You’ve Decided To Leave Your Dog At A Boarding Kennel…

  • 23

You’ve Decided To Leave Your Dog At A Boarding Kennel…

Category:Kennel Blog,Uncategorised

It’s time to go on vacation, or a business trip, or leave home for some reason and you can’t take your favorite friend(s) with you. You have decided to let a boarding kennel take care of your dog while you are away.

If you need to find a quality boarding kennel ask your vet or friends who have boarded a dog for a referral. A quality boarding kennel, sometimes referred to as a pet hotel, will usually have real customer testimonials on their website. In addition, be sure to read the kennels web site to learn more about them. Kennels offer a variety of services and some charge for each service as an add-on, such as administering medications, a bath for your dog, fee’s for picking up or dropping off after a certain time of day, etc. Be sure to compare the services offered in addition to the daily boarding rate.

Also, choose a dog kennel where the owners live on site. Most kennels are small businesses and the owners usually live on the property. If you have the chance ask them if you can visit and take a tour of their facility. This will give you an opportunity to get a feel for the owners and see where your dog will be staying.

Another option is a pet sitter and there are some good one’s. However, if they have a family emergency or get sick or have car problems who will take care of your pet? And can you be sure they will be there when they say they will?

Some kennels allow many dogs to be together and interact in a “play yard”.
This is something you will need to think about. While this may sound fun for your dog, keep in mind that some dogs are friendly and may do fine is this environment, others are nervous, some might be timid and some get a little too excited. Nervous, timid or overly excited dogs can cause another dog to react in an aggressive manner towards it. An outbreak of aggression can occur in the blink of an eye before an employee has a chance to react.
Even dogs that have behaved well with their owner at a dog park may act differently in a kennel situation without their owner present.
Should a fight break out, even if kennel employees react immediately, significant injury, with the associated emergency vet bills, can occur. It is a risk and one only you can decide if it’s worth taking.

If you have a dog that may be aggressive to other dogs or to people, or is timid, be sure and tell them when you call to make a reservation. This isn’t something you want them to discover after you have dropped of the dog and left. Some boarding kennels will not accept certain breeds and some will not accept aggressive dogs or dogs with certain behaviors.

Some kennels are better equipped to deal with these kinds of dogs and the one’s that are will also be experienced and better suited for taking care of this type of dog.

If the kennel allows it, and they should, be sure to bring your dogs’ food. An abrupt change in diet can cause diarrhea and intestinal upset so you don’t want your pet to have to eat whatever the kennel provides. Also, be sure to tell them if your dog takes any medications at the time you make the reservation.

Some kennels will allow you to bring your pets bed or a favorite toy as well.

Keep in mind all kennels will require your pet to be up-to-date on vaccinations, which they really should be at all times anyway. They will also want your pet to be current with a flea and tick control product. It doesn’t matter if yours is an “inside” dog. All dogs go outside even if for short periods and a flea or tick can get aboard and hitch a ride. Most kennels will insist on this product being used because they cannot risk any dog bringing in fleas or ticks to their kennel, so it’s in your best interest if the kennel requires this treatment in order to protect your dog. If they don’t require this you may want to consider another option.

When considering which flea and tick product to use when boarding your pet be sure to get one that treats for both fleas AND ticks. Unfortunately, vets sometimes suggest a product that only treats for fleas.

Some boarding kennels provide grooming and nail trimming also, so this can be a good time to get that done while they are there. Again, be sure to request this when you make your reservation so they can schedule it.

When you arrive at the boarding kennel to drop off your dog, say goodbye to your dog outside before you go in. Once you check in, let the kennel employee take the dog and you should not make a big fuss about it. Dogs will sense if you are upset so try to be your normal self. This isn’t the time to hug and kiss and even cry while the kennel help is trying to take the dog into the kennel, it only makes it more difficult for everyone, especially your dog. Your pet will interpret this behavior as a message from YOU that he SHOULD be upset, worried and afraid. He will take his cue from you about whether he is going to like this new place and have fun there.

Be sure the kennel has an emergency contact number just in case they need to reach you or someone who knows you and give them any special instructions.

Boarding your dog is often more difficult for the humans than it is the dog. The dog will adjust quickly and be curious about their new surroundings, new people and new dogs. Dogs are curious animals and most of them are friendly and like to meet new people and other dogs.

People that own and work in boarding kennels do so because they love dogs. They love meeting new dogs and getting to spend time with them. As long as you have researched the kennel and have received good reports from others, or read positive reviews about them, you don’t need to worry about your friend.

Your dog will definitely remember you, even if it’s a long stay, and be excited and happy to see you when you return.

When you pick up your dog and the kennel brings the dog to you don’t make a big fuss or talk in a high-pitched voice or show a lot of excitement. Wait until you get home or outside to do that. Give your dog a little time to calm down and relax.

It is normal for your dog to be more tired than usual when you get home. They had a lot of excitement while you were gone and a routine that was different from what they were used to. Don’t be surprised if they sleep more than usual for 2-3 days after you get back home.

Remember, holidays and during the summer are popular vacation and travel times and they are busy times for boarding kennels so be sure to plan well in advance if you will need their services.

A boarding kennel or pet hotel can be a fun, positive experience for your dog and allow you to have a worry-free vacation or business trip.

Part of the Family Kennels
“Where Pet’s Feel At Home”


23 Comments

Insurancewhisper.com

July 7, 2015at 10:52 pm

Im obliged for the article post.Really looking forward to read more. Great.

Kaspirstek

May 7, 2016at 2:43 pm

You have probably the greatest online websites.

Kayla

January 23, 2018at 12:39 am

I didn’t know that some boarding kennels will not accept certain breeds and some will not accept aggressive dogs or dogs with certain behaviors. I will be going on a long business trip and no one will be watching my dog. My best friend suggested leaving it to a dog kennel and shared this article with me.

Elsa Anderson

January 23, 2018at 9:57 pm

I was thinking of leaving my buddy at a dog boarding facility this weekend as no one is available to keep watch over him for me. The dog boarding facility with the play yard is something that I would love for him to experience. Buddy should be able to enjoy the company of new canines as he’s a very friendly dog. I’ll be sure to check the dog boarding facilitator’s capabilities first though as you’ve suggested. Thanks!

Taylor Bishop

April 10, 2018at 1:32 pm

Thanks for helping me learn more about dog boarding kennels. It’s good to know that you should check with the kennel if you can bring your dogs’ food to keep it’s diet consistent. This seems like it could also be important if your dog has strict dietary needs that it has to follow.

Ridley Fitzgerald

April 10, 2018at 3:15 pm

I appreciate the information you shared about dog boarding. We are planning a summer excursion, and hope to discern the best place to trust out dog to. Our dog is not social and dislikes playing with other dogs, so we’ll have to focus on facilities that can keep them separate.

Riley Smith

April 11, 2018at 6:41 pm

It’s interesting that you mentioned staying relaxed when you pick your dog up from the kennel. I have been looking for a place to keep my dog while I go on vacation. It would be smart to stay calm while I pick them up so they can recuperate energy.

Jenna Hunter

April 25, 2018at 6:53 pm

I appreciate your advice to use a dog kennel where the owners live on the property. My husband and I just got a dog but we are going on a vacation this summer that we can’t bring him on. We are looking for options for his care and a kennel where they have access at all times, he can feel safe and comfortable and have lots of interaction with other dogs and people seems like the best way to go.

Alexandria Martinez

May 30, 2018at 8:35 pm

My fiance and I are interested in getting a dog daycare for our puppy while we are out of town. We have never used a service like this before and would love to learn more about what to expect. It was nice to know that our pup might be a little more tired than usual after bringing him back home.

Raymond Cooper

August 1, 2018at 10:42 am

My wife and I are planning a vacation that we can’t take our dog on. I thought it was cool to learn that some dog daycare centers can actually handle some grooming services. This would definitely be a nice perk to have when dropping our dog off before our vacation.

Michael Lee

October 30, 2018at 12:11 pm

With millennials being the largest pet and travel segment, pet boarding services can be doing very well. My wife and I are planning on taking a vacation to South America for a month and want to find a pet boarding service. Thank you for telling us that it will be normal for our dog to be more tired than normal when we return.

Ridley Fitzgerald

January 24, 2019at 3:17 pm

It’s good to know more about finding a pet boarding facility. I like how you said a good one will have real customer reviews and testimonials. I’ll be sure to check that before taking our dog to a facility for our vacation.

Silas Knight

March 5, 2019at 4:55 pm

It’s good to know more about boarding my dog. That’s what we’re looking to do when we go on vacation, so I’ll remember this. I’ll remember to bring my dog food to the kennel, like you said, so she doesn’t have any digestion problems.

Sam Li

April 8, 2019at 4:07 pm

I love what you said about finding a flea and tick product in order to reduce the risk of bringing such pests into a kennel. Boarding your dog in a pet resort is a great option when your family is away on vacation. My friend wants to board his Corgi in a pet resort, so I’ll help him find a facility that can keep his dog happy.

Steele Honda

May 23, 2019at 6:15 pm

Thanks for pointing out that if the kennel allows it be sure to bring your dogs’ food. I am thinking about boarding my dog when I go on a business trip this summer. I think that it would be nice to bring his food and maybe one of his blankets or toys that he really likes so that he doesn’t feel like he is in a completely different environment because I that that would help him.

Hazel Owens

July 9, 2019at 12:45 pm

I found it interesting that when a dog returns from a boarding house, he’s going to be more tired as usual. I’m going to go on a trip for two weeks, and I don’t have anyone to take care of my dog. I will look for dog boarding services that offer excellent care to your dog and has positive reviews.

Katie Wilson

July 22, 2019at 6:42 pm

Thanks for these tips on how to find a good pet boarding facility. I agree that you want to make sure they have good flea and tick control plans. My husband and I are looking for a pet boarding facility, so we’ll have to consider the health of your pet.

Ellie Davis

September 10, 2019at 2:41 pm

It’s interesting to know that some kennels allow many dogs to be together and interact in a play yard. My husband and I are thinking about traveling to another country, and we are looking for advice about where to leave my dog. I will let my husband know about the option of a boarding kennel to leave our dog.

Sophia Slate

September 20, 2019at 3:16 pm

Thank you for your great tip on how you should be sure to bring your dogs’ food if the boarding facility allows it. I’m going out of town and need to find a boarding facility for my puppy. I will definitely utilize all of your great tips and information when looking for a boarding facility.

David Johnson

November 7, 2019at 12:12 pm

Thank you for the advice to look at their website, because there you can learn about them and see testimonials. My dog is about a year old. We got him six months ago, and I’m looking at going on a vacation. We’ll have to find dog boarding services.

Charlotte Fleet

January 31, 2020at 7:37 pm

I like how you mention that it can be beneficial to ask the owners if you can visit the place before deciding to leave your animals there. My husband and I have been planning a trip for a while but have been figuring out what we should do with our dogs. I think we should find a quality dog boarding facility to help.

Trista

July 22, 2020at 2:00 pm

https://waterfallmagazine.com
We stumbled over here different web address and thought I might
as well check things out. I like what I see so now i’m following you.
Look forward to exploring your web page repeatedly.

rachel frampton

November 27, 2020at 9:10 am

I would like to leave my dog in a dog boarding facility because I’ll go on vacation this year. Well, it’s good to know that some boarding facilities will provide grooming and nail trimming services. We’ll also keep in mind to check if the facility has received good reports too.

Hours of Operation

Drop-Off (Check-in)
Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4pm
Saturday - 7:30am - 11am

Pick-Up (Check-out)
Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5pm
Saturday - 7:30am - Noon

New Customer Discount!

ALL New Customers

Good for boarding services only.

Click Here to find out how to get your discount!


Be sure to check our FAQ's for more information and answers to many questions.

Watch Our Cartoon!

Have You Heard About Our New Customer Discount?
Click here for details >>

X