5 Tips for Boarding Pets

When you leave your pet at a boarding kennel for the first time, it is not only a stressful experience for you but your pet as well. There are 5 tips that can help you relieve your stress and anxiety about leaving your pet at a boarding kennel. This tips will not only prepare you for the separation from your pet, but will ease your pet into adjusting to the situation also.

Tip #1 Choose a Certified Boarding Kennel

Before choosing a boarding kennel for your pet, do some research. Search the internet for boarding kennels in your area. By finding kennels online, you are often able to find customer reviews for each kennel, as well as prices and features for each kennel. This will allow you to narrow down your options for a boarding kennel.

Only choose certified boarding kennels for your pet. Veterinary offices often have boarding services available. It is good to choose kennels that have a veterinarian on hand incase an accident or illness should occur while your pet is at the boarding kennel.

Tip #2 Visit the Kennel

After you have a short list of possible boarding kennels you may use, go to each of the kennels for a visit. Talk with the staff and check out the boarding facilities. Make sure the area is clean and well kept for your pet's personal hygiene and safety. Talking with the staff will allow you to become comfortable with who will be caring for your pet. Ask the staff any questions or concerns you may have regarding boarding your pet to make an educated decision about where to board your pet.

Tip #3 Talk with Others

Find other pet owners in the area that have used boarding services at the facilities you are considering. Ask the other pet owners their opinions and experiences with the boarding kennels you are considering. Ask them if they had any concerns or poor experiences with the boarding facilities you are considering. By obtaining the opinions of others, you can ease your mind by ensuring you are placing your pet in a responsible and caring facility.

Tip #4 Prepare Your Pet

After you have made your decision about where you will be boarding your pet and prior to leaving your pet at the kennel, arrange with the boarding facility to take your pet in for a visit. This will allow your pet to meet the staff that will be caring for them. Plus, when you drop your pet off for boarding, the environment will be slightly familiar to them.

Prior to leaving your pet at the boarding facility, make sure their immunizations are current and any health concerns are addressed. Make sure your pet is healthy enough to be left alone. It is important for their immunizations to be current to reduce the risk of them contracting an illness or spreading an illness to the other pets at the boarding facility.

Tip #5 Bring a Piece of Home with Your Pet

Leaving your pet at a boarding facility is going to be stressful for them. To ease their anxiety, bring a little piece of home with them to keep at the kennel. Bring their bed or favorite toy along with them to make them feel safe. Just like small children, pets often have security objects that make them feel safe. Make sure that object goes with your pet to the boarding kennel.

References:

"Pet Boarding" BestFriendPetCare.com