My 18month old puppy stayed here on the 11th May 2013. When we arrived, the girl immediately…read moreseemed a little odd. She couldn't give me any eye contact, was monosyllabic and when my puppy (Gertie) wagged her tail and wanted to sniff and greet her - she took a step back as though she were afraid of dogs. At the time I put it down to the staff member maybe having a bad day and as Gertie had stayed at Aldington Kennels once before without incident - I left her for her overnight stay - albeit with a nagging feeling in my mind... I returned to collect Gertie on the following day to find the same member of staff working. Determined to make conversation, I tried to chat to her and asked how Gert had settled in. She ignored my question completely and so I asked her again. She mumbled something and so a third time - and more pointedly - I asked her how Gert had settled in. She mumbled 'fine' or 'OK' and went to collect my puppy. Gertie came running up to the gate around 30secs or so before the staff member and seemed highly agitated. As soon as the gate was opened and I had her lead she pooed immediately (this is not normal for her in any way). As you'd expect - I asked if Gertie had been out that morning and was told 'Errr, uummm yeah for a bit, but Sunday is a short day'. At this point I left as I just wanted to get Gertie home. The first thing she did was run to her food bowl and nose and lick the empty bowl. I fed her and she seemed ravenous. My thoughts at this point were 1) Was she fed, let out to go to the toilet and exercised or 2) Did she have problems settling in? Hopefully it's the later - the least upsetting option and in which case, I still have issue with the member of staff - her lack of even basic communication skills on every level. I spoke to our trusted vet who encouraged me to speak to the manager about my concerns. I called and was informed the manager was not there. The girl was very personable and so I gave her a brief overview. She said at once that she knew from my description exactly which member of staff I was referring to and that I was not the first person to comment on her attitude and they had tried to work with her on it and also the girl was nervous around dogs! (Does enjoying dogs not seem a fairly standard requirement for working at a kennels!?) She assured me that my concerns would be passed on and the manager, Jane, would call me. The following day - no call. The next day - no call. I called again and spoke to yet another member of staff who informed me 'she probably forgot' and 'She's not in until next Wednesday 22nd now'. Eventually, 10 days after Gerties stay, the manager called me back. She interrupted me throughout, gave no hint of an apology that it had taken her so long to contact me ('I need time off you know!') and generally had no concept of how to listen to, acknowledge and respond to my concerns. She didn't shout or fight - she just seemed to really not care. I don't wrap Gert in cotton wool. She doesn't need special treatment. But she DOES need to be safe. That means comfy, exercised, fed, able to relieve herself and given some affection. I need to be secure in the knowledge that that is what she gets when away from home - and I have HUGE doubts that the manager did nothing to appease. Most people who go to the expense of putting their dog into kennels feel that same way and that is why I've taken the time to leave such a long review. Your dog might be looked after here... but then again - maybe they won't. Don't risk it.

Just my opinion of Aldington..... Took my 2 year old male husky to aldington a couple of weeks ago…read moreand won't be going back there, young blonde girl was rude and didnt seem to want to tell me how he was, how he ate, his behaviour for 2 weeks when I picked him up. They also didnt bother wanting to see his papers and inoculations proof even when i offered it when taking him in. The young blonde girl that was there when came to get him was again rude as it seemed a hassle to get him and pay as they were "on lunch" when I came back from the airport to pick him up. He came out looking really bad and very stressed he also wasn't groomed at all so all of his malting fur was just left hanging out of him and as there are only 1 or 2 people that run it I don't think the dogs get enough attention during the day. I would look somewhere else in the future or look at boarding at someone's house. I also should add that he is kennelled every day since he was 16 weeks old at my girlfriends work so is not fazed by kennels.