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Do Dogs Enjoy a Boarding Kennel?
Dogs need a holiday as much as we do, and they can often benefit from a few days away in a boarding kennel.
New owners especially maybe often nervous about leaving their dogs in a kennel environment but in truth, the majority of dogs seem to really benefit from a short spell away in a kennel whilst they are away.
There have been different studies done on this topic and the evidence seems to point to the fact that overall they do enjoy the experience and return home refreshed. The British researchers evidence suggests that dogs may enjoy spending a short time in a kennel in a similar way people enjoy their holidays abroad. Their study certainly contradicts previous research which suggested that dogs experience stress from time away in a boarding kennel.
Of course their will always be some dogs that find a stay in a kennel more challenging but its about knowing your dog and seeing how they respond to this. In the study many dogs were found that their coats were better when they returned and they ate and exercised more whilst away.
Dogs in general enjoy new sounds and sniffing new smells, and the kennel area is a great place to experience and stimulate both senses for your dogs.
Boarding kennels in general has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and with the introduction of new DEFRA regulations and new licensing kennel owners have been encouraged to improve their offerings which means they are providing a much nicer environment for your dog.
As I travel around these kennels all over the country there is clearly still work to be done in some, but many are now providing a clean, warm and pleasant environment for dogs to stay. For the more nervous dogs many kennel owners have created quieter kennels away from the hustle and bustle of the main kennel which provides a calmer quieter experience.
The old fashioned view that kennels were similar to a prison environment is slowly changing as many commercial kennels are now glass fronted, light airy spaces that are pleasant to visit. Some of the more luxury ones have sofas, tv’s and music piped through to the sleeping areas for the dogs to enjoy.
The new stricter regulations have meant that kennel owners are now providing larger sleeping areas and run areas than before. For those who have been granted the higher welfare status this has meant, cleaner kennels with better routines and the dogs having more exercise routines. Its now all about customer satisfaction from a dog’s point of view which is exactly the way forward.
Slowly but surely the standard for boarding kennels is improving across the whole country, many kennels are taking active steps towards improving their kennels and exercise areas. Some are looking to refurbish whilst others are looking to replace old kennels with new kennel blocks that are up to the new regulations.
For those interested to see how kennelling is improving please take a look at our commercial kennels.
This rejuvenation takes time and perhaps this has been slightly set back due to the coronavirus situation, but I sense that there is a genuine attempt to provide kennels that are fit for any dog to enjoy.
