One of the most challenging decisions to make for any dog owner is whether or not to put your precious pup in a kennel when you are not available. We always will defer to neighbors, friends, and relatives, but sometimes you have to make a decision in a pinch, and this article will help you make that decision.
Kennel: pros
There are loads of benefits to kennels. They are fast and available. Generally, kennels are cost-effective (but not cheap by any means). Kennels are usually high-capacity, and there’s a great chance that your pup can learn a lot of socialization skills in a kennel facility. Some of the nicer kennels have high-end staff, and they often have dog training skills. You can kill two birds with one stone, get your dog training and kennelling both at one facility.
Kennels are open 24/7, meaning that your pup is likely going to be taken care of day and night. A lot of dogs are scared of storms and fireworks, so you can be rest assured that your pup will have its needs taken care of at a kennel, as long as it’s a good one. You can take your dog’s bed, a few toys, and its food to a kennel to give your pup a home-like experience if you have to send your dog to a kennel. But, kennels also come with cons.
Kennel: cons
Kenneling has a lot of negative connotation. There’s even a doggy disease (though temporary) named after it called Kennel Cough. Kennel Cough is a condition that impacts your pup’s respiratory system in the short term. There’s a vaccine for kennel cough, called Bordetella, but it’s not 100% effective. So, before you even think about taking your dog to a kennel, you should take your dog to your vet and let your vet know. The vet will determine whether you pup is healthy enough to go to a boarding facility (or even doggy day care). Once you get the Bordetella vaccine and the vet’s bill of approval, it’s time to make the decision.
Remember, that there will be a lot of dogs there. A lot of dogs with very different levels of training. The staff can be anywhere from completely untrained to highly trained dog trainers. Your dog could sit in a crate, maybe not the biggest crate in the world, for the most of the day (up to 20 hours). If you don’t have any alternatives, have read all the reviews, and thoroughly vetted the kennel facility and staff, you can take your shot. There’s a very good chance that absolutely nothing bad will happen to your pup, but consider the cons before you make the final call!