Have you boarded during Christmas?

My family has decided to take a vacation to Disney World this Christmas. Unfortunately, Orlando is not a hugely dog-friendly place, so Kingston will have to stay behind. I've only boarded him once before, so this is a scary thing for me. He will have to be boarded for four nights over the Christmas holidays, and I'm terrified that he won't get good care. Won't most kennels be super packed during that time? How do the dogs get enough attention? Won't kennel workers be more interested in celebrating Christmas than in taking care of my baby?

Has anyone else used a kennel over the Christmas holidays?

You need to think about booking now if you want to board your dogs during Christmas. Christmas or any holiday period is always especially busy so it is a good time of year for people to work (remember: not everyone has holiday periods off work -- many people work right on holidays, and are happy to get the double or triple overtime for doing so -- I used to all the time). Also, not everyone celebrates the same holidays so Dec 25 is NOT a holiday for many people anyway!

Also: if you run a company that boards dogs, and you are boarding ov er Christmas, then you will be working over the holidays. Most people have their kennels on their property and it is only a walk out the door. Most kennels are small and do not have large numbers of employees anyway -- they tend to be self run.

My dogs are perfectly happy going into either home boarding or kennels -- I regularly leave them in as I travel regularly for work, and they get very excited whenever they see the people who look after them. Anyone who has worked for a good kennel will say that many dogs spend the bulk of the day sleeping and really enjoy mixing with other dogs during play times. For many dogs, this may be a rare chance they get to actually socialise like this. Most are perfectly happy within moments of their owners leaving (which some won't want to hear! :lol. In my own experience of minding fosters and talking to friends who care for dogs, very few dogs are upset at being left into kennels. Their owners are a lot more upset than the dogs ever get! If someone has a dog they know has problems with kennels, then look for home boarding. I do not like leaving any of my dogs or cats with friends -- only with registered kennels or professional boarding. It is too easy for friends especially those with kids, to accidentally leave a front door open, say, whereas if the dogs are in kennels, I KNOW they are safe.

After I leave them that's it -- I know they are fine and I don't worry about them. I enjoy my holiday or work trip. Then on return I always look forward to getting them out again.

Talk to friends with dogs to get kennel recommendations and always go visit and make sure they are clean, happy environments and the operaiton is insured. Sometimes a good small local pet shop will have recommendations.