Most pet owners face the problem of where to keep the pet when they have to travel outside either on a family getaway or a business trip. Every time it may not be feasible to take the dog along with them. The best solution to this problem is to look for a good and reputed boarding kennel where they can keep their darling pet dog for the time while they are away. However, it is required that proper checking is done about the boarding kennels for dogs before the beloved pet is being sent there.
Things to check about the boarding kennel
You may want to pay a visit to some of the boarding kennels in your locality and check out a few things about them, which will give you the confidence that your beloved pooch will be in safe hands while you are away. The things that you should be checking are as the following.
- The facility of the boarding kennels for dogs should be clean and well maintained. It should not smell foul, which is a common problem with most kennels and pet boarding houses.
- There should be enough outdoor space for the dog to run, play and exercise. The play or exercise space should be protected against sun and rain.
- The frequency of feeding the pets is something that you should be particularly interested in. You would also need to check if they allow owner’s food to be given to the pet or it has to be the dog food that is supplied by them.
- Whether services like grooming, training or bathing would be available or not is something that should be checked properly. If the duration of the stay is long, these services should be there without fail.
- The kennel should have an in-house veterinary expert who can provide required vet services to the pet should there be a need. Many kennels claim to have one such in-house vet, but in reality, what they do is they arrange for a vet if there is a requirement. You can ask for the details of the vet to check this out personally.
- Lastly, you should try to meet the kennel staffs in person to understand whether they are caring and knowledgeable enough to handle your pet dog with care while you are away.
Things that you should not forget
Do not forget to get your pet vaccinated with Bordetella vaccine, which is the vaccine for a kennel cough and it helps protect your darling dog from getting infected from other animals that it would interact with while being in the boarding kennel.
You would also be required to train your pet dog about the basic commands so that it does not find itself out of the world when it visits the kennel. If your dog is not very social, then before keeping it in the kennel, you may want to take it out for strolls in the community so that it gets habituated mingling with other canines.
You can also try keeping your pet in the boarding kennel for a testing period before you leave him there for the longer duration. This would help the poor dog get accustomed to the place and other animals and would give you a fair idea about the kennel that you have chosen for your beloved dog’s stay.
