Pet boarding can sometimes be a bit of a stressful time for our furry friends, which is why we’re passionate about creating a comfortable and loving environment for all of the animals we care for. We currently board both dogs and cats in our carefully designed, comfort orientated kennels and cattery. However, all animals respond differently to boarding, and some find it a lot more stressful than others, which is why we want to tell you about a few of the things you can do to prepare your animals for their stay and make the process a little more calm and easy for them.
Book in advance
Although we never really want to be apart from our pets, there are some times when it is just unavoidable, such as when you’re going on holiday. Things like this tend to be booked pretty far in advance, and we encourage you to do the same when it comes to booking your dog or cat into a kennel or cattery. They get booked up pretty quickly and pretty early, too. So, leaving it until a few weeks before probably isn’t the best idea, as you may struggle to find somewhere nearby with any vacancies.
Diet
If your pet has any specific dietary requirements, you must make the kennel or cattery owner aware of this to ensure that they receive the correct care and attention. Furthermore, although most will be equipped with food, you may want to send your pet with the food they are used to so that their stomach doesn’t become unsettled, or check with the place to see what type of food they have to give them.
Stay calm
No pets like being separated from their owners, especially dogs. To make the process less daunting for them, try to stay as calm, normal and happy as you can so that they don’t suspect anything unusual and get worked up. This will help them to feel more relaxed and will also be less upsetting for you!
Take comfort items
This is pretty much essential when boarding your pet. If your dog has a favourite toy, or your cat loves a particular bed or blanket, take that with them! This will help to keep your animals more relaxed and comforted during their stay.
Make sure your pet is healthy
This could be in terms of being up to date with all of their vaccinations, or simply just fit and well in themselves. If your pet isn’t in the right state to be left at a kennels or cattery, it is likely that you will be turned away and refused for both your own pets safety and those that will be boarding with it. Furthermore, if for example your dog hasn’t had its vaccinations, this introduces the risk of disease, which can be very dangerous.
Most pets don’t like to have disruption to their routine, so following these steps will help to keep the process running a little smoother and more calmly. If you’d like any more advice or are looking to get your pet booked in for a stay with us, please get in touch with us via our contact page and we will be more than happy to help!