Cleaning Dog Kennels

 
There are a lot of questions presented by new dog breeders about the best way of cleaning dog kennels. Cleaning dog kennels might not be the most enjoyable aspect of animal care, but it is crucial.

Whether you breed dogs for a living or just occasionally, you must provide them with a clean place to live.

Proper cleaning involves more than just removing everyday mess and dirt; it also involves thorough disinfection of the kennel area. That leads to the question of how often should you clean your kennels? The answer depends on how many dogs are in your kennels, how boisterous and messy they can become, and the type of materials used in your kennel areas. 

A good recommendation is for you to arrange a few sessions with your local kennel cleaning expert. These visits will allow you to determine an optimal cleaning routine for your kennel setup. While they are there, you can get some tips and advice from the expert. Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how silly they seem. After all, they are experts, so take the opportunity to learn from them.

Cleaning Dog Kennels – One Key is Making Sure You Build with Easy To Clean Materials

If you are still in the process of building your dog kennels, it’s important to use easy-to-clean materials that do not allow mold, bacteria, and viruses to thrive. Generally, the easiest surfaces to clean are metal or plastic. Wood or other organic materials are less easy to clean, and grass is worse. There are specialist kennel flooring products available, such as Dog Kennel Decking. This flooring provides an easily cleanable surface and also one that is soft on your dog’s joints.

Once your kennel is complete, the next step is to do your research and look for kennel cleaning products that have a good reputation in the marketplace. We recommend this, as we have heard the stories of dog daycare owners who have closets full of cleaning products that didn’t work.

Get Rid of Any Cotton Towels or Mops.

Cotton may have excellent breathability, but it is challenging to keep sanitized. The reason for this challenge is because of cotton’s organic nature. Disinfectants and other sanitizers work by breaking down organic compounds, thereby degrading your cotton cleaning products.

Sanitizers and disinfectants do not distinguish the fibers of your cotton cleaning products from dirt, germs, or other organic compounds. Therefore, their active ingredients bond to cotton fibers just as effectively. The result is less active sanitizer or disinfectant to working on removing bacteria.

Polyester or microfiber is a more effective solution for towels, mops, and other cleaning products. These materials are also a more suitable choice for your kennel bedding.

Certain viruses and bacteria can survive regular cleaning routines. If one of your puppies has soiled their bedding or a dog has been sick, adding an EfferSan tablet will eradicate any germs that linger in the bedding. You should also put the bedding through an additional rinse cycle and set your dryer to high when drying this bedding.

When Cleaning Dog Kennels, Understand the Disinfectants You Use.

The general consensus for dog kennel owners is to make sure you use effective products when cleaning dog kennels.

You should understand that it’s impossible to eradicate all pathogens with a single product. Viruses come in two different forms, envelopes and non-enveloped, and they have various means of spreading. Therefore, you need to use different methods to get rid of them. For instance, you can kill many enveloped viruses with regular soaps. However, non-enveloped viruses are more challenging to eradicate.

You must ensure that whatever disinfectant or sanitizer you choose will combat germs responsible for causing common illnesses in dogs. Therefore, before purchasing, ensure you research the disinfectant or sanitizer and test it thoroughly.

For instance, many people claim that ammonia products effectively kill Parvovirus. However, plenty of studies have shown quaternary ammonia to be ineffective in eradicating this pathogen.

Parvo is classed as a non-enveloped virus, commonly found in kennels. Possibly a more significant concern for kennel owners is the speed at which the virus spreads. If you have concerns about this virus or want to understand it more thoroughly, try visiting Maddie’s Fund or the Humane Society as excellent starting points.

The Importance of Frequent Cleaning 

If you have a professional kennel facility, daily cleaning is crucial. Spending just a few minutes each day keeping your kennels clean can save you from catastrophe. Additionally, you should instigate a program of weekly and monthly deep cleaning.

A regular cleaning routine is not only good for keeping your kennels in good order but for your dogs too. Dogs are creatures of habit that thrive on routine. Therefore, adhering to a regular cleaning routine will keep them calm and relaxed.

Regular Cleaning Checklists

There is no “best way of cleaning.” However, you should establish regular cleaning routines that work best for your kennels. Scheduled daily cleaning is self-explanatory, and you should also program weekly and monthly routines.

Here are some tasks to complete during these regular cleaning sessions:

Daily Kennel Cleaning

• Remove debris.
• Wipe away any noticeable dirt or mess.
• Check bedding for soiling, and replace if required.
• Spot-clean any areas of soiling with a pet-safe disinfectant.
• Clean food and water bowls, and replenish with fresh.

Weekly Kennel Cleaning

• Sanitize your kennels with a tested anti-Parvovirus product.
• Remove all toys. Clean them with water, then soak them in a sanitation solution. Rinse them thoroughly before allowing them to dry. Ensure they are thoroughly dry before returning them to the kennels.
• Remember to wash bedding and towels as thoroughly as you can.

The more dogs in your kennels, the more frequently you should deep-clean the area. Also, if you offer “doggy daycare” services and have dogs coming and going daily, you should carry out the above steps every day.

It is also good practice to conduct this level of cleaning after resident dogs have left. Despite seeing their vaccination records, you can not guarantee their actual health situation. Therefore, you cannot be sure of anything they may be carrying.

Monthly Kennel Cleaning

• Thoroughly scrub walls, floors, and ceilings.
• Use an alternate disinfectant or sanitizer to your usual product.
• Thoroughly rinse after applying disinfectant or sanitizer.
• Allow surfaces to thoroughly dry before re-using the area.

Consulting a dog kennel cleaning expert will help you establish a good routine. You may get some information from Google or YouTube, but there is nothing compared to personal on-site advice.

One thing is for sure – dogs will always want to have fun, get muddy, and create a mess. Therefore, having an excellent kennel-cleaning process in place will help them enjoy your kennels and remove the stress of cleaning up after them.