What is boarding?
This is when your dog goes and stays in a facility with other dogs.
They are provided with a kennel or somewhere to sleep.
It is like a boarding school for other dogs.
They get assigned different staff who cater to their needs especially their regular walks.
Some of those boarding institutions allocate some time for your dog to play to provide regular exercise.
This often gets confused for pet sitting.
What is pet sitting?
This is where your dog remains in your home as you hire a qualified dog sitter to come to your home when you are away.
They may stay over or come every day at a scheduled time.
They come to essentially feed your dog and walk them regularly for their daily exercise.
Their main job is to take care of your dog.
Pet sitters provide your dog love and attention and keep them company to prevent them from getting lonely.
Why do people board dogs?
Most people who end up boarding their dogs at any point in time usually do it when they are taking long trips where they cannot carry their dogs with them.
Most of these trips are like business trips which are official trips.
You may wonder why it is not easier to call a friend to help out with your dog when you are gone.
This is only a viable answer if your friend or relative is a qualified pet sitter or they have experience with dogs.
This is because as a dog owner, you know how stressful having a dog in a compound is.
It may require you to even change meals sometimes and there is so much information you should have such as what is harmful to your dog.
This is why it is important to think of boarding facilities when it comes to leaving your dog on its own for a few days.
What are the requirements for one to board their dog in a boarding facility?
First of all, it is important to do your research and realize that there are two types of boarding facilities you could take your dog to; namely:
1. Modern boarding facilities
They are like dog camps and come with many amenities at your dogs’ disposal.
They have playtime and areas where the dogs could socialize and get groomed.
The advantage of this type of boarding home is that it gives your dog a homely feel.
The downside to these homes is they don’t have medically trained.
So it is advisable you have a dog that is sickly or often needs medication; take them to the next type of boarding house.
2. Animal clinic boarding facilities
They are usually the better option for dogs with medical issues and medical needs.
These types of facilities are usually old fashion and do not have modern boarding facilities.
These facilities having medically trained staff and being cost-effective are their major selling points.
Now that we have gone through that, what is required to enroll your dog into a boarding facility?
2.1 A temperament assessment is needed
This is important especially if it is your dog’s first time.
It is important to get that assessment to see if your dog can fit with other dogs and with the staff.
It will help them understand if that boarding facility is a good choice for your dog or not.
2.2 Take your dog’s requirements and safety into consideration.
You don’t want to be leaving your furry friend anywhere. It Is important to a background check on the boarding facility before you decide to take your dog to it.
- The staff — It is important to check on their qualifications and how friendly they are. This is because your dog may need a bit more patience now that they are new and you would not want to leave them with people who are hot-tempered and violent. Check those staff reviews!
- The boarding shelter’s reviews — The same way before you do your online shopping by checking reviews is the same way you should check reviews of the shelter you want to put into consideration. It is also important to ask people who have taken their dogs there to give you a more honest and personal experience.
- How often check-ins are done with the owners — As a new owner, it is important to ask how often they do check-ins especially when it is your first time. This reduces the paranoia that comes with being a first-time dog owner.
- The sanitation of the shelter — The place has to be clean and has proper sanitary measures. They have to do regular cleaning a couple of times a day and some even have air purifiers to reduce the chance of dogs getting airborne diseases.
3. Schedule your dog’s stay before time
You should decide on the shelter a few weeks in advance to give them time to prepare for your dog.
4. Make sure to update your dogs’ medical records and their vaccinations
This is important, especially so that the staff can have all the medical information they need to know about your dog.
5. Carry documents for identification
When taking your dog, it is important to carry all the certifications and documentation the shelter may need.
You should also ensure your dog’s collar is intact.
Now, why do dogs get depressed when left for boarding?
The reason is as simple as they don’t like to be left behind by their owners.
However much it is necessary some dogs don’t know how to understand that.
Here are the main reasons, which are common to most dogs as to why they may become depressed when left for boarding:
Separation anxiety especially for first-timers
They may have not experienced being away from their owners for long thus end up feeling some anxiety caused by the separation.
Change in their normal routine
Dogs like to stick to their routine thus changing it may affect them negatively thus they get depressed.
Uncertainty on whether you will come back for them
This happens to mainly first-timers and the dogs with paranoia.
This may make them extremely sad thinking their owners have abandoned them.
Fear of other dogs
If your dog is a shy, non-confrontational dog, they may find it a bit difficult to adjust especially with dogs that are bigger and more aggressive than them.
Final thoughts
It is important to rethink whether the boarding option for your dog is the right one or you could change to another option such as pet sitting.
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