When You Can't Take Your Dog On A Trip With You (Part 1)

There are times when dog parents, no matter how much they want to, can’t take their dogs with them on trips. When that happens, dog parents actively look for ways to make sure that their dogs are comfortable in their absence. So what should you do when this happens?

1. Board at a kennel
2. Board at your local vet hospital
3. Board at someone’s home
4. Hire a pet sitter

Which option is the best?

Boarding at a kennel

Like all dog parents, if you’re opting to board your dogs at a kennel, you also want to look for ones that are clean and smell good. Kennels should have good ventilation, good temperature, and trained staff. The cages where dogs are kept and other areas should be clean and safe and finally boarded animals must always have access to fresh, clean drinking water. Apart from that, here are some questions to ask:

1. How frequently do you check on your boarded dogs?
2. How frequently are the kennels cleaned?
3. What do they use to clean the kennels?
4. How often are dogs allowed to go outside and exercise or play?
5. What is the feeding schedule like? Can they accommodate your dog’s feeding schedule?
6. Can your dogs bring their favorite toy, food or bed along with them?
7. What is the protocol like when a dog falls sick?
8. Are the kennels monitored at night?

Be sure to tell the staff to contact you if there’s anything wrong with your dog. If you decide to board them at a kennel, be sure to keep all vaccination records ready for them to verify.

Remember to board your dogs at a kennel if it has clean cages, areas where dogs play and areas where dogs exercise. The kennel should have soft dog beds to keep your dog warm at night. If the kennel is stinking, if certain areas are off-limits to visitors, or if the cages aren’t maintained well, walk away immediately.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay