Choosing the Best Dog Kennels For Your Best Friends
Living with dogs is great, but sometimes you have to travel for business, vacations or emergencies and taking the dogs with you is impossible.
This is when you have the choice of hiring a pet sitter or boarding your dogs at dog kennels.
The big disadvantage of pet sitters is that you are basically letting a stranger into your home.
This is one reason why many dog owners who have to travel prefer to board their dogs at dog kennels.
Who To Ask For Recommendations Ideally, you should find the best kenneling facilities for you before any emergencies arise.
In that way, that's one less thing to worry about when you have to rush about for a trip.
But real life often takes us from the ideal situation.
If you have to quickly find a temporary home for your dogs, who should you ask for recommendations? The best place to call is a trusted friend or family member that has dogs and travels.
Next best place is your vet.
Your vet may also offer full boarding services.
This can be okay for a couple of days, but the stress of being at the vet's is often too much for a dog beyond that.
But vets get asked all of the time where there is a good dog kennel, so they or their office staff should help point you in the right direction.
Another place to ask is your local large-chain pet store.
Some chain pet stores like PetSmart offer full boarding services.
Not only are the dogs fed and housed, but they also get time for play.
You do have to be sure that your dogs are well behaved and get along well with other dogs, though.
Also, you should not send a bitch in heat to a kennel like this.
She will drive all of the dogs there insane.
Check It Out First Would you drop off your child at a day care center where you have never looked inside to see what kind of a place it is? Then, you should never drop your dog off at a kennelling facility that you have not checked out yourself.
Reputable dog kennel owners and employees know this and expect you to check it out.
The kennel should smell all right.
It should not smell like rotting meat or excrement.
Also, you should see what kind of a run your dog will be living in.
Also check out how the employees handle dogs.
Ask them if they keep the dogs separate or let them play together.
Ask them also if you need to provide food and toys or if they will.
This is when you have the choice of hiring a pet sitter or boarding your dogs at dog kennels.
The big disadvantage of pet sitters is that you are basically letting a stranger into your home.
This is one reason why many dog owners who have to travel prefer to board their dogs at dog kennels.
Who To Ask For Recommendations Ideally, you should find the best kenneling facilities for you before any emergencies arise.
In that way, that's one less thing to worry about when you have to rush about for a trip.
But real life often takes us from the ideal situation.
If you have to quickly find a temporary home for your dogs, who should you ask for recommendations? The best place to call is a trusted friend or family member that has dogs and travels.
Next best place is your vet.
Your vet may also offer full boarding services.
This can be okay for a couple of days, but the stress of being at the vet's is often too much for a dog beyond that.
But vets get asked all of the time where there is a good dog kennel, so they or their office staff should help point you in the right direction.
Another place to ask is your local large-chain pet store.
Some chain pet stores like PetSmart offer full boarding services.
Not only are the dogs fed and housed, but they also get time for play.
You do have to be sure that your dogs are well behaved and get along well with other dogs, though.
Also, you should not send a bitch in heat to a kennel like this.
She will drive all of the dogs there insane.
Check It Out First Would you drop off your child at a day care center where you have never looked inside to see what kind of a place it is? Then, you should never drop your dog off at a kennelling facility that you have not checked out yourself.
Reputable dog kennel owners and employees know this and expect you to check it out.
The kennel should smell all right.
It should not smell like rotting meat or excrement.
Also, you should see what kind of a run your dog will be living in.
Also check out how the employees handle dogs.
Ask them if they keep the dogs separate or let them play together.
Ask them also if you need to provide food and toys or if they will.
