A first stay at a Preston boarder or day care
Whether your dog is booked into a kennels, a day care site or a home boarder's house in Preston, a first stay usually starts with a shorter visit first, so both sides can see how the dog settles before a longer booking. Ask whether a trial day or meet-and-greet is available even where a business's own site does not mention one, since it is worth asking regardless of the type of business.
Before you book: ask for a trial
A trial or introductory visit is common practice across this kind of business, not something every one of Preston's sixteen states outright on its own site. It lets a kennels see how a dog settles among others, and lets a home boarder see how a dog behaves in a house alongside their own pets and family. Ask what a trial covers and whether it is charged separately from a full stay.
What to pack
Take your dog's usual food for the length of the stay, any medication with clear written instructions, a bed or blanket that smells of home, and a lead and collar with an up-to-date tag. Barton Boarding Kennels, in Garstang, lists medication administration among its services, which is worth confirming directly if your dog needs anything during the stay.
Handover on the day
Give the person taking your dog a clear account of feeding times, any health issues and how your dog behaves around other dogs, since this is the point at which a kennels or home boarder can adjust its plan for your dog specifically. Frankies Doggy Daycare, in Preston city centre, runs a puppy academy alongside its day care, so a puppy's first visit may look a little different from an adult dog's; ask what a puppy's day involves before booking.
Collection and drop-off
Ask what happens if you are early or late, and whether a bank holiday or an out-of-area collection changes the price. Digs for Dogs - Leyland, a home boarder working through host families, charges £20 each way for transport on top of its daily rate, plus a £12-a-day surcharge over holiday periods; Landorn Kennels and Fur Cottage Kennels, both in Kirkham, offer their own collection and drop-off for longer stays. None of this is unusual for the niche, but asking before the stay avoids a surprise when you collect your dog.
Day care rather than an overnight stay
If you only need a day looked after rather than an overnight stay, ask directly: Cow Hill Kennels, in Fulwood, offers a day-boarding option alongside its overnight kennels, with walks, playtime and a day pen rather than a full night's stay, and several of Preston's other day cares work the same way. See our day care or boarding guide for the full list.
Meeting a home boarder first
Because a home boarder's address is only given once you book, the first proper look you get at where your dog will stay is usually at a meet-and-greet, not before. Use that visit to see the garden, ask how many other dogs might be there at the same time, and find out what a typical day in the house looks like, rather than relying on a description alone.