If you’re lucky, you’ll never have to leave your dog alone for too long. Whether it be a child, a parent, or a friendly neighbor down the street that’s able to play with them, it’s comforting to know they aren’t alone if you’re working long hours or gone for the weekend. You may not always have a pet sitter that can come to your house a few times a day to take your dog out and make sure he’s fed, taken out, and exercised, but there are options out there to ensure your pet is in good hands and surrounded by other playful dogs. Here’s the rundown on dog daycare and dog boarding.
Dog Daycare
Dog daycare is perfect for those long days at work. You bring them to daycare in the morning and pick them up after work. Dogs can be separated by age, size, gender, and temperament, and will have the chance to interact with other dogs in a safe environment. Daycare facilities have outdoor fenced in areas and indoor play areas with obstacle courses and play equipment so your dog can run and play all day. They’ll work out their energy during the day, so when you bring them home they will be a calm part of the family.
Boarding Kennels
Think of dog boarding as a pet hotel with all sorts of amenities. While once thought of as a place with cold concrete, steel cages, and no interaction, boarding kennels have much more to offer now. Similar to dog daycares, boarding kennels offer indoor and outdoor play areas. Some boarding facilities even have pools, televisions, and shuttle services to bring pets to and from the facility. Pets can enjoy doggie cots or even massages. Your pets will feel like they’re on vacation, too!
Of course, not all facilities offer such extravagant amenities, but kennels are adding these amenities to make sure pets are comfortable. Sometimes pets can become stressed in a new environment, and these offerings are designed to counteract those negative effects. If you start boarding your dog at a young age, they will become accustomed to the new environment.
Whether you’re taking your dog to daycare or having them boarded for the weekend, we recommend beginning this practice as soon as you get your new puppy. They can come to a daycare facility or boarding kennel as young as 8 weeks. They should come a few times per month to help them start to build a level of confidence at a young age. They’ll need to have the Rabies, Distemper and Bordetella shots if they’re 16 weeks and over. If they’re between 8 weeks and 16 weeks, they’re not old enough to have the Rabies shot yet, but it’s still okay for them to come to a boarding kennel or daycare facility.