These days, urban lifestyles are hectic, and it’s inevitable that there will be times—such as business trips, overseas travel, vacations, or illness—when you need to be apart from your pet. At this point, most pet owners opt for boarding platforms or professional boarding facilities. This is also a measure taken out of necessity. In such circumstances, we should prepare accordingly and compile a list of precautions for your reference.
Whether you’re traveling with your pet—whether it’s a long drive to another city or boarding them—they’ll likely face similar issues. It’s better to bring your own stuff when you’re just going out for fun. I’ll briefly share the items I’ve prepared.
Food category
Last time I boarded Xiaobai and Nana, I brought their favorite dog food (Orijen and Taste of the Wild) and some treats (Zeal), which are pretty much essentials! Don’t bring foods you don’t usually eat, and pack only a small amount of snacks—though you can skip them altogether if you like.
Healthcare products category
As just mentioned, changing environments can easily trigger a stress response, which typically manifests as diarrhea, anxiety, and other symptoms. If there’s diarrhea, you can consider giving a small dose of probiotics. When I dropped Xiao Bai and Nana off for boarding, I asked the caretaker: if the diarrhea isn’t too severe, please give them a little bit of probiotics; but if it’s serious, please take them to the vet—we’ll cover the costs when we get back.
Toys
In foster care, they’re away from their parents and their familiar surroundings—everything feels unfamiliar, and there may even be other dogs around. Or, being confined to a standalone pet hotel will naturally make them feel very stressed. At such times, it is essential to provide an outlet for stress; otherwise, children may not only develop loss of appetite, diarrhea, and lethargy, but some may even engage in self‑harm.
Daily necessities
This really depends on each person’s dog‑keeping habits; some people bring a lot along, like me, for example. Some people will have very little. It varies from person to person, but here’s my own list—mostly things my kids use on a regular basis: pet wipes (for paws and face), toothpaste, a toothbrush (for brushing teeth), a pet‑size pillow, a blanket (for sleeping), no‑rinse foam (to wash their paws after outdoor play), paw balm, a harness, a leash, a comb, potty pads (since my little one goes to the bathroom in a designated spot), and a dog potty, among other items. My little one is house-trained and uses designated indoor spots, so I’ll need pee pads and the like. If they’re not indoors, please disregard the last two items.
