Are You Leaving Your Pet In Good Hands
By Nikki Alvin-Smith
It’s always hard to leave your pet behind when you head out on vacation or have an emergency that requires time away from home. Choices of whether to leave your beloved canine critter home and allow someone in your abode to house sit or place your pet in a kennel or other person’s home pose a difficult decision.
What are the reasons to go and the reasons to say No! Let’s take a look.
The House Sit Option
The home stay option is kindest on your pet as the environment doesn’t shift even if the animal misses its ‘people’. If the person is not family then it’s a good idea to complete a thorough investigation of anyone that you are allowing access to your property and entrusting the welfare of your home and your pet to – and it is best to do more than just check word-of-mouth references.
A quick criminal check can be completed via online services with or without the person’s consent. But it is a good idea to ask them for their personal details and let them know you propose to check them out particularly if you have not known them long.
Regardless of who you choose, family, friend, or a professional sitter (these folks should have insurance so have them ask their insurance company to send you a certificate with you named which is common practice), they can simply fail to show up as expected or worse, bunk out halfway through the timeframe.
For these reasons it is always a good idea to have a Plan B, a backup plan that is easy to switch over to if necessary.
For your peace of mind and to minimize stress on your dog always have the designated caregiver spend time with your pet in your presence. Note how they interact and how the person will correct the dog if needed. Have them play together in the garden and establish who is boss by playing appropriate training games e.g. tug of war games on a toy that the caregiver wins.
The Home Away From Home
There are many people that offer to take dogs in for care on their own properties and in their own homes which are not licensed dog kennel boarding facilities.
Be wary of mixing your dog with others that are already on their home territory and have their own pack. Also review what other animals are on the property that could pose an issue such as cats, rabbits or smaller pets, or livestock/horses.
Within the canine family present, pay attention to the male/female ratios, the size and general characteristics of particular breeds involved in the equation. Some dog breeds are more territorial than others and some more protective of their owners/own pack than others. When a dog fight breaks out it is very difficult and dangerous to intervene unless you are trained to do so, and much damage can be done by mingling dogs that are not used to social situations and have not been properly introduced on neutral turf.
Most canine caregivers working from home will insist that you bring your pet by to make introductions and to mitigate the risk of such problems developing.
If the proposed care person’s property is not fenced and is not a dog-safe environment then consider carefully if you wish to place you pet in their care. Dogs do go missing when in alien environments and can act out of character when stressed, becoming more aggressive or excitable and sometimes escaping to seek their way home.
Kennel Boarding Facilities
Kennel boarding facilities vary greatly in their size, the design of kennel box and exercise spaces, and the all-important staffing and management practices.
While it is understandable that kennel owners want to discourage unannounced visits due to time constraints and limit drop-off and pick-up times, it is not an unfair ask to see inside the actual dog-keeping area of the kennel before committing to utilizing their services. It is true that frequent interruptions to the dog living space by strangers can set the entire canine contingent off barking and create stress, but it is important that you have at least a current visual on the set up and are comfortable with its cleanliness and safety of partitions and dog care factors like availability of clean water.
Dark kennel boxes with cold concrete floors of yesteryear though functional are not highly desirable places to house a dog, even if they do have outdoor run availability. Check out these modern day kennels to see the details on what features are available and how top-quality kennels are designed. Things to look for (at a minimum), in the kennel set up:
· Cleanable surfaces on floors with appropriate drainage from each kennel box, with the drainage channel hopefully set to the exterior wall of the space to allow for more comfort of the animal housed and easier clean-up.
· Walls and ceilings should also be easily washable.
· Passive and/or mechanical ventilation. Ideally a heat/cooling unit for the interior kennel space. Climate control is important for dog health.
· Welded wire between kennel boxes for security and safety with appropriate gauge for larger dogs.
· Availability of solid kennel partitions to minimize stress levels and barking.
· A light interior space that is cheerful and easy to view for cleanup.
· A clean space for the canines to be safely exercised that is securely fenced, with a system in place to address individual turnout or time out areas for animals that are not socially adept or become tired.
· A secure storage area to store dog food and supplies.
· An evident well-organized administration system to maintain documents on file; provide receipts; and evidence of a valid license to operate the facility.
· An educated staff sufficient to manage the number of animals potentially to be housed.
· An individual run attached to the kennel box where the dog can freely choose to spend time indoors or outdoors, preferably a covered run to offer shelter from the hot sun or inclement weather.
While the idea of a crated environment for your dog for part of the day may not be attractive, the security and safety of a well-run kennel with a high level of hygiene and good management practices can actually make your dog feel more secure than having free rein at a caregiver’s home. With the addition of an outdoor run your pet can enjoy fresh air and be kept entertained looking around his new environment with less stress.
If you’d like to look at the kennel boarding business from the kennel operator perspective check out this informative article.
Whichever option you choose for dog care always establish clearly written guidelines for how you want the dog exercised and fed (when, with what and the amount) and medication schedules included if they are necessary. There should always be instructions for what action the caregiver should take in an emergency with a copy of the animal’s medical record to date and notes on any medications the dog is prescribed.
Also have the fee or charges for the dog care for the dates needed in a written format so there is no discrepancy or miscommunication later. All legal documents should be dated and signed.
Always follow your gut instinct when selecting the best care for your particular animal. You do know best what will work for your pet and what won’t. Do not ignore red flags.
Intent and attitude and education of the caregiver should not be overlooked. A kennel operator that is attentive, kind and cares about your animal that offers good communication is always better than one that is absent from the premises leaving it to other caregivers without proper supervision or training.
Things can and do go wrong even when you have done your due diligence. Do your best to leave your dog in good hands. In all likelihood your pet will come to enjoy the vacation time away from home the same way you do, though it may take a few visits. You’ll know, because your dog will be excited to go!
