According to the National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association, over 85 million people or 67% of the population of America have pets, including 57% owning at least one dog. This means you are not alone looking for dog boarding services whenever you have to be away from home.

Do Your Research

Ask your veterinarian about good kennels in your area. Ask your dog-owning family members and friends for recommendations. When you get a list of dog boarding services, go online to check and see if there were any recent complaints. Concentrate on recent reviews, since places change over the years.

Check to see if the facility is certified. Look at your state's agricultural website under “kennel licensing” for this information. Call the kennel to ask for references, and check up on those references. Ask what medical certificates you need to show that your dog is healthy. If they ask for none, move on.

Visit the Kennel

Good dog boarding services will let you look around their sites without pressuring you into any commitment. The facility should be temperature controlled. Dogs should not have to lie on concrete floors or wire cage bars. There should be beds. Areas for exercise should be securely fenced.

If things seem well so far, ask if the staff does a temperament test for your dog. This is to see if your dog can safely play with other dogs at the kennel. Find out if there is a staff member on the premises 24 hours a day. Ask how they deal with medical emergencies. Some dog boarding services have their own vet.

Do a Test Run

If you have a big vacation coming up, have your dog stay for one night at the kennel. Bring the dog's treats and a toy so the dog will have something familiar in strange surroundings. If your dog is on medication, make sure to bring enough for two or three days, in case something happens to you and you cannot pick your dog up until the next day.

See how the test run works out. If everything is okay, then you know you have found a great dog boarding service. When you bring your dog home, do not feed him or her for a few hours. Your dog will be so excited that he or she may vomit any food.

Your Dog's Home Away from Home

By following these tips, you can make sure that your best friend has a good time away from home while you need to travel. You can also have a good time traveling, knowing that your dog is being well looked after.