A first stay at a Salisbury boarder or day care
Whether your dog is booked into a kennels, a day care site or a home boarder's house in Salisbury, 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.
Before you book: ask about vaccinations and a trial
Clearway Kennels, on the A30 outside Salisbury, states on its own site that proof of vaccination is required before any dog can stay, and Sunrise Wiggles, in Winchester, only accepts dogs over 12 months old and caps bookings at two dogs at a time. Ask any business here for its own vaccination and age policy before you book, and ask whether a short trial visit can be arranged first.
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. ScenterBarks, at Otterbourne on the edge of Winchester, is licensed for up to 48 dogs, the largest day care capacity found on this page, so a first day there may mean a bigger group than a smaller home-based day care; ask how new dogs are introduced.
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. Cathedral View Canine Creche, on the edge of Salisbury, asks that calls to arrange a visit are made between 8am and 8pm; check a business's own hours before turning up unannounced.
Home boarding: meeting the boarder first
Sixteen of the 22 businesses on this page are home boarders, whose address is only given once you book, so the first proper look you get at where your dog will stay is usually at a meet-and-greet, not before. The Salisbury Dog Retreat boards only one household's dogs at a time; Your PetPal, in Winchester, is licensed for up to six dogs, the joint-highest home boarding capacity found here. Ask how many other dogs will be in the house during your dates, and whether they are all from one household.
Collection and drop-off
Clearway Kennels limits visiting and collection to weekday mornings and early evenings and Saturday mornings, closed Sundays and bank holidays — ask any kennels here about its own hours before you plan collection. Stones Doggy Daycare, run from a converted dairy building at Larkhill, opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, for both drop-off and collection; ask whether a business here can take your dog outside its usual hours if your own day does not fit neatly around a 9-to-5 pattern.
A note on day care groups
A day-care site such as ScenterBarks or Coco's Canine Creche mixes dogs from several different households through the day, so ask how new dogs are settled in and how the group is supervised, particularly on a first visit. See our day care or boarding guide if you are still deciding which kind of stay your dog needs.