When you are planning a holiday, business trip or other event and you know you are going to have to leave your dog in a kennel there are several things that you can do to make the process easier on your dog. Even highly socialized dogs are going to be somewhat stressed in transitioning from their home and comfort zone to a noisy, busy kennel, but the more socialized the dog is the easier the adjustment will be.
With this in mind owners need to ramp up their dog socialization training a few weeks before leaving the dog at the kennel. This can include extra trips to the dog park, off-leash area or getting a few friends with dogs together to allow your dog to interact with other dogs. This is particularly important if you want your dog to have some exercise time with other similar dogs in the kennel. Most kennels offer individual runs for exercise, but some also offer small play groups that help keep your dog exercised and happy while they are in the kennel. Before the kennel will allow your dog to interact in these play groups they observe the dog to make sure there is no aggression or timid behavior that could trigger a dog fight. Owners that spend the time socializing their dogs in smaller or larger groups of dogs prior to kenneling will allow their dogs to be engaged in more interactions and more socialization in the kennel. The more positive the dog sees his or her time in the kennel the less stress and anxiety it will cause. Some dogs are very happy and willing to go back to a kennel if they get time with other dogs and enjoy the time spent there.
Another option is for owners to start spending longer periods of time away from the dog prior to taking the dog to the kennel. This is particularly true if your dog is used to you being with him or her 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Dogs that have routines where they are alone for short or long periods during the day will typically accept the relative isolation from human contact that occurs while they are being kenneled. Even in the most well run kennels the dogs are not going to have constant human contact and in some kennels they may have very limited human interaction.
Dogs that have any type of separation anxiety are going to have the most trouble with being away from home and their owners. You may wish to talk to your vet about how to handle the situation, there are some medications that can help decrease anxiety that may be effective in helping your dog remain calm while being kenneled. Aside from medications there are also some holistic and natural types of aromatherapy items and herbal supplements that may help to calm anxiety due to separation and being in a new location. Start these treatment programs well before kenneling to ensure that your dog will not have any reactions to the medication or natural treatment and that they are well tolerated by the dog.
Start gradually desensitizing your dog to being left alone. This can be done by simply increasing the time you are away from your dog by a few minutes each day. As your dog's comfort with being alone increases you extend your time out of the house.
If your dog is used to free run of the house you may also want to start a crate training program or reintroduce the crate if you have used it before for housetraining. Dogs that are comfortable in a crate are more likely to accept the smaller kennel houses that most facilities provide. Some kennels may even allow you to bring in the crate so the dog has a sense of being in his or her own den area even though they are in a strange kennel. Anything that provides security and continuity in the dog's life will help with anxiety and stress management for the dog.
Plan to pack enough dog food to cover the times that you will be gone. A good kennel will encourage you to supply your own dog food or request a particular brand and type be stocked for your dog. Changing foods or using the brand of food supplied by the kennel can be a real problem as it adds additional stress on the dog. This can lead to digestive disorders and problems such as constipation or diarrhea, which are both potential problems while the dog is being kenneled. Keeping the food brand and type as well as the feeding schedule consistent will help prevent this issue. A professionally run kennel will ask you to fill out a feeding schedule so they can follow what the dog is used to. Start at home by following a schedule as well to get your dog used to the routine.
Pack a few supplies for your dog that will help him or her feel at home at the kennel. Typically the kennel will allow rubber, plastic and Nylabone type chew toys, bedding and food and water dishes to come from home. They usually will not allow fabric or stuffed toys, clothing for dogs or other types of rawhide toys that may pose choking hazards while the dog is in the kennel. Kennels often have a list of acceptable and unacceptable supplies you can bring for your dog listed on their website or on their brochures. If you aren't sure about a toy or item call ahead and the staff should be able to let you know if the item is acceptable or not. In addition check with your vet that your dog is fully vaccinated and rabies, DHPP and Bordetella vaccinations are current.
Make sure you arrive at the kennel with enough time to make sure the dog is settled into their kennel area. Some kennels recommend that owners walk with the dog and staff to the kennel area to help the dog understand this is a good place to be. You may also want to ask ahead of time if friends or family can drop by to visit the dog and just check in, especially if you are going to be gone for an extended period of time. By checking these issues ahead of time you will feel better about leaving your dog as well as help your dog prepare for spending time in the kennel in a positive way.
|
