from what I can gather they provided the minimum required to pass. If people asked to inspect the kennels at any stage then that was fine but they weren't shown where they were actually kept instead they were shown the block where his own dogs were kept. I did complain to the owner regularly even refusing to do some things, it got me nowhere. I left after a litter of puppies that he had got from Wales to sell got parvo virus and died one after the other, he continued to sell them in this state!!!! I will never work in a kennel again even now I get upset thinking about it. Yes I wish I had done more to stop these people but the inspectors had been there three times and had no problems. I'm sure there are some fabulous kennels out there and I just had terrible bad luck, but I will always have my dogs looked after in there own home.

Debbie

My dogs (6) go into kennels every other year, when we holiday abroad. Friends have offered to look after 1 or 2, but I think it would be far worse to seperate them than put them into kennels together. Ours go into a lovely kennel, quite small with fully enclosed fields where they are let out to run for 1 hour twice a day, they are fed, clean bedding and well cared for. I love my dogs and wouldn't dream of leaving them anywhere I wouldn't trust, sure there are good and bad kennels, but as long as you have checked them out and are happy, please don't fret too much, of course I still think about my dogs and ALWAYS worry the day I'm due to drop them off, it wouldn't be natural not to worry. My dogs are always pleased to see me upon our return, but it's certainly never done them any harm.

Mine too im afraid. I agree with you vikki. My dog means too much to me than to send her away to a place that is effectively a prison while i am off enjoying myself. Im sorry, but in my oppinion, it doesnt matter how nice the kennels are. Nothing beats a loving home where you can have the dog sleeping near a person who could be there in case anything goes wrong, and they could go on regular walks, be treated like a member of the family. But, I would say, that as with kennels, I would never leave her with just anyone, I would have to be absolutely sure she would be in the best hands.
x

My sister-in-law always offers to look after my dogs while we are away, and I'm very grateful for her offer of help.......but I feel the risk is too great (I would always be woried that someone may call at her house and the front door may be accidently left open etc...or she may have to let us down at short notice due to some unexpected problem or illness) and as my sister-in-law can't stay in her house full-time to watch my dogs, I'd be worried in case they did any damage to her stuff. That said, I have boarded my dogs with Bazza (they will be staying with him again this August), I almost cancelled our first family holiday because I was so worried about leaving the dogs, but Barry looked after them really well.
I often hear calls for help on my local radio station where dogs who are being looked after by friends have gone AWOL - it's a big responsibility to take on the care of someones very much loved pets, how awful those people must feel to have lost them!
Not one of us enjoys leaving our dogs behind when we go away, but we must do what we feel is the best for our pals......and my choice is to put my dogs into kennels :)

hi i worked in dog kennels for a while they are not treated how you would wont your pets to be treated thats why i am very interested in opening my own dog kennels so if anyone noes anythin about anythink can you help dont worry your dog will be ok just make a fuss when it gets home