Need to Board Your Dog for the Holidays? 4 Steps to Take
If you need to board your dog for part of the holiday season, make sure that you take the four steps outlined below.
#1: Schedule Boarding in Advance
Many dog-boarding facilities book up fast around the holiday season because so many people travel to visit family and friends this time of year. If you know that you plan on traveling and need your dog to be looked after, call your local dog-boarding facility and book a spot as soon as you know your plans. This is the best way to ensure that your dog has somewhere to stay when you go out of town.
#2: Schedule a Trip to the Vet
If you don't typically board your dog much throughout the year, you are going to want to take your dog to the vet before your planned holiday trip during which your dog will be boarded at a kennel. While you are at the vet's office, make sure that you dog is up to date on all relevant vaccinations. Let your vet know that your dog will be staying in a kennel so they can make sure that they have all been given vaccinations related to communicable diseases between dogs.
Many dog kennels require you to provide proof that your dog is up to date on their vaccination schedule in order to protect all the dogs that they board, so while you are at the vet, be sure to get some up-to-date copies of your dog's vaccinations and vet records. That way, you can deliver your dog's vaccination records directly to the kennel where they will be staying.
#3: Create an Emergency-Contact List
You are going to want to leave the kennel that your dog is staying at this season with an emergency-contact list. This list should include multiple ways to contact you, such as your cell-phone number as well as the number of the hotels or friends' houses that you will be staying at over the holidays. Additionally, try and see whether you can find a friend who will be in the area over the holidays that you can list as an additional emergency contact in case they need someone in the area to respond to an emergency with your dog.
#4: Special Food and Medication
Finally, if your dog requires any special medication, you are going to want to make sure that your dog has enough medication to get them through their stay in the kennel while you are traveling during the holiday season. If your dog's prescription will not last that long, explain to the vet your situation so you can get extra pills prescribed and ready for your dog.
If your dog requires any special food, make sure that you either make or purchase enough of it in advance for your dog's kennel stay. You don't want to be rushing around the night before trying to find your dog's special food only to realize that local locations are sold out of it, so be sure to get everything ready in advance.
Follow the four steps above to ensure that your dog has a place to stay while you are traveling during the holiday season and has everything they need while staying at the kennel. You may also want to pack a chew toy for your dog as well as a blanket that smells like your family's home to make your dog feel more comfortable while at the kennel.
Call companies like Weber's Training School to find a dog-boarding facility that is a good fit for you and your dog.