How To Prevent Pet Boredom During Pet Boarding
Cats and dogs (especially dogs) typically like to go where you go. When you go on vacation, they may want to come along. This is not always feasible, since not every hotel or resort allows pets. You will need to put your furry friends in pet boarding places. Unfortunately, this means your pet may get lonely, and bored. Here is how you can keep your pet from getting bored while boarding away from home.
Favorite Toys
What makes Fido and Fluffy happy at home will make them happy at the boarder's. Bring their most favorite toys with so that the boarding staff can keep the pets entertained. Squeaky toys, fishing toys, balls, plastic milk rings, and catnip-filled items are all good items to bring.
Playtime Schedules
When you check your pet into the boarding place, establish on the intake form when your pets most like to play. For dogs, that could be any time during the day, but generally you know when you usually play with Fido. For cats, they like most to play in the evenings, when they are waking up and getting active. Specific playtimes that tend to be routine in your house should be the same playtimes that the staff use to interact with Fluffy and Fido so that your pets do not get bored and do not miss you.
Pet Interaction
If your pets are "loners," and generally do not get along with others of the same or different species, make sure the staff know this. Many pet boarding houses have "group playtime" so that pets can socialize. However, if your pets are more likely to attack other pets than play, the staff can arrange for private playtime in the open areas of the facility. Then your pets, and everyone else's remain safe and happy.
Walks or "Roamings"
Make sure the boarding facility that you choose offers daily dog walks for Fido. Two walks a day for dogs are even better since it removes the monotony of being inside all day. It is also helpful if the facility offers "roamings" for cats.
Roamings are times when your cat is allowed outside of its room to roam the facility. Usually, no other cats are allowed out at this time. It gives cats a chance to stretch their legs without any concern about getting into a fight with other pets or getting hurt outside of the room. Since it is a cat's nature to roam around and check things out, this feeds your cats' natural curiosity and makes them feel safe in this strange new environment.
