Packing for your dog's first boarding stay can quickly start to resemble packing for a toddler.
Favorite blanket? Check. Bed? Check. Food and water bowls? Check. Three toys, including the disgusting stuffed animal they refuse to sleep without? Obviously!
At Kanine Social, you can lighten the luggage.
We ask owners not to bring their dog's toys, bedding, or bowls. Instead, Kanine Social provides a raised, sanitized dog bed in each suite along with food and water bowls. Individual toys and personal bedding aren't placed in boarding suites.
So what should you bring instead?
A boarding facility has very different cleaning and operational needs than your home.
Kanine Social fully cleans and sanitizes its boarding suites every morning, and spot cleans them again after the dogs' midday nap. Dogs that participate in daycare spend much of their day outside their suites playing with their groups.
Rather than filling each suite with belongings from home, Kanine Social provides the basic items dogs need during their stay, including sanitized food and water bowls and a raised bed.
This keeps the boarding setup consistent and means pet parents don't need to pack a collection of bulky items for every stay.
Although bringing a familiar bed or blanket might seem comforting, Kanine Social asks owners to leave personal bedding at home, since we provide a raised, sanitized dog bed in each boarding suite instead.
There's another practical perk waiting at home: your dog's favorite bed stays exactly where they left it.
When you pick them up, their familiar sleeping spot is ready for the inevitable post-boarding nap.
Kanine Social doesn't put individual toys or personal bedding in the boarding rooms. Dogs receive a healthy treat each night during their stay, and dogs participating in daycare spend much of their daytime schedule playing and socializing rather than sitting alone in their suites.
A typical boarding day includes morning feeding, group play, quiet time in the boarding suite, another play period, dinner, and evening time outside before bed.
In other words, you don't need to pack an entertainment department.
Kanine Social provides food and water bowls for boarding dogs, so your dog's bowls can stay at home.
What we do recommend bringing is your dog's regular food.
Keeping dogs on their existing diet can help reduce the chance of unnecessary stomach upset while they're away from home.
This is one thing you should pack, but don't bring the entire giant bag from the pantry.
We ask owners to pre-measure their dog's food into individual Ziploc bags for each meal needed during the stay. This helps staff provide the appropriate amount at each feeding. Most boarding dogs are fed twice daily, while a midday feeding can be accommodated for puppies or senior dogs when needed.
Keeping your dog's normal diet also means one less change for their body to adjust to while they're staying somewhere new.
If you prefer not to bring food, Kanine Social also has house food available for an additional daily charge.
Bring them! Kanine Social asks that medication be clearly labeled and that administration instructions be added to your dog's account. Medication can be administered during a boarding stay at no additional charge.
Unlike the optional comforts you're leaving at home, medication and accurate instructions are important parts of preparing for your dog's stay.
For a stay at Kanine Social, packing can be surprisingly simple.
Bring:
Leave at home:
Your dog's favorite blanket and toys will be waiting exactly where they belong when your pup gets home.
Learn more about what's included with Jacksonville dog boarding at Kanine Social and prepare for your dog's upcoming stay.
