The 4th of July Holiday and summer boarding reservations are at a feverish pitch! There are so many questions so I thought it might be a good idea to cover just a few of the more commonly used "terms" used by boarding facilities:
1) Cage Free Boarding - What does that mean? Dogs run around all night in no enclosure? Not usually. Many reputable facilities use metal crates to board dogs, others use commercial boarding kennels or banks of kennels, we use epoxy cinder-block, epoxy floors, and premier commercial powder coated doors custom made for us. Ask for specifics - what does the boarding area look like, what size is it, is there open air flow and how many hours - per day - will my dog be in that area?
2) Frequent Potty or Exercise Breaks - Always ask for specifics. Some facilities let the dogs run between the kennels or crates in a small area while they clean the kennel and call it an "exercise break". Where are the exercise breaks - outdoors? indoors? Is it a private break or are other dogs in the same area? How long is the exercise break and how many times per day and at what times?
3) Group play time: Ask what the facility playtime is - specifically. Are there humans in the group? How long is the playtime - specifically. Often we hear that people assume the playtime is all day when in fact it is 1.5 hours in the am and 1.5 hours in the pm. Ask for specifics.
So what is an owner to do? Visit the facility you are going to leave your dog at. Smell the air, listen to the sounds, meet the staff, and see the kennel your dog will be staying in. You should be able to drop-in at any time to see the facility and should be given tons of time to ask questions.
Remember, if your dog is older or in poor health, consult with your Veterinarian before boarding your elderly or ill dog.
