Dog boarding kennels

Selecting a boarding kennel

When you're looking to choose a boarding kennel for your dog there are a number of questions that you should ask the kennel staff before making a booking. It's highly recommended that you visit the kennel yourself, even though it may have been recommended by friends and family. Often its best to check with the kennel staff the best time of day to visit so that you don't turn up at very busy times when all the staff are fully occupied. This will ensure that they have the time to spend to show you their facilities and to answer your questions. At Paws 'n' Claws boarding kennels we don't have an appointment system... just visit us any time between 11.00am and 3.00pm and one of our boarding staff will show you round.

Questions you should ask

You should ask questions about all the boarding kennel areas which concern you. Its recommended that you cover the following areas:

• current boarding kennel licence from local council
• dog vaccination requirements including Nobivac KC for kennel cough
• feeding arrangements and food storage
• beds, bedding and toys
• medication - how is this monitored and controlled?
• type of heating used
• disinfectants used and cleaning procedures employed
• delivery and collection times specified by the kennel
• charges for your pets stay
• boarding availability during peak seasons
• staffing levels 
• dog grooming, bathing and drying
• washing up, laundry and drying
• dog exercise areas and security
• administration - what information is recorded about you and your pet - it should include
  • your name and address and phone numbers
  • contact details while you are away
  • your pets details - breed, age, medical history, medication, vaccination record, temperament
  • vets details
  • feeding requirement

Boarding kennel visit

Areas of the boarding kennel to visit:

• kennels with dogs in!
• kitchen, washing up and food preparation and storage areas
• grooming room with washing and drying equipment
• storage and laundry for dog bedding 
• dog exercise area
• reception/administration

Boarding kennel features

Things to look for:

• the attitude of all staff
• standard of cleanliness of the boarding kennels
• level of security - is there a secondary barrier to prevent escape?
• lighting and ventilation
• types of heating fitted
• standard of maintenance

You need to have sufficient time to cover all these things .... it usually takes longer than you think! So allow yourself plenty of time so that the kennel staff can show you round and answer all the questions. If you decide to book do so well in advance to avoid disappointment. Most good boarding kennels get booked up months in advance for the peak seasons.