Whether you’re traveling for your job or taking a vacation, you’ll eventually need to leave your canine behind. Unless you can convince a friend or family member to take care of him while you’re gone, you’ll need to board him in a kennel. And this means finding one that is suitable for your dog’s needs and temperament.

It’s important to realize that all kennels are different and offer varying levels of quality. Moreover, price is not always an accurate barometer of the level of care and attention your dog will receive during his stay. This is the reason you should shop around and compare multiple facilities. In this article, we’ll give you a blueprint for finding a kennel that suits your canine’s needs.

Visit The Kennel And Look Around

First, verify that sanitation and cleanliness are considered a priority by the kennel. The only way to do this is to visit the facility and ask to be taken on a tour. Look around the waiting area to check whether it is clean or dirty. Try to identify residual odors that suggest urine or feces have not properly addressed.

During your tour, peer inside the individual compartments where your dog will be staying. Are they large enough? Is the bedding clean? Are there signs of urine and feces in the compartments? Also, note the cleanliness of the air to determine whether there is sufficient ventilation.

Take a look around the yard outside where your canine will be allowed to roam and interact with other pets. Is it clean or is there a lot of trash in view? Are the food and water bowls clean?

The tour is critical. It will reveal whether the boarding facility is kept sufficiently clean to prevent diseases and related problems.

Speak With The Employees

Following the tour, take the time to speak with the facility’s staff. Ask for details regarding their training and credentials. This is also the time to inform them about specific problems involving your canine, and to learn how they might handle such things. For example, if he has bitten someone in the past, let them know. If he typically vomits for the first couple of days in your absence, tell them. If he needs to take medications, ask whether the staff is prepared to provide them each day.

How Are Emergencies Are Handled?

Every kennel maintains their own set of procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. Ask for details regarding these procedures. A boarding facility will usually check the dogs in their care at least once a day to ensure they remain healthy. If there are changes in the canines’ physical condition, it’s important the staff responds appropriately.

If the kennel is attached to a veterinarian clinic, it’s likely that emergencies are addressed on site. Otherwise, ask for clarification regarding where injured or ill pets are taken.

Inquire About Daily Meals And Activity

Ask whether you can leave the food your dog normally eats with the staff at the boarding facility. The reason is because canines often become anxious when their owners leave them. This anxiety not only triggers digestive issues, but can also cause them to lose their appetite, especially when presented with food that is foreign to them. By bringing your dog’s normal food, you’ll make it easier for him to eat when you’re away.

Realize there may be an extra surcharge applied to any meal outside the scope of the kennel’s typical meal plan. Don’t forget to ask for clarification regarding how much, if anything, you’ll be charged.

Also, find out how often your dog will be allowed to roam outside. Here, too, every facility is different. Some schedule frequent exercise breaks throughout the day. Others limit breaks to once or twice each day. If your canine is active, remaining cooped in his pen for hours at a time may cause him stress.

Boarding your dog does not have to be an unpleasant experience. In fact, many kennels are designed to make canines as comfortable as possible while their owners are away.

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Category: Pets
Keywords: finding a suitable kennel, kennel for your dog, kenneling your dog, dogs, pets