Views on boarding kennels/Behavior issues - Page 1

I'm curious as to your guys thoughts on boarding kennels and behavior issues.  I'm not boarding my dogs by any means, you couldn't pay me to, but do you guys think boarding kennels can cause dogs to develop issues? Like excessive barking,  kennel guarding/biting,  fear/nervousness, or any others?  Do any of you guys have experience boarding your own dogs?  I do part of my work over at a boarding facility (And I do training as well aside from that place), and that's why I ask that.   Someone tried to tell me that dogs don't develop any issues at boarding kennels (I know this will sound like a silly subject), and I was just curious on your guys thoughts/experiences.   Literally 99 percent of the dogs there bark non stop (unless you're out of the kennel hall), many poop in their own inside kennel (which makes me wander if any of the ones who were house dogs started doing that in their house after that, or regressed in house/potty training if they weren't fully potty trained yet), and I see many, very nervous dogs there, who completely freak out with all of the other dogs barking.  I know that last one may be different if they were properly trained/socialized in the first place, but it seems to me a dog who wasn't.....may very well get worse and worse being in that type of environment.  I've even had people pay me a ton of money in the past just to come in and take care of their dogs a few times a day while they went on vacation because they were afraid their dogs would develop issues at a boarding facility.   Anyways, just thought I'd see if you guys have boarded your dogs before, or if you know of anyone with any experiences doing so, and if any issues came up from there?  

If we do go out of town we either take our dogs with us or leave them with friends. They come with us every now and then to friends houses so they are well behaved, with people they know and we trust, and comfortable which is important. Even my cat stays with my mom if we go out of town, but she also tags along when I go over there so she is fine.

Kennels are just way too stressful for pets and I believe that in certain cases, yes, it can be traumatic. For instance, I have a friend who boarded their Yorkie/Poodle pup with a kennel in town, for a weekend. When they went to pick him up, he was totally fearful of everyone and still is to this day, and that was years ago. They don't know if someone dropped him or what.

I have boarded clients dogs for some time now (most come to me for training first and then use me to keep their dogs while out of town) and if anything, they go home
MORE well behaved then when they were dropped off. No lapse in potty training (dogs are all walked many times a day) and those that are house dogs never "go" in their
kennels to begin with. Dogs don't usually bark unless an unknown vehicle pulls up, but my own dogs set a good example. It helps that there are never more then 7 or so
dogs out in the kennels at any time. Plus, with permission they get 4 wheeler runs, which helps in the boredom dept.

We have boarded Military and Police K9s, competition dogs, foo foo dogs etc.... and never a problem when going back home. If anything, some of them were reluctant to
leave.

On the other hand, my parents used to board my old dog Bonnie (RIP) at their vet's office when they went out of town frequently and she always came home with a UTI.

I believe that if the dog is boarded with someone who trains also, they are much less likely to come home with new bad behaviors. I think the larger scale facility would have
more problems, but I don't have first hand experience to back that up.

So, .02

Melissa

Yup. 

I think it depends on the kennel and staff and how they are treated/exercised. We own a boarding kennel and exercise our kennel dogs 6 times a day, they are outside more running the yards than inside. When people come for tours they alway remark about how quiet the dogs are.  A well exercised dog is a good dog! I would tour the kennel and get lots of referrals from clients that used them.  We've had plenty of dogs/pups come to us that weren't housetrained and left here with a firm understanding of housetraining.  Its all in the care and treatment of the dogs being boarded.  If the owners are just putting as many into kennel runs not letting them outside in grass yards to do their business and exercise then you can get some bad behaviors creeping up. If the staff isn't knowledgable and handles a more nervous type dog harshly of course you could get issues. Our clients are comfortable with us after a tour and when they see the dogs in our care.  I would never leave my personal dogs in a kennel where they only have indoor/outdoor concrete runs and not cared for properly. 
Amy

melba the kennel you talk about wouldn't relate to this place then.  There are 50 dogs (50 kennels) in the inside kennels in each hall (there are 4 halls)......Each inside kennel has a door that you open that lets them into the outside kennel (on concrete as well).  With only 7 at a time, no wander yours aren't bad.   I'm speaking of a big time, literally over 200 dogs at this place type of kennel.  The dogs there are also not exercised, and the staff knows squatt about dogs, reading dogs/signs/behavior or dealing with it for that matter.

muttlover, an exercised dog is a good dog? I totally agree.  I wish they focused on doing this there, but they'd have to hire people literally just for that itself because of the amount of dogs they board.   If you're walking a dog through there, one of the staff members may jump at the dog while greeting it, and then pet it (reinforcing the behavior) while it's showing fear.  I've noticed a lot of the staff will pet or baby talk dogs who are showing fearful or aggressive behaviors.....which obviously does not help the dog.   Even the trainer uses compulsion (prong) and some force training like flooding on very sensitive/nervous dogs.  This place really does only do the outside/inside kennels.  With that said, clients can tell them to "walk" their dogs, and take them to the bathroom in the grass.....but literally, it will be a walk to the grass, use the bathroom, and right back up.  I've taken dogs out while I'm there, and I would play fetch with them, practice training exercises with them, and just let them run and have fun when I have the time.  Most were Shepherds that I took out, and they went back to their runs tired and happy.  I just cringe at how I see people handle dogs there and the lack of knowledge they have.  

GSDguy08, not to offend, but I would NEVER, and I repeat NEVER board my dogs at a place such as what you describe. And I would NEVER
board them at a facility where none of the staff had any GSD, or even dog experience. I have 2 that would be claimed as vicious to someone
who had never handled bossy, dominant dogs before.

I boarded a Mal not too long ago that his handler (Dog was a trained Narc dog, could EASILY have been DP) what extremely surprised that I
took him out at all. It was not until he came to pick Ask up that I was informed that the prior boarding kennel staff had been terrified of him
and only walked him in between 2 people on 2 leads! Ask was a big baby! A pussy cat! And as clean as could be in his kennel. He had bitten
someone before, someone who had no clue as to the working dog mentality. Never once was I afraid of this dog, and his behavior did not
warrant anything other then a firm and fair hand.

I did have upwards of 20 dogs here, but that is more then I care to do at once. I prefer to keep things small because part of my enjoyment is
being hands on with all of them. If there's something wrong, I have spent enough time with them to know what is normal for that particular
dog.

<shakes head>

I guess it's just more then a business and $$$ to me. Quality and not quantity.... or better yet, how would I want my own dogs treated? That is
how I treat client's dogs.

Melissa

Melissa, no offense taken. I don't run the place, I just do some of my work there. I can read the dogs, and I never have problems with the "problem dogs" that they have problems with.  I've handled dogs who have bit many people, but I took the time to read the dog, use an approach that made the dog comfortable....and I never even saw a nervous look from the dogs other than when someone else approached the dog.  When I suggest they do things a certain way, or to "read the dog" and use a certain approach when it does a certain thing.....they just laugh and say I don't know what I'm talking about, and jokingly call me "The dog whisperer"..... I just shake my head because I never have problems with the dogs, and the dogs I handle do a thousand times better with me......than they do with the other staff.  This place is more about quanity, and they make a killing running this place.

Well, I can promise you I'm not making a killing LOL, but I do love what I do :) Poop scoopin and all.

Honestly sounds like they have a diamond and don't have the common sense to realize it.

So in essence, yes I do feel dogs could easily pick up bad behaviors and house breaking problems from a kennel
such as this.

Melissa

My kennel can take a maximum of about 20 dogs. They get turned out in large chain link and concrete runs 3x a day. Large dogs that are good with other dogs get turned loose in a 4000 sq. foot secure grassed area. (My latestet addition this fall, which cost $8,600!) Small dogs can play in the 50x50 pea gravel run where we turn our personal dogs out. The garage has been convereted to a daycare for small dogs, and it also has an adjoining turnout area.

We're just getting started doing daycare, and I'm being careful what I expose my own dogs to, but there's this one really sweet lab pup that I allow into the house, so my own dogs can tire her out. They are very good with her, and I supervise the toys so they aren't bullying her and constantly stealing them from her.

Basically in terms of behaviour, the dogs leave with what they come in with. If they are barkers, they still bark when they leave. If they are timid, they are still timid when they leave. Some dogs DO break house training while here. For instance, there's a Westie that insists on peeing on his clean bedding as soon as he goes into his cage.  Others insist on soiling their cages no matter how often or how long they are outside for. Others soil their cages because of the change in routine, upset stomachs due to anxiety, or because they aren't used to doing their business on concrete. (Sorry, it's the only way to keep things clean, and prevent diggers from escaping!)

Some dogs just do not do well while being boarded. No matter what you do to make them feel at home they still whine, bark, pace and drool. Others like it here so much, they literally tow me down the hallway to the kennel. It all depends on the dog, but we DO make an effort to help the stressed dogs feel at home by giving them extra TLC and treats, and trying to get them to play with other friendly dogs.

I don't walk dogs, as I am here alone most of the day, and have to be available to answer phones and greet clients. However, now that we have the large play area, dogs can at least get a good game of fetch to tire them out. Hopefully, if the daycare business picks up, I will be able to afford to hire someone to do walks and play with the dogs. That's my wish for 2012! I would love to have more time to interact with the dogs, but I'd have to clone myself in order to find it.

The regulars get to know me and my business partner, and we get to know them. It becomes like a second home for them, and we know them well enough to spot unusual behaviour. Last summer, our vet even made a housecall late on a Friday afternoon for a boarder's dog that was peeing blood (a really nasty UTI). In spite of the dog having just been treated for a UTI, the client's vet refused to do anything "just watch it over the weekend, and bring it in on Monday if it's no better"! (The client changed vets after that!)