This is part of a series of blog posts about starting your own dog daycare or boarding business.

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     Welcome back to our blog series called Dog Behaviors 101, today we are going to talk about urination, yes pee. As dog owners, lovers, or admirers from afar we all know the joys of dog pee... Okay, maybe "joys" is stretching it a bit let's just say we know a lot about it and what a nuisance it can be. And just imagine what a nuisance pee can be with many, many dogs all in one place at the same time! A lot of our customer's can attest to this!

There are many thoughts, ideas, and ways to help eliminate excess urination, here are just a few: 

     The first idea is to make sure the kennel is clean and pee odorless. According to a post by Barking Royalty Blog (2018), "dogs leave an enzyme that marks certain spots as 'the potty place,' which calls dogs to use the area." Gator Kennels uses special plastic called HDPE or High Density Polyethylene, this material along with the aluminum we use, allows for easy cleaning that will not rust. Our kennels can simply be sprayed with cleaner and hosed down. While we do recommend certain cleaning agents, they typically are not hard to find or are costly. Check out a past blog post we did on proper cleaning as well as the kennel care page on our website. 

www.gatorkennels.com/blog/what-to-use-to-clean-dog...         www.gatorkennels.com/kennel-care/

     Another way to eliminate excess urine is to consider the kennel size. Yes, size does matter when it comes to dog kennels. Having a kennel that is too big can give the dog a place to urinate as well as plenty of room for rest. It is really important to consider the layout and kennel sizes when planning your space. Gator Kennels offers example kennel sizes and layouts. And we also build custom sizes that fit each customer's needs and space. Our most popular and cost effective size kennel is 6 foot long by 4 foot wide.  www.gatorkennels.com/kennel-layouts/

     Associating the kennel with food is an additional idea. Like us, dogs would rather not eliminate where they eat   (2018, Barking Royalty Blog). Gator Kennels has a great upgrade feature called the Fast-Feeder that can help with this suggestion. The Fast-Feeder is a system that allows you to rotate the provided food and water bowls into the kennels without having to open the kennel gate. Once the dog is finished eating, simply rotate the Fast-Feeder back to the outside of the gate. We currently use Kennel Gear's bowls with the quick connect clip system that is easily removable. The Fast-Feeder is one of our favorite upgrade features that we offer!          www.gatorkennels.com/kennels/gate-upgrades/

     The final idea is in regards to urine marking. According to WebMD - Healthy Pets (2019), urine marking can be caused by territorial instincts, exciting social situations, and anxiety. Besides proper cleaning (see above) the structure of the kennel itself can really help with these matters. Gator Kennels offers custom style kennel gates such as a half solid gate with the other half slotted or glass. The solid portion of the gate helps to hinder the visuals the dog has while in the kennel as well as a place to hide behind if needed, both of which help the suggested causes of urine marking.   www.gatorkennels.com/kennel-gate/

    While we can't completely eliminate the elimination process, for obvious reasons, there are ways to help reduce excess urination. Check us out, we can't wait to help you plan your ideal kennel space!

www.gatorkennels.com