Questions to Ask Your Boarding Kennel About Your Dog's Stay

We want to provide animal owners with a few questions that they should be asking their boarding kennel when picking their dogs up from a stay. Kennels should either provide you with a report card summary of their stay or have a conversation with you regarding their stay. Some may even send you daily updates or pictures.

Questions that should be asked:

- How did my dog do during their stay?

- How did my dog do when they were in their kennel run?

- Were they able to lay down and settle or were they more interested in everything else going on around them?

- Did they show any signs of anxiety? Were they frustrated?

- Did my dog eat their full meals during their stay? If not, how much did they eat

- Did my dog have an okay stomach (any poop issues)? Did they have any accidents in their kennel?

- When outside, were they engaged or were they looking for a way out?

- If your dog is social and is out with other dogs: Did my dog play well with the other dogs?

We have had way too many clients say that in the past they had not received any feedback from the previous kennel they had stayed at - or they had just told them "they did fine". This is not okay. In this unregulated profession we as animal professionals need to be accountable for the beings in our care.

Please make sure to do your research when looking for a kennel - and remember, there are many different options for boarding. Some dogs may do well in a kennel run style facility, while others would do better in an open concept daycare. Some may not even be boarding candidates at all and need an in-home option. Please ask the questions to make sure your dog is in the best spot for their needs. There are many different options available.