No matter how much you are attached to your dog, there will be time when you want to go on a holiday but the destination has a strict no pet policy.
Apart from getting help from one of your neighbour or family member while you’re away, the next best option will be sending your dog to a dog boarding facility.
You should not send your dog to just any local dog boarding facilities because you will be surprised by the poor standards of these facilities. You definitely do not want nor trust your beloved dog with them.
These are a few things you’d have to go through before choosing a local dog boarding facility for your dog while you’re away.
1. Pay them a visit
The best way to assess the quality of a dog boarding facility is to personally pay them a visit. There is no shortcut to it.
This is because you get to see and experience the facility conditions yourself as well as finding out things like:
- Hygiene condition
- Kennel size
- Health and vibe of other dogs
- Staffs attentiveness
Paying a personal visit to the facility is way better than reading reviews online. Also, you get to ask them questions, and this brings us to our next point.
2. Ask questions
When you are at the dog boarding facility, be sure to ask questions, especially the right questions.
For example, ask what activities do they provide for their boarding dogs. Is there any exercise time and if yes, how long and how often? Do they get to run free or just lead walking?
If you have a sensitive dog, you may also want to ask if they allow bringing your own bedding and toys. This would help making the transition from home much easier.
Besides that, you may want to ask if their staffs are a member of any professional body and if they have any animal care qualifications. All these point towards how good and professional a dog boarding is in terms of their ability to take good care of your dog.
3. Feeding
It is worth to ask the food they are going to feed your dog too. If your dog has digestive problem, a good dog boarding will allow you to supply your own food for your dog because a change of food can be unsettling to some dog’s digestive system.
It would be a bonus if they are able to replicate your feeding time at home so that your dog can stick to its routine.
Having access to fresh water is very important. Make sure that there is always fresh water available constantly at their kennels.
4. Facilities
Next, find out what other facilities are available at the dog boarding centre apart from the basic necessities.
For example:
- Are there any activity area?
- How does the kennel arrangements be like?
- Is there webcams that allow you to interact with your dog?
- Any in-house vet or at the very least, be registered with a local vet?
5. Review
Getting reviews or feedbacks from friends and family definitely help as well. Ask around if any of them have had any experience with any good local dog boarding and if their dogs come back happy and healthy.
Try visiting a local dog club or search an online forum to gather more feedbacks if there’s nobody you know locally who boards their dog at that facility.
To conclude, it is advisable that you follow the above guide. It will definitely help you in choosing a suitable boarding facility for your dog while you’re away on a holiday. However, at the end of the day, trust your own feelings and instincts. If something seems amiss or if there’s something that you’re sceptical about, keep looking – do not just settle.
Afterall, only when you’ve found the one that you can 100% trust to look after your beloved pet well that you would be able to enjoy your vacation fully. There are many good options out there – you just have to find them.
Mr Woofles is a dog boarding in Melbourne, offering expert care with a strong focus on your dog’s individual happiness and overall wellbeing. Our dog daycare and boarding programs are focused on providing enrichment and enjoyment for your dogs in a healthy, safe and fun environment.