4 Essential Pet Boarding Tips for Dog Owners

Going on a holiday can leave pet owners feeling bittersweet. Afterall, leaving your furkid behind can be difficult for both your pet and you. However, pet boarding services are now widely available, to make the process less stressful and complex.

To ensure both your pet and you have a fruitful vacation, here are four tips to keep in mind when registering your pet into a pet boarding facility.

Find a Reputable Dog-Boarding Service

During its stay in the dog boarding facility, your dog may require more love, care and affection than usual. It’s important to ensure the professionals taking care of your pet are knowledgeable and passionate in their service. These factors will contribute considerably to help you determine the pet boarding facility that will ensure your pet’s safety and comfort during its stay.

Reputable dog boarding establishments can be identified by word-of-mouth from other pet owners or through social media reviews. The opinions from these pet owners tend to be genuine and true, especially as because it is based on their furkid’s personal experience. But, if a pet boarding service has an overwhelming number of negative reviews, that may be a huge red flag for you to consider.

Prepping Your Dog

Your dog needs to be prepared before it goes to take its place in the pet boarding establishment. This includes ensuring your pup’s vaccinations and medications are up-to-date. Do bring it to the vets in Singapore for a check and to update its vaccinations before it checks in. This is to ensure its safety and the safety of the other pups.

You should also prepare your canine for the boarding experience, especially if the separation is over an extended period. Gradually introduce it to the upcoming separation by leaving it overnight at the chosen boarding facility. This enables your canine to familiarise itself with the environment and your absence.

Quick Goodbyes

When it’s time to send your pup off, don’t linger over the goodbye, create a fuss or outrightly display your personal grief. Instead, remain cheerful and excited as you send your pet over. This way your pet will anticipate this act as a positive one. Remember, your dog can sense your feelings and negativity may trigger its own anxiety and stress.

Leave a Familiar Item Behind

To ease the potential separation anxiety, we recommend packing a favourite toy or a cloth, shirt or blanket that reminds your pet of you. If this is your pup’s first out-of-home stay, try not to send along its favourite toy as separation anxiety or stress may cause it to act in a destructive manner, causing it to destroy the toy. These items will remind your canine of the comforts of home and may effectively place it at ease.

Apart from these four tips, do remember to discuss with the staff on your pup’s medication, dietary needs and other important details they should take note of during your furkid’s stay. It is also advised to monitor your pup’s health in the weeks following its return, to ensure it’s well-being.