WHAT TO PACK FOR DOG BOARDING?
WHAT TO PACK FOR DOG BOARDING?
Boarding your dog becomes a need when you are going on a vacation or long holiday where you can't take your dog with you. You can board your dog at your friend's place or a dog shelter. Boarding can be very stressful if you have not done it before because handing your dog over to another person without knowing if the other person will take care of your dog or will the other person feed your dog on time or not.
The purpose of doing this is to make sure that your dog is in safe hands. Today, we will talk about what to pack for dog boarding and what are the prerequisite measures you need to follow before boarding your dog to ensure the comfort, safety, health, and well-being of your dog.
1. ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS
Just like we need our documents when we buy a ticket or rent a room, we show our identity cards. The same is the case in dogs. In case you do not know, dogs have their kind of documents, which are the following,
- Medical Records
- Vaccination Record
- Completing appropriate forms
MEDICAL RECORDS: Medical records are the first thing that you bring to the boarding facility. It should include vaccination details, any prescription for a disease in the past, and a complete medical history, which indicates the overall health status of your dog.
TIP: Before going to any boarding facility, make sure to call them and ask about what kind of documents they require. This will save you time.
2. IDENTIFICATION
Dog identification is underrated yet very important when you leave your dog at any boarding center. There is a history of mishaps that happen and we come to hear now that dogs have run away from the boarding center. It happens because some dogs experience fear and homesickness and thus run away from the boarding center. You can use the following identification methods.
- Putting a collar around the neck of your dog with its name on it.
- Get your dog microchipped and provide microchip information to your boarding facility owner.
These methods will help to get your precious dog back in case there is any mishap.
3. MEDICATION
If your dog is suffering from a disease and needs medication, make sure to provide adequate medication to the boarding facility owner with clear dosages and timings. Make patches of individual doses, label them, and make a schedule for giving medicine to your dog. Instruct the boarding staff to give medicine accordingly and follow the schedule.
4. FAVORITE DOG FOOD AND SNACKS
Make sure to provide adequate and enough food for your dog that lasts through your dog's stay at the boarding place. If your dog has some favorite snack that makes him obedient, make sure to provide these in adequate amounts. Some boarding place staff do not worry about buying new food for your dog if you provide only a limited amount.
5. FAVORITE TOYS AND BEDDING
Familiar items like toys and pillows comfort your dog at the boarding facility
Make sure to hand them over to the person. The purpose is that the dog is comfortable and can play with its favorite toys to spend time.
6. GROOMING MATERIAL
If you have a dog from a breed that requires regular grooming like Boykin Spaniel, chow chow, or golden doodle, make sure to provide all the grooming instruments to the relevant person and train them about how to groom your dog.
7. COLLAR AND HARNESS
Collars, leashes, and harnesses are often provided by the boarding staff but to keep things on the safe side make sure to bring your own. These tools are required when taking a dog outside for a walk.
8. BEHAVIOR AND MOOD
Always make sure to tell the boarding person about the behavior and mood of your dog. Some dogs are aggressive and feel fear when come across any unfamiliar person and might attack them. To keep things on the safe side so that this may not happen, always tell the person about the dog’s behavior.
9. DAILY ROUTINE OF YOUR DOG
If your dog has any specific routine, make sure your boarding person is informed. It can be the following
- Feeding schedule
- Sleeping schedule
- Playing schedule
- Walking outside schedule
- Pooping schedule
If there are any others, make sure to inform.
10. EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS
Exchange phone numbers with the boarding person, and even share some emergency numbers too in case your mobile is switched off. The purpose of doing this is to keep in touch with the dog's routine. Sometimes accidents happen and the boarding person requires information from you, so it helps both ways and maximizes the safety and well-being of your dog.
CONCLUSION
Boarding your dog to another place can be very challenging for your dog and yourself too. But if you follow the instructions above, you can make this boarding a wonderful and enjoyable experience for your dog. Contacting your boarding person and providing the necessary information and Food is the key to a great boarding experience.
