Boarding Kennels – Discover the Best One For Your Pet

By Kristen Nelson, D.V.M.

With summer around the corner, it is time to find a comfortable place for your pet while you are on vacation. You want to know your pet is safe and well cared for in your absence. But how do you find a good boarding kennel? How do you make sure your pet is happy so you may enjoy a guilt-free vacation? The answer is simple, do homework in advance.

Kennel Design

Before booking a reservation, take a tour of the boarding kennel. Pay close attention to the number of barriers between the animal holding area and the outdoors. I like to see at least one set of self-closing doors between the animal areas and the front door. If a dog slips its leash, they usually run to where they entered the building. Ask about the security system. Does the facility have smoke detectors? If smoke is detected, will it automatically activate sprinklers? Unfortunately, kennel fires do occur so every precaution must be taken to protect the animals inside.

Look at the layout for species-specific rooms. I prefer separate cat, dog and exotic areas. Each may be customized to reduce stress and provide behavioral enrichment. Cats especially benefit from not sharing their space with a pack of yapping dogs. Make sure there are solid partitions between animal cages or runs to prevent fights and disease transmission. A chain-link fence is not an adequate barrier between runs. I have treated many dogs for injuries suffered through fence fights! The runs and cages should not face each other. From a dog’s perspective, direct, across the aisle eye contact is an aggressive gesture. Timid animals may feel threatened and aggressive ones might be stimulated. The face-to-face set up also permits disease transmission. If you see this manner of design, I suggest you find a different place for your pet.

Inspect the cages and runs for problems. Look for sharp edges, rusty bolts or other signs of disrepair. Does the cage give the animal enough room to stand, turn around and stretch out? If the answer is no, the space is inadequate for that animal. Spend the extra money to book a larger space. Most kennels clean the runs by hosing them towards a gutter or drain. Make sure the drain or gutter is covered and that the cover is fastened in place. I have treated dogs for paw injuries from stepping into an uncovered drain. I have also heard tragic stories about small pets falling into drains.

Outdoor Spaces

A sturdy wall should surround outdoor spaces used for exercising the animals. Points of entry should have double gates or doors to prevent accidental escapes. If animals are left outside unattended, the enclosure needs a roof as well. The roof will provide protection from the elements as well as protection from unwanted intruders. I treated a large cat who liked to sit on a balcony. A Great-horned owl swooped down and grabbed her. Thank goodness, the owl could not fly with the cat. He dropped the overweight feline in the pool and the cat survived.

Sanitation

As the saying goes, cleanliness is next to Godliness. The entire kennel, including outdoor enclosures, should be clean and free of strong odors. A powerful ammonia or disinfectant smell is a red flag. All cleaning products should be removed after use with thorough rinsing. Ask if the animals are removed from their run or cage for cleaning. If the answer is no, find a new kennel. In my view, reputable kennels remove the animal to prevent exposure to cleaning agents. When animals are left inside, they may suffer skin irritations, corneal ulcers and chemical burns on their paws. This actually happened to one of my own dogs.

Ask how many times per day the dogs are taken out for exercise. Most kennels exercise them twice a day, once in the morning and once around dinner time. In my opinion, this is not enough, especially for geriatric dogs. Check to see if the kennel will give your dog additional outs. I gladly pay extra to make sure my dog gets out at least three times per day. This is better for your pet and helps you attain a guilt-free vacation.

Vaccinations

To protect all the animals that stay at a facility, most kennels require up-to-date vaccinations. For dogs, they usually require rabies, some form of DA2PP and Bordetella. In addition, the kennel might require vaccinations for Leptospirosis, Giardia or Lyme disease if it is a problem in the area. I also recommend heartworm, flea and tick prevention prior to a kennel stay. For cats, most kennels require rabies, FVRCP and FELV vaccinations as well as FELV/FIV status. Animals without proper vaccinations should not be boarded. Note vaccines require two weeks to achieve efficacy! People who choose not to vaccinate should use an in-home pet-sitting service. Warn the pet-sitter that your animal is not protected so they take precautions to avoid transmitting a disease into your home.

Diet

Most kennels offer one standard canine and feline diet. If an animal develops diarrhea, they often switch to a bland diet as part of their standard operating procedure. If your pet requires a special diet, bring it with in a sturdy container. Clearly mark the container with the pet’s name, name of food, the number of feedings per day and the amount fed per meal. Exotic pet owners usually bring their own food. Instruct the staff about any special feeding or handling requirements. Similar rules apply for medications. For example, if you have a giant breed dog, ask the kennel to elevate the food and water bowls off the ground.

Behavioral Enrichment

Better kennels look out for a pet’s emotional and physical well-being. Some install video monitors in the kennels tuned to ‘Animal Planet’. Other’s play soothing music and provide toys, beds or snacks to make the time away from home pass more quickly. Cat wards often have an aquarium filled with brightly colored fish. I board my dog at a kennel with a swimming pool. Study the animals in the kennel. Their behavior will tell you volumes about the environment.

Staff

In my experience, a high rate of staff turnover is a bad sign when it comes to kennels. Ask your tour guide how long the staff has been employed at that location. The Pet Care Services Association, formerly known as the American Association of Boarding Kennels provides an accreditation program for facilities and personnel. Ask if both the staff and the kennel are certified. Some kennels display their certificates and awards behind the reception counter. You know your pet likes the kennel when they are happy to see the staff even though they would rather be at home.

Emergency Care

All kennels should work with a veterinarian to provide emergency care for their animal guests. Ask who the kennel works with and then check out the clinic’s reputation. If you are not satisfied request they consult your regular veterinarian in case of emergency.

Copyright 2009© Veterinary Creative, L.L.C. Permission is hereby granted for reproduction in whole or in part if credit is given to the author: Kristen L. Nelson, D.V.M.

Pet Kennels

Making sure you have that perfect home for your pet is a priority especially when you have a new pet. you might be interested in an indoor pet kennel. There is such a growing trend and demand for pet storage, that the designs have become functional and stylish. Pet kennels are being made to blend into modern décor.

You don’t really loose that much space with an indoor pet kennel is made from wood. The flat top still affords you a place for a lamp, pictures, etc… The average cost is around $120.00. But, price largely depends on style, design, and quality of wood.

Another option is the steel kennel. They are not as stylish, but they have convenient functions. Some brands even collapse, for easy storage. Others, offer rolling wheels and removable bottoms. If you are planning on eventually transferring your pet outdoors or are switching from indoors to outdoors seasonally, a steel kennel is the best option. Weather elements will not damage or deteriorate the steel.

Older dogs may take longer to adjust to the confinement. Patience and perseverance is the key to making this a happy experience for the pet. Introduce the older pet to the kennel slowly. Leave the pet in the kennel for thirty minutes. Do this for the first few times. Increase the time over the next few weeks. Eventually, the pet will seek out the kennel as a nap place and sanctuary… voluntarily.

When used sensibly, kennels can be obliging to the owner and a safe haven for the pet.

Pet Cages Are Important For Traveling

Dog cages

There are well over 70 million pet dogs in the world. That’s a lot of dogs! In many countries in Asia those dogs are transported all over the country on scooters. During times past dogs used to travel in the back of a vehicle, sandwiched between the kids. Today dogs need to travel safely and securely in a dog cage.

Dog cages protect the dog from possible accident. Dogs today usually travel in dog cages. Whether it’s a quick trip to the vet, a trip across country or traveling via air, dog cages are the way to go.

If you’re just going to be travelling locally, or by car, there’s no real restrictions on the type of dog cage to buy. Of course, if you want your pet to be happy you would do well to buy a comfortable cage for them.

If you are going to be traveling by air with your pet, here are some guidelines to help you chose the right kind of carrier:

Ask the airline for a copy of their regulations for transporting animals. These vary from airline to airline, so you will want to make sure in advance that your dog cage meets their specific requirements.

The cage should be large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around and lie down. Remember, your dog will be in the container for quite a few hours, especially if traveling long distances, so it’s important that the cage allows your dog to be as comfortable as possible during transit.


The dog cage should be made out of strong material, such as hard plastic, so it can contain the animal during transit. Wire or fiberboard cages are not considered strong enough or safe enough for air travel. It should also have ventilation on all four sides of the crate.

The dog cage has to be secure. No one wants a dog to escape mid-flight. Some fasteners are weak, and they open accidentally. Other dogs are smart enough to open a simple latch. The latch on your cage must be securely fastened.

A minor detail, but one often overlooked: Your dog should not be able to fit any part of itself through the cage. In other words, noses or jaws should not protrude from the dog cage, nor should paws.

Flights are often long. Animals must be fed. Please ensure that both the water source and food bowl can be easily reached and refilled..

Travel carriers for pets enable you to safely move your pet nearly anywhere with ease. There are many kinds of cages to choose from, however. Travel cages come in hundreds of different styles, including some with designer names, that you can select from. By doing a little research, you can find the cage that meets you and your pet’s needs.

Over sized crates will be necessary for transporting medium to large dogs. If your pet is small enough to use a small carrier or travel bag, you may be able to keep the animal with you. There are many airlines that allow this. Canine travel bags come in many styles, including front slings, backpacks, and handled bags that have openings in the tops to poke their heads through.

Cat travel carriers are available for transporting your feline companion. Cat carriers are essentially the only secure and safe mode of travel for cats. Cats usually prefer to travel while lying down, so the carrier does not need to accommodate a standing cat.

You will be prepared to travel with your pet in style once you have selected a suitable travel carrier from the wide array of available cages. A travel carrier is necessary to properly secure your pet and keep the animal comfortable during travel.