Are you planning to board a dog this summer? Here's what to know from SouthCoast experts.
Travel arrangements: Made.
Room: Booked.
Dog care: Situated.
Or... is it?
If all you've figured out is who you're going to call, experts say there may still be a ways to go before you — and/or your dog — are truly well-prepared for boarding.
While dog boarding isn't a new concept, for many dogs and their owners, it's a new experience when the need does arise. If it sounds like this could be you and your dog this summer, join us as we take a look at what to know before leaving your four-legged family members in someone's care.
Do a trial run
If you already have dates picked out for an upcoming trip and you've determined dog boarding is your preferential option, booking a shorter stay at a facility as a trial run in advance of the trip is recommended. The Standard-Times spoke with three local experts who all had this advice in common: Shelley Moniz Fitzgerald, president/owner of The Executive Dog Inc. in Fairhaven; Johnelle Ciano, owner of Emma Marie's in Dartmouth, and Eric Letendre, owner of Eric Letendre's Dog Training School in Westport.
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"This will help to determine whether they are stressed or anxious," Fitzgerald said. "Oftentimes overnight boarding in a kennel situation is not ideal for some pets due to age, illness or stress level."
Letendre said a trial stay can also reveal whether or not a dog will have problems eating or going to the bathroom in the facility he or she will be staying in. Resistance to using the bathroom can lead to dogs developing bladder infections, Letendre said.
"You'd be surprised how many dogs won't eat or pee in a new place," Letendre said, noting there is opportunity to mitigate these things with training. "So if you take your dog to a friend's house, bring some food or treats along and start trying to get him to eat in different places."
Even if dogs have never exhibited certain issues, Ciano said, owners shouldn't presume they cannot occur when a dog is put into a new situation.
"A lot of times, just like children when they're away from their parents, dogs can be very different when they're away from their owners," Ciano said. "So a trial run is really the best way to know what issues might come up when your dog is here."
Like many businesses that offer dog boarding, Emma Marie's and The Executive Dog also offer doggy daycare services, making for a non-overnight option to acquaint dogs to where they will be staying in advance.
Does your dog have separation anxiety?
If you go into the bathroom without your dog, will they cry and scratch at the door? Will they refuse your command if it entails moving further from you? If so, Ciano said, separation anxiety might be a factor during your dog's time at a care facility.
"One of the things we talk about with owners is barrier training," Ciano said, also mentioning crate training as closely related. "You should be able to cook in the kitchen and tell your dog to go lay down in the next room."
"If you're boarding, the first thing dogs should be comfortable with is confinement," Letendre said. "No matter how luxurious a kennel is, dogs are still going to be in a crate or some small space at some point, so whether your dog is going to be OK with that is something to know beforehand."
What will your dog need while boarding?
When it comes to supplying a boarding facility with your dog's food, meds, and other supplies, Ciano and Fitzgerald emphasize that some attention to detail goes a long way.
"We always suggest you pre-package their foods so they are ready for meal time. Include any special treats, toys, medications and blankets from home so they have all the items they need," Fitzgerald said. "It is also a good idea to have a note included with their things so that we know feeding time frequency, medication administration and any other helpful information."
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"One of the biggest things that clients do is they'll feel bad that they're leaving their dogs so they'll overfeed them. So if their dog eats a half a cup of food a day, people might leave us enough for three cups a day and then we're worrying that they're not eating what they should," Ciano said. "Then another thing is, don't buy a new kind of food. ... You don't want your dog stuck with explosive diarrhea or a GI issue while they're already dealing with being in a new place."
Boarding isn't going to work ... now what?
While anxiety and just about any other issue can be addressed through training, some dogs, for various reasons, can have more of an uphill battle than others, Letendre says.
"Sometimes you have a dog that is so fearful because of a traumatic situation or it's something in their genetics, that boarding is just too overwhelming for them," Letendre said. "I wouldn't say those dogs are rare, but most dogs can learn to handle it."
If boarding is deemed unfeasible, both Ciano and Fitzgerald said their businesses are happy to help connect people to other options, like pet-sitters who take care of clients' pets in their own homes.
Another possibility: Bring your dog along
According to Letendre, there's a lot of buzz among dog boarding professionals that the hospitality industry has shifted in recent times toward pet-friendliness, meaning there are more opportunities to bring dogs along on certain trips.
"This was a big topic at a dog boarding conference last week," Letendre said. "That's where I'd really recommend crate training, and again, a trial run would be good — stay overnight at a hotel in town or nearby and see how they do. Because If your dog starts barking while you're down at the pool, you're going to get a call."
BringFido.com, an online resource for finding dog-friendly travel accommodations, lists a number of SouthCoast hotels as dog-friendly, including Residence Inn by Marriott in Dartmouth, Seaport Resort & Marina in Fairhaven, TownPlace Suites by Marriott in Westport, and Hampton Inns in Westport and Fairhaven.
Have backup
While appropriate prep work can help decrease the chances of a worst-case scenario in which a dog needs to be removed from a boarding facility unexpectedly, Letendre said, having a friend or family member on call who can assist in an emergency is advisable.
"The last thing you want on vacation is to get a call like that and not have a plan," Letendre said.
Prepare before you have to
While it's far from impossible to prepare for a dog boarding, sitting or other experience on short notice, Letendre said it's ideal to condition dogs for these things from Day One.
"I always tell everybody, when you have a puppy, develop a relationship with a groomer, with a boarding kennel, a pet-sitter, a trainer," Letendre said. "If you ever had to leave suddenly to be with a sick family member somewhere, now whatever arrangements you might have to make won't be as big a deal."
Be the alpha
While there's a lot to consider when weighing dog care options, Emma Marie's manager Ashley Smith said one of the biggest factors that can potentially undermine any difficulty is simply remembering: "You're the alpha."
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"A lot of times, you can tell someone is anxious as they're dropping their dog off, and the dog is kind of following that," Smith said. "So it's important to remember ... if you act like it's a positive thing, that can change a dog's whole experience. My mom's excited so I'm excited; this is going to be a great day."
Need dog help?
To learn more about Emma Marie's grooming, doggy daycare, boarding, and retail services, call their Mattapoisett location, 19 County Rd., at 508-758-8276; their Dartmouth location, 14 Ventura Drive, at 774-206-1019; or visit them online at emmamaries.com.
For more info on grooming, training, doggy daycare or overnight boarding at The Executive Dog, 105 Sconticut Neck Road, Fairhaven, call 508-990-7070, or visit executivedog.com.
For information on training classes offered at Eric Letendre's Dog Training School, 1180 State Road, Westport, call 774-319-6351, or visit ericletendre.com.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: SouthCoast experts: There's more to dog boarding than you might think
