Taking Your First Vacation Since You Adopted Your New Puppy? 2 Tips For A Successful First-Time Dog Boarding Experience
If you are planning the first fun vacation getaway you will be taking since you have adopted your new puppy and the hotel you are staying at has a "no pets" policy, then you are likely deciding just what you will do with your pup while you are gone. Unlike some other pets, you can't just have someone "stop by" to feed and check on your puppy, because he needs attention around the clock. You can make sure your puppy gets all of the attention he needs while you are away on vacation by taking him to a trusted dog boarding facility. Read on to learn two tips for making your puppy's first dog boarding experience a successful one that leaves both you and him with good vacation memories.
1. Make Sure He Has All of the Vaccinations the Boarding Facility Requires
If your puppy is very young and he has not yet obtained all of his necessary vaccinations, then realize that he will have to have them all before he can stay at the boarding facility. This is a strict policy at all dog boarding facilities; if this policy was not in place, your pup (or another dog at the facility) could become very sick or contract a deadly disease.
Although veterinarians consider bordatella vaccinations optional in dogs, most dog boarding facilities require all dogs they care for to have it. It helps prevent the contraction of kennel cough, so it helps keep your dog healthy. If your dog will be obtaining his first bordatella vaccine before his stay in the boarding facility, plan to have him get it about two weeks in advance of his stay, but one week in advance at the minimum.
Also, check with the dog boarding facility in advance to see if they require any other vaccinations that veterinarians consider optional to protect your pooch.
2. Take Him to a Dog Park to Make Sure He Doesn't Have Inter-Dog Aggression
There are two main types of dog boarding facilities: those that keep dogs mainly in crates during their stay (although, of course, they take your dog out to go "potty") and cage-free boarding facilities where your dog will play with other dogs during much of his stay. While there are pros and cons to each style of dog boarding, as you can imagine, if your puppy loves to play (what puppy doesn't?), he would enjoy spending as much time out of his crate as possible at the boarding facility.
However, before you arrange for him to stay at a mainly cage-free boarding center, you will need to make sure he is properly socialized and doesn't have inter-dog aggression. Even the sweetest dogs who love humans can have problems with aggression towards other dogs. An easy way to see how he interacts with a large group of dogs of various breeds is to take him to the local dog park (after he has all of his vaccinations).
If your dog jumps in and enjoys "getting in on the action" in a pleasant, playful way, then he is likely ready to enjoy lots of fun at the boarding facility! If he socializes, but is a bit shy, then he will also be welcome in a cage-free boarding facility, and his stay will actually give him a great chance to get used to the company of other dogs. However, if he shows aggression towards other dogs, then unless you have time to devote to training to eliminate the aggression before your trip, then a dog boarding environment where he will not interact with other dogs is best for the safety of both him and the other dogs.
If you find out that your dog has inter-dog aggression, then don't worry that he has to have that problem forever; once you are back home, contact a dog training center for expert help at helping your canine become more well-adjusted socially.
If you are going on your first vacation since you adopted your puppy, then follow these two tips to prepare him for a successful and fun stay in a dog boarding facility. You can then both look forward to fun vacations! For more information, contact local professionals like Sally Terroux Dog Training