If you’re planning a trip and aren’t going to be able to take your dog with you, you’ll need to find a boarding kennel in Canal Winchester, OH where you’re comfortable leaving your pup behind for an extended period of time.
Ideally, any boarding kennel you choose should provide your dog with a fun, positive experience. It will allow the dog to avoid the stresses associated with travel, while also getting plenty of attention and care.
But how do you go about finding the right dog boarding facility? Here are some tips:
- Look for recommendations: Your first step should be to ask friends, family and your veterinarian for advice and recommendations about boarding kennels. These are people who aren’t going to steer you wrong, and who will be able to give you some good insight into what you can expect out of the boarding kennel they’re recommending.
- Perform background checks: Whether you’re going off a recommendation or simply looking for kennels online, it’s important to do a bit of background research before deciding to leave your pet there. Make sure the kennel is licensed and has been shown to meet the mandated standards set by your state or city. You should also consider looking for kennels that belong to the American Boarding Kennels Association, which has high professional standards for pet care and safety.
- Visit the facility: Once you’ve performed your background research, you should go pay a visit to the boarding kennel in Canal Winchester, OH yourself and get a sense of the quality of the facility. Consider its cleanliness, ventilation, amount of light and relative temperature. Talk to the staff to determine their level of knowledge and if they seem to care for the animals. Make sure dogs have appropriately sized kennels, as well as indoor and outdoor runs for exercise. Ask how often the pets are fed, and whether you can bring in your pet’s special food and medications.
- Check about other services: Some kennels offer add-on services that you might find useful, including grooming, training and bathing, or daycare services without overnight boarding. Even if you’re not traveling, you might find these services beneficial in the future if you have a good experience with the facility.
- Get rates: Be sure to get rates from multiple boarding facilities before you make a decision. While you shouldn’t necessarily always go with the facility that has the lowest rate, you should make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for.
Once you’ve chosen a boarding facility for your dog, make sure you prepare it for the experience. If you know your dog has a problem with unfamiliar dogs or has an aggression problem, it’s possible they will not be a good boarding candidate. You’ll also need to make sure your pet is current on vaccinations.
It can be helpful to prepare your pet for long-term boarding by starting with daycare, and then an overnight visit, and then a weekend, gradually working them up to longer periods of time and getting them used to the experience.
For more information about choosing a dog boarding facility in Canal Winchester, OH, contact Lucky Bones Pet Resort or pay us a visit!
