Finding the right dog boarding for your dog

Entrusting your own dog – often a full-fledged family member – to a completely stranger person is incredibly difficult for most of us. You worry: Will he miss me? Will he get along with the other dogs? What if he feels homesick at night?

That is why a good dog boarding facility should always be based on absolute transparency, many years of experience, and honest communication. A high-quality care facility understands the owners' worries and takes the time for all your questions.

Especially very sensitive animals, young puppies, or dogs that come from animal rescue and may already have separation anxiety react strongly to new environments at first. Here, the care staff needs in-depth expertise, endless patience, and an extremely good feel for the most diverse dog personalities.

Not everywhere that says "dog care" is also high quality. If you want to find a reputable dog boarding facility, you should pay attention to the following five crucial quality features:

Dogs are highly social pack animals, but that does not mean they get along with every fellow dog. Groups that are too large and uncontrolled (often called a "doggy daycare") increase the stress level enormously and quickly lead to conflicts or bullying among the animals. A good boarding facility keeps the groups small and harmonious and separates them by size, age, or play behavior.

Anyone who drops off their dog wants to know how they are doing. Professional caregivers will proactively offer to send you short updates, small videos, or photos via WhatsApp. This gives you as the owner the necessary reassurance and lets you enjoy your own vacation much more relaxed.

Unfortunately, love for dogs alone is not enough to lead a pack safely! An operator should have an official certificate of competence (in Germany, for example, according to §11 of the Animal Welfare Act). Sound knowledge of body language, calming signals, and first aid for dogs is absolutely essential.

This is an enormously important point! Especially with sensitive dogs, it is essential that their usual meals can be maintained. A good boarding facility will even insist that you bring your own food to avoid sudden gastrointestinal problems in the dog due to food changes.

Dogs do play a lot in a dog boarding facility, but they need up to 18 hours of sleep a day! If a facility consists only of a large play area, that is a warning sign. There must absolutely be cozy, separate retreat options where the dogs can rest undisturbed.

Never drop off your dog blindly at a care facility! Before your dog spends even a single night there, a personal viewing appointment should always take place – ideally first without, and then with your dog. Pay special attention to the following things during this appointment:

• Cleanliness & safety: Are the fences high enough and escape-proof (without a risk of injury)? Are the premises hygienically clean and not smelling extremely of urine?

• Emergency procedures: Clarify which veterinarian will be contacted in an emergency. Can it be your own pet veterinarian? What happens if your dog gets injured?

• The chemistry must be right: Do you like the way the caregiver handles the dogs? Is communication loving but confident?

Important: The caregiver should also be absolutely honest with you and tell you after a trial day whether your dog fits well into the existing group. Reputable dog boarding facilities also reject dogs sometimes when they realize that it would absolutely not harmonize or that the animal would suffer too much. This is a strong quality feature of competence, not a minus point!

If you were able to find a dog boarding facility that you like, it is time for the bureaucracy. To ensure the protection of all animals present, good facilities have strict admission conditions.

As a rule, you must present your dog's vaccination record. Basic immunization (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis, and rabies) is mandatory almost everywhere. Many boarding facilities also require an up-to-date vaccination against the dreaded kennel cough, as it spreads extremely quickly in groups.

In addition, your dog must be freshly dewormed and wear effective protection against fleas and ticks. Proof of a valid dog liability insurance is also almost always stipulated in the contract, in case your dog damages something while playing.

Dogs do not have a sense of time like we do. If you drop off your beloved pet at an unfamiliar place and leave, he does not know whether you will return in two hours or in two weeks. If you know that your dog will regularly need care in the future, start training as early as possible.

Start with very short stays. Bring your dog by for an hour or two for a walk together. Then increase this to a half trial day and finally to a first overnight stay. This way, your dog learns an invaluable lesson step by step: "The dog boarding facility is a cool place to play, and my human always picks me up again!"

This gentle approach is especially important for:

• Very young puppies that still have little life experience.

• Rescue dogs that have already experienced a relationship break in their past.

• Very clingy or generally rather insecure dogs.

By the way, stress-induced panting in an unfamiliar environment often leads to increased thirst. So do not be surprised if your dog empties the water bowl after the trial day.

To make your dog feel almost at home at the boarding facility, you should give them a few familiar things. Your packing list should include:

1. Healthy dog food: Sufficient portions for the entire stay (plus an extra emergency day's ration). Feel free to pack their absolute favorite snacks too.

2. A familiar scent: A worn, unwashed T-shirt of yours or their beloved cuddly blanket. Your scent provides a huge amount of comfort at night.

3. Medication: If your dog needs tablets regularly, write down a precise dosing schedule.

4. Collar & harness: Ideally well-fitting and equipped with an address tag.

No matter how great the facilities are: A dog boarding facility is unfortunately not the perfect choice for every single dog. Some dogs feel uncomfortable in groups, are incompatible with their own kind, highly stressed by unfamiliar noises, or are very peace-loving due to their advanced age.

If a boarding facility means pure stress for your dog, you should honestly weigh up these alternatives:

• Dog sitting in your own home: A professional pet sitter moves in with you for the duration of your trip. The dog stays in its familiar, safe territory.

• Individual care with foster families: The dog practically goes on a "vacation on the couch" with a private individual, without large groups of dogs.

• Care by familiar people: Family, neighbors, or close friends take over the care.

This should always be weighed up absolutely honestly and objectively to ensure that only your dog's well-being is at the absolute forefront.

Wanting to find a first-class dog boarding facility requires some time, research, and intuition. Pay attention to cleanliness, small groups, and transparent, loving treatment. If you then also start slowly with trial days and give the caregiver the familiar food, nothing stands in the way of a relaxed dog vacation! This way you can embark on your own trip with a clear conscience, while your four-legged friend has a great time with friends.