Making sure your dog is comfortable with staying at a boarding kennel is likely one of your first thoughts when you're considering dropping them off at one for the first time. While there's no way to guarantee that they'll have a positive time at the kennel, there are a number of things you can do to better prepare them and lower the chance that something goes wrong. Before the day of your dog staying at the kennel arrives, consider some of the things that you can bring with them to make them feel more at home and reduce some of the stress involved with staying at a kennel for the first time.
Extra Food Your Dog Is Used To
Many dog kennels allow pet owners to bring food along. While this may not be the case at all kennels, this can be a great option if your dog has anxiety related to the food they eat or has allergies. In order for your dog to have enough food for their stay, make sure that you measure out the amount of food that they need each day and even get them labeled in baggies to bring to the kennel. By doing so, you can make sure that they get the right amount of food and that you don't have to resort to relying on the food that the kennel serves.
Toys or Blankets That Smell Like Home
The best way to ensure that your dog is comfortable with staying at a boarding kennel is bringing items that smell like home. A good example is toys or blankets that your dog is fond of. By making sure that they have the smell of your home on them, your dog will likely feel much more comfortable staying at the kennel. Before bringing these items, however, you want to make sure that the kennel doesn't have rules against bringing personal items. If they do, make sure to include labels on the items so that they can be returned to you if they need to get washed at some point during your dog's stay.
Important Paperwork for the Health of Your Dog
While you may have already intended on bringing vaccination records and some medical papers, it's also a good idea to bring some paperwork about the health of your dog and any special instructions that the kennel attendants will need. Typing up an important list of information regarding your dog can help the kennels better care for your dog and make sure that nothing goes wrong.
Preparing for your dog's first day at a boarding kennel like Buyrningwood Kennels can help reduce some of the worry you may be having when leaving on vacation. With the above tips in mind, you can help your dog feel much more at ease while staying at the kennel.
Share2 September 2016
Unfortunately, many dogs suffer from separation anxiety. My dog would rip my house up from top to bottom if I left him out of his kennel while I ran to the store for a half hour. One day, I left him in his kennel while I went to work and came home to find that he had destroyed the kennel and then my sofa. I knew at that moment that I was going to have to do something better for him while I went to work. The very next week, I began taking him to doggy daycare and I have noticed a great improvement in his behavior. Go to my site to find out about doggy daycare and learn if it is something that your dog can benefit from.
