Work, vacation, personal celebrations – There could be various reasons why you may have to leave town for a day or more. Leaving your pet behind, however, isn’t an easy decision. In fact, most caring pet owners have their reservations about kennels and dog boarding options. Thankfully, there are plenty of choices for dog boarding Philadelphia, and in this post, we are sharing a few tips for comparing the best ones.
- Plan a visit
Boarding is different than daycare service. In case of daycare, you are assured of seeing your dog back in few hours. Boarding may sometimes mean leaving your dog behind for a week or more. The best idea would be to visit a boarding facility in person. Take a round, check the overall maintenance and hygiene, and consider the lodging options.
- Check the kennels
A Chi Hua Hua may not need a big canal, but a Saint Bernard would need at least a small sized room. Simply put, a boarding facility must be designed and equipped to accommodate all kinds of dogs. Check the kennels, if the rooms and facilities are clean, and whether your dog is likely to enjoy the space.
- Find out about veterinarians
Most boarding facilities may not have an in-house veterinarian, but they should be able to get medical advice and assistance, if and when required. Make sure that you ask about this aspect, especially when you are using a new boarding facility, or your dog hasn’t stayed in a boarding in the past.
- Activities during stay
The purpose of a dog boarding facility is not to hold your dog in a room. There should enough activities to keep the dog engaged during the stay, and for that, most facilities have a list of arrangements. Not all dogs are same, so if your pet doesn’t like socializing with other dogs, let the handlers know. They should be able to arrange something for the pet’s needs.
- Check the requirements
Almost every boarding service will want your dog to be vaccinated, and there could be other requirements too. Do your homework and make sure that you check all the details. In some cases, you may need to fetch a certificate or report from your regular veterinarian.
While some boarding services in Philadelphia are relatively cheap, you should be looking for services over everything else. If the same center can arrange for a pampering spa session for your dog, nothing like it!