A first stay at a Norwich boarder or day care
Most of Norwich's 13 listed dog boarders and day cares work from their own home, with one, Lime Liegh Boarding Kennels & Cattery in Wymondham, running purpose-built kennels instead. Whichever kind you book, the basics of a good first stay are much the same, and worth working through before the day itself rather than at the door.
Before you book
Ask for a trial day or a short visit before committing to a longer stay, so your dog can meet the household, any other dogs, or the kennel routine while you're still nearby. For a home boarder especially, a short visit tells you far more than a phone call about how your dog settles in the house and garden and around any resident pets. Give the business your vet's details, an emergency contact, and anything about your dog's health or behaviour in writing rather than relying on it being remembered from a call.
What to pack
- Food measured out for each day, plus a spare day or two in case collection is delayed.
- Any medication, clearly labelled with dosage and timing.
- A lead, collar or harness with a current ID tag.
- A bed, blanket or toy from home, if your dog is attached to one.
- A written note of feeding times, walk length and anything that tends to unsettle your dog.
A good handover
Expect the person taking your dog to ask questions, not just take the lead — a handover with no questions at all is worth a second thought. Confirm the collection date and time in writing, and how you'll hear from them if anything comes up. For a home boarder, the exact address is normally given only once you've booked, since it's somebody's house rather than a business premises, so agree in advance how you'll find it on the day.
Collection
Ask in advance how a stay is charged if collection runs late, and whether a second dog from your household is charged differently to the first. Ask for a short debrief when you collect your dog — how it ate, slept and settled — even if it isn't offered as standard; it's a reasonable thing to expect after any stay, long or short.
If it doesn't go to plan
If your dog seems distressed at collection, or a business can't answer straightforward questions about the stay plainly, that's useful information even if nothing visibly went wrong — you're not obliged to book with the same business again. Most first stays go well; an honest debrief either way makes the next one easier to arrange, whether that's with the same business or a different one. See our vaccinations and licences guide for what to ask before you get to this point.