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Canine Care: When You're Not There
From your neighborhood kennel to luxury "bed and biscuits," today you've got great choices when you need to find your dog a home away from home.
Parting is such sweet sorrow. And leaving your dog when you go off to work or away on vacation can be tough on both of you. You'll rest easier (and so will your dog) knowing he's in good hands. Fortunately, when it comes to doggie day care and boarding, today you've got many more choices than you ever did in the past.
Pet Sitting Options
Traditional kennels: Often affiliated with veterinary clinics, these are the most familiar option, both for day care while owners work and longer-term boarding when they're out of town.
Luxury kennels: These amenity-laden versions (often built as spas and "bed and biscuits" rather than mere kennels) pamper pets with feather beds, personal TVs (and DVDs) and fine crystal.
Pet sitters: This option keeps your dog close to home and in familiar surroundings. By arranging care with a full-time sitter, you can leave your dog in the comforts of his own bed and give him peace of mind.
House calls: If you'd like to have someone check on your dog midday while you're at work, some veterinary clinics have staffers who provide this kind of service.
What to Look For
Of course, you need to screen all kennels or pet sitters you want to consider. References from friends and veterinaries are a good place to start. But just as important, says Tannis Johnson, DMV (who has worked at the Banfield Veterinary Hospital in Waldorf, Maryland), is that the potential kennel or sitter screen you.
"I tell my clients to be nervous if they don't ask you questions, particulars about your dog's behavior if this is the first time your pet has ever been boarded, if he has a particular eating pattern or medical condition or history of separation anxiety," Dr. Johnson says. "And of course, if they don't ask you for a vaccination certificate, please go elsewhere."
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