Kenneling dogs--question for those with DA dogs

[Baxter'smybaby]

I rarely need to kennel the crew--only for christmas holiday time-- for 2 or three nights. I have a great kennel that we have used in the past...and Traveler and Baxter are able to stay together in one kennel.

This year, we will have to kennel Wilson as well. He does not respond well to other dogs (beyond Trav and Baxter)--so we are managing it ok at this point, but I don't know how he will do in a kennel situation. He would have to be kenneled in a separate run from Baxter and Trav.

Anyone have thoughts, experience with this? Have your dogs done ok in a kennel environment? Any way I can better prepare him?
I don't want Wilson to be overly stressed by this--but have no choices other than to kennel.
Thanks for any input.

 

[Gempress]

I take my dogs to the kennel all the time, and they do fine. They can't be in the same kennel, but the staff puts them right next to each other. A good kennel will ask you if your dog is okay with other dogs, and will handle them appropriately to minimize stress. Mine love to go to the kennel...it's their favorite place. They get spoiled enormously over there.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

If Wilson is not okay with other dogs, I would not put him into a kenneling situation where he is going to be forced to be around other dogs.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

I take my dogs to the kennel all the time, and they do fine. They can't be in the same kennel, but the staff puts them right next to each other. A good kennel will ask you if your dog is okay with other dogs, and will handle them appropriately to minimize stress. Mine love to go to the kennel...it's their favorite place. They get spoiled enormously over there.

good to know they do ok--I hope for the same!

If Wilson is not okay with other dogs, I would not put him into a kenneling situation where he is going to be forced to be around other dogs.

Still learning about Wilson, and he is still learning about us. He has made some improvements--but I do not want to allow anything to escalate.
The kennel has been great with my other dogs--and they will kennel Wilson near the other two. I don't really have any options in this--other than to kennel at the vet, which is more costly, would cause him to be there 2 days longer than needed (due to their hours of operation)--and it would be without Trav and Baxter. I don't think that option is better.
He would not be out with other dogs--so that would be ok.
Other thoughts?

 

[MericoX]

Is it possible to stick in one of the other dogs with Wilson?

 

[elegy]

if you've got a good kennel that you trust and you're up front with them, it really shouldn't be a problem. i've worked in multiple boarding kennels and we routinely boarded dogs who weren't good with other dogs. it wasn't really an issue.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

--but I do not want to allow anything to escalate.
...
He would not be out with other dogs--so that would be ok.

Then I wouldn't board him. Just because he would not be out with other dogs does not mean he would not sense them or be boarded next to other dogs. Are they cages or solid walls? What is the interior like? If you don't want things to escalate then I would seriously think about finding other arrangements for him. What about a home pet sitter?

 

[borzoimom]

I was about to ask the same thing about wire kennel runs or solid walls. Hottie did not like boisterious dogs but the kennel had solid walls and they would place him at the end to remove Hotties stress.

 

[JennSLK]

If you have no other options make sure the kennel knows he is DA. Make them put it down in writeing, so IF soemthing does happen, they knew about it ahead of time. See if you can put one of your dogs in with him. That may ease the stress.

 

[Jules]

I think it depends on what degree of DA we are talking about. If he freaks out as soon as another dog is in sight... then no, I would not kennel him as he would be stressed out all the time... and it might make it worse.

If he gets snarky when another dog gets in his face, but he does not really care about other dogs being around him and there are solid walls in between the kennels, then I would say kennel him and let the people know about it.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

I have no option but to kennel, either with the vet, or with another kennel.
I am reluctant to put him with one of the other two since he "pesters" Trav., and I am not sure if he and Baxter were together if Wilson would redirect his frustration at him. He has done this one time when we were outside on leads, and Wilson was frustrated when another dog walked past the house. I have not given him opportunity since then to find out if it would happen again or not.

The kennel has open wire, but they do have one area that is separated from the others--will have to ask if they can kennel him there. That might have to be the solution.

I do not have options for someone to come into my home, nor do I have anyone who would be capable of dealing with him at a holiday time. He will have been with us for five months by that time (in Dec.)---so I am hoping to continue to work with him on things that will help between now and then.
Thanks for your input.

 

[xpaeanx]

when you say "does not respond well to other dogs" is he really aggressive or is he reactive?

Keeda is DR, and I kennel her often without problems. I also used to bring her to work with me(when I worked at a vet) and she would stay in their kennel area. She would bark while I was bringing through the kennel area and for a bit after being put in, but once she was there for a few minutes she just chilled. The daycare I left her at had a glass wall so you could see into the kennel area, and a few times she was in a kennel right infront of the wall... and when I would walk in I'd see herShe always has Bailey with her so I don't know if that made a difference.

I would say it would depend on how DA/DR wilson is... but if you have no other option, then I would ask the kennel if they have an area that wilson can be kept that is away from other dogs. At the vet we often put DA dogs in the "quarentine" area if we didn't have any other animals in there(which was pretty much never... quarentines are always done at the town shelter).

 

[Lizmo]

I think if your kennel can't physically and metally handle a DA dog, then you shouldn't go there.

Now, Major is DA to a point. But at the kennel/vet they say he does wonderful and plays with the other dogs great. Mainly because it's not "anyone teritory".

I think if your STAFF knows how to deal with a DA dog, it's fine

Oh, and I would also go with the vet. It might not be the best situation, but then if anything ever happend, he's be right there with a vet. Thats what we do for kenneling our dogs.

 

[Laurelin]

We're in a similar situation...

Trey and Nikki were kenneled together and the paps went to their breeder when we leave. Well.... now that Nik is gone, I don't know what we're going to do with Trey! He is not good with other dogs, not aggressive, but defensive. He did very very well this weekend at the pap breeder's EXCEPT the papillons all pitch a fit when they see him- he was unphased.

I can't see how we can board him there, even though I'd trust the breeders with him no problem if it's going to disrupt everything. They get a very breedist attitude whe you get the whole group together.

I just don't know what we'll do. He cannot be boarded alone because he is so dependent on the others.... *sigh*

 

[Sunnierhawk0]

Having worked in a boarding kennel for 5 months, I would venture to say that he will be ok. We had DA dogs come in all the time, and atleast in our kennel situation, the inside was concrete, so they couldn't see the dogs next to them, and the only time they could see the other dogs was for the hours of going outside, and even then, there never really seemed to have issues.

If we were also aware that the dog had DA ( MAKE SURE TO LET THEM KNOW) we tried at all cost to put the dogs either at the very end, where they would only be next to 1 other run, or by no dogs at all.

Just talk to the place your boarding, let them know whats going on. Beleive me, they have dealt with far more strange/worse things besides DA.

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

Now, Major is DA to a point. But at the kennel/vet they say he does wonderful and plays with the other dogs great. Mainly because it's not "anyone teritory".

Not to argue, but that sounds more like a territorial thing than a DA issue. If truly DA he would be DA at the kennel too. Sounds like Major just thinks it's his job to protect his house from intruders.

More to the topic, it shouldn't be a problem to kennel a DA dog as long as the kennel staff is told the dog is DA. That way they can take appropriate precautions. We don't kennel our dogs, we get a pet sitter. She's great, fully insured and bonded and has lots of experience with animals .. she even pet sits horses! But a pet sitter might be a problem with an aggressive or very territorial dog.

Our pet sitter will watch DA dogs, but not dogs that show any kind of HA at all. For territorial dogs she arranges several meetings with the dog first so they get to know her, then leaves a cloth with her scent on it. By the time she's needed the territorial dogs are perfectly fine with her coming in and out of their homes without the owners present.

EDIT: Just a note, but before kenneling any dog make sure it's got current protection from Bordetella (kennel cough). Ya never know, best to be careful.

 

[xpaeanx]

TGR: there's argument over whether or not the Bord vaccine actually does anything. I know the holistic vet in my area calls it crap, and some of the regular vets will even tell you that it may not do anything.

However, I've never heard of a kennel that didn't require bord... some places even have requirements over how long the dog has to of had the vaccine before being admitted. I've been told ranges that go from 1 month to 24 hours.

So either way, I'm sure her dogs have it. My two dogs have it bc they used to go to day care everyday... they don't anymore... so i'll be keeping Keeda UPT on bord, but since bailey is old and sick... I don't think he'll be getting any more vaccines except rabies(bc it's required by law).

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

Why can't they just put him between the other 2, and let him exercise alone if the put dogs out for exercise?

I have a couple that can be DA, and if/when they go for boarding it's never an issue, they just keep them separate.

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

TGR: there's argument over whether or not the Bord vaccine actually does anything. I know the holistic vet in my area calls it crap, and some of the regular vets will even tell you that it may not do anything.

LOL .. differing opinions. My holistic vet likes the Bord vac b/c kennel cough is common in the shelters and rescues around here. But he does have some reservations ... he vacs puppies with Bord, but it's owner's choice on "boosters" unless the dog will be kenneled or in day care ... then he does recommend it. Maybe not a common infection in your area though.

His opinion is that with initial vacs many immunities are life-long, or strong enough that incidential exposure shouldn't cause a problem. BUt continued exposure might be. Bord is likely required for kenneled dogs, as you said, but not sure as we don't kennel our dogs.

but since bailey is old and sick... I don't think he'll be getting any more vaccines except rabies(bc it's required by law).

That's one difference from our holistic vet ... he especially recommends a Bord booster for kenneled/day care dogs that are elderly. They are the most likely to have serious reactions to kennel cough infections ... like going into pneumonia. Same with puppies as in elderly dogs ... danger of pneumonia.

 

[Suzzie]

i worked at a kennel, we would just walk all the dog aggressive dogs first, before hauling out everyone else to potty. Easy as pie. We had a white board where we wrote all the dogs that were DA, needed meds, etc.

We did have one monstrous american bulldog that was DA AND, IMO, HA as well. He was easily 120#. I always got yelled at because I refused to walk the beast. Not only was he impossible to walk past the other dogs, he growled when you opened his door. Not worth $7 an hour, thanks.