How to Prepare Your Dog for Their First Boarding Stay at Barkridge Boarding Kennels
- barkridge
- Aug 11
- 7 min read
A first boarding stay can feel like a big step, especially if your dog has never spent a night away from home. A little preparation goes a long way. It helps your dog arrive calm, gives the kennel team clear information, and makes the first day easier for everyone.
Barkridge Boarding Kennels in Canning Vale, Perth, welcomes dogs with different routines, personalities and care needs. The best way to prepare is to keep things simple, clear and familiar. Pack the essentials, write down the details that matter, and give your dog a calm handover at drop-off.
Start with the booking details
Before packing anything, check the basics of the stay. Confirm the arrival date, pick-up date, your dog’s name and any details the kennel team needs before drop-off.
If this is your dog’s first stay, share useful background information early. That might include:
How your dog behaves around new people
How they settle at night
Whether they are shy, excitable or vocal
Any separation worries
Any sensitivities around handling
Any known health issues or physical limits
This information helps the team understand your dog as an individual. It is better to mention something small than assume it will not matter.
Make sure your contact details are current too. Include the best phone number while your dog is staying, plus an emergency contact if appropriate.
Pack familiar items, but keep it practical
The right items can make a boarding stay feel more familiar. The goal is not to pack everything your dog owns. It is to send a few useful things that support their routine.
A good packing list may include:
Your dog’s regular food
Clearly labelled feeding portions or containers
A lead or harness
Any required medication
Written care instructions
A favourite blanket or small comfort item
Vaccination or health information if requested
Emergency contact details
Choose items that are safe, washable and easy to identify. A blanket that smells like home can be comforting, but avoid sending anything valuable, fragile or difficult to clean.
Label belongings with your dog’s name where possible. This is especially helpful for food, medication and comfort items. If your dog has a habit of chewing bedding or toys, mention that at drop-off and choose items with care.
Give clear feeding instructions
Food is one of the easiest ways to keep your dog’s routine steady. Dogs often cope better with change when their meals stay familiar.
Pack your dog’s usual food unless Barkridge has advised otherwise. A sudden diet change can upset some dogs, especially during a new experience. If your dog eats dry food, wet food, raw food or a mix, write it down clearly.
Your feeding instructions should include:
The amount per meal
How many meals your dog eats each day
The usual feeding times
Whether food needs to be soaked, warmed or mixed
Any treats allowed or not allowed
Foods your dog must avoid
Avoid vague directions such as “a scoop” unless you provide the scoop. If possible, pre-portion meals into labelled bags or containers. For example, label them by day and meal, such as “Monday breakfast” or “Tuesday dinner”.
If your dog can be fussy when away from home, include practical notes. For example, they may prefer food mixed with a little wet food, or they may take longer to eat in a new place. Keep instructions calm and factual.
Prepare medication information carefully
If your dog takes medication, accuracy matters. Pack all medication in its original packaging when possible, with your dog’s name visible. Do not mix tablets together in an unlabelled container.
Write down:
The medication name
The dose
The time it needs to be given
Whether it must be given with food
How your dog usually takes it
What to do if a dose is refused
Your vet’s contact details if relevant
For creams, drops or other treatments, include clear handling instructions. If your dog dislikes having ears, paws or mouth handled, say so. This helps the kennel team approach care safely and patiently.
If your dog has a medical condition, explain what normal looks like for them. For example, an older dog may move slowly in the morning, or a dog with skin sensitivities may need certain products avoided. Keep the notes short, but include what the team needs to know.
This guide is general information only. For medication changes, dosage questions or health concerns before boarding, speak with your vet.
Help your dog settle before the stay
Some dogs walk into a kennel happily. Others need more reassurance. Both responses are normal.
In the days before boarding, keep your dog’s home routine as steady as possible. Big changes right before a stay can add stress. Stick with normal walks, meals and rest times.
It can also help to practise short periods of calm separation at home. For example, let your dog rest in their usual spot while you move around the house or step outside briefly. Reward calm behaviour with gentle praise when you return.
Avoid making packing or departure feel dramatic. Dogs notice tone, movement and tension. If the lead comes out, bags appear and everyone sounds worried, some dogs become unsettled before they even leave home.
On the day before boarding:
Keep meals normal
Give your dog a familiar walk
Avoid introducing new foods
Check medication and food labels
Pack comfort items calmly
Make sure your dog has a good rest
A steady lead-up helps your dog arrive in a better frame of mind.
Think about exercise and energy levels
Exercise can make the first day smoother, especially for young or energetic dogs. A suitable walk before drop-off may help your dog arrive more relaxed.
Keep the walk sensible. The aim is not to exhaust your dog. Too much exercise, especially in warm Perth weather, can leave them overtired or unsettled. A normal walk, toilet break and time to sniff can be enough.
If your dog has exercise limits, let Barkridge know. This includes older dogs, dogs recovering from injury, short-nosed breeds that can overheat more easily, and dogs with joint issues.
Share what your dog is used to at home. For example:
They enjoy gentle walks
They prefer short play sessions
They need slower movement due to age
They become overexcited around balls
They should avoid jumping
They need time to toilet before settling
Exercise is not only about burning energy. It is also part of your dog’s routine, confidence and comfort.
Keep drop-off calm and simple
Drop-off can be emotional, especially the first time. A calm goodbye is one of the best gifts you can give your dog.
Arrive with enough time to speak with the team and hand over your dog’s belongings. Bring your written instructions, food, medication and any comfort item together so nothing gets missed.
At drop-off, expect to share key details such as:
Feeding routine
Medication needs
Behaviour notes
Emergency contact details
Any changes since booking
Pick-up arrangements
Keep your goodbye short and positive. A long, emotional farewell can make some dogs more anxious. Use a familiar cue such as “see you soon” if you normally say one, then let the kennel team help your dog transition.
Try not to sneak away if your dog is watching you. A calm, confident handover is usually clearer. Dogs take cues from their people, so a steady voice and relaxed body language can help.
Tell the team what makes your dog feel safe
Every dog has small preferences. These details can be very useful during a first boarding stay.
Let Barkridge know if your dog:
Likes gentle voices
Needs time to approach new people
Is nervous around loud sounds
Sleeps better with a blanket
Is worried by storms
Guards food or toys
Needs space from other dogs
Has a favourite cue or routine
Be honest about behaviour. Kennel teams are used to dogs having quirks, fears and habits. Clear information helps them care for your dog safely and kindly.
If your dog has never boarded before, say that too. A first stay is a learning experience, and the team can better support your dog when they know what is new.
Avoid last-minute changes
The day of boarding is not the best time to try a new food, new medication routine, new collar or new training plan. Keep things familiar.
Avoid:
New treats your dog has never eaten
A sudden food change
A very intense exercise session
A new supplement unless advised by your vet
Washing all bedding so it no longer smells familiar
Changing meal times without need
If something has changed, such as your dog developing a cough, upset stomach, limp or skin issue, tell the kennel team before arrival. Health and comfort information should never be left as a surprise.
Know what a successful first stay looks like
A successful first stay does not mean your dog acts exactly as they do at home from the first minute. Boarding is a new environment with new sounds, smells and routines.
Success may look like your dog:
Eating normally after settling
Resting between activity periods
Responding to gentle handling
Taking medication as instructed
Building confidence with the environment
Returning home tired but well
Some dogs are sleepy after boarding because they have had new stimulation. Give your dog time to rest when they come home. Offer water, return to normal feeding, and keep the first evening low-key.
Book your dog’s stay with confidence
Preparing for a first boarding stay is mostly about clear communication and familiar routines. Pack the essentials, label food and medication, write down the details that matter, and keep drop-off calm.
Barkridge Boarding Kennels in Canning Vale, Perth, can care for your dog more smoothly when the team has accurate information from the start.
Ready to arrange your dog’s first stay? Book Online with Barkridge Boarding Kennels and prepare your dog using this checklist before drop-off.
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