Need to Board Your Dog at the Last Minute?
Life is crazy sometimes, and things like medical emergencies, business trips, and home repairs can lead to an unexpected need to board your dog. As soon as you bring a dog into your life, you should begin to think about contingency planning to avoid the need to look for last minute solutions.
It’s helpful to have a place you trust in your back pocket when you have to separate from your canine companion.
As a first step in making contingency plans, you should visit dog day care facilities and dog boarding kennels in your area so you can make an informed and unhurried choice. By starting this process early, you’ll get a feel for offerings while getting your pup used to the facility of choice. If you become a regular doggie daycare client, your dog will be socialized and used to the surroundings, as well as likely being ‘first in line’ when you need to board them at the same facility.
Some tips to ensure you’re picking the right dog boarding kennel:
- The nose knows: if you smell a strong doggy aroma at the facility, you should steer clear. Why? Because the best facilities have special ventilation systems that keep the air clean and fresh.
- Take a tour. If the facility won’t provide a full tour or the areas the where the dogs sleep, play and eat, don’t book there. Note that all Dogtopia locations provide facility tours at any time, so feel free to call us or stop in at any of our locations.
- Reasonable temperatures should be expected. Think of your dog and their comfort level with heat or cold, and if the facility is either too hot or too cold for comfort, pick another.
- Large playrooms are a must when selecting open-play dog boarding facilities. This gives dogs room to run and prevents socialization issues tied to overcrowding.
- Sleep space is of particular importance. Many dogs benefit from a crate, and our dog boarding kennels are equipped with large crates to accommodate our overnight guests.
By touring and assessing, you’ll know which dog boarding facilities are the best fit for your beloved pet, and most owners find it extremely helpful to have a place they trust on speed dial when they need to board their dog overnight on short notice.
Of particular importance when making contingency plans: make sure your dog is current on all of their shots! All reputable and responsible boarding and dog day care providers will ask you about your dog’s vaccinations and will require proof of certain shots. If you’re not current, you will not be able to board your dog! This protects all dog guests from exposure to dangerous diseases, and should be a high priority item on every dog owners list.
If you take the above precautions, the next time something urgent comes up that requires you to leave your canine companion behind, you’ll be prepared and stress-free. If you’re a Dogtopia dog day care client, you can rest assured that your pup is going to be happy & safe while you’re away. Keep the goodbyes short and sweet and you may come back and find that your dog enjoyed his “vacation” just as much as you did!
