Regardless of which dog breed you own, it is important to know that your dog will be well looked after while you are out of town for a while or taking a vacation. When you have a mastiff, there is more to think about. It is vital to ensure the staff at the kennel know exactly how to handle your mastiff. This is why you should look for mastiff kennels.
Every boarding kennel has its own personality and not every kennel will suit every dog owner’s likes or requirements. As a mastiff owner, your search for the right kennel might take more time and energy than the search of the average dog owner. You also need to take your mastiff into the equation and think about what he would like in a kennel.
Your mastiff is a guarding breed and will continue to be a guarding breed when he is in the kennel. This means that being there might be a stressful experience for him. Your mastiff will come into contact with other dogs and unfamiliar people. He would obviously prefer not no be put in a kennel where he will instinctively feel the need to guard new territory.
Your dog is also going to miss you and this might cause him to show separation anxiety. You have to ensure the kennel knows how to take care of mastiff dogs.
Only you know whether your dog is going to survive being in the kennels when you are away. You can increase the odds by being very careful when selecting the right kennel for him.
Before you make any arrangements with the kennel, you should ask the staff whether they are experienced at looking after boarded mastiffs. If they have not boarded one before, you should seek a different kennel. When you find one where the staff have mastiff experience, you should visit that one.
The kennel should smell and look clean. The dog bedding should be both clean and look comfortable. The sleeping areas need to be draft free and dry.
Be sure that your Mastiff has access to an outside exercise area during the day. He should also have access to water at all times.
You should make inquiries about the feeding schedule your mastiff will be following. It should be as close to his feeding schedule at home if possible.
In addition to this, find out how much the staff knows about their boarders. Not only that, but feel them out about how much they know about dogs in general. While you don’t expect them to be experts, the staff should have a love of dogs and some type of knowledge in this area.
If you first board your mastiff when he is relatively young, even six months, he will become acclimatized to the kennel environment more easily. It is best to use the same kennel each time so the staff get to know your mastiff better and also so you dog won’t feel like the employers are strangers. He won’t feel the need to guard his territory all the time either.
One final note: consider a “trial” boarding. Have your Mastiff spend a day or so at the kennel when you’re not out of town. That way if it turns out not to work, you can pick him out. Then again, the chances are that the arrangement will work. So that when you do go out of town, you won’t have to worry needlessly.
You know your mastiff needs extra attention. That’s just the way the breed is. And it’s partially why you love him so. Don’t hesitate to put extra time and energy into your search for a kennel that knows the special character traits of the Mastiff and is willing to give him the time and energy he needs.
Is your mastiff dog getting the best care? All of the stuff you need to know on raising & caring for a mastiff is revealed. Find out more on finding the right mastiff kennels here!
