Even pets go away on vacation! How do you choose a suitable getaway for your best friend?
Even the most devoted animal lover will agree that pets require many sacrifices from their owners. These can range between never-ending vet bills, the ongoing cost of food, medicine, toys and treats, as well as time spent grooming, cleaning and exercising. Then there are the emotional ups and downs, and generally attending to their needs before anything else. Of course the unconditional love and acceptance one receives in return far outweighs these sacrifices.
Nevertheless the master and mistress sometimes need a holiday, and this is the one time that it is not always possible to include Felix and Fido in the family’s activities. If nobody is available to tend to the animals in one’s absence, then a good kennel is the only available option. Many of us regard our pets as part of the family, so in the same way that one would carefully investigate a crèche or boarding school for the children, it seems quite reasonable to be equally thorough when deciding on the right kennel for our animals. It may or may not be possible to find a kennel that will perfectly meet all one’s requirements but here are a few things to chew over.
What To Look For:
When taking a look around kennels you should get a good feel for whether your dog would be well cared for by taking note of some basic points. Remember you are inspecting a busy working kennel during operating hours so do not expect perfection, but check the following:
• The general cleanliness of the place, inside and outside. This is a fairly good indicator of how well things are run. The kennels should look and smell clean, without an undue build-up of waste matter. Having said this, be reasonable – even the most diligent kennel staff cannot be everywhere at once with a shovel and a hosepipe.
• Cast your eye over the animals – do they look clean and comfortable and appear to be in good health with no obvious problems?
• Check on the level of maintenance of the kennels. Look out for rusty wire, holes in fences, large wide cracks in the floors, locks and latches that do not open or close easily.
• The kennels should be constructed in such a way that the animals can find sun and shade, as well as shelter and protection from the rain and cold.
• The indoor section should have plenty of light and be well ventilated.
Book Well In Advance
The first thing is to start your search well in advance of the holiday
season. Kennels are often fully booked months before the major
holidays, especially the Christmas/New Year period. Swinging by
the kennels on your way to the coast without a prior booking is
not going to work. Ask your vet, friends and relatives for some
recommendations.
Once you have identified a couple of possible options, contact
them and ask if you could inspect the kennels – if they are confident
of their facilities it should not be a problem.
Bear in mind, though, that certain times of the day can be
extremely busy in a kennel so be flexible and try to arrange a time
that suits everybody. Pitching up unannounced during feeding
time, expecting the grand tour, is not a good idea.
Discuss The Requirements
Once you have decided the basic set-up at a particular kennel is
up to scratch it is time to have a chat with the owner or manager.
The very first point on which to get clarity is exactly what vaccinations
are required for animals to be allowed access to the kennels.
These can vary from kennel to kennel, so do not go on hearsay.
Ask about their policy on sharing kennels with other animals. Find out if the price you are quoted is for sharing, or whether your dog will have a kennel to itself. In some cases it is better to have more than one dog in a kennel because they keep each other company. In other cases it is preferable not to share quarters – some kennels will, for example, never keep Terrier and non-Terrier breeds together in the same kennel. Discuss this carefully, and be sure that you are completely comfortable with what is proposed.
Find out about the type and quantity of food the animals are fed, as well as the frequency of feeding. Most kennels will allow you to supply your own food if you prefer. Strange as it sounds though, it will often cost you more when you bring your own food. This is simply because when several hundred animals have to be fed, a mini-production line is set up and every animal with a non-standard dinner hampers the smooth running of the operation.
Also enquire about whether or not the animals are exercised, arrangements for medical emergencies and if there is staff on the premises at night. If you are satisfied with the responses, it is a good idea to make a list detailing anything about your animal that would aidthe kennels in ensuring a trouble-free stay. Start with the basics – breed, age, gender, any medical conditions or specific dietary requirements. Include some information on its general temperament and any behavioral quirks such as ‘don’t touch his ears’ or ‘very afraid of bad weather’.
Leave a number where you can be contacted at any time, and if possible the number of someone else who is not going on holiday that can act on your behalf if necessary. Also don’t forget to add your vet’s emergency number. Don’t be embarrassed to go through each item on the list with the relevant person at the kennel. Most good kennels will appreciate it as it makes their job easier.
The Day Dawns
On the day the animals are to be placed in the kennels, try
to leave the kids at home and avoid fuss and fanfare as far
as possible. You can be sure that your pets will have already
sensed that something is up, so don’t exacerbate the situation
any further. Crying children and tearful goodbyes stress the
animals unnecessarily.
Ensure that you have all the relevant vaccination cards at
hand, as well as th
e list mentioned above.
When you arrive at the kennel keep your animals in the car,
with their leads on, until you are attended to. The reason for
this is that once your hound leaves the car it will be assailed
by a whole new world of smells, sights and sounds, which can
be quite overwhelming. This can lead to even the most placid
pooch attempting to do a runner. In addition the kennel office
may be full of other animals being booked in, which is also a
stressful environment. Advise reception that you have arrived,
and then wait calmly in the car.
Once your pets have been booked in don’t insist on accompanying them to their kennels – this will only set off all the others, and stress everybody including staff. A quick, matterof- fact goodbye pat at the office is best. You can always have a good sob on the way home!
All Good Things Come To An End
When the time comes to collect your animal, keep an eye on
him for a day or two after he comes home. People occasionally
report that their dogs seem to be depressed or unusually tired
for a short while immediately after coming home. Short-term
depression is often a result of the fact that the dog has made
friends with his next-door neighbours and misses them. The
unusual tiredness is sometimes because the pooch has been
far more active than you might think would be possible in a
confined kennel. A lot of barking and jumping up to chat with
the other hounds has been done, as well as investigating new
smells and sights.
Remember that going to a kennel is never going to be your
pet’s first choice. He would much prefer to be in his own environment
with his master! But if you do your homework properly
he will be well looked after and perfectly safe.
Article from: All About Dogs January/Februay 2010