Doggy Sleepovers: Boarding Made Easy

The benefits of boarding your dog are not limited to just your furry family member. You benefit from doggy sleepovers just as much, maybe more. We all know that leaving your dog behind for any reason has to be a difficult time, even if it’s for a family vacation or a happy occasion. It doesn't have to be hard….which in turn eliminates your stress, and your dog's stress, and allows for easier goodbye kisses. Doggy sleepovers don’t have to lead to separation anxiety and added stress once you see how boarding your dog can be made easy.

Unfortunately, the time may come when you just can’t take the family dog on an outing with you. In hopes that this event is planned in advance, then bookings for boarding your dog should be as well. Establish a safe place in advance. Don’t leave this for the last minute. Not only will it frazzle your nerves, but your dog will also become agitated too. In this day and age, the obvious place to start the journey of boarding your dog is online. Once you locate a few facilities near you check out their internet presence, especially their social media. You should be able to establish the facility's credibility, and professionalism, and get an overall vibe just by following via social media. Online reviews will also be available.

Next visit local boarding facilities in your spare time. If the facility runs a daycare think about enrolling your dog part time just before your trip. Part-time socialization is a great training tool, even if you're not planning a trip out of town. When you establish a safe place, and a second home environment, the initial separation day isn’t so stressful. Knowing the facility and pre-booking before you leave is priority number one when boarding your dog.

Within your quest for finding pre-bookable boarding facilities for your doggy sleepover, you’ll more than likely visit them, so what should you look for in the consultation and walk-through process? Aside from the obvious facility requirements and reasonings for boarding; cleanliness, the behavior of other dogs interacting with staff, facility safety, and how well your questions are answered, be ready for the paperwork. I know we all hate it but filling out paperwork is essential and not just for obvious reasons. Why? Because if you have to do it, so does everybody. This means the facility is true to policy and they are running a legit business. Proper paperwork and vaccination requirements ensure that all dogs are up to date on vaccines, and are flea free. A facility that runs a tight ship is one of the benefits of boarding your dog. You need to make sure that the facility you board your dog with truly cares. A strict vaccination policy ensures the health and safety of your dog, and all dogs at the facility.

While on the topic of policy, there is sure to be an application process between you and the facility. Within this application process, there should be locations to add an emergency contact and your veterinarian information. This is typically provided with a release agreement that states; should your dog need emergency care, your veterinarian will be accessible or the facility has the right and responsibility to bring your dog to the veterinarian of their choice. Another added layer of protection is to add your emergency contact and veterinarian information in your doggy sleepover bag, with a feeding and medication schedule.

When it comes to the actual sleepover there are a few important things that you should pack when boarding your dog. You want your dog to be as comfortable as possible, unfortunately, a stress-free separation is almost impossible but when you leave behind familiar scents, food, and a safe zone, you dramatically lessen your dog's sensory overload. Make sure to ask the boarding facility if it’s ok to bring your dog's own food, bed or blanket, and favorite toy.

First, as soon as your dog enters the new facility they are going to be overwhelmed with smells. We all know how well a dog's nose picks up scents. Having their favorite toy gives your dog a familiar smell and a way to release some of their sensory overloads. Having some smells from home is a tremendous stress reliever. Typically your dog's bed is his safe place, so when you bring their bed he has that familiar zone and should respond well to it. Many Boarding facilities are open rooms, which is great, but if your dog’s been crate trained then this could be a comfort zone for their planned doggy sleepover. A good boarding facility will accommodate you and your dog. Ask if there is a place to set up your dog's crate, complete with his or her bed and favorite toys. Lastly, you should supply your dog’s own food. Upset stomachs can be triggered simply because of the stress in your dog's routine, if you abruptly switch your dog's food it can cause stomach issues as well. Also, your dog may not eat a newly introduced dog food, now we have stomach issues and a bad feeding schedule. When you pack your own food for your doggy sleepover, you ensure your dog will eat as usual and with less chance of stomach issues.

Another element of protection The Beach Dog Daycare recommends is a brief meeting with the Animal control officer in the town where the boarding or doggy daycare facility is located in. This accomplishes a few important aspects of your doggy sleepover. It allows the officer to meet and greet your dog. This is the best descriptive information should a lost dog become an issue. It makes the officer aware that there is a new ‘out of town’ dog under that officer's care. It’s also an opportunity to have your dog's microchip checked for proper readability. Sometimes microchips migrate or malfunction. Make sure the chip is easily located, and the contact information is current and retrievable.

One of the most important steps is the initial consultation with the owner or head of staff is the ‘takeaway.’ How do you feel when you leave the meeting? You're contemplating leaving your furry family member in this facility's hands. If you don’t feel the love then how can you expect your dog to? This consultation should leave you satisfied that your dog will be well provided for. The best facilities will customize your stay to make boarding your dog so good they might not want to go home when you pick them up.