Boarding kennels are a place people feel is safe to leave their dogs. They trust the staff and believe they’ll really take care of their dogs. People tend to investigate the kennel before leaving their dog in the hands of the kennel’s staff because it may not be spacious and clean, your dog may not receive fresh water and have proper bedding, and they may not receive the attention they require while you’re away.

There are 3 basic steps all dog owners should do before leaving their dog at a kennel. Do not simply telephone the kennel to make an appointment to leave your dog. Make a personal visit and check each of these items: look at the general appearance (regular daily clean-up procedures and make sure it looks and smells neat and clean), security, safety, supervision (proper supervision is the key to good boarding), sanitation and health care (water, food, veterinary services, immunization requirements, medical policies and procedures, and parasite control). You have to have trust in the people at the kennel and feel confident about leaving your dog. If you’re very uneasy about the place, try checking out other kennels.

Another important aspect to look out for at the kennel is the staff. People have no idea how the staff will treat someone’s dog while away. This also goes with supervision and how closely they truly watch the dogs. Staff could handle dogs badly and not give them the proper treatment they need. Being able to trust the staff is a major priority since they are the ones watching the dogs at all times. Leaving your dog in the hands of others is the key to how much you trust a boarding kennel.

Roger and Jayme Foster recently experienced a terrible situation at a kennel. The Fosters needed a kennel to watch their two boxers for the weekend while attending a wedding. When the Fosters returned, they found out one of their dogs was seriously injured. Two mixed labs were let out with no supervision and came up to the boxer’s cage and forcefully tried to pull her two front legs under the space in her kennel. No staff noticed the fight or how injured the boxer was until 30 minutes later. The Fosters have now had to pay more than $3,000 in surgery expenses to treat their dog.

Taking the time to check the kennel for any flaws in it’s system is worth the time if keeping your dog safe and well kept is your main priority when leaving for a period of time.