What’s the difference between kennels and dog boarding?

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Close your eyes and imagine you are your dog…

You’ve just been put into kennels, it’s unlike anything you’ve experienced before – and very different to your home.

 

You’ve come from a warm cosy home where there are carpets and rugs, sofas and chairs and beds to cushion into, where you have your own snuggly bed and you are with your owners who play with you, pet you, and give you lots of love and cuddles.

 

At home there’s even a fire in winter that you can lie in front of. You can run around in the garden and sniff your territory to make sure everything is how it should be. Everything is familiar. You are happy and not stressed.

 

Suddenly you are put into kennels.

 

Your family are not with you. You don’t know if you’ll ever see them again. You’re thinking… why have they put me here? Have I done something wrong? You are frightened, lonely and scared. You’re put into a tiny concrete pen with just a basket made of hard plastic.

 

Your only view is through mesh bars. There are so many other dogs howling and barking.

You only see one person – a girl who feeds you and brings you out and maybe takes you around the field if you’re lucky, but usually it’s just around the yard.

 

Now, see kennels with your eyes wide open. Where would you choose?

 

 

True, there are different types of kennels, but I would never put my dogs into any of them. Kennels are not for the feint hearted. They are often about a meter square with a concrete floor, brick or breeze block walls, a concrete floor and a wire cage front. It’s miserable.

 

For about twice the price you could choose a luxury kennel – often misleadingly called ‘an apartment’ where you may have a little bit more room and maybe underfloor heating – but don’t bank on it.

 

The trouble with kennels isn’t just the Spartan living conditions, it’s the lack of exercise, lack of playtime, fun and social interaction – no wonder dogs in kennels bark and howl all the time out of boredom, frustration and misery. It would be lucky to get a walk around the field, probably just around the yard – and it would also be left all alone at night.

 

At MAD About Dogs Wirral it’s completely different.

 

It’s luxury doggy day care and dog boarding that your dog will love. It’s a home-from-home holiday. Your dog will feel happy, secure and stress-free as it’s in our home and getting 24/7 supervision.

 

Your dog has all the benefits of being at home – away from home. It can play in a secure back garden, it will have human contact all day and of course it will get lots of love, fuss and cuddles.

 

At least once a day it will get a good 30-minute/ hour long walk where it can run around and explore exciting new smells on paths, fields, woodlands, beaches and much more.

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