What Makes a Dog Boarding Service Reliable Enough to Trust?
You may have experienced that unique sensation of anxiety you experience when leaving your pet with a stranger, particularly if this is the first time you’re leaving him or her in care other than family. As you pull away from the property, and you look back at the stranger (who has now taken possession of your pet) and think, “Have I made a terrible mistake?” This internal sense is valid. Websites and reviews may seem highly professional and 5-star rated, but it is hard to know if you are looking at a good or bad boarding facility just by its looks.
Reviews can be very well written, and staging photos can make it look like everything is okay. It is much harder for an owner to trick people into believing how capable they are of providing care than it is for them to deceive themselves.
What Can A Walk-Through Of The Facility Tell You About The Quality Of Care Provided By The Kennels?
If a legitimate kennel operator will allow you to inspect their facilities before booking, they should give you access to the areas where the dogs will run, eat, play, and rest. Take note of what they are trying to hide as much as what they choose to reveal during the tour. For example, a kennel that is hesitant to let you see where the dogs sleep during the evening hours, or rushes you past certain areas of the kennel, is telling you they are hiding something, even though they said nothing.
How Does Your Staff Communicate About Your Pet’s Needs, Indicating Their Ability To Provide Adequate Care?
Pay close attention to whether or not the staff members have provided specific examples related to your pet. For example, will they ask about your pet’s triggers, feeding schedule and habits, and how he copes with being left alone, etc.? The lack of such questions typically indicates that the staff member is simply going through the motions to get you booked into their kennel. On the other hand, vague promises from uninterested staff members cannot possibly assure that your pet will receive adequate care. In fact, these warning signs are often overlooked.
The Health Checks That Must Be Done Before Any New Pet Can Enter A Kennel
Any reputable kennel or dog boarding facility will be required to obtain veterinary documentation of up-to-date vaccinations for every new dog before entry and for each visit. Thus, if a kennel chooses to exempt itself from adhering to these standards solely for the sake of making things easier (i.e., just for convenience), it is clear that this kennel values convenience over the health of its current pet population within the kennel, as well as future dogs scheduled to enter. Similar standards should also include questions related to parasite control and overall physical condition, and would provide similar insight into a kennel’s credibility.
What Is Done If Your Pet Becomes Ill While At The Kennel?
Ask the kennel directly what actions they would take if your pet became ill or stopped eating altogether, and appeared distressed during the late evening hours. More so than anything else that could potentially be included in a brochure, it is the response(s) provided by the kennel regarding emergencies which most accurately reflect a kennel’s willingness and ability to meet the needs of your pet.
Reliability Based On Your Personal Assessment Of The Property
Ultimately, go with your gut. If you feel like anyone is rushing through the process, if they seem hesitant to be cooperative or are really only interested in getting paid by you for their services versus helping find your pets’ names, these feelings should count as some form of evidence. A good kennel will have no problem answering each one of your questions.
