Yes, no, maybe . . .
The truth is there is no simple answer to this question as there are so many variable factors involved. First of all, every dog’s personality and life experiences are unique. Plus, every boarding kennels location, environment, routines, atmosphere and philosophy are different too.
Kennel Stress
Unfortunately, kennel stress is a real thing and can lead to a downward spiral of your dog’s wellbeing. First, they are too stressed to eat or sleep and may pace or bark continuously all day and night. If this carries on for a few days, in our experience, it’s often just a matter of time before the dog’s health then starts to suffer. Add any preexisting health conditions to the equation and the risks get even higher.
It’s very hard to predict which dogs are likely to suffer from kennel stress until they spend a day and night at the kennels. An experienced and empathetic kennel owner can tell quite quickly if a dog is showing signs of kennel stress and can take steps to try and find a solution as quickly as possible and if all else fails, they will hopefully be honest enough to tell you so you can make alternative arrangements. This is why a short stay while you are still within shouting distance is often the best way to go for everyone concerned.
What is our approach to kennel stress?
We find that if we can help new dogs feel comfortable right from the start, we can often prevent their initial stress from escalating. For example, we always start by taking your dog for a walk first as we find this allows them some time to get used to the surroundings, smells and us whilst moving around out in the open and do the toilet if need be.
During this walk we are observing your dog’s reaction to change and general personality. This helps us decide which part of the kennels to put them in as it makes a difference as to what personalities of dogs are in each kennel block. Once they are in the kennel, we find it helps if one of us just sits down quietly for a while and keeps them company while they adjust and see how they react to the kennel environment.
Our Philosophy
It requires patience, confidence and kindness to build trust and an ability to observe and make positive adjustments. A calm relaxing environment can do wonders to help speed this process up.
This is why we focus on keeping things running smoothly with our appointment system and limit the number of new dogs at any one time.
We then figure out what they like doing the most – is it playing with a ball, walking in the woods or just being given the time to stop and sniff every smell – they are on holiday after all so there is no rush!
Your Dog's Personality
Let’s face it, some dogs get stressed at home and don’t like change at all. Others get stressed when you leave them alone at home even for a short period. While some dogs get stressed staying at a different house even if you are there with them! Then you get dogs who can cope with all of the above but get very stressed around other dogs or new people.
If your dog suffers from separation anxiety at home or if they have a health condition which adds to the risk, then a kennnel is not the right environment for them. Instead, we always recommend you find a pet sitter or home boarder so that your dog has minimal change to cope with while you are away.
The Humans Looking After Your Dog
Having been around a wide variety of animal professionals from different countries, one thing I’ve noticed is that every single one of them has different ideas and opinions about literally everything from behaviour to care. And just to make things more complicated even people who have undergone the exact same training don’t always agree on what’s right or wrong, not to mention they all have unique body language and often connect immediately with some animals and clash with others. The reality is – there is no one size fits all but that’s just my opinion!
Are all licensed boarding kennels the same?
No, just like schools or hotels, even though they all have to adhere to the same general standards, they all vary greatly when it comes to size, facilities, routines etc. Some kennels keep the dogs on leads the whole time as they don’t have a suitable fenced play area while some only have a play area, so they don’t go for walks at all.
Some only have 4 families of dogs at a time while others can have 150 or more which as you can imagine will affect every dog differently as to whether they find the size and atmosphere exciting, terrifying or boring! Another variation to consider is that some kennels let dogs from different families play together while others don’t mix them at all and play with them individually.
It is also up to each kennel owner to decide what health conditions, age and temperament they are willing to accept. And just like schoolteachers each kennel owner will have different styles and ideas when it comes to their approach – they might be strict with high expectations, or they might be more laidback. Both styles will suit different personalities of dogs.
So do all dogs get stressed in all dog boarding kennels?
Thankfully, (otherwise I’d be miserable with stress myself) my honest answer to this question is no, phew! Some dogs don’t seem to mind the kennel environment at all and in fact some even get excited when they come back time after time and show no signs of stress at all. They are happy to see us, enjoy the routine and even sleep peacefully all night!
So, if you manage to find the right match of personalities and facilities, there are dogs who in a very short space of time, will treat staying at a kennels as if they are on a school camp or a country holiday!
