Do You Find This Strange?

[Mystiqview]

I got an email last night through my web site.

The person claimed a boarding kennel here in Brisbane refused to take their current 10 month old border collie bitch over the Christmas break later this year because she was "not desexed".

Here is the email:

Hi XXX,I own a 10mth old female border,I am enquiring if you board dogs?I am looking over xmas period,I tried to book her into XXXX kennel ,was told they couldn't take her as she is not desexed, they suggested I ask breeders,if you could offer any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

I told them strange the boarding kennel would say such a thing.

I could not take the dog as I am not licenced to do so

I have four of my own dogs (three of which are female)

Do not want the responsibility of their female being in season and having to lock her away

If they do not intend to breed, to get the dog desexed.

Advised them to contact licensed pet minding facilities (and gave an example or two)

To come onto DOL and either ask for good boarding kennels in and around Brisbane.

My first thought.. She maybe wants an accident to happen with her bitch of the puppy kind?

Am I wrong to think this?

Think I am getting too cynical... a current 10 month old bitch.. nothing stopping her getting it desexed between now and Christmas... WHY????

[italmum]

how odd...thats exactly what i was thinking..maybe she wants to breed OR maybe this is a way for her to get talking to you and work out how she would go about breeding her dog???

I dont think a bording kennel would refuse her :S unless the kennel itself is worried that she may get pregnant BUT if she isnt intending to breed. why not have her desexed??

[Mystiqview]

I had told her I know of people who DO board their bitches in season in kennels as they do not have the facilities to safely lock them away during season. That is the part I find odd. I know Christmas period is a VERY VERY busy time.

My dog is not available at stud (for one he's only 9 months old at present) and while he is currently being shown, I want him to mature first before considering whether he is suitable for stud duties. I have had a number of enquiries on him already because he's red/white and possibly carries sable. But he's just not available.

ETA: Spelling

Edited April 7, 2010 by Mystiqview

[Gayle.]

I don't intend to breed, but Dusty (2yo Australian Shepherd) isn't desexed and isn't going to be in the foreseeable future. I want to keep my options open regarding showing her, but also I don't want her coat to go to crap which it can when they're desexed.

When she's older, I'll re-evaluate but for now, my plans are for her to stay entire indefinitely.

But....if I were looking for somewhere to board her, I would not expect to be grilled on my reasons for my decision, and I would also NOT want people to make massive assumptions as in the above posts.

[Scarlet]

I didn't get the impression that she wants an accident.

But I do find it strange for kennels not to take an undesexed bitch. Years ago I boarded a dog because she was in season and I was having trouble containing her. This dog was potentially going to be bred from.

All other dogs I've owned have been desexed at 6 months but if I was going to use a dog for any sporting pursuits I would now wait and desex around 12 / 18months.

Christmas is a long way off so maybe she will have her dog desexed by then.

[Fit for a King]

There are some kennels north of Brisbane that will not take bitches in season but I haven't heard of any refusing undesexed bitches per se...very odd.

[Guest Willow]

I've never been asked when I've booked my dogs in whether they are desexed or not. Perhaps like someone else mentioned, the kennels don't have the facilities to keep bitches in season safe so have a blanket ban on all undesexed bitches??? Might be the safety of the bitch they have in mind, rather than them jus being awkward.

I suppose it's their perogative to turn away whoever they want really........

[WreckitWhippet]

Maybe they plan on putting lots of dogs together in run and doubling up on their kennel space.

It rings alarm bells for me

[Gretel]

Maybe they plan on putting lots of dogs together in run and doubling up on their kennel space.

It rings alarm bells for me

That was what came to mind for me too.

[tdierikx]

Maybe the kennels in question will have a few intact males over the period, and don't want them going mental if the undesexed female comes into season. Some males could hurt themselves trying to get to a bitch in heat...

I used to board my girl at the local vet clinic when she was in season, as my intact male was terrified of kennels. The male has since passed, and my girl is now desexed...

T.

[Clyde]

I know a few local kennels that don't board entire dogs in peak season. Off season you pay a hefty premium if your dog is entire too.

A couple of years ago I was expected to pay that hefty premium even though my girl was only 15 weeks old (I didn't end up needing her boarded thankfully).

Edited April 7, 2010 by Clyde

[oakway]

Well I am on the boarding kennel side.

If you have worked continously in the industry you would understand.

At busy times like Christmas and Easter entires are a pain in the butt.

At quiet times they are welcome.

[Mystiqview]

I know the kennel USED to take whole animals.

I had a look at their website and called them. They now no longer take undesexed animals over 6 months of age.

Their reason: "The bitches have always caused trouble and all the males do is want to hump them"

So it seems others maybe right. The kennels really want to double up the runs with multiple dogs.

Maybe I am getting too cynical with initial response to the email. I was however, polite in my email back to them. They were not "grilled" as someone put it. I said I found it strange that the kennel had said that, as I had known others previously boarding entire animals there. (The kennel while known to me, would not be my first choice in kennel in the first place, despite their awards)

My exact words were regarding the whole animal, "If you do not intend to breed, I would strongly suggest you desex her". It is something any ethical breeder would tell someone with a whole animal.

I listed my reasons for not able to board the dog: Lack of Licence *I don't want my arse sued if something goes wrong*, my own dog numbers and facilities *I am set up to board dogs in this manner* , and I was not able/prepared to juggle a potential bitch in season when I have three of my own. I also suggested they look at other boarding kennels/professional pet minding services.

Note: words contained within ** were not submitted in response back to person.

The email has come a day after another two stud enquires for a dog clearly listed on my web site as "Not available", so hence maybe too cynical.

[Staranais]

Perhaps the kennel meant that she should ask breeders where they board their dogs, rather than asking to board their dog with a breeder?

[Crisovar]

There are quite a few kennels that refuse entire animals full stop, especially cats.

During peak time I can fully understand a kennel refusing entire bitches, it would be totally disruptive having a bitch come in season in the kennels.

I see nothing shonky about that in the least.

[kirst_goldens]

I work in a boarding kennela nd we socialise the dogs in packs - if ther are entires they are NEVER mixed with other entires whether they are in season or not

so over chritmas we can sometimes have 3-4 entires all at the same time meaning we have at least 4 seperate mixing groups and making our life VERY hard so over the busy periods we have been known to say n o to our very regular clients.

We usually ask the question to anyu owner of an entire - why is it entire? we have a few breeders and show dogs though and are all promoters of purebred dogs so always push people to desex their dogs but at 10months we would have thought if pedigree might have been told to hold out for maturity. But she should be desexed if not being bred with.

[kirst_goldens]

I've never been asked when I've booked my dogs in whether they are desexed or not. Perhaps like someone else mentioned, the kennels don't have the facilities to keep bitches in season safe so have a blanket ban on all undesexed bitches??? Might be the safety of the bitch they have in mind, rather than them jus being awkward.

I suppose it's their perogative to turn away whoever they want really........

I think thats very irresponsible of the kennel to not ask if they are desexed!! Asking for trouble there

Thought i would mention as well we dont combine dogs in runs as mentioned at other kennels the only paired up dogs in runs are from the same family and we dont take entire cats either as they make the cattery stink wiht their spraying and we like the cattery to be clean and smell nice!!

[sandgrubber]

ditto that

Kennels can refuse any dog for any reason.

at xmas you can turn away any possible problem and know there will be another dog looking for a space

Well I am on the boarding kennel side.

If you have worked continously in the industry you would understand.

At busy times like Christmas and Easter entires are a pain in the butt.

At quiet times they are welcome.

[sandgrubber]

As for doubling up . . . many kennels allow 'play groups' . .. dogs are social animals and if you mix carefully, and pick and choose what dogs you allow, it can work very well. Putting unrelated dogs in the same run overnight without consulting the owner is shonky.

[kirst_goldens]

i agree we have many kennels around us that double up dogs that arnt from the same family in a run and i always think effing idiots!! what happens over night when nobody is there to supervise?? anything could happen!!