[merlin00724]

this may sound like a ridiculous question, but im going to ask it anyway.

is there any worry about boarding your dog somewhat frequently having a negative impact on their temprament, personality, or their bond with you?

during the summer i travel a bit and taking the dog is not doable. would be about 7 or 8 times with 2-3 weeks between trips. the duration of each trip would be 3 days. the trainer for our obedience class runs a kennel and it is top of the line. i have no reservations about his safety or treatment there. just wondering if this can likely harm him personality wise.

thoughts???

 

[OliviaB]

A lot of it will depend on the dog. Some will be bothered by it more than others. As a breed, dobermans thrive off of being with their families and can get upset if away from them for a long period of time. Personally, our dobe is boarded for a few days every few months and has no issues from it. It all depends on the situation I guess. I only do it when I absolutely have no other option. He boards at my vet and he knows the staff well and they love him, so for us, it works.

 

[njdobermom]

I've boarded my dobies with no problems. But I do pay extra for play time & walks they're happy to go there but happier to be home. Maybe try a dry run over nite to see how he does.

 

[MeadowCat]

I think it's good for dogs to be away from home/owners once in a while. I don't see a problem with boarding for a couple of days at a time every few weeks.

 

[Murreydobe]

I think it's good for dogs to be away from home/owners once in a while.

I'm in total agreement with this statement.

If a dog has a problem with being boarded for short periods of time, then I suggest it's a temperament problem. I don't believe confident, well adjusted dogs have these kind of problems.

My dogs are boarded for about three weeks every spring when we go on vacation. They come home happy and healthy. Every available sign indicates they kinda like the kennel-they certainly drag me into the kennel building with tails wagging when I drop them off there. They've been there often enough they know where they're going, and seem pretty enthusiastic about it.

 

[NOX]

I board mine at my vets, they have a deluxe room for him with a tv and kuranda bed. They also have 5 fenced in areas where they can run. The staff there love him because he's the only dobe so he is spoiled rotten there. I left him there for 10 days last month and he didn't even know I was missing. lol

 

[Adara]

Mine are purposely sent away to friends, etc. even if I don't go anywhere. They need to know how to thrive without Mom/Dad around and 'siblings'.

 

[Kansadobe]

I never recommend boarding dogs in any kennel unless it is the last resort. If your home is quiet, sending your dog to most boarding kennels is like sending him to jail. The place is full of unhappy and sometimes aggressive dogs and it is usually very noisy. Would you like to go to jail and get locked up in a cell for a few days at a time with Charley Manson in the next cell? They may be safe, but not usually happy. Of course, sometimes there are more exotic pet resorts that are more like a home setting.

Most towns have bonded pet sitter that are only slightly more expensive than a boarding kennel. The dog can remain in his regular home and is visited a couple of times a day for food and exercise. I would investigate other options than a traditional boarding kennel.

 

[sam&macksmom]

I utilize a bonded/insured pet sitter. She is fab-u-lous!

Pet Sitters International - The World's Largest Educational Association for Professional Pet Sitters

 

[KokoPuffs]

I've done boarding with our trainers, but now have a licensed and bonded pet sitter stay at the house. Having someone they know stay at the house for a "pawjama party" keeps a more normal routine for my 3.

My dobe has too many medical issues to be boarded at a kennel and our vet does not do boarding, so a knowledgeable pet sitter has been the best for her. The other two have no issues at all, but I still wouldn't board them at a kennel.

 

[bean]

If the place is great (go in and get a tour first, and read reviews online) I also see it as a good thing. I think it's nice to have more than one option in these situations, so maybe you can work out a few different solutions to switch it up. We've done a dog walker, had friends stay at our house as pet sitters, have had our dogs go to someone else's house (who also have a dog/dogs), and have boarded them.

Honestly I worry the least about them when they're being boarded, especially when it's more than a couple of days. The place we take them has them in daycare during the day, and since they're both dog-friendly, their day is full of supervised play with other dog-friendly dogs, with some "nap times" built in. Then they are tired at night, get to sleep in a room together (in their own beds if we want), and get some loving and a little treat before bed. It's not even a cage-type kennel where they sleep - it's more like a small open-topped room with walls. They come back happy to see us but with zero issues, and slide right back into our normal routines. It is definitely more spendy, though, than the other options. I think the non-social dogs get one-on-one time with people, play time, fetch time, or whatever instead of the daycare.

This certainly won't hurt your bond with your dog - he is a Doberman after all! Especially if the trips are that short and the facility is a good one. I agree with the others in that it's actually a positive thing for your dog to learn to be comfortable in other places when you aren't there. People need to go away sometimes without their dogs - that's just healthy! If your dog is used to it, it's less stress on everyone.

 

[merlin00724]

thank you everyone for your opinions. i feel better about boarding now and will also check out the pet sitter options around here.

 

[KahluaGrl]

I boarded Kahlua for the first time a few months ago (Harley has been boarded a bit more) and she loved it. Harley always loves it. I payed for extra playtimes and they came back exhausted and happy. The staff said they were both wonderful pups and can't wait to have them back.

I don't think it changes them at all, just tires them out a bit more because they have the playtime with other dogs, which they don't have a lot at home.