With summer right around the corner, it’s time to start planning those vacations! While traveling with your dog can be a blast, our furry friends can’t always come on vacations with us. If you’re planning a summer trip that doesn’t include your pup, don’t forget to plan for where they’ll stay while you’re gone. There are a plethora of options for dog boarding and they all come with their own pros and cons. Today, I’m sharing 5 different boarding options for your dog.

1. Traditional Boarding Kennel

A traditional boarding kennel is the most common option for going on vacation without your pet. There are facilities that offer dog boarding and a lot of vets and grooming locations offer it as well. 

Pros of a traditional boarding kennel:

• Most of these locations have staff available 24 hours a day so you can feel comforted knowing there are professional animal care takers providing around the clock care for your pet.
• Veterinary clinic boarding means that your dog will be immediately cared for should they become sick or injured.

Cons of a traditional boarding kennel:

• Your dog (or cat) will spend the majority of their time crated-this is not great for high energy pets or dogs that are not crate trained.
• Care is not personalized to your pet. At most boarding kennels all animals are fed and walked on the same schedule.

2. Dog Daycare

There are a lot of dog daycare locations that double as a boarding facility. These are a good alternative to traditional boarding kennels as the dogs are given more play time and interaction with the staff and other dogs. 

Pros of a dog daycare:

• Your dog will get more time to play and won’t spend as much time in a kennel.
• Many dog daycares have cameras that allow you to watch your dog throughout the day on the live feeds.
• Great for dogs who love playing and interacting with other dogs.

Cons of a dog daycare:

• Money. Dog daycares tend to be very pricey, especially for multi night stays.
• Not great for dogs who don’t get along with other dogs. Dogs spend a lot of time at daycare interacting with each other so if your dog isn’t great with others, they won’t do well in a facility like this. 
• Your dog will be exhausted. Hours and hours of play for multiple days in a row are sure to lead to exhaustion. While this can be good for some pups, others may become too exhausted to the point of illness or fatigue. 

3. Pet Sitting Apps

Pet sitting apps such as Rover or Wag are good options if you want your dog to stay in their own home but don’t have any family or friends available to pet sit. With these apps, you have the option to have someone stay in your home or just drop by multiple times a day.

Pros of pet sitting apps:

• You can choose for someone to stay in your home with your pet. This is great if your dog does not like to be alone or has special medical needs that require overnight care.
• Most of the people on these apps love dogs and so you can feel confident that your pup is getting tons of love while you’re gone.
• Your pet sitter will be easily accessible. Meaning you can call or text them at any time for updates.
• Pricing is more flexible since you’re working with an individual and not a company that has set prices. 

Cons of pet sitting apps:

• You’re essentially hiring a stranger to stay in your home. While you can (and should) do a thorough vetting process before hiring someone off of these apps, there’s always the chance that they can hide their true intentions until it’s too late. 
• There are a lot of horror stories from people who have used these apps of dogs being stolen, going missing, or being abused. 

4. Family and Friends

Asking a family member or friend to watch your pets for you while you’re gone is the best and safest option in my opinion. This is the option I choose for my dog every time I go on vacation.

Pros of asking family or friends:

• A family member or friend is someone you know well and trust so you know your dog is in good hands.
• You have easy access to call or text them for updates on your pet.
• This is likely a person your dog already knows, so they’ll be comfortable being left with them.

Cons of asking family or friends:

• With family and friends things such as payment and strict instructions can be awkward. You never want to feel as though you’re taking advantage of them and they probably aren’t going to want to put you in an uncomfortable position when it comes to sharing rates.

5. Home Style Boarding

Many people run dog boarding businesses out of their home. This is a great option if you don’t want your dog to spend a lot of time in a kennel but you’re worried about them becoming too exhausted or overwhelmed at a dog daycare. Most people who do home style boarding will only take a couple of pets at a time and will treat your dog like their own while they’re there. This means your dog will be walked, fed, and cared for the same way they are at home.

Pros of home style boarding:

• Your dog is being cared for in a similar way that they are at home.
• The home style of it all can be more comforting to your dog than a traditional kennel setting. 
• Your dog will likely be able to interact with other dogs, but not so many that they become overwhelmed.

Cons of home style boarding:

• New house = new rules. Your dog may have to follow rules they aren’t used to at home such as staying off of furniture or eating on a set schedule.
• If your pup tends to be destructive, there’s a chance they could destroy something in the boarders home which is much worse than destroying something at a kennel or dog daycare.

What is your number one choice for going on vacation without your pet?