Kennels, Questions, And What You Need To Know Before You Choose One Boarding Business

Are you ready to hit the road, rails, or skies for a much-needed vacation? If your canine companion can't come with the rest of the family, you need to find a safe place for them to stay while you're away, like a kennel. Before you select one boarding business from the many kennels in your local area, take a look at the questions to ask.

Is Proof of Vaccination Required?

Like people, pets also need vaccinations to prevent easily communicable diseases. The kennel setting puts your pup in close contact with other canines. This makes vaccinations a must-have for your pet and the other dogs.

Ask the kennel what vaccinations your pup needs and how you can verify these immunizations. Most states, counties, cities, or local municipalities require the rabies vaccine. Along with rabies, your dog may also need core vaccines such as distemper, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and adenovirus-2. The kennel may also require documentation of non-core vaccines, such as Bordetella bronchiseptica.

Who Works With the Dogs?

More specifically — what type of training do the staff members have? There are no universal qualifications to work in a kennel. But this doesn't mean the people who work with the dogs shouldn't have some level of training. Look for a kennel with staff members who have extensive experience working with and handling pets. To learn more about how the staff members interact with the dogs, ask the kennel owner or manager if you can observe some of the daily activities.

What Are the Indoor Conditions?

If you plan to observe the kennel's operations, you can answer this question for yourself. But if your search starts with a call or email, you'll need to ask the staff to describe the size of each dog's indoor area, play spaces, outdoor spaces, and specifics such as ventilation and cleanliness/sanitization.

Do They Have References?

Ideally, a close friend or family member would recommend a specific kennel. Your friend or family member is likely to give you an honest review and plenty of details. If this isn't possible, you'll need to find references elsewhere. Along with a meet and greet and observation, you can also ask the kennel owner/manager for customer references.

General recommendations or reviews, such as, "Good" or, "Met the pet's needs" are potential red flags to watch out for. Instead of broad generalizations, the recommendations should have details that are specific to the kennel. These could include accommodations, activities, or information about individual staff members.

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