Leaving a new German Shepherd puppy in kennels

[Stevo]

I've found myself in a bit of a tight squeeze. Due to a tragedy with someone near to me I have to take off out of the city for a week or so. It's not really a situation where I feel I can say no.

I've recently adopted (5 weeks ago) a wee German Shepherd puppy and am still in the stages of getting to know him and training him.

I really don't think it'd be appropriate to take him with me, and I live on my own so I'm going to have to leave him at the kennels. I've read that it's not encouraged to leave a dog this early but don't have much choice in the matter. Will leaving him cause any long term behavior damage or damage our relationship?

If being with so many strange dogs is going to be a problem I can find someone who he can stay with, but would prefer not to.

Thanks
Steve J

[Angie]

No, it likely won't cause any long-term damage. When their day to day lives are providing them with enough love, support, and exercise, dogs are pretty resilient creatures.
He likely will be pretty antsy in the short-term though - young pups and dogs don't do well in kennels. Try to find him one that makes a point of spending lots of time with the animals, exercising them, and supervising play. Ask any friends that have used kennels before for recommendations or warnings.
If this isn't possible, make special demands of the kennel you DO choose - nothing major, just an extra bit of attention every day, the food of your choice, etc.
Make sure he's all up to date with shots too before going in - reputable kennels won't accept dogs without proof of vacs, but it's best to be on the safe side. Speak to your vet about how to prevent Bordatella (kennel cough) - there's a shot available for this, but not all vets will administer it because there's been some controversy about whether it does more harm than good. I'm not saying don't get it for your dog - I'm just recommending that you ask your vet what his/her professional opinion on the vaccine is.
Before you take your pup in to the kennel, take him for a LONG walk, and take him for another one as soon as you get him back. Set plenty of time aside for games, exercise, training, and general hanging out in the days after you get back, as your dog will probably be a bit on edge.
Hope this helps
Angie