First Time Boarding
- Thread starter BerryBye
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I've gone to places unannounced for a tour so it's not preplanned by them. Look to see if it's kept clean, ask how often they clean out the individual kennels, do they have an outside run also, ask if they have a vet on call if needed, ask if all the dogs coming in are vaccinated, is someone there 24 hours a day....
I also went to the one I used when people were dropping off or picking up their dogs. I would ask them as they left the kennel how did they like using it, how long have they been going there, and have they had any negative experiences.
I also went to the one I used when people were dropping off or picking up their dogs. I would ask them as they left the kennel how did they like using it, how long have they been going there, and have they had any negative experiences.
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I have toured many boarding facilities, I ended up not using any and going a different route but I did have a huge list of questions when I went.
1. Where do the dogs stay? I wanted to see the cage/room they would be in and also see if there was alternate places they COULD be moved, for example at a PETsmart hotel they would agree to put my dog on the floor level but said if it got busy they couldnt guarantee they wouldnt be moved to a top level cage which was smaller and had grates for floors.
2. How often will they be let out? Some places expect to have the dog "go" in their cage/room, this was not acceptable to me because it will make housetraining go backwards... if they have access to an outdoor run all the time with some type of doggy door, how secure is the outdoor portion?
3. Is someone with the dogs 24/7?
4. How much contact will your dog have with other dogs? is it supervised by professionals? how many? How do they determine which dogs play together?
5. Do the dogs get any one on one time? if so how much, with who?
6. Make sure you look at the setup and think of your dogs personality... one place was a long row of runs... most of the dogs were screaming and barking... I know this would cause anxiety in my dog which could be harmful over the course of a number of days.
7. Can you call and check on your dog?
8. Do they offer any additional services, like exit baths? extra playtime?
9. What is their protocol if your dog is injured? or just appears sick? Is there a vet on call?
10. Other things to look at include their demeanor/attitude with YOU while you are asking questions... they should be happy to answer all your questions and not act like you are a bother (assuming you have an appointment), Also how do they act towards any dogs you come in contact with... if they are yelling at/ rough with the dogs with you there, how do you think they are going to act when you are not there?
I might think of more, haha... as you can tell I was at each place a LONG time. Some of it though is just instinct, you will get a gut reaction about a place, LISTEN to it.
Good Luck. There are some great facilities out there, sadly they are overshadowed by many of the not so great ones.
1. Where do the dogs stay? I wanted to see the cage/room they would be in and also see if there was alternate places they COULD be moved, for example at a PETsmart hotel they would agree to put my dog on the floor level but said if it got busy they couldnt guarantee they wouldnt be moved to a top level cage which was smaller and had grates for floors.
2. How often will they be let out? Some places expect to have the dog "go" in their cage/room, this was not acceptable to me because it will make housetraining go backwards... if they have access to an outdoor run all the time with some type of doggy door, how secure is the outdoor portion?
3. Is someone with the dogs 24/7?
4. How much contact will your dog have with other dogs? is it supervised by professionals? how many? How do they determine which dogs play together?
5. Do the dogs get any one on one time? if so how much, with who?
6. Make sure you look at the setup and think of your dogs personality... one place was a long row of runs... most of the dogs were screaming and barking... I know this would cause anxiety in my dog which could be harmful over the course of a number of days.
7. Can you call and check on your dog?
8. Do they offer any additional services, like exit baths? extra playtime?
9. What is their protocol if your dog is injured? or just appears sick? Is there a vet on call?
10. Other things to look at include their demeanor/attitude with YOU while you are asking questions... they should be happy to answer all your questions and not act like you are a bother (assuming you have an appointment), Also how do they act towards any dogs you come in contact with... if they are yelling at/ rough with the dogs with you there, how do you think they are going to act when you are not there?
I might think of more, haha... as you can tell I was at each place a LONG time. Some of it though is just instinct, you will get a gut reaction about a place, LISTEN to it.
Good Luck. There are some great facilities out there, sadly they are overshadowed by many of the not so great ones.
PM's list is pretty much what I ask.
Be cautious about putting too much stock into dogs barking as you're taking your tour. I worked at a large, very successful boarding resort for a few years. When it was just the employees walking around, you could hear a pin drop most of the time. But the moment we brought people back for tours, the dogs would go nuts with barking. I would always stop at the door and tell the people to listen to how quiet it was now, and that that was how it normally was, but that the second I opened the door and the dogs saw them, they'd start barking. It's like with kids...they can be totally fine until a parent shows up and then everyone goes insane because they think their people might show up next.
Ask what type of cleaning products they use, how often they clean (you want to hear AT LEAST once a day) what do they do if a dog gets sick or injured, are the staff trained in first-aid and CPR, how do they handle dogs with medication and special needs, can you bring in your own food and how is that stored/handled.
Be cautious about putting too much stock into dogs barking as you're taking your tour. I worked at a large, very successful boarding resort for a few years. When it was just the employees walking around, you could hear a pin drop most of the time. But the moment we brought people back for tours, the dogs would go nuts with barking. I would always stop at the door and tell the people to listen to how quiet it was now, and that that was how it normally was, but that the second I opened the door and the dogs saw them, they'd start barking. It's like with kids...they can be totally fine until a parent shows up and then everyone goes insane because they think their people might show up next.
Ask what type of cleaning products they use, how often they clean (you want to hear AT LEAST once a day) what do they do if a dog gets sick or injured, are the staff trained in first-aid and CPR, how do they handle dogs with medication and special needs, can you bring in your own food and how is that stored/handled.
The biggest suggestion I would have is to tour the kennels, and to talk to the people that work there. Ask about how often the runs/cages/kennels are cleaned and, if they do not have indoor/outdoor runs, ask how long of a time period goes between taking the dogs outside.
I have worked at vet clinics for 9 yrs. The first place I worked at (for 7 yrs) was excellent!! Excellent area for boarding dogs, well taken care of, clean, lots of walks and outside time..... The place I worked at for 2 yrs after I moved to another state was HORRIBLE as far as it's boarding facility goes.. I would NOT recommend anyone boarding their dogs there.... The kennel area was always understaffed, and always WAY over booked.
After two years I couldn't deal with the place anymore....
The "kennel people" were responsible for not only taking care of the animals and the boarding area, but for keeping the entire clinic clean, which is fine, expect the office manager put more importance on the way the front/waiting room area was kept up, than the kennels..... plus the kennels they were understaffed, and the office manager not only hired people to work the kennel with NO experience or basic knowledge of animal care, or giving medications, that there was a HUGE turn over rate because most of the people coming to work there thought they were going to play with animals all day..... and most of the time I was supposed to TRY and train these people, who had NO idea what they were doing.... and most of them weren't true animal people and really refused to listen to what they were told to do.
Along with the understaffed kennel, with people working there that had no idea what they were doing... they were always way over booked during holidays or summer months. 80-90 animals boarding, of course mostly dogs... but no indoor/outdoor runs, so the animals had to be taken out individually, and put in the TINY 20 outdoor pens we had... typically only 2-3 people taking care of all these animals... often it would taken 2-21/2 hrs to get all the dogs out in the morning.
The clinic opened at 7am... closed at 6pm... often times dogs were taken out for the last time starting at 4:30pm (because of so many dogs -- usually only got 10-12 minutes outside)... last of the dogs back in by 6pm... and they were in their cages for the night until we opened at 7am the next morning... and like I said above, it often took more than 2 hrs to get everyone back out in the mornings... so that's about 14-15 hrs the dogs are stuck in cages!!
During Christmas and other busy holidays they would overbook the boarding dogs, so that we literally had no room for hospitalized patients or drop off patients... they would book the hospital runs and cages... and STILL there were times dogs would be in crates lining the hall ways so they could fit most dogs in for boarding. It was really ridiculous!!!
I have worked at vet clinics for 9 yrs. The first place I worked at (for 7 yrs) was excellent!! Excellent area for boarding dogs, well taken care of, clean, lots of walks and outside time..... The place I worked at for 2 yrs after I moved to another state was HORRIBLE as far as it's boarding facility goes.. I would NOT recommend anyone boarding their dogs there.... The kennel area was always understaffed, and always WAY over booked.
After two years I couldn't deal with the place anymore....
The "kennel people" were responsible for not only taking care of the animals and the boarding area, but for keeping the entire clinic clean, which is fine, expect the office manager put more importance on the way the front/waiting room area was kept up, than the kennels..... plus the kennels they were understaffed, and the office manager not only hired people to work the kennel with NO experience or basic knowledge of animal care, or giving medications, that there was a HUGE turn over rate because most of the people coming to work there thought they were going to play with animals all day..... and most of the time I was supposed to TRY and train these people, who had NO idea what they were doing.... and most of them weren't true animal people and really refused to listen to what they were told to do.
Along with the understaffed kennel, with people working there that had no idea what they were doing... they were always way over booked during holidays or summer months. 80-90 animals boarding, of course mostly dogs... but no indoor/outdoor runs, so the animals had to be taken out individually, and put in the TINY 20 outdoor pens we had... typically only 2-3 people taking care of all these animals... often it would taken 2-21/2 hrs to get all the dogs out in the morning.
The clinic opened at 7am... closed at 6pm... often times dogs were taken out for the last time starting at 4:30pm (because of so many dogs -- usually only got 10-12 minutes outside)... last of the dogs back in by 6pm... and they were in their cages for the night until we opened at 7am the next morning... and like I said above, it often took more than 2 hrs to get everyone back out in the mornings... so that's about 14-15 hrs the dogs are stuck in cages!!
During Christmas and other busy holidays they would overbook the boarding dogs, so that we literally had no room for hospitalized patients or drop off patients... they would book the hospital runs and cages... and STILL there were times dogs would be in crates lining the hall ways so they could fit most dogs in for boarding. It was really ridiculous!!!
i have worked in a few different boarding facilities and can tell you that they are not all created equal. all of them are different.
First off, yopu really need to start calling around. honestly, most good places might already be booked for holidays (i know the kennel i currently work at is at about 75%capacity). most kennels have a lot of regulars, and most of these people book for holidays, so if you want to be able to even board them in a good place, you need to get in it pretty quickly.
I do not like the suggestion of showing up to the facility unannounced. some places will be fine with it and not care, but others can and will not let you in without an appointment. this isnt for any reason other than dog safety. in places that are interactive and have a lot of loose dogs, it is unsafe to have people coming and going, and upsetting the balance the dogs get used to while they are there. the main reason apppointments are set up is so that visiters arent showing up during peak times like feeding, drop off/pick up, things like that. while i understand the motive behind showing up unannounced, i just know how hard it is to make a good impression on a new visiter while the whole kennel is seperated and caged for feeding, or we are right in the middle of checking in dogs, or bathing. if a person shows up, one staff member needs to take time to show them around and answer questions (which can take awhile with some people), which is one less person to be with the dogs. when we know someone is coming to see the place, we have enough staff to cover one person being away, and scedule them during a time when things arent crazy in the kennel.
If the kennel is a cage type situation, where the dogs are in pens most of the day, then make sure you ask how much exercise they get outside of those pens, how often they are cleaned, how often water is changed, how often someone is with the dogs on a daily basis (actual paying attention to you dogs, not just there).
if the kennel is more interactive, ask how they determine which dog goes with who (how do they evaluate new dogs/ how big of a play group they are in/are they supervised/ how long are they out together/etc). you really want to be positive that the staff are knowledgable in dog placement. if you see dogs together, ask why they put them together. again, ask about cleaning, and water chainging.
no matter where you go, make sure they allow you to bring your own food (some places dont for some reason), and ask what they do for dogs that dont eat. ask what they do for vet care if it is needed, and how they go about it. While you are touring, ask about the dogs that are staying there, and see what the answers are. if they are indepth and kind of give more information about the dog than you cared to know, then that person ismore than likely very in tune with the dogs, and knows what they are doing.
I also second not paying too much attention to dogs barking while you are there. the sedong you show up, a strange person, on a property with a lot of dogs, they aill all be barking and going crazy. after you have been there for about 5-10 mintues, this barking should decrease significantly.
First off, yopu really need to start calling around. honestly, most good places might already be booked for holidays (i know the kennel i currently work at is at about 75%capacity). most kennels have a lot of regulars, and most of these people book for holidays, so if you want to be able to even board them in a good place, you need to get in it pretty quickly.
I do not like the suggestion of showing up to the facility unannounced. some places will be fine with it and not care, but others can and will not let you in without an appointment. this isnt for any reason other than dog safety. in places that are interactive and have a lot of loose dogs, it is unsafe to have people coming and going, and upsetting the balance the dogs get used to while they are there. the main reason apppointments are set up is so that visiters arent showing up during peak times like feeding, drop off/pick up, things like that. while i understand the motive behind showing up unannounced, i just know how hard it is to make a good impression on a new visiter while the whole kennel is seperated and caged for feeding, or we are right in the middle of checking in dogs, or bathing. if a person shows up, one staff member needs to take time to show them around and answer questions (which can take awhile with some people), which is one less person to be with the dogs. when we know someone is coming to see the place, we have enough staff to cover one person being away, and scedule them during a time when things arent crazy in the kennel.
If the kennel is a cage type situation, where the dogs are in pens most of the day, then make sure you ask how much exercise they get outside of those pens, how often they are cleaned, how often water is changed, how often someone is with the dogs on a daily basis (actual paying attention to you dogs, not just there).
if the kennel is more interactive, ask how they determine which dog goes with who (how do they evaluate new dogs/ how big of a play group they are in/are they supervised/ how long are they out together/etc). you really want to be positive that the staff are knowledgable in dog placement. if you see dogs together, ask why they put them together. again, ask about cleaning, and water chainging.
no matter where you go, make sure they allow you to bring your own food (some places dont for some reason), and ask what they do for dogs that dont eat. ask what they do for vet care if it is needed, and how they go about it. While you are touring, ask about the dogs that are staying there, and see what the answers are. if they are indepth and kind of give more information about the dog than you cared to know, then that person ismore than likely very in tune with the dogs, and knows what they are doing.
I also second not paying too much attention to dogs barking while you are there. the sedong you show up, a strange person, on a property with a lot of dogs, they aill all be barking and going crazy. after you have been there for about 5-10 mintues, this barking should decrease significantly.
Thank you so much for your help guys!!
I have made a list and I’ll be working my way through it at each place.
Have you ever heard of “cage free†boarding? It’s basically someone’s house or barn where they have dogs come in and they hang out with them, play with them ect 24/7 that is often attached to a fenced in play area. The dogs are all able to play and romp around all day. One place said they let them chose their own place to sleep, like the couch or in bed with them.
I was told to only bring my leash and food. Sounds great, but my dog is crate trained and I’m worried that he may be stressed without his “placeâ€.
The other option is to board him where he goes to doggy daycare and agility school. I’m touring the boarding side this weekend, but I’m concerned about the size of the kennels and the lack of outside time past 7 pm. Seems like there might just be a small run for eliminating. But I’m not sure…will investigate further this weekend!
I really am leaning towards the cage free idea, and I’m going to ask about bringing his crate – even if he never has the door closed, at least he can go in there to “rechargeâ€. I just like thinking that he will be around someone all day, and will hopefully feel more like he is visiting a friend??
What are your thoughts? Thank you!!
I have made a list and I’ll be working my way through it at each place.
Have you ever heard of “cage free†boarding? It’s basically someone’s house or barn where they have dogs come in and they hang out with them, play with them ect 24/7 that is often attached to a fenced in play area. The dogs are all able to play and romp around all day. One place said they let them chose their own place to sleep, like the couch or in bed with them.
I was told to only bring my leash and food. Sounds great, but my dog is crate trained and I’m worried that he may be stressed without his “placeâ€.
The other option is to board him where he goes to doggy daycare and agility school. I’m touring the boarding side this weekend, but I’m concerned about the size of the kennels and the lack of outside time past 7 pm. Seems like there might just be a small run for eliminating. But I’m not sure…will investigate further this weekend!
I really am leaning towards the cage free idea, and I’m going to ask about bringing his crate – even if he never has the door closed, at least he can go in there to “rechargeâ€. I just like thinking that he will be around someone all day, and will hopefully feel more like he is visiting a friend??
What are your thoughts? Thank you!!
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I visited a cage free place (someones house)... I think it all depends on the set up... I didnt like the situation because the lady was very nice but made her boyfriend who frequently slept over sound not so great... and I didnt like that my dog would come into contact with him. Also she told me she took dogs for rides, which I asked she not do with mine and from her response I could tell she was just saying okay but would anyway... I am leaving my dog at a facility there is enough to worry about without thinking you may lose my dog god knows where.
However, if the home seems nice, the owner seems good, etc... and your only issue is the crate, I am sure the person wouldnt mind you bringing you own crate for your dog to go in if they want.
However, if the home seems nice, the owner seems good, etc... and your only issue is the crate, I am sure the person wouldnt mind you bringing you own crate for your dog to go in if they want.
I'm not a big fan of cage-free, because some dogs just honestly don't know when to quit. I briefly worked at a cage-free place and we had a couple of dogs make themselves sick from exhaustion, because they just would. not. stop. moving. And most places I've seen that have some crates, they've got them all shoved together, which is not relaxing for most dogs, as they have to be worried about who is on the other side of them at all times. *shrug* There are some small, in-home type places that seem to have a good balance, it's more like living at home.
I have found that most "cage free" facilities, really arent completely cage free. one place i worked had the dogs sleeping in big runs inside, and playing outside all day. kenneling them at night was not a big deal, b/c after playing all day the dogs were tired and usually slept all night. she still advertised as being cage free though, meaning the dogs were not caged all day.
the place i work currently sounds more like the place you are thinking of boarding. we have a renovated horse barn with in and out stalls so the dogs can be in and out. we have a few big yard for group play, and wire pens for rotating dogs in the yards. we also have a crate room, b./c the boss has some dogs that mingle with the boarders and they are all crate trained. we get quite a few that are crate trained and we usually will keep them in crates as well. some do prefer to sleep in crates (some dogs really like their crate). so even though we are "cage free" we do have cages/kennels on the facility, but they arent meant for dogs to be in them all day (or for longer then an hour really).
I dont know if it is just my area, but in the last few years, it seems that every stay/work from home person is opening a cage free kennel in their home. i tend to advise people against these types of places. these people usually have no experiance other than owning their own dogs, and dont have the necessary means to take care of a dog should it need immediate vet care or something (example, my work is a business and has seperate accounts for emergencies with boarding dogs). also, when you put multiple dogs that dontknow each other together, a fight is likely to happen, and it takes a very knowing person to supervise gameplay and stop it when it gets too intense, and evaluate whether dogs can even be together. im sure many people use these places everday with no repercussion, but i hate hearing even one story about a dog getting lost while at a "boarding facility", or seriously injured or killed.
you are right, but there are much better ways of handling this situation. if a dog wont stop moving and is tiring himself out (ie, going lame, trouble breathing, excessive drooling, pacing) then that dog should be intermittently removed from all activity, put somewher else away from other dogs so the dog can relax. I actually prefer finding dogs like this a friend, so they can tiree each other out. i would be very weary of any place where dogs are allowed to run themselves until they are sick. i work with border colies, and trust me if i left them out all day, they would run the fence and end up lame and 4 pounds lighter. instead, you let them out for shorter periods of time and let them relax in between.
the place i work currently sounds more like the place you are thinking of boarding. we have a renovated horse barn with in and out stalls so the dogs can be in and out. we have a few big yard for group play, and wire pens for rotating dogs in the yards. we also have a crate room, b./c the boss has some dogs that mingle with the boarders and they are all crate trained. we get quite a few that are crate trained and we usually will keep them in crates as well. some do prefer to sleep in crates (some dogs really like their crate). so even though we are "cage free" we do have cages/kennels on the facility, but they arent meant for dogs to be in them all day (or for longer then an hour really).
I dont know if it is just my area, but in the last few years, it seems that every stay/work from home person is opening a cage free kennel in their home. i tend to advise people against these types of places. these people usually have no experiance other than owning their own dogs, and dont have the necessary means to take care of a dog should it need immediate vet care or something (example, my work is a business and has seperate accounts for emergencies with boarding dogs). also, when you put multiple dogs that dontknow each other together, a fight is likely to happen, and it takes a very knowing person to supervise gameplay and stop it when it gets too intense, and evaluate whether dogs can even be together. im sure many people use these places everday with no repercussion, but i hate hearing even one story about a dog getting lost while at a "boarding facility", or seriously injured or killed.
you are right, but there are much better ways of handling this situation. if a dog wont stop moving and is tiring himself out (ie, going lame, trouble breathing, excessive drooling, pacing) then that dog should be intermittently removed from all activity, put somewher else away from other dogs so the dog can relax. I actually prefer finding dogs like this a friend, so they can tiree each other out. i would be very weary of any place where dogs are allowed to run themselves until they are sick. i work with border colies, and trust me if i left them out all day, they would run the fence and end up lame and 4 pounds lighter. instead, you let them out for shorter periods of time and let them relax in between.
This is just an aside, but yeah, I was trying to handle the situation in such a way as to avoid the dog getting exhausted, but the owner of the place was one of those "good intentions, little experience" people and wouldn't listen to when I said the dog need to be separated out for awhile to get some rest. 
I didn't work there long, like 2 months total, we clashed too much.
I didn't work there long, like 2 months total, we clashed too much.