Short answer: Boarding = professional pet care while you’re away. Options: traditional kennel ($25-50/night), boarding at vet clinic ($35-65/night), luxury dog hotel ($50-150/night), in-home boarding (Rover/Wag, $40-100/night). Choice depends on your dog’s temperament, health needs, and budget.
What you should actually do
- Required vaccinations at most boarders: DAPP, rabies, Bordetella (usually annual), sometimes canine flu.
- What to pack: own food (sudden diet changes cause diarrhea), familiar bedding, medications with written instructions, vet contact info.
- Daycare vs overnight: daycare during day only ($20-40/day); boarding overnight.
- Senior dogs / dogs with medical needs do better at vet clinic boarding.
- Anxious dogs may do better with Rover-style in-home stays vs busy commercial kennels.
Tour any boarding facility before committing. Red flags: strong urine smell, dogs in tiny cages with no outdoor time, no vaccine requirements (means they accept unvaccinated dogs – infectious disease risk).
Boarding stress can cause: kennel cough, stress colitis, weight loss, behavior regression. Consider a trial overnight before a long stay, and bring Prozyme/Proviable probiotics to mitigate GI upset.
Dig deeper
⚕️ Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is intended for educational purposes only and does not replace a hands-on veterinary examination. Drug doses depend on your dog’s complete clinical picture, concurrent medications, and the exact product formulation. Always confirm dosing with your veterinarian before administering any medication, and contact a 24-hour veterinary emergency service or animal poison control immediately if you suspect a medication overdose or adverse reaction. Editorial standards: every drug dose published on PuppaDogs is cross-checked against multiple authoritative veterinary references and reviewed by PuppaDogs Veterinary Editorial Team before publication.
