A first stay at a Crawley boarder or day care
Booking a first stay with a new boarder, day care or kennels in Crawley is different from a routine rebooking: there is no track record yet on either side, so it is worth treating the first visit as a trial rather than a full commitment.
Ask about a trial or assessment first
None of Crawley's eleven listed businesses states online whether it offers a free trial or assessment day before a first full booking, so ask directly — a shorter visit first is common practice across this niche even where a business doesn't advertise it. Sit and Stay Sussex (Nicky's Pet Minding), in Crawley town centre & Three Bridges, currently says it cannot take on any more dogs for day care or home boarding for the foreseeable future, so ask specifically about a waiting list rather than assuming a trial is available there at all.
What to pack
Whichever type of boarding or day care you choose, take enough of your dog's usual food for the length of the stay, since a sudden change of diet can upset its stomach, plus any regular medication in its original packaging, a lead and collar with an up-to-date ID tag, and something that smells of home. Ask the business in advance what it provides and what it expects you to bring, since this varies between operators.
Drop-off and collection
Ask what the arrangement is for dropping off and collecting your dog, since Crawley's businesses vary widely. Bulldog Holidays, in Ifield & Bewbush, opens 8am to 4pm with its gates locked afterwards unless out-of-hours care, 4pm to 8pm, is booked separately. The Doghouse, near East Grinstead, runs Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm. Happy Dayz Dogs, in Haywards Heath, opens Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm, closed on bank holidays. Vanity Fur West Hoathly is open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm and weekends 9am to 5pm, also closed on bank holidays. Bonnie's House runs day care Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, with boarding available seven days a week, and Peppa's Pooch Playhouse is open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and weekends 8am to 6pm. Cherry Tree Kennels & Cattery, We Love Pets Haywards Heath and Go Barking do not publish set drop-off and collection windows on their own sites, so ask directly what their arrangement is before you set off.
A good handover
Whichever business you choose, a good handover covers your dog's feeding times and amounts, any medication and when it is due, its normal toileting routine, anything it is anxious about, and an emergency contact number for you. Write it down as well as saying it, so it is there if you are unreachable during the stay. Ask, too, how the business will update you during the stay, and how it would contact you if there were a problem, before you leave your dog with any of Crawley's eleven listed businesses. See our vaccinations and licences guide for what else is worth asking before you book.