Dog boarding checklist: paperwork, packing and handoff

What should I do first when I book dog boarding?

Ask the facility for its written requirements before you pay a deposit. Each place sets its own rules for vaccine proof, check-in times, food and what your dog may bring. Reading them early tells you whether you need a vet visit before the trip.

Ask how the facility wants to receive documents: email, an online portal or paper at the door. Also ask how far ahead they need them. Many places want records several days before the first stay.

Write the answers down in one note so you do not rely on memory. Wikipedia describes boarding in a kennel as a service that ranges widely in style, so the rules vary as much as the buildings.

What should I pack for my dog?

Pack more food than the stay needs, in a labeled container or bag, plus any medication in its original packaging. Familiar food avoids a change of diet during a stressful week. Ask the facility whether it prefers to portion the food itself.

Bring a collar with an ID tag, a leash and, if allowed, a familiar blanket or toy. Some places ask you to leave beds at home or to label everything with your dog's name. A marker and a strip of tape solve most label problems.

Add a note with the feeding times and portions you use now. Copy them from your vet's guidance or the food label, and say where you got them.

What should I tell the staff about my dog?

Tell them the facts that affect the day: feeding times, medication times, how your dog reacts to other dogs, what scares them and what calms them. Short, specific notes work better than a long story at the front desk.

Hand over a written version as well. In Okaypup the passport screen can include routine, medication schedule, allergies, behavior notes and contacts, and you send it as a PDF before the stay. Staff can check it against their own intake form.

If your dog's routine changed in the last month, mention what changed. A new meal time that nobody wrote down is the kind of detail that gets lost.

How far ahead should I check the dates?

Check the valid-until dates on your dog's records two weeks before drop-off. If one is close to expiring or will lapse during the stay, book your vet first. Facilities rarely make exceptions on arrival day.

Set a reminder for the check itself. Okaypup's reminders let you add a vet visit reminder with a date and time, and each record shows Valid, Expires soon or Expired based on the date you typed from the paper.

The app does not know your vaccine schedule. It compares the dates you entered with today, so type them carefully.

What should I do on drop-off day?

Arrive a little early, give the staff the paperwork and the notes, and say goodbye without a long scene. Confirm how you will be reached and whether the facility sends updates. Take a photo of the check-in sheet for your own records.

Point out any medication and show where it is labeled. Confirm the pickup date and time, and check that the phone number on file is the one you will answer.

1. Hand over the documents and the written notes.
2. Point out medication and show where it is labeled.
3. Confirm the pickup date and time.
4. Check that your phone number on file is current.
5. Take a photo of the signed check-in form.

What should I do at pickup?

Ask for a short summary of the stay: meals eaten, medication given and anything the staff noticed. Write it into your dog's log the same day while it is fresh, with the dates of the stay.

Keep an eye on your dog over the next few days and note anything that seems different from usual. If you are concerned about your dog's health, contact your veterinarian. A written note with dates makes that call more useful.

Update your records if the facility gave you a receipt, a report card or a new vaccine entry.

How do I prepare my dog for the stay?

Let your dog get used to the idea before the real trip. A short daycare day or a visit to the facility lets them meet the place while you are still nearby. Keep the first stay short if you can, so the goodbye is not also the longest separation your dog has had.

Keep the routine steady in the days before. Changes to food, walks and sleeping spots add stress at the wrong time. If you plan to change anything, change it well before the trip.

Check that the collar fits and that the tag shows a current phone number. If your dog has a microchip, confirm that the registry holds your current contact details.

What if my dog takes medication while boarding?

Tell the facility at booking, not at the door. Some places charge for giving medication or have rules about which kinds they will give. Ask what they need: original packaging, a written schedule, a signed form.

Write the schedule exactly as your veterinarian gave it, with times and any note about food. Count the doses and send a few extra in case pickup is delayed. In Okaypup the refill reminder can warn you at five doses left, so you do not start the trip short.

Do not change the routine for the stay unless your vet says so. If the staff has a question about a dose, they should call your clinic or you.

A last-minute checklist

Use this on the night before drop-off, and tick each line before you leave the house.

• Booking confirmation and check-in time
• Vaccine record sent and acknowledged
• Food measured and labeled
• Medication in original packaging
• ID tag and leash
• Written routine and contacts
• Pickup date in your calendar