8 Tips for Finding the Best Dog Boarding Facility

If you are anything like us, your pups are your family. For us, they are like our kids. We literally take them everywhere with us from vacation to camping and on the boat. We rarely go somewhere that they can’t come along.

However, there are times when we just can’t bring them along – like a vacation to the Caribbean! We are extremely lucky to have a great Boarding Facility to take Sam and Willie. It is a bit pricey but for us having the piece of mind that they are safe and having fun while we are away, is priceless.

The Kennel we use is called Camp Bow Wow and they have locations all over the country. They offer the dogs daycare and unlimited play during the day and comfy kennels at night. We can use the app to watch the girls play during daycare which is great. They also offer snuggle time that is individual time with your pup that they text you photos of each day.

If you are looking for an awesome facility, I highly recommend them. But here are 8 tips to help you make sure a Boarding Facility is right for you and your pups.

1 – Get Referrals

Ask around to see where other friends with pets take their pups. I actually found Camp Bow Wow through my vet. Knowing I had a super high energy herding breed, my vet recommended I find a daycare facility for Sam for my long work days when she was just 6 months old. You can also check with your groomer or make inquiries at the local dog park.

2 – Schedule a Tour

Any reputable facility will welcome you for a tour of the facility. Most will be proud to take you around.

• Check out how they handle sanitation, does it smell?
• Is it crowded? What is the staff to pet ratio?
• What type of stimulation is offered? Are there pools, toys or activities for the dogs?
• Is there access to drinking water and the outdoors?
• How big are the kennels? Are pets expected to share kennels or have private bunks?
• Are there webcams for you to check in on your pets while they play?

3 – Check their Hours

Nothing is worse than to expect your dog to get to play all day only to find out that daycare isn’t offered on the weekends. Our facility has limited weekend and holiday hours but the dogs still get time out of their kennels.

• What time is Reception open?
• What times are check in / check out?
• What are play hours on the weekend or holidays?
• What hours are staff members onsite?
• How is the facility monitored during closed hours?

4 – Safety is Key

Although I want my dogs to have a great time while we are away, I most importantly want them to be safe and feel secure.

• What collars are required – most require quick release types.
• Are any breeds excluded? How do they handle aggressive dogs?
• Do they administer medication?
• How are elderly dogs managed separate from the other dogs?
• How are dogs separated in play groups?
• What vaccinations are required?
• Is there a germ control system in place in the ventilation system?
• What are emergency procedures in the event you pet needs vet services?

5 – What is their Interview Process?

When we introduced both of our dogs to Camp Bow Wow, they required an “interview” for each dog. Each one was required to have a monitored “play date” with another dog at the facility before having a trial daycare day with a full group. We got a First Day Grade Card at the end of the day. Both Sam and Willie passed with flying colors, but if a dog shows aggression they may not pass the daycare interview.

• Find out what vaccinations and vet records are required by the facility.
• Most require dogs to be spayed or neutered.
• Schedule an interview well in advance to your actual boarding date.
• Schedule a dry run short stay. See how your pet does with a one night stay. You will know when you pick them up if they had a great time or not.
• Make sure you are current on Flea and Tick prevention and Heartworm medication.

6 – Special Services for Special Needs

Sometimes you need to board your pet when they are not at 100%. We actually had this happen when we had planned almost a year in advance to go on vacation and board our dogs, then Sam blew out her ACL and needed knee surgery 6 weeks before our vacation. We didn’t want to leave her in a kennel for 10 days straight but there was no way she could handle daycare for 10 days either. Luckily our Kennel arranged for her to have small play dates with our dog Willie as well as to spend some time at the reception desk. This allowed her some time outside of the kennel where it was safe for her knee. They also had no problem providing her vet required short walks each day and medication.

• Ask lots of questions if you have a special needs pet that has been injured or is elderly.
• Make sure the kennel knows all of your pets needs. I’m a bit OCD but I brought the written vet instructions with us for our stay while Sam recovered from knee surgery.

7 – What about the Extras

Nothing is worse than picking up your pup from boarding and they smell like dirty dogs. We always schedule a bath for our girls on pick up day!

• Are there grooming services on site?
• Do they offer obedience training? Why not kill two birds with one stone? Schedule training during your boarding time!
• Do they give bed time snacks?
• How about extra cuddle time or individual play sessions?
• Do they provide beds in the kennels or do you bring your own?
• How about food if yours runs out?

8 – Book Early

Holidays and heavy travel times book up fast. We always try to book boarding before we even start booking our travel plans. If we don’t have boarding for the girls, we aren’t going anywhere. Check with your facility and see if they have required deposits or cancellation policies or minimum night stays.