How to choose the right dog boarding company for you and your dog

24th August 2016

Choosing the right boarding company for you and your dog

As dog lovers, we all know how much we love our dogs. In the last 30 years dogs have moved from sleeping in the shed, to the porch to the kitchen to, let’s be honest, our bedrooms and are every bit as important to us as our friends and family, so it is only natural that the thought of leaving them to go on holiday can cause concern, but fear not, we have written a basic guide on how to choose the right dog boarding company for both you and your dog.

Check the license

For many (but not all), their local authority will insist on them having a license before they can have dogs to board in their home.  Check with the local authority, do they require one? If so, ask to see it. If licenses are required then the property will be inspected for suitability once a year; a quick call to the local authority will tell you if the boarder you are considering needs or has a license.

Research – Research – Research (Recommendation and Testimonials)

Like everything these days, the internet has opened up a whole new world of independent reviews of services available to us, so hit that keyboard and use this facility. Go online, find out what their reputation is like, what are people saying about them. If they have a website, go there and read the testimonials about them. IMPORTANT: Some dog carers are older/retired and simply not of the ‘social media’ generation and so won’t have Facebook or Twitter. If this is the case then you will have to go directly to them and ask for the phone numbers of a couple of their clients. Give them a ring and have a chat.

Pick up the phone! – ‘It’s good to talk’

Despite this day and age of emails, WhatsApp and texting, there really is no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat. Be aware that the dog walkers/boarder may be out walking when you ring, so you may have to leave a message or even arrange to talk to them later on that day, when walks have been done and they have a few minutes to give you their undivided attention. It will give you a good opportunity to ask a few questions (see below) and arrange a time when you can go to their house to meet them, to see the environment your dog will be staying in, before you make your booking. They will want you to be 100% happy before you book as well, so take this opportunity to get to know them and ask relevant questions.

Tried and Tested – give them a go – before you go!

Aside from your ‘Meet and Greet’ session with the boarder in their home with their dogs, if you can, try out the service before you go away. If they do dog-walking, why not try a couple of dog walks, see how your dog reacts when they come back from the walk and, more importantly how they react when the dog walker comes to collect them for the second time? Once you have done a couple of dog walks, try them with an overnight stay. Does the dog seem relaxed and happy when you go to collect him? Tail wagging as normal? You know your dog, look for signs of distress and, if you spot any, look elsewhere. Be mindful though that they will have missed you and are maybe not used to being apart from you, so is that reaction due to poor care by the walker or just a dog that has missed his mum/dad?

Read the small print

As with everything, today a good dog walker and carer needs to be fully insured in case of accidents. Read the small print. What happens if your dog causes or suffers an accident when you are away? What if he chews your dog-boarder’s new chair? Who is liable? These are all ‘worst case’ scenarios but better to know now than when you get back and are faced with a large bill!

Questions for you to ask your prospective dog boarder

Here are some basic questions you might like to ask your dog-boarder before you book them.

  • Vaccinations: Do you expect all core and non-core vaccinations or will youaccept TITRE results? (TITRE is a blood test that assesses the current level of vaccinations in your dog proving if your dog is well protected against common illnesses and is 100% acceptable by SOME dog boarders, not all.)
  • Will you expect my dog to have recently been vaccinated with Kennel Cough? (some boarders ask you NOT to have this vaccination done as it can in fact GIVE other dogs Kennel Cough and causes extra shedding in the 2 weeks after the jab)
  • Can I provide my own food? (Avoid anyone that says ‘we’ll take care of food’. This means they don’t want the extra work of dishing up multiple different foods but will simply feed all dogs the same food for ease. This is not good for your dog and his/her health and can cause unnecessary stomach upsets and illness.)
  • How many walks a day will my dog get?
  • How many other dogs will be on the walk with my dog?
  • How many other dogs do you board at your house?
  • Does my dog have to go in a van/car to get to the walk? If so how will he be restrained? Cage? Harness?
  • Where will my dog sleep while he is with you?
  • Will somebody be at home with him all day?
  • If you go out, do you separate the dogs (if more than one in the house) or do they all stay together in one room?
  • Should I bring my own dog’s bed or do you provide one? (Many boarders prefer to use their own as they are changed regularly and specifically bought to make them easy to wash. Don’t ever take a dirty bed to a boarder’s house!)
  • Should I bring my own feeding bowl? (Because of the large amount of dogs coming through their premises many boarders prefer to use their own stainless steel bowls that can be thoroughly sterilised after use in dishwasher.)
  • Puppies – if you need to board your puppy ask if the boarder has a separation area where they can quarantine your puppy away from other animals if he or she falls ill.

Meeting your dog boarder for the first time

Any good dog boarding company will insist on a ‘meet and greet’ meeting with you and your dog, with their dogs (if they have them), in their home. During this visit the boarder will be looking to see how your dog interacts with theirs and will probably suggest a quick walk, partly off lead, so they can see how your dog behaves. Boarding isn’t for all dogs. If they are old and a bit grumpy they may not suit a busy house with lots of other dogs and humans; you will need to find more ‘one to one’ care where they are the only dog in the house. It’s all about making sure you find the RIGHT boarder for your dog. Questions they may ask you on the day could include:

  • Is your dog fully vaccinated or do they have TITRE results?
  • Is your pet insured? (If not you may be asked to sign a document promising to pay any/all vets bills on return.)
  • A run down on your dog’s medical history in the past 4-5 weeks. (It is unfair to leave a sick dog with a boarder. It is unfair to the dog, to the boarder and to any other pets they may have in the house that could pick up the illness.)
  • Does your dog need any kind of regular medication (eg Insulin)?
  • Does your vet have a 24hr care facility? If not do you agree to your dog being used by the boarder’s vet if it does?
  • Does your dog have any kind of separation anxiety (it is important you are honest about this, some owners are embarrassed to say yes and the poor boarder only finds out when the dog has been left alone for a while and destroyed half their house! Be honest. If yes, the boarder can make arrangements to ensure the dog is not left alone)
  • How good is your dog with other dogs?
  • Can your dog be walked safely off the lead?

What to expect while you are away

In reality…not much! No news is good news after all. Be assured if there is a problem, they will contact you. Whilst some boarders are very camera confident and happy to send you snaps of your ‘babies’ frolicking playfully in a field of poppies or an action shot, water caught mid splash as they play in the shallows of the local river….whereas another may not know one end of an iPhone from another and would be hard pushed to take a photo of their own foot let alone your dog while he tears around a forest with his new doggy mates. Fear not. Don’t judge the care of your dog on how many photos you receive whilst you are away. Let the boarder get on with the job of looking after your dog, not documenting their stay in a daily catalogue of ‘ahhh’ snaps.

By the time you have done this much research, met with the dog boarder and had a trial stay, your mind should be suitably at rest that you have made the very best decision for your dog. All that’s left to do is pack your bags and head off into the sunset, in the knowledge that your furry friend is safe and sound back at home.

Petpals has 50+ dog boarders and walkers across the United Kingdom. For more information and to find the boarder closest to you please visit our website www.petpals.com

Ends                                                                                                                                                    August 2016