How to Prepare When Boarding Your Dog for the First Time

Leaving town? Here's how to make boarding your dog stress-free

One of the biggest concerns among most pet owners is their pet's safety, comfort, and health when they're about to leave town for a while or be busy without the time to be home with them for a while. The good news, however, is that boarding a dog has become one of the most reliable solutions for days when you're busy or unavailable and need someone to take the best possible care of your fuzzy friend.

Boarding a dog might be an excellent option. However, taking this route for the first time ever can be equally challenging and nerve-racking for both you and your dog, primarily because you both are alien to the concept. There are many aspects to be mindful of when boarding a dog, including its reaction, adjustability, and overall experience.

This increases the need for dog parents to take all the necessary steps to simplify the transition for their pets. There are several preparatory steps you can take before boarding a dog. Start with the following:

Think About a Quick, Easy, and Positive Drop-Off Process

Many pet owners feel stressed and anxious about boarding a dog because of how emotionally attached they are to them. The idea of dropping them off at a boarding facility may be something you'll feel nervous about for a while. Your dog is your best friend, if not as important as a family member—and leaving them alone for weeks, days, or months will likely be extremely disheartening for you.

However, it's crucial to know that dogs are incredibly smart about sensing the emotions of their human parents. Therefore, it's never a good idea to feel sad, scared, and nervous before or during the drop-off process when boarding a dog. In fact, you should start preparing for a positive and happy departure beforehand so that it gets easier for you to manage when the time comes.

The key is to make the drop-off easy, sweet, positive, and free of tears or heavy emotions. A quick goodbye will give your dog the much-needed assurance that you'll be coming back to meet them and take them home very soon, and there's nothing it needs to be worried about at the boarding facility.

Update Your Dog's Vaccinations

One of the biggest prerequisites of boarding a dog is keeping their vaccination records updated. You must always keep track of your dog's vaccination dates so that you never miss out on important vaccinations required for optimal health and safety.

When you're about to board a dog, double-check their vaccination cards and see if there are any missing entries you might have to assess beforehand. This will make the boarding process much more seamless and easier once you've submitted a copy of your dog's vaccinations to the boarding facility.

Pack All their Favorite Items Beforehand

There are several things that ensure the comfort and happiness of your dog during its time in your home. These include treats, toys, training accessories, and other items they enjoy playing with throughout the day. In other words, many familiar objects play a significant role in helping a dog feel at home when staying with you.

This is exactly how you want your pup to feel in a boarding facility. An excellent way to meet this goal is by packing a bag of all its favorite toys and items. This way, you can ensure that they'll feel safer with their toys while in the boarding home.

Train Them for Better Socialization with Other Dogs and Puppies

While boarding facilities cater to all dogs and puppies on an individual level, they always have multiple dogs and other pets in the same room. This can be a cause for concern if your pet isn't good at making friends with other pets easily.

When you're boarding a dog, it's always good to take some time to train them and equip them with the skills and practices to easily socialize with other pets at the boarding facility. You can also make this process easier by counting on us for training your puppy or dog in Abu Dhabi.

This will help you be assured that your dog will be on their best behavior without the risk of them lashing out or getting into a fight with other animals.

Provide Them With a Consistent and Balanced Diet

Many pet owners think that they should overfeed their dogs before boarding them. You should know that boarding facilities take just as much care of your dogs' diet and nutrition as you do. Therefore, you should only provide them with a balanced and consistent diet they can eventually continue with once you've boarded them.

You should also speak with the specialists at the boarding facility to communicate your dog's nutritional needs with them beforehand so that they can take the best care of your dog accordingly.

Fix Their Sleeping Pattern as Much As Possible

Your dog might struggle to have a proper and healthy sleeping pattern once you've boarded it into the facility. Therefore, another step before boarding a dog is to help it improve its sleeping habits and ensure that it follows a consistent sleep schedule. This will ensure its optimal health and safety when it's in a boarding facility.

At Pet Pavilion, you can trust us to take the best possible care of your dog while you're away. We're the perfect boarding house, and daycare for dogs in Abu Dhabi—giving your puppy the comfort and safety they need without experiencing separation anxiety and health problems. Contact us to learn more today!

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