Two Weeks in Kennels - Will he survive?

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I have booked a two week holiday which means my dog will have to spend 16 days in the kennels. He has spent a week there before, but this seems like such a long time. Do you think he will be OK?

If your kennels are good. My dog's going in the one my uses for a fortnight. Her dogs never want to come home.

I could have left him with my sister and her boyfriend but last time I left my dog behind with someone, she was hit by a car and killed before I even arrived at my holiday place. So I know I wouldn't settle unless I knew he was safe somewhere. he kennels are an old farm, so there is plenty of fields and no roads.

I have my doubts about most kennels to be honest. He went to one and came away with kennel cough. The one he is going to is very convenient but I am not sure how much exercise they give the dogs. He is not brilliant on the lead (he pulls like a train) and to be honest I would rather he was locked up as I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him if he slipped the lead. Much prefer holidaying in this country when he can come with us. It is more the concept of time that I worry about. One friend has tried to convince me that dogs don't really have a concept of time so he won't realise how long he has been there!

Have you not visited them? I'd always visit before booking and make sure they let you have a good mooch around and not just show you a waiting room/just one kennel.

Don't be afraid to ask questions either.

I chose the one I am using on recommendation and I'm very happy that dog will be well cared for there.

Where in the country are you? Perhaps some MNetters might know some good kennels near you or might be able to reassure you about the ones you are using.

If he was OK for one week he'll probably be OK with two, I'd have thought. We haven't actually used kennels ourselves, but when we looked into them, the ones we were recommended insisted on recent vac against kennel cough - doesn't yours, or did it not work?

If you're worried about him slipping the lead, could you get him used to a Halti or harness beforehand?

It all got a bit confusing about kennel cough. When he caught it, the owner's daughter had said he didn't need the vaccine so I didn't bother. Then after he contracted it I had him vaccinated, but the next kennel he went to prefer the dogs not to have had the vaccine so now he doesn't have it. He was fine for a week - I am just a real worrier when I am parted from my animals (don't get me started on the horse and the geriatric cat!). I am in Saddleworth if anyone has any recommendations.

He should be fine. Ideally, a good kennels should meet defra regulations which is a minimum kennel size of 4'x4' and a run size of 20'x4' and the dogs should have daily exersize outside of the run i.e. walking on a lead or in a large play pen.

Good kennels will also ask for proof of vaccination, he should have a kennel cough dose and also be injected against parvo, lepto etc. (they are usually given an all in one shot that covers all the common doggy diseases anyway, kennel cough goes up the nose though)

All changed now. When we asked our secretary to look after the cat (in our own home) she said fine but could she have the dog as well. She works from our home so would bring the dog here with her every day and take him home at night. At least he will have company and walks. But having read ShinyAndNew's post about her dog getting hit by a car before getting to her holiday destination I can't help feeling totally paranoid. They are not dog people but have taken him for walks when we have had to go away for the day and she has promised she will not let him off the lead - but I just worry about the door being left open and him doing a runner. Bloody Animals....