Choosing A Place to Board Your Dog

Dog Breeds

All pet owners should make the time to look for a proper boarding facility within a reasonable distance from their home and their veterinarian. Inevitably, there will come a day when you will need to board your dog somewhere, even if only for a few days – a family emergency, a child’s graduation, or simply a long-overdue vacation.

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Introduction

All pet owners should make the time to look for a proper boarding facility within a reasonable distance from their home and their veterinarian. Inevitably, there will come a day when you will need to board your dog somewhere, even if only for a few days – a family emergency, a child’s graduation, or simply a long-overdue vacation. Choosing a place in advance will help you to avoid rushing into a decision that you may later regret.

Things to Think About

Think carefully about your dog’s needs even before you begin your boarding facility search. Will (or might) your dog need medical care while he or she is being boarded? Does your dog require lots of exercise, grooming or space? Does your dog have any separation anxiety, food aggression or other behavioral issues? Once you take some time to think about what type of boarding facility will suit your dog best, you can narrow down your potential choices.

Before you commit to any boarding facility, visit it first. Take a tour of the kennels, and check out the area where your dog will be walked and exercised. Meet the people who will be walking and feeding your dog. Pay particular attention to cleanliness and odor. Do all animals have clean, full water bowls? How frequently do they feed and exercise the dogs? If you are uncomfortable at all with any aspect of the boarding facility, look elsewhere. You may want to consider another boarding facility if the kennels are in poor condition, if the exercise and walking area does not meet your dog’s needs, and if the facility is not properly cleaned and maintained.

Once you have located a boarding facility that you are comfortable with, ask about any requirements you must follow before you can board your dog. Every legitimate boarding facility will require that your dog is up-to-date on necessary vaccinations, typically including a vaccine against kennel cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica). Some facilities have additional requirements such as having your dog micro-chipped or bringing in copies of your dog’s medical records. Complete any requirements that your dog needs in advance to avoid any last minute frustrations. Keep track of rabies vaccination certificates and other medical records in case that inevitable emergency comes up where you need a place for your dog to stay.

Another possibly viable option is to interview pet sitters, an increasingly popular occupation. Many people will come to your house several times a day to feed and care for your animals. Some will even live there while you are gone. Obviously, you will want to meet with these people several times and check their references before allowing them free access to your house. Your veterinarian may board cats and dogs at their clinic as well. And, if you are lucky enough to have a veterinary teaching hospital nearby, you can assess their boarding facilities as well.

Boarding Fact