A first stay at a Worthing boarder or day care
Whether your dog is booked into one of Worthing's two boarding kennels, a purpose-built day care, or a home boarder covering the town, a first stay tends to go better with a shorter visit first, so both sides can see how the dog settles before a longer booking.
Before you book: ask about a trial
K9 Home Boarding, which coordinates a network of home boarders across Worthing and Littlehampton rather than running one address itself, arranges a meet-and-greet before any booking, and states that none of its home boarders keep dogs of their own. None of Worthing's other listed businesses publish a stated trial or introductory-visit policy, so it is worth asking directly whether a shorter visit can be arranged before a full stay, even where a business's own site does not mention one.
What to pack
Take your dog's usual food for the length of the stay, any medication with clear written instructions, a bed or item that smells of home, and a lead and collar with an up-to-date tag. Love Pooches, a home boarder in Goring-by-Sea, publishes a range of crate and pen sizes on its own site, so it is worth asking any boarder what size and type of space your dog would actually have.
Handover on the day
Give the person taking your dog a clear account of feeding times, any health issues and how it behaves around other dogs, since this is the point at which a boarder can adjust its plan for your dog specifically. Unleashed Play & Care Centre, a short walk from Worthing railway station, offers a free taster session for new customers, which is a practical way to see how your dog settles before committing to a longer run of day-care bookings.
Hours and collection
Opening hours vary by business: Paws4Walks runs Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm, closed Sunday; Unleashed Play & Care Centre runs Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm, and Saturday, 8.30am to 5.30pm; and K9 Home Boarding's office line runs weekdays 9am to 6pm and Saturday mornings, with a 24-hour emergency line. Ask what happens if you are early or late for collection, and whether a bank holiday changes the price.
Meeting a home boarder first
Five of Worthing's nine listed businesses board dogs in their own home rather than a kennels or day-care premises, so their address is only given once you book, not published on this page. Use a meet-and-greet or trial visit 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 and who else lives in it, rather than relying on a description alone.