Finding a boarding kennel for your Pit Bull can be a daunting task. All is not lost however. You can find a safe, Pit Bull friendly boarding facility. The following article will share some tips with you to make finding your Pit Bull a great boarding kennel without all the hassles.
Your first step should be to create a list of boarding kennels. Once you have your list your next step will be to get the phone numbers to them all and call them.
Often times people under estimate the value of a good phone call. Making a phone call and asking some good starting questions will save you a trip to the boarding kennel in the beginning and in turn, you will save time.
Questions to Ask on the Phone
- Is your facility Pit Bull friendly?
- Do they provide 24-hour staffing in the building with the dogs?
- Do they have a fire alarm system and is it a monitored system or do they only have smoke and fire detectors?
- What medical records are required from you?
- If my pet becomes ill or is injured during their stay with your facility what would you do?
- Do you have a veterinarian that provides services to your facility for emergencies 24 hours per day?
- Will you contact me if an emergency arises?
- How often is fresh water offered to my dog?
- How often will my dog be fed? Do I need to bring my bowls from home?
- Will my dog get to play with other dogs?
- What do you do when you have a dog that is aggressive towards people or other animals or a dog that is afraid to be left alone?
These are a few questions to ask on the phone before you even look at the facility.
Some boarding kennels will try to bypass these questions and ask you to come in. If they are busy simply tell them you’ll call back when they have time to talk. The reason I say to call them with these questions is to get a vibe from their staff before you step foot in the facility. If you feel they are eager to answer your questions and help you then you’ll probably want to ask these questions and more in person.
The Pit Bull Training Handbook
Visiting the Boarding Kennel
Now that you have made your list, called the list and asked all the questions above and the ones you thought up on your own it’s time to visit the facility.
Things to look for right off the start:
- Is it clean?
- Do they have nice kennels or fence kennels with concrete floors?
- Are staff members friendly and more importantly dog friendly?
- Do they act weird when they find out you plan to board a Pit Bull there?
- How are the dogs kept that are currently there?
- Do they have a play area?
- Do they appear to have a handle on the facility?
A few more things to look for:
- Do you smell foul odors in the pet housing areas?
- Are the dogs being boarded there seem edgy and nervous or do they appear content?
- Are the dogs clean?
- What are the floor surfaces made of? Concrete etc…
- Do you notice any pee or poo in the pens?
- Is it a comfortable temperature in the facility?
- Are there food and water bowls in each pen? Is there water in the water bowl?
When to Run
My rule of thumb in life is this…
If I wouldn’t put myself into the situation and be happy, I wouldn’t put my dogs into the same situation.
You may find the facility looks great but the staff is made up of a bunch of teenagers. I don’t like kids taking care of my dogs. That’s just me, but I want only the best for my girls and I’m sure you probably feel the same way about your buddy(ies).
On the other hand the staff may be wonderful but the facility stinks, dogs are going crazy left and right, and the place feels more like a day at the play ground with a bunch of 3 year olds hopped up on Red Bull.
In Summary
Choosing a boarding kennel isn’t the easiest thing on earth but with some patience and diligence the odds you find a wonderful facility are better. Of course the number one question and concern you will have is: Does the boarding kennel accept Pit Bulls and are the staff members Pit Bull friendly?
Once you have the answer to that question you can continue onto the next facility or decide of you want to board your dog with the current one. I don’t board my dogs, but for those who do, these tips should help get you started in the right direction. Here’s to a safe and pleasant boarding experience!
