Here at IAPP Dog Dog Care, we want to ensure you and your pup have an amazing experience. We want our home to be your dog's home away from home! So today, we'll share some things to consider as well as dog boarding tips and tricks to help make your dog's first stay with us a wonderful experience.
Tell us about your dog
The first thing to do to prepare for your dog's boarding stay is to tell us about your dog! Dogs have such unique personalities, and some might have different behaviors or need more of something than other dogs. Maybe your dog values cuddle time more than playtime. Or maybe your dog would much rather run and play with the other dogs instead of hanging out with the boring humans!
Daycare
Another great thing you can do to help prepare your dog is to bring your dog to daycare once or twice before boarding. This will help your dog associate our place with good times, and they'll learn that mom or dad will be back before the day is done! Then when you do bring your dog for overnight boarding, they'll be so excited for a day of fun, and the only new aspect will be a sleepover!
Update contact information
Make sure your email and any phone numbers we can reach you at are up to date and accurate. We love sending pictures and videos to let you know how your fur baby is doing, so we want to ensure you'll get them! Also, please include some emergency contacts in case we can't reach you in an emergency when you are away.
Vaccination records
You'll also want to ensure your pup is up to date on his or her vaccinations. Another thing to remember is to share any of your dog’s relevant medical information with us.
Food and feeding schedule
We provide food for all of our dogs in our care, but if your dog is on a special diet, has restrictions, or is just a picky eater, absolutely pack up enough food for two meals a day that will last the duration of your pup's stay with us.
And if you have a bedtime or morning routine of giving your pup a special treat, pack some of the treats along! We'd be happy to continue with the same routine.
Another thing to consider is adjusting your dog's schedule in the weeks before boarding when possible. We feed the dogs breakfast between 9 and 9:30 AM, and dinner is between 5 and 5:30 PM. If your dog is used to eating at a different time, it might be a good idea to try to slowly move their feeding time closer to ours so it isn't such a surprise for them when their feeding schedule gets switched up.
Crate training
If your dog isn't already crate trained, consider introducing your dog to a crate or kennel before their stay. While dogs do have the run of the dog suite and yard during the day, we do put them to bed in their own kennels at night. If this isn't something your pup is used to, it may be beneficial to start practicing having your dog spend time in the crate at home.
Drop off
And finally, the hardest part is saying a quick goodbye! When dropping your dog off, make the departure short and sweet. We know emotions can run high when leaving your dog for the first time! But dogs easily pick up on our emotions, so having an upbeat, excited disposition at drop-off will really help your dog feel more relaxed and excited about their time with us.
Also, consider bringing your dog to daycare for a day or two before boarding! This will help your dog associate our place with good times, and they'll learn that mom or dad will be back before the day is done! Then when you do bring your dog for overnight boarding, they'll be so excited for a day of fun, and the only new aspect will be a sleepover!
Final Takeaways
We know that boarding your dog for the first time can be a bit nerve-wracking. It's a big change for both you and your dog! But often, the pups are too busy playing and having fun to pay much attention to the change! We know you'll miss your furry friend, but we'll send lots of pictures and updates!
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