Is privacy right for your dog?

As pet owners, choosing a boarding kennel for our fur-family is important. Just as we sift through a list of hotels to get the best one we can afford, it takes time to find the kennel that fits our needs. Though privacy isn’t top of mind when we’re exploring our options, it is something to keep in mind. In the meantime, we think of:

Comfort
Safety
Socialization

For many, the first two are of primary interest, but for others, socialization is the most important — though not for the reasons most would think. Socialization, the art of introducing and maintaining animals to new things, won’t always work, particularly when dogs are pushed past their ability to self-regulate in busy environments, a dynamic explored further in redlining in dogs and behavioural overload.

It’s for this reason we created the concept of privacy. Of course, some kennels choose only privacy, keeping all guests on their own. There are two complications with this concept. The first is that dogs are, for the most part, pack animals. Most dogs want to play with others. That’s why it’s been our policy to socialize our guests. The second issue is cost. Socialized dogs permit us to work with more than one family at a time so we can keep costs lower.

For those who aren’t comfortable, we have privacy. It isn’t for everyone, and for some, we must make that choice for you.

Five reasons to opt for privacy

1) Aggression
Whether they have a history of being attacked or haven’t been able to socialize with others over time, there are many reasons some dogs just aren’t good with others. Rather than force them to “play nice,” privacy gives them the comfort of playing by themselves, or in some cases, only with their own family.

2) Fear
Sometimes it isn’t you, but what your dog perceives in others. Fear and stress can manifest in health issues. If a dog is nervous about how others will play, privacy can alleviate that stress.

3) Poor recall
Lucy.
Lucy.
Come, Lucy.
Come on, Lucy.

We’ve all heard it — calling a dog incessantly as they ignore their name. While many of these guests can play with others, when it’s time to return to the kennel they refuse and we end up playing the “you can’t catch me” game. This can become a safety issue when the kennel is busy and we need to rotate dogs responsibly, which is one reason recall reliability depends on more than just training drills, as outlined in improving recall beyond training.

4) Humping
Unfortunately, some dogs — male or female, neutered or not — hump everything they see. This can start fights because other dogs aren’t happy with the situation. Privacy prevents the pattern from escalating.

5) Unneutered males
It doesn’t always happen, but there are times when unneutered males don’t play well with others. Hormones can raise intensity, and some dogs try to hump or posture in ways that trigger conflict. We don’t penalize dogs for not being neutered, but if they don’t play well with other guests, they may end up playing with our two-legged staff members instead. The Ontario SPCA notes that hormones and social maturity can influence how dogs respond to other dogs in close-contact environments Ontario SPCA guidance on dog behaviour and social interactions.

Privacy as an option

Privacy is not a punishment. Our service guarantee is for guests to enjoy the same care and supervision as though they were socialized. Because of this guarantee, however, we may be forced to place some guests on privacy for their safety or for the safety of others.

In truth, we would prefer not to need privacy, but we recognize that some guests require care without socialization. Not sure whether your dog needs privacy? Let us know when you check in. We are careful with introductions, but our success increases as we gain more knowledge.