Leaving your dog in the care of someone else for the first time is a nerve-wracking experience. You want to be sure that you can trust that the people watching your dog care for them like you would.
That’s why it’s important to do your research before choosing a boarding facility. There are many options available, but not every boarding facility is going to be the right fit for your dog. When doing your research, here’s what to look for before adding a boarding facility to your shortlist.
What to Look for in a Dog Boarding Facility
1. Transparency
This is absolutely vital. Any facility that prioritizes the safety and comfort of both pet parents and dogs won’t want to hide anything.
Do they have cameras? A facility that values transparency will have feeds that pet parents can watch while away. Lack of cameras doesn’t necessarily mean something bad, but with all the options available that do have cameras, why choose a place that doesn’t? When asking about cameras, ask if you can see cameras on the website or if you need to log in to a customer portal to see them. If you have to log in, that’s not necessarily a red flag - but if the facility has cameras publicly available, that does show that they have complete confidence in their staff and are up for public scrutiny, which is a good thing.
Psst: all of our daycare and boarding facilities have live feed cameras you can watch anytime without logging in.
Do they offer report cards and daily photos? These are often an extra service on top of boarding, but it’s one that can be worth the cost for extra peace of mind and connectivity. A boarding facility that values transparency will offer some kind of report card, photos, and/or daily progress report for your pooch. This is a detailed record of what they did during that day - including any shenanigans and how they were managed. Again, this type of service shows a boarding facility’s commitment to transparency.
2. Variety of Daily Activities
The nighttime accommodations of your pooch are important of course, but so are the opportunities available to them during the day. Look for a boarding facility that also offers daycare at minimum, so you have that option for daily enrichment.
At Houston Bark Park, we offer a wide variety of different types of enrichment for all our furry guests. This includes:
Indoor and outdoor play areas - Each pup is different and know how important it is to take the time to get to know each dog and match them with the right play style. That’s why we offer four different groups at both our Maxie and Shepard locations, determined by size, temperament, and ability.
Splash pads and chill zones - It’s hot in Houston, and it’s important to keep pups cool and happy! Our splash pads give dogs the chance to leap and play, while the chill zones mist them with water that keeps them cool - no matter the time of day.
Cool plates - Even our most energetic pups need to take breaks to chill. Our patent-pending cool plates let dogs escape the heat. Ever notice that during hot days your pup likes to lay down on cool tiles? Our cool plates let them do just that with a surface kept at a consistently cool temperature, and with enough room for the whole pack.
Bubble cannons - One of our most popular enrichment activities is our oversized bubble cannons. These shoot out non-toxic and dog-safe bubbles that cluster like foam - which makes them the perfect target for play. Pups can safely tap into their inner wolf, bravely hunting down buoyant bubbles. And, it’s fun to watch for the humans.
Academy - Finally, our academy program is training and enrichment rolled into one. Our academy attendants serve as teachers as dogs are guided through enrichment activities like impulse control, scent games, and body awareness activities with an emphasis on rewarding positive behaviors. This is the ultimate in doggy edutainment.
While not all facilities offer the same variety of activities, you should look for facilities that do offer more than just lodging. While your pet might prefer a laid-back and solo experience, by choosing a facility that offers enrichment as well you have the option to add on to your dog’s daily experience and banish boredom.
3. Required Temperament Test and Discretion
If a facility proudly boasts about taking any dog no matter what, it could be a red flag. The truth is that not every dog does well in every single type of boarding environment. A facility that truly cares about the comfort and safety of all their furry guests over profit will have some kind of discretion when accepting dogs.
The most common indicator of discretion is a required temperament test, even for dogs who might be boarded solo and not participate in group daycare activities. A temperament test is like a “trial run” of a day of daycare so that staff can asses your dog’s comfort around other dogs and new humans. This typically does not include an overnight stay, even if you’re undertaking the temperament test in anticipation of a future stay. Each facility has different requirements. For example - our Energy Corridor location accepts dogs who prefer more relaxing than playing and do not enjoy daycare, while our Maxie and Shepard locations require group play. But the commonality here is that a test is required for any new dog, to determine these needs.
Likewise, you’ll want to look for requirements like up-to-date vaccinations and spaying/neutering. Both of these requirements show that a facility is concerned about the safety of all dogs in their care. A facility that doesn’t require vaccinations is much more prone to contagious illnesses, and a facility without a temperament test and/or that allows uncut dogs is much more prone to dog fights.
When researching a boarding facility for your dog, it’s important to look for facilities that prioritize transparency, enrichment, and safety. If you’re seeking lodging in the Houston area, Houston Bark Park has three beautiful locations that prioritize those three core values.
Houston Bark Park and Daycare is a family-owned doggy daycare and boarding kennel that offers lodging, grooming, obedience training, and enrichment for pups in the Houston area. We have three locations:
Address: 4905 Maxie Street, Houston, TX 77007
Phone: 713. 864. 2771
Address: 710 W 27th Street Houston, TX 77008
Phone: 281. 888. 1428
Address: 3663 S Dairy Ashford Road Houston, TX 77082
Phone: 832. 328. 5844
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