A first stay at a Stevenage boarder or day care
Whether your dog is booked into Country Boarding Kennels' kennels and day-care site near Baldock, Little Dave and Charlie's home in Chells, or one of Stevenage's other home boarders, a first stay usually goes better with a shorter visit first, so both sides can see how a dog settles before a longer booking. Ask whether a trial day or meet-and-greet is available even where a business's own site does not mention one.
Before you book: ask for a trial
Little Dave and Charlie is the one business here that states a trial outright: it requires a paid trial stay, covering a full day and a night, before any holiday booking is confirmed, and specialises in small, lap-companion breeds such as Bichon Frise, Maltese and Cavachon crosses, so it is worth checking your dog's size and temperament fit before going further. Country Boarding Kennels, near Baldock, offers tours by appointment of its kennels, day-care and cattery site, a good way to see the premises before booking rather than a trial stay as such.
What to pack
Take your dog's usual food for the length of the stay, any medication with clear written instructions, a bed or blanket that smells of home, and a lead and collar with an up-to-date tag. TopDog, a home boarder in Shephall, Longmeadow & Manor, says it builds a customised enrichment and exercise plan for each dog, so mention any particular likes, dislikes or routines when you hand over.
Handover on the day
Give whoever is taking your dog a clear account of feeding times, any health issues and how your dog behaves around other dogs and people, since this is the point at which a boarder can adjust its plan for your dog specifically. We Love Pets Stevenage and We Love Pets Hitchin, both branches of the same franchise, run a 'no pack walking' policy capping dog-walking groups at four dogs, worth asking about if your dog will be walked as part of its stay.
Collection and drop-off
Ask what happens if you are early or late, and whether a bank holiday changes the price. Country Boarding Kennels, near Baldock, opens seven days a week from 9am to 4pm, with tours by appointment recommended rather than a drop-in visit; check its hours fit your travel plans before booking.
Meeting a home boarder first
Seven of the nine businesses listed for Stevenage board dogs in the boarder's own home rather than a kennel block or day-care premises, so their address is only given once you book, not published on this page: Little Dave and Charlie, TopDog and We Love Pets Stevenage in Chells & Great Ashby and Shephall, Longmeadow & Manor; K9 Interaction and Happy Waggy Tails near Baldock; and We Love Pets Hitchin and Wagalot Dogs in Hitchin. Use a meet-and-greet to see where your dog would actually stay, ask how many other dogs might be there at the same time, and find out what a typical day in the house looks like, rather than relying on a description alone.