How to ensure a comfortable kennel stay?

While every pet parent just wishes to take their little one along on every trip, sometimes it is just not possible to do so. Putting your dog in the kennel can be worry-some as to some, it seems to be like caging your pet. Boarding isn’t about caging them as there are many kennel facilities that offer luxuries. To make the stay for your dog a pleasant one, here are some things you can do to prep them up for the kennel.

• Find the best kennel in advance

The most important factor is never the other pets that must be in the kennel or whether your little one would be able to get along with them but the kennel itself! It is best to take your time and find the kennel that best suits the needs and comfort of your pet. Visiting multiple kennels will help you understand and compare the facilities in person and plan everything accordingly.

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• Use tick and flea preventives

It is obvious that you would choose a clean, hygienic facility. The chances of your dog picking up ticks and fleas are less as the place is full of dogs but free to roam facilities call for rethinking of this particular notion. Talking to your vet and using recommended oral or spot-on medications will help in preventing your dog from having tick and flea issues till the time it is back home from the kennel. There are even some medications which protect against both fleas and ticks for up to 12 weeks with just a single dose. 

• Pack dog food

Boarding not only means a change in the environment for the dog but also the change in the diet. An abrupt change may upset the stomach and may even cause an inflammation. To avoid such cases, prepare daily portions of the dog’s food and label the small bags with the appropriate serving size. This would be enough to guide the people at the kennel and also to keep your little one healthy.

The information about your little one is best available with the vet and then you. Hence, before you leave, make sure that the contact information is shared with the boarding staff in case some kind of an emergency occurs.

• Vaccinations

Another point to keep in mind for the health of the pet is vaccinations. Make sure the vaccinations are up to date because the boarding facilities will require them. The most basic ones are those that protect against Rabies, Distemper and something called the Kennel cough, also known as Bordetella. The Kennel Cough is an upper respiratory infection which is highly contagious. It is advisable to call the vet and ensure the dog is vaccinated against it before it is taken to the kennel.

• Post kennel care

With the preps for your dog to have a decent stay in the kennel, one also needs to prep and plan the health care regime once it is brought back home. The dog needs to be thoroughly bathed, the coat need to be checked for fleas and ticks. There is a possibility of fighting injuries on the skin that needs to be gotten checked by the vet immediately to avoid infections, look out for those. If some thing looks out of the ordinary, call the boarding facility to check if they have any information or an incident to share and have the dog checked and inspected by the vet.

With these check points, we are sure your little one is ready to be taken to the kennel for a short stay.