Beyond the fact that we all love our Cavaliers, these dogs are also a fairly expensive investment. All the more reason to be careful with whom you leave your dog when you’re away from home. Finding safe and reliable dog boarding kennels for your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an essential part of pet ownership.
Start by making a list of Boarding Kennels
Begin by asking friends and family members who own dogs for referrals. Veterinarians sometimes board dogs for their clients or can give you a referral to a local dog kennel, if they don’t. Of course, check your yellow pages and search the internet.
You might also have a local service like Angie’s List that reports customer service ratings of local vendors.
See our article Questions to ask any Boarding Kennel
Much of the preliminary decision-making can be done by looking over the boarding kennels website and speaking to them by phone.
Schedule a personal visit
Now, armed with the essential details, you should take the time to visit your top 2 or 3 boarding kennel choices. There’s no substitute for having your own look around. What sounded good on their website or over the phone might not ring true once you see the facility itself.
When visiting, ask to see the kennel area where your dog will actually stay. Beware of kennel operators that refuse to let you visit the kennel area.
You may be told that visitors upset the dogs, etc., but then you would expect the kennel to at least have a window where you can see the kennels.
Observe how the staff members handle the animals being boarded. Make further inquiries about how staff members are trained and supervised.
Is the boarding kennel clean and sanitary? Ask how often the kennels are cleaned and what type of cleaning products are used.
Notice how the facility protects against animals getting loose. Are there double gates/doors to prevent a dog from being lost?
Test Drive your Chosen Boarding Kennel
Once you’ve made your selection, it’s wise to schedule a short visit (over one night or a weekend) for your pet to be sure your Cavalier adjusts to this kennel and comes home having been well cared for.
If all goes well during this initial short stay, then you will be more comfortable leaving your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with the boarding kennel when you go on vacation for a longer period.
Regardless of what brand of pet food the kennel uses, consider insisting on bringing your own pet’s dog food with them to the kennel. Your dog may already be feeling a little stressed by the change of scene. So why also subject him to possible stomach upset with a change of food?
Ask in advance whether you are allowed to bring your pet’s bed, pet food, and treats. The more you can keep your pet’s environment familiar to him, the more easily he will adapt to the boarding kennel.
If all goes well during this initial short stay, then you will be more comfortable leaving your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with the boarding kennel when you go on vacation for a longer period.