Dog Kennel Guide

If you are searching the internet for dog crates then one name that you will encounter time and again is Vari Kennel by Petmate.  These crates are extremely durable being made from heavy duty plastic and so will last you and your pet a very long time.  This style of dog kennel has 3 main uses:

House Training

If you have a new puppy who is not yet house trained then vari kennels are a great option.  A dog will always try to keep the place where it sleeps and rests clean and so by making the kennel a fun place to be, by adding interesting toys, your puppy will want to spend time there but will try and hold on.  You do need to make sure that you take him outside regularly to allow him to go to the toilet somewhere suitable but he should gradually be able to go for longer and longer periods between going out.  The great thing about these kennels is that they are plastic and so very easy to clean and anti-bacterial and many versions have a gutter running round the edge of the floor so that if the puppy does happen to urinate he won’t have to sit in the wet.

Transporting

Most people need to put their dog in the car at some point or another.  Either to take him to the vets or a dog boarding kennels or when visiting friends and family.  A vari kennel is ideal for car travel as it has a handle on the top (up to medium sized kennels) for carrying it and a hole to pass a seat belt through which will make the journey much safer.  Strong wire mesh doors have easy opening latches for easy access to your pet.

Airline Travel

A petmate vari kennel is one of the few kennels which is airline approved.  This means that, unlike with many kennels, the kennel is allowed to transport dogs on a plane.  This is because it has plenty of ventilation so that the dog can breathe easily in the hold and special side bars which ensure that the kennel cannot lie flat against a wall reducing ventilation.  It is also possible to clip a water bowl to the door or floor in a deluxe vari kennel so there is no risk of your dog going thirsty on a long journey.   The final advantage is that they are one of the few kennels that vary in size from very small to large enough for a Doberman or Great Dane.

When you make the decision to go away on holiday then one of the first things that you will need to think about once you have made the booking is what you are going to do with your pets.  Are you going to use a dog kennel, dog sitter or get a friend or member of the family to look after him?  For many people a dog boarding kennels is the only real option if he can’t stay with a member of your family.

Before you sign up your dog for a holiday of his own go and have a good look at the dog boarding facilities available at several different places in your town.  You will find that they can vary quite a lot in what is offered and how much is charged.  When you arrive for your visit ensure that each dog kennel is scrupulously clean with fresh water easily available.  Find out whether they provide bedding and how often your dog will be exercised.  If every dog pen that you look into has a miserable looking dog in it then keep well away.

A quality dog boarding kennels will be happy to answer any questions that you have and will demand that your pet is up to date with all his vaccinations.  This way you can ensure that he is not likely to catch anything from another dog.  If you own cats as well as dogs then be sure to look for somewhere that also does cat boarding as this will stop you from having to drive all over town on the day before you leave for your holiday when you have a huge list of other things to do.

Some boarding kennels for dogs are more like luxury hotels with hydrotherapy pools, treat times and the whole range of dog grooming services from a simple wash and brush to nail and coat clipping.  These places will give you a choice of group playtimes, where your dog gets to play with others who are staying, or individual attention, which is often better for more aggressive breeds or un-neutered males.  They will often also give your dog a bath on the night before he is due to come home so that you get him back smelling lovely and fresh!

Once you have decided which of the dog boarding kennels is for you ask a few people who you see out walking their dogs if they know anything about these kennels as word of mouth is often the best way to find out about the quality of provision.