Doggy Sleepovers & Overnight Boarding 101
Yes, it’s a thing! At the Little Beach Dog in Newburyport MA we are making Doggy Sleepovers & Overnight Boarding a trend. If you know the importance of social skills and your dog is already a doggy daycare participant, then doggy sleepovers will become second nature.
The important part of having your dog acclimated to doggy sleepovers eliminates the stress of both planned and unexpected travel time when taking the family dog might not suit the travel experience. We all know the stress involved with both planned trips and unexpected travel time. There is so much planning and chaos wrapped around traveling that the last thing you want to deal with is the anxiety and stress related to separation anxiety between you and your dog. The Little Beach Dog has evolved plans, with options, that suit different dogs, personalities, and needs. Most importantly, these options put the huMoms at ease to allow you to venture off without guilt or added stress. Here’s what you need to know about Doggy Sleepovers & Overnight Boarding with The Little Beach Dog Daycare, or with any daycare in your area.
The obvious requirements for any doggy daycare or boarding facility include proper licensing, proper vaccination requirements, quality reviews, and probably the most important recommendations. Any daycare or boarding facility is going to be very strict on acquiring updated vaccination records. But remember, if they require it from you they require it from everyone. This translates into all dogs are healthy and outbreaks are controlled. While this may feel like a hassle on your end, it’s a protective aspect that is needed and is detrimental to the health and well-being of your dog and all the other dogs at daycare or in the boarding facility.
Once you’ve located the facility make sure to consider a properly packed pooch. This includes personal items, foods, a feeding schedule, and any medications.
Make sure to pack a sleepover bag for your pooch. This should include his or her favorite toys to add a layer of comfort. If allowed, you could even pack your dog's bed from home. Not only are these belongings familiar to your dog but they also hold familiar scents. Having the smell of home will help your dog find a sense of comfort. Having familiar smells also reduces sensory overload. Your dog's nose is 1,000 to 10,000 times more redemptive than your sense of smell. It doesn’t matter how amazing any pet-related facility is, as a human, we pick up on the smells when we walk through the door. Imagine what that sensory overload is like for your dog. Having familiar smells lessons that overload drastically.
When packing your doggy sleepover bag another very important item is your dog's food and feeding schedule. Any change in your dog's routine can cause upset bellies and loose stools. Maintaining the same dog food and feeding times helps to maintain healthy digestion. The last thing you want is for your dog to be left without his or her normal food and snacks. This can cause disruption in digestion and discomfort in an already uneasy atmosphere. Keeping as much normality in your dog's day is key to an easy transition until you are reunited again.
When packing your doggy sleepover bag don't forget Fido’s medications if applicable. Again, add a very detailed medication list with doses and times to be administered, along with any details needed for a successful administration of medications. This is a perfect time to mention providing an Emergency contact for your dog and the contact information for your dog's veterinarian. These should be part of the application process when you register for daycare or boarding but adding them with your dog's personal items just adds a double layer of importance. Both an Emergency contact and your dog's veterinarian should be provided regardless if your dog is on medications or not.
Check your dog's microchip to ensure the chip hasn’t migrated, is readable, and has contact information that is current. In this day and age chip readers can be purchased for at-home use, but a trip to your vet or local animal control office is never a bad idea. In fact, checking in with the animal control facility in the same town where your dog will be boarded is always a good idea. This notifies animal control that your dog is in their jurisdiction, allows the officer to actually see your dog for prompt identification, and is the best way to make sure everything with your dog's microchip is working perfectly.
The key to a successful Doggy Sleepover is to coordinate ahead of the planned trip so your dog and provider have time to bond. Provide familiar items for your dog to take to his or her
sleepover so as to provide comfort while you're away. Pack your dog's food and feeding schedule to maintain normal digestion and illumination. And don’t forget any medications your dog may need while you're away. Make sure you’ve provided an emergency contact including your dog's veterinarian information. Visit the animal control officer in the town where your dog will be boarded in to ensure perfect identification and establish proper microchip functionality.
