Need To Check Your Dog Into A Board And Care Facility? 3 Tips For A Stress-Free Stay

If you usually take your dog with you when you travel, leaving them at a board and care might be a new experience for you – and your dog. New experiences can be difficult, especially if you haven't prepared yourself for the process. Unfortunately, your dog is going to be looking to you for guidance on this new experience. To make your dogs stay as stress-free as possible, here are three steps you should take.

Try Daycare First

If you've never left your dog in the care of strangers before, you don't want to start out with a weeks stay in a board and care facility. That's the best way to ensure a rough time for everyone. To make sure your vacation doesn't end in a canine meltdown of epic proportions, try a doggy daycare facility first. Check your dog in for a few day long visits before you're scheduled to leave on vacation. The day long visits to a doggy daycare facility will help acclimate your dog to a new environment. If the daycare facility is the same place where you'll be leaving your dog for the extended stay, it will ensure that they're familiar with their surroundings, and with their new caregivers before you leave.

Don't Linger Longer

Dogs are a lot like kids. If they sense you're stressed out, they're going to get stressed out too. When it comes time to drop your dog off at the board and care facility, don't linger longer than you need to. In fact, if you can, it's a good idea to stop by the day before and do all the necessary paperwork. That way, you can walk in, say your goodbyes, and leave. You'll be gone before your dog has a chance to have a momentary meltdown.

Provide Multiple Emergency Contacts

When you're traveling, there's no way of knowing if your cell phone is always going to have proper reception. Unfortunately, that can cause a problem if the board and care has an emergency situation regarding your pet. If there is an emergency situation, you want to make sure that they can get a hold of you as soon as possible. The best way to ensure that is to provide multiple emergency contact numbers, including one that's a landline number, if possible. Multiple contact numbers will ensure that the boarding and care facility can get a hold of you, should the need arise.

If you're going to be leaving your dog in a boarding facility, use the tips provided here to avoid a stress-free experience. If you fear that your dog may become stressed, or anxious during their stay, talk to your veterinarian about anxiety medication. The medication may help your dog relax for their stay.