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Puppy Boarding: At What Age Is It Safe?

If you are one of those pet parents who hate leaving their pets alone at home, you should drop your puppy off at a dog kennel near you before leaving for work or going out of town. Reputable dog kennels treat their guests like royalty. Their staff go above and beyond the call of duty to create a welcoming, warm, and homely environment.

However, you should avoid sending your puppy to a boarding facility if it is less than four months old. The immune system of a young puppy is not fully developed, and thus, if you send a puppy with an undeveloped immune system to a kennel, it may pick up illnesses from other dogs.

Staying at a kennel can stress out a young puppy. Long term stress can wreak havoc on a puppy’s immune system, leaving it more susceptible to diseases.

Reputable boarding facilities require all of their dogs to be on different vaccines, including rabies, bordetella, canine influenza virus, and DAPP. They will insist on seeing proof of up-to-date vaccinations.

Even if you find a kennel that takes puppies after their first round of shots, wait until the second round to decrease your furry friend’s chances of picking up a contagious illness.

If your dog is older than four months, but you are still unsure about sending it to a dog boarding and are concerned that its immune system is still not fully developed, consult a vet.

If your furry friend has just recently completed the second round of shots, check with the kennel about whether or not they accept puppies immediately after their vaccine schedule ends.

Before you start sending your puppy to a boarding kennel, expose it to other dogs and people to establish their eating and sleeping routines.

When choosing a boarding facility, enquire about minimum age requirements. Walk away if a facility has no minimum age limit policy or accepts puppies younger than 12 weeks.

If your puppy is younger than four months and you feel awful about leaving them alone at home, hire a dog sitter who can come and stay at your house everyday while you are away.

There are several benefits of hiring a dog sitter. Your puppy will be in familiar surroundings and can continue to be potty and sleep trained.

Once your dog is old enough to go to a boarding facility, start to evaluate your options. Visit dog boarding facilities near you. During your visit, notice how clean the place looks, operates, and treats its guests. Walk away if there is a strong or overpowering smell.

Bridewell Hilltop Kennels is a top-rated pet boarding facility. We treat our guests like family. We will go above and beyond our call of duty, if required, to make your furry friend feel at home. To schedule a visit, call (415) 897-5471.

Bridewell Hilltop Boarding Kennels & Cattery is dedicated exclusively to the care of dogs, cats, and small animals other than reptiles. Bridewell specializes in dog boarding, cat boarding, pet grooming and more for the areas of Novato, San Rafael and Marin County.