10 Things To Do Before Boarding Your Dog
 

1. Interview - Interview the kennel on the phone. Find out how long they have been in business and ask for references. Tour the facility before you schedule the boarding. Notice if the place is clean, check out where the dogs are boarded, walked, and if they seem content.

2. Look for Recommendations - Talk to a few kennels before you decide where to take your pet. Also, ask your friends or neighbors where they have boarded their pet and what their experiences have been. Don’t go for the cheapest deal, look for the best place.

3. Determine Kennel Requirements - Does your pet need any special vaccines for this kennel? Do they need a copy of the vaccine record? Can you supply your own food and treats, toys or your pets leash, collar or harness?

4. Check out Kennel Staff - Find out about the consistency with the staff – is it the same person seeing your dog everyday or someone new? Does the staff appear competent and do they look like they enjoy working with the dogs?

5. What is the Dog’s Schedule? - How often do they go out? Where are they walked? Is that enough to make your pet happy? Will you dog interact with other dogs?

6. Feeding Instructions - Consider taking your dogs own food and request that they kennel only feed his food. Your pet is already in a new environment which is most likely a bit stressful so don’t change anything you don’t have to.

7. Contact Information - Ensure that the kennel has your numbers where you can be reached in the case of an emergency. Include your cell phone and any emergency contacts.

8. Emergency Instructions - Just in case of an emergency, leave instructions on how to proceed. During emergency hours, the kennel may use a certain veterinarian or emergency hospital. During the day, if you want your pet to go to your regular veterinarian – leave your vets name and phone number. Leave instructions and a contact number or credit card number for emergency medical care.

9. Medical History - Obtain a copy of your pets pertinent medical record from your vet and give a copy to the kennel. This should include any medications, diagnosed conditions and problems. Include any behavioral quirks and information about his tag and microchip numbers.

10. Leave Special Instructions - Make sure you clearly indicate any special instructions. For example, if you pet requires medications, ensure the name of the medication, dose, both in mg and number of pills, and frequency.