10 Tips for Finding a Good Dog Boarding Facility -

Finding a Good Dog Boarding Facility

Lancelot and Sheba, my two Rottweilers, along with Tama and Cheetah, my cats, were the reason I looked into boarding pets and dog boarding. Can you imagine taking a 135 pound Rottweiler with a freaky Siamese to vacations even for a day? The following are my top 10 tips for finding a good dog boarding facility.

1. Make Your List And Check It Twice

Make a list of all the dog boarding facilities around, then call them and make sure they are still in business since last year’s yellow pages may not be reliable. Ask the facility if they have an opening and if they have a limitation on size. Some veterinarians accept boarding for cats and small dogs only.

2. Ask Vaccination Requirements

Dog boarding facilities should require proof of vaccination and if they don’t ask, you should just hang up and move on. Clarify exactly what type of vaccinations and what type of proof they require and make sure that you have it. Canine Kennel Cough (Bordetella) is one of the requirements.

3. Ask Who Supervises The Supervisors

Inquire about the credentials of the person in charge and how often he or she is around. A super doc who runs twenty boarding facilities cannot pay attention to all of them so she must delegate. Find out about the qualifications of the person who actually runs the facility.

4. Visual Inspection

Stop by and see if the facility looks and smells clean, has enough light and ventilation, and if the temperature is comfortable.

5. Talk To The Staff

Do they give you a warm, fuzzy feeling and show knowledge and care for the pets?

6. Running Wild

Do dogs have enough room to move inside their kennels and do they have an area to run outside? How often are the dogs taken out for a walk? (I had to pay a little extra for them to take mine for a walk twice a day.) Make sure the outdoor area is protected from wind, rain, and snow, and determine if dogs spend too much time there. This is easy in California where I live but I don’t know about Toronto in winter.

7. Comfy Cozy

Make sure that your dog has a place to lie down aside from the concrete. Sheba, my female Rottweiler would go crazy if she didn’t have a little cushion between her and the hard floor. The funny thing is that she puts her back end on top of the cushion and rests her head on the hard floor. Go figure!

8. What about Dog Food?

How often and what type of food are they given? Again, my Rottweilers have sensitive stomachs and other than a very specific brand of food, all other brands would cause them severe diarrhea. So I had to make sure that the dog boarding facility would allow me to take my food in after I found out they didn’t carry what my dogs needed.

9. What Services are Provided?

Make sure the facility has the ability and access to veterinary services and check out the luxury items such as grooming and bathing. I asked them not to bathe Sheba and Tama since it would stress them both out. I may have been too particular but I would rather keep them calm than clean.

10. Don’t Forget The Rates

Make sure you understand exactly what is offered, what is optional, and how much it will cost. Ask about the check-out time to avoid costing you an extra day.

I had a wonderful experience with the dog boarding facility I found. May you be as fortunate.

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“10 Tips for Finding a Good Dog Boarding Facility”

Guest Writer: Puppy Playground Dog Daycare & Grooming Salon

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MY QUESTION FOR YOU:

Do you take your dog(s) to Dog Boarding facility when you go away without your pet(s)?

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Jeanne Melanson

Founder at Animal Bliss

Jeanne is the founder of Animal Bliss. Originally from Nova Scotia, Canada she has lived in the United States for more than 20 years now. She is deeply passionate about animals of all kinds and started this site to share that love with others.

Her own animal experience is vast, having raised and rescued Alpine Goats, Chickens, Turkeys, Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs, Turtles, Raccoons, Cats, Dogs, and even an Opossum and Bearded Dragon.