How to Choose a Dog Boarding Kennel Before Holiday Travel

Last updated: December 2025

How do you choose a good dog boarding kennel?

The holidays are the busiest boarding season of the year, and that is exactly when it is tempting to grab whichever kennel still has an opening. A few hours of homework before you hand over the leash is the difference between a dog who comes home tired and happy and one who comes home stressed or sick.

Choosing well comes down to five checks: tour in person, confirm the kennel requires vaccines and isolates sick dogs, ask about staffing and overnight coverage, get the emergency plan in writing, and test the fit with a short trial stay. We cover each below, plus real prices, a packing list and ID steps.

Start with recommendations. The American Kennel Club suggests asking friends, family and neighbors about their experiences and calling your own veterinarian to ask which boarding services they work with or recommend.

It also helps to be honest about whether boarding suits your dog at all. Dogs that are social, comfortable in new places and up to date on vaccines tend to do best in a kennel. Reactive, anxious, very young, very old or medically fragile dogs often do better at home. If that sounds like your dog, our pet sitter checklist covers how to set up in-home care instead.

“A good boarding facility should be as careful in screening you and your dog as you are of them, asking about your dog’s medical history, vaccinations, and personality in order to best place them in the facility.”

Cathy Madson, MA, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, dog trainer and behavior consultant, Preventive Vet

What should you look for when you tour a boarding kennel?

Always tour before you book. The AKC is blunt about it: a reputable kennel should have no problem letting you visit the dog runs, meet the staff and see where meals are prepared and where dogs play. If you are not allowed to see the entire facility, walk away.

Here is what to check on your walk-through, drawn from San Francisco SPCA, AKC and veterinary guidance:

• Smell and cleanliness. A kennel will smell like dogs and disinfectant, but not like an overwhelming stench of urine or feces. Runs and play yards should be free of waste.
• Air, light and temperature. Look for good ventilation, natural or bright light and a comfortable temperature indoors. Ask whether the space is heated and air-conditioned.
• Bedding off the floor. Dogs should have resting boards, cots or bedding so they are not lying on bare concrete.
• Weather protection. Outdoor runs and exercise areas should be sheltered from wind, rain and snow, which matters in December.
• Secure latches and fences. The SF SPCA suggests outdoor fences at least six feet high. Veterinary guidance also favors double fencing and at least two closed doors between any dog and the outside world.
• Calm, caring staff. Watch how employees handle dogs. Are they patient and kind?
• Questions they ask you. A careful kennel will want vaccine records, medical history, feeding routine and temperament details before accepting your dog.

Ask practical questions too. What are drop-off and pick-up hours, and what happens if your flight home is delayed?

Which vaccines does a dog need before boarding?

Every kennel sets its own rules, but you should be wary of any facility that does not require proof of vaccination. Merck Animal Health’s kennel safety recommendations say all dogs should be vaccinated against the core diseases and that social dogs, including boarded dogs, are at higher risk of respiratory infections.

Sources: Merck Animal Health, AVMA, AAHA 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines.

Timing is where holiday travelers get caught. Merck Animal Health recommends finishing every vaccination series at least two weeks before a dog visits a boarding kennel or daycare. For canine influenza, the AVMA says the protocol is two doses given two to four weeks apart, and a single shot is unlikely to protect a dog in a high-risk setting. That means a dog starting the flu vaccine from scratch needs roughly four to six weeks of lead time before a Christmas stay.

The AVMA does not recommend the flu vaccine for every dog, but says it may be advisable where the virus is circulating, especially for dogs that board. The AAHA guidelines add that Bordetella immunity may last as little as six months, so a booster before boarding can make sense for dogs at high risk. For symptoms and recovery time, see our guide to kennel cough in dogs.

How do you judge a kennel’s staff, emergency plan and play groups?

The building matters, but the people inside it matter more. Once you have toured a few places, the questions that separate a good kennel from a great one are about staffing, supervision and what happens when something goes wrong. Ask each of these directly, and pay attention to how comfortably the manager answers.

Start with staffing. Preventive Vet suggests at least one staff member for every six to eight dogs in play groups. Ask what training employees receive, whether they learn to read dog body language, and how they break up a scuffle. Then ask the question many owners forget: is someone on site overnight? Some kennels, including some veterinary clinics, have no staff on the premises at night. That may be fine for a healthy young dog, but it is a real concern for a senior, a dog on medication or a dog who chews bedding.

Next, the emergency plan. You want specifics, not reassurance. Does the kennel have a veterinarian on staff, an on-call vet or a relationship with a nearby clinic? Will they take your dog to your own veterinarian if you are local? How will they reach you, and how do they handle payment for emergency care if you are on a plane? The best kennels will have you sign an authorization form that sets a spending limit for emergency treatment and lists a local backup contact. Preventive Vet also suggests asking whether the kennel has an emergency evacuation plan you can review, which is worth considering in winter storm country.

Ask how they handle illness. A well-run kennel visually screens every dog at check-in, turns away dogs that are obviously sick and isolates any boarder that starts coughing or has diarrhea. The AAHA’s canine influenza booklet for pet-care businesses notes that respiratory germs spread through the air, on surfaces and on people, so separation and disinfection protocols are what keep one sick dog from becoming a dozen. Even excellent kennels occasionally see a stomach bug or a cough, because stress lowers a dog’s defenses and no vaccine is 100% effective, but a kennel that tells you plainly how it responds is one you can trust.

Then talk about play groups versus solo time. Group play can be wonderful for social, energetic dogs. The AKC describes good kennels grouping dogs by compatibility, age and energy level, with frequent playtime and face-to-face contact with staff. Ask how groups are chosen, how long sessions last and how many dogs are in each. Not every dog wants a party, though. Shy dogs, seniors, intact dogs and dogs who do not enjoy unfamiliar dogs may be happier with private walks, one-on-one cuddle time and enrichment toys in their own run. A good kennel will happily offer solo care and will not pressure you into group play. Rover notes that quiet rooms and private sessions for anxious dogs often cost about $10 more per night, which is money well spent if your dog needs it.

Finally, ask about updates and webcams. Many kennels now send daily photos or report cards, and some offer live camera feeds of the play yards or suites. Webcams are a nice extra and can tell you a lot about how staff supervise groups, but they are not a substitute for a tour. Ask which areas the cameras cover, whether they include sleeping areas, and how often you can call to check in.

Do boarding kennels need a license in every state?

No, and that surprises a lot of people. Boarding rules are a patchwork. Some states run a statewide licensing and inspection program for boarding kennels, while others leave it to counties and cities or regulate very little at all. Missouri, for example, requires a state license for anyone who boards dogs or cats for pay outside the owner’s home, including pet sitters who board in their own homes, and inspects licensed facilities at least once a year or upon complaint.

Because the rules vary so much, the San Francisco SPCA advises that if your state requires boarding kennel inspections, you should make sure the kennel displays a license or certificate showing it meets those standards. A quick search for your state’s department of agriculture and the words “boarding kennel license” usually turns up whether a program exists. If it does, ask the kennel for its license number and, where available, its most recent inspection report.

Where there is no state license, voluntary accreditation from a professional pet-care trade association can be a good sign that a facility has been inspected and follows a code of ethics, though the lack of one does not mean a kennel is poor. Also check your local Better Business Bureau for complaints.

How much does dog boarding cost over the holidays?

Boarding prices depend heavily on where you live, the size of your dog and the type of care. Rover puts the national average for dog boarding at about $40 to $50 a night, with traditional kennels at the lower end. Holiday weeks usually cost more, either as a flat surcharge per night or a higher holiday rate.

Sources: Rover boarding cost guide; Southborough Veterinary Hospital 2025 boarding price list. Prices are approximate and vary by region.

Watch the extras, which add up quickly on a long holiday stay. Rover lists about $5 to $15 more per night for medical care at vet boarding, about $10 per added activity for high-energy dogs and $10 to $20 per pick-up or drop-off ride. The Southborough price list charges about $7 a day to give medication and about $15 a day to prepare a special diet. Ask for a written quote that includes every fee.

If you are hosting at home instead, our Christmas pet safety guide covers trees, plants, food and guests.

What should you pack for your dog’s boarding stay?

Ask the kennel for its packing list first, since some facilities do not allow personal bedding or toys in shared areas. In general, this is what we bring:

• Your dog’s regular food, pre-portioned by meal if the kennel allows it, plus a little extra in case your return is delayed. A sudden food change is a common cause of loose stool.
• Medications in their original labeled bottles, with written dosing instructions and times.
• Vaccine records and your veterinarian’s name and phone number.
• Your contact details and a local backup contact who can make decisions if you cannot be reached.
• A signed emergency care authorization with a spending limit you are comfortable with.
• A well-fitted collar or harness with ID tags and a leash for walks.
• A comfort item, such as a favorite washable toy or an old T-shirt that smells like you. The AKC lists both.
• A short care sheet covering feeding, potty habits and fears such as fireworks.

Skip anything you would be heartbroken to lose. Items can go missing in a busy kennel laundry. Traveling with your dog instead? Use our pet travel checklist.

How do you keep ID on your dog during a boarding stay?

Escapes from boarding facilities are uncommon, but a dog in an unfamiliar place is more likely to bolt and less likely to find its way back. Drop-off and pick-up in a busy parking lot are high-risk moments too.

A national ASPCA-backed survey found that 14% of dogs had been lost at least once in the past five years. Most were found, and 15% of those recovered got home because the finder reached the owner through an ID tag or microchip. Microchips help too, but only when the registration is current. In a study of more than 7,700 microchipped animals entering 53 shelters, the top reason owners could not be reached was an incorrect or disconnected phone number, and only 58% of chips checked with a registry were actually registered. The AVMA recommends that microchipped pets also wear a collar with current ID.

Before drop-off, check that your dog’s tag lists a cell phone you will answer while traveling, add the kennel’s number and a local backup contact to your dog’s profile if you can, and log in to your microchip registry to confirm your details. Our guides on what to put on a dog ID tag and microchip vs. smart tag go deeper.

A tap-to-view profile is especially useful when you are hundreds of miles away. The free Lohji app from Shiloh’s House, with optional in-app purchases, holds your dog’s Smart Tag profile, including up to three contacts with one-tap Call, Text, Email and Map, medical and behavior notes, and your vet and rabies vaccine ID. You can update it from your phone during the trip, so the kennel’s number can sit right next to yours. Get the Lohji app on the App Store or Google Play.

Why should you book a trial night before a long holiday stay?

A first-time boarder should never start with a ten-day Christmas stay. Many kennels offer test runs, and some require them. The AKC explains that these trial periods help staff judge your dog’s temperament, how they play with others and whether they struggle with separation anxiety, and they give you a chance to see how your dog handles being away.

Book a single night, or a day of daycare followed by one overnight, a few weeks before your trip. Preventive Vet likes kennels that offer daytime daycare, because a dog can get to know the staff and other dogs and then go home, which makes the first overnight less stressful. If your dog has never been apart from you, our guide to how long you can leave a dog alone can help you build up gradually.

At pick-up, the AKC lists good signs: your dog is tired from play, lingers to say goodbye to a favorite caregiver, shows no distress such as heavy panting, drooling or a stiff body, has no new cuts or scrapes and has clean paws. Your dog should be happy to see you, not simply relieved.

What are the signs of boarding stress after pickup?

Most dogs need a day or two to settle back in after boarding. Some readjustment is normal and is not a sign the kennel did anything wrong. Common, usually harmless changes include:

• Sleeping a lot for a day or two after a busy, noisy stay.
• Drinking or eating more than usual, especially if they ate less while away.
• Mild loose stool. VCA lists stress following travel or boarding as a common cause of diarrhea in dogs.
• Clinginess, following you room to room for a few days.
• A hoarse bark from barking more than usual.

Other signs deserve a call to your vet. VCA advises contacting your veterinarian if frequent liquid or semi-liquid stools last more than two days. Also call for vomiting, blood in the stool, refusal to eat, lethargy that is getting worse, a limp or wounds, or a honking cough, which can point to kennel cough or canine influenza.

Frequently asked questions