Hi all
Just looking for thoughts on boarding kennels. I have searched and read previous posts but wondered if any one had any thoughts/advice I may have missed.
When Paddy my 2 year old lab came to live with us I didn't give boarding kennels a thought except that Paddy wouldn't need to go in one. My partner and I rarely have holidays together preferring day trips or weekends in this country (so suitable for Paddy :) ) particularly as the teenage sons don't always want to come with us now. I have a few trips away but only overnight or a weekend at most but partner is at home for Paddy (and the kids) and have only gone once since he arrived over a year ago anyway.
My problem now is my partner won vouchers from a travel agents for a holiday in the Christmas draw at work. Doesn't sound like a problem I know and it was a lovely surprise but partner and sons want it to go towards a holiday in the sun and me- I can't make my mind up as it means leaving Paddy in kennels. I feel torn as I know my kids really want this holiday and keep saying we haven't had a 'proper family holiday' in years (conveniently forgetting the skiing trips , sports holidays in France, Spain and Italy etc:rolleyes:) but I know that they mean all four of us.
Growing up our family dog always went in kennels and despite being a little hoarse when he came out I don't really remember any problems but Paddy is MY dog and after an unsettling start to his young life (3 homes before us) I don't want him to feel abandoned or stressed. On the other hand I have no one I would trust him with (ironic considering we have  a relatives CKCS staying with us while they are on holiday)
So please any thoughts or experiences?  Any advice as to the questions I sould be asking prospective kennels? Any thoughts as to how I can make this easier? (Have already suggested a holiday in this country so Paddy can come with us but as we were doing that anyway it's not gone down very well)
Thanks for reading and apologies this is so long winded, I feel so torn and guilty that typing it out is quite theraputic.

I feel excactly the same! i have a holiday booked in may and am already feeling guilty! I do have 2 dogs though so they wont be alone. When i only had one dog she did go in kennels for a week and was fine- i was a nervous wreck! the kennels i use will put in a doggy friend if you want so they wont be lonely. this worked for us and made me feel much better. Is paddy the sort that loves other dogs?

in the uk do you have dog friendly holiday locations. They have just become really popular in OZ and in every holiday location there will be one or two places that will let you bring your pet i take mine when ever i go on holiday.

Yes there are lots of cottages, hotels, guesthouses and most campsites that will take dogs, although it obviously gets increasingly difficult if you have more than a couple.  Some beaches allow dogs although many don't.  In the North, at least, there are also plenty of pubs including eating ones that welcome dogs.  However, the drawbacks are many cottages do not allow you leave your dog unattended and this is not always feasable in hotels or guesthouses either so if you are wanted to visit attractions such historic houses, gardens, animal parks, adventure parks etc then you might well choose to leave your dog in kennels.

dedlin, paddy does love other dogs but surely he will be kept seperate at a kennels? I do like the thought of him having a good run and play with other dogs though.

Hi Paddysmum
I do feel for you, I haven't put mine in kennels for years (would be a bit pricey with 6!).    Whereabouts are you?  There might be people on the forum in your area who can recommend a particular kennel - recommendation's the best way.

Isabel, we rented a cottage for a few days last year and there were so many restrictions I couldn't relax. Have stayed in a couple of B&b's though and had a fab time :)

Ridgielover, I am in Cheshire but don't mind travelling for the right place. Any recommendations anyone?
Thanks all for the thoughts (can't believe how anxious I am and haven't even booked the holiday yet)

I suppose it depends on what they are used to at home, mine is never allowed upstairs or on furniture in my cottage and is used to sleeping in a crate which pretty much covers the restrictions imposed.  The having to take them with you whenever you go out is the biggest sticking point but that would apply in a guesthouse too because I would not trust her not to go into barking mode if she heard people talking in the corridors for instance :)
I think kennels have improved a lot over recent years, probably tighter regulations and inspections, as I notice quite a few of the local ones that I would never have used have closed down so I think the odds on finding a good one are really pretty good :)

We did take Paddy with us everywhere Isabel because like you I wouldn't trust him not to bark if he heard noises but we did have a kind offer from the owner to take him out with her own dogs to give us a break. We didn't take her up as I was only just getting to grips with his lead training (strong puller ) and decided it would be better not to. He did enjoy a few romps with the dogs though :)

That does sound a very nice place :)

We have a pet sitting service in our location and I think they maywork nationwide.
They have lots of very carefully selceted people who take the dogs into thier own homes while you are away as an alternative to kennels.
I put my two dogs other dogs with them as one of them was terrified of other dogs and would have died of fright in a kennels.
I met the woman and saw the home they would be going to first to make sure I was happy, then took them along on the due date.  They lived in her house and were even allowed on the furniture if they wished.  They also got 3 walks a day and she even took my boy for his check up at the vets and administered his medication.
I then picked them up from the lovely ladies home when I got back.  I had been so worried about leaving them as I never had but they were as settled as anything and getting spoilt rotten.
They are fully insured so no problems there either.  I can't reccomend them highly enough.

Bev

Thanks Bev will look into it. Just slightly concerned Paddy is not well trained enough yet although I suppose the people would be experienced with slightly stubborn , selectively deaf dogs?

They are very well trained with all sorts of dogs.  The couple that run it are lovely and match you with the carers they think best suited to what you need.  You then meet them so if you or the carer are not happy (as you take your dog/dogs when you go to meet them) then they get you to meet one of the others.
It means the dog gets to know its temporary mum and see the new home and garden it will be staying in.

Bev

Thanks Bev , I don't suppose you have any contact details on hand or will i find details in yellow pages?
Thanks

If it were me, I'd find good, recommended kennels and take the holiday :) I worried greatly about putting our older rescue dog in kennels - but decided that we'd never have a holiday if we didn't as, like you, we didn't have any relatives to leave him with and that a holiday with him would be too restrictive :) I'd go for it :)

I'd only feel happy leaving my dogs in good kennels - never with someone who didn't know/understand my dog and his ways. Neither of my dogs has ever had any problems in kennels :)

Daisy

hi i have never considered kennels (i have never had to ) roughly what is the cost of a week in them

I pay £20 per day for two dogs (medium size) - but kennels charge that for full or part day :(

Daisy

once you've found a kennels (if you're gonna put him in one), could you maybe try a half day, full day, then an overnight stay? I'm dreading putting mine in kennels if i have to. I'm lucky though, because my neighbour and friend down the road would have them for me. I've looked after their rotties for them before.

nicola

I probably wouldn't start with a fortnight and I tend not to put mine in before they are about 6 months but after that it is in for a penny in for a pound (little pun there ;)).  I don't go for sensitive breeds though so I expect them to take it in their stride.  Personally I am much happy leaving them with the professionals than even my closest friends.

Thank you all for your thoughts and advice. Decided to go for a week in the sun (fortnight too long!!) and not until July when I finish work for the summer so it gives me some time to find the right kennels. We are going to do the half day and overnight approach before the week itself. Partner prefers the idea of kennels rather than home-boarding/pet sitters unless we really find the right person. Did have an offer from his sister today (we have just looked after their pup while they had 3 weeks in Florida) but as awful as it sounds I wouldn't want her to look after him, we have totally different ideas.
Now what sort of questions should I be asking prospective kennels? Exercise regime, feeding routine ( I assume most kennels are happy to feed what I provide)? What else?
Paddy is reasonably well behaved( knows all basic commands and has good recall) but is not perfect :)  loves playing with other dogs but thinks every one is his friend, is used to four walks a day with at least one offlead, probably a bit spoilt, not aggressive at all but a bit wary of men  and children  (we are working through this) and in most other aspects is a typical playful smiley lab who leaves to play, eat and sleep!
Thanks all for the time you have taken to answer my confused ramblings. This is my first 'own' dog and I do worry (about anything and everything :))

Paddysmum

There is one other option here - you could take him with you abroad.  If you begin the Pet Passport programme now, you should be in time to go abroad in July/August.  Ours are Pet Passported and we've been abroad with them.  You can go anywhere in Europe pretty much (you can also go to the US and Canada with them, but that's expensive and stressful for the dog as it's a long trip).  Driving and taking the Channel Tunnel is really easy to do and you stay in the car with the dog during the 30 min crossing.

We would never leave ours in a kennel (personal choice) and would always opt for someone staying in our house.  My own philosophy is that it's ok to expect a dog to stay with his owners and be in a new place.  OR to stay in his own home and have someone else look after him.  But to change both his environment AND the people looking after him is just too much.  You can give VERY VERY specific instructions to someone who comes to live in your house and things can be tailored a lot better for your dog, rather than just how the kennels do things.  (For eg, you can even request a woman, because your dog is wary of men.)  Since your dog has had 3 different homes, I think for this reason too it would be better for someone to come and look after him - otherwise he might assume he is moving on to another home now, and that would be incredibly stressful. 

If you do decide to go for a kennel, you should make sure that dogs will not mix with each other while you are away.  Your dog might be very friendly but others might not be.  If you want him to keep his lovely temperament, make sure they are walked individually.  Remember - aggression is contagious.

Many kennels will only feed the food they stock, although now some are starting to be more flexible and feed what you want.  Dogs are often only let out once or twice a day, and you should find out if that will be on lead or off lead.  (And as above - individually.)  If off lead, is it in a safe enclosed space?

The best advice I can give you is to visit a few kennels and try to imagine your dog there, in one of those runs.  If you're happy with that, then kennels would be fine.  Personally, I find the idea of imagining mine there really painful and it would prevent me from having a nice time on holiday!

Mine stay with friends from our dog training club, and once they stayed with a professional pet sitter. They've been in kennels too, but I must admit I prefer thinking of them in a home than in a kennel. They were perfectly happy in either place though, virtually ignored my OH when he picked them up and wanted to stay with the kennel helper who'd been feeding them! :-D