dog boarding and preparing for your Dog for the Kennel

Make sure you bring this information when checking your dog in to board

• Vaccination records
• Emergency contact information
• Your veterinarians phone number and address.
• Special directions for medication, feeding, grooming, other care
• Make a note to inform the kennel staff of any special problems or needs of your do

dog kennel boarding
physical preparation

Make Reservations

Try to make your plans far enough in advance, so you can ensure your dog a place at your preferred boarding facility. Many good boarding facilities are filled on popular holidays.

If you don't know the location of the kennel your using it's a good idea to get directions. Before you leave the house, make sure you know exactly where you are going. Here I would suggest rereading you directions and looking at a map

When to Check In

I feel the best time to check your dog in to a boarding facility is in the morning or early afternoon. This is not necessary for a very well balanced dog with a high stress threshold. Dogs with high stress thresholds can be dropped off anytime, but the more sensitive dog benefits by adjusting to the new surroundings during the daylight hours. This may also give you a chance to call and get an update on how your pet is doing before you leave town.

Remember to bring your dog's vaccination records when checking in.

Transporting Your Dog To The Boarding Kennel

When dogs are going in to board they often know something different is happening. This is often caused by the dog being off its normal routine, such as you making last minute preparations for a trip. Your behavior can raise the dogs general state of activity and excitement.

When being transported in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, an active and excitable dog increases the chance of having an accident.

You may think this can't happen to you. It may be that your dog is almost always good when riding in the car.

Well, I've seen this happen many times. I think the reason is, there are a number of factors increasing the human drivers stress level, all of which increase the chance of an accident.

Some Factors That Increase Stress And Divert Attention

• You may be feeling guilty or worried about leaving the pet you love so much
• The dog may be more active than normal
• You may be paying more attention to street signs and directions than to traffic.

Safety Measures You Can Take Be For You Leave With Your Dog.

1. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the kennel. Don't be in a hurry. You might want to consider taking your dog into the kennel the day before you leave town. This will give you a chance to check on your dog before your actually out of town.
   
   
2. Confine your dog While in transport. If you have an SUV you may want to transport your dog in a dog crate. Another options is to use a safety restraint that works with the seat belts. If you do not have either one of these you may need to short lead the dog or have another person with you to restrain the dog (you may want the dog on it leash for this) To short lead a dog close the car door on the dog's leash. This may be especially helpful if you are alone and find the dog a driving hazard after you have already left for the kennel.
   
   
3. Get good directions and find the Kennel on a map. Know what streets come before the street you need to turn on. It's also helpful to know what street indicates you've gone to far and missed the street you wanted