Kennel Requirements and Etiquette at Kennel Club Boarding Ottawa
Kennel Requirements
These requirements apply to both boarding and daycare, and they exist for one reason: to keep every dog in our care safe and healthy. Most of it is straightforward, but please read the vaccination section carefully — it is where new customers most often get caught out.
Vaccination Requirements
All dogs must be vaccinated before drop-off. Your dog's vaccinations also need to remain current through to the end of the stay — if something is due to expire partway through a booking, please get it renewed beforehand. We are not able to accept a dog whose vaccinations have lapsed.
Required
- Rabies
- Distemper, Parvovirus and Parainfluenza — these are given in a single vaccination, usually labelled DAPP, DHPP or DA2P
- Bordetella — also known as kennel cough. We recommend giving it at least two weeks before the stay so it has time to take full effect, though this is a recommendation rather than a requirement.
Recommended
Not required, but worth discussing with your vet:
- Leptospirosis vaccination
- Flea and tick prevention
- Heartworm prevention
Proof of Vaccination
Proof of vaccination is uploaded with your dog's registration form. This is the single most common reason a registration form has to come back to us a second time, so it is worth getting right the first time.
Your vaccination record must show all six of the following on a single page:
- Clinic name
- Owner's name
- Dog's name
- Vaccinations given — must include Rabies, DAPP and Bordetella
- Date each vaccination was given
- Due date for each vaccination
Booklet-type records are not accepted. The vaccination booklets breeders and some clinics hand out do not meet our vaccination certificate requirements. Ask your vet's office for a printed or emailed vaccination record instead — every clinic can produce one, usually in a minute or two, and many will email it to you on request. All of the required vaccination information must be on a single page.
Medication and Health
We are happy to administer medication, and we have handled just about everything over the years — allergy medication, anxiety medication, and insulin injections for diabetic dogs among them. Please note all medication and dosing instructions on the registration form, send it in its original labelled packaging, and tell us at drop-off when the last dose was given.
If your dog needs emergency veterinary care during their stay, the registration form authorises us to seek it. Any veterinary costs are the owner's responsibility. We will always try to reach you first, so please make sure the phone number on your form is one you will actually answer while you are away.
Fleas and Ticks
Fleas spread quickly in a facility like ours, and one dog can affect many, so we have to be firm about this.
- If an active infestation is found at drop-off, we are not able to accept the dog.
- If one is found during a stay, the dog is moved to our isolation room for the safety of the other dogs and must be collected. An additional charge applies for isolation.
Year-round flea and tick prevention is the easiest way to avoid this entirely, and we would strongly encourage it.
Spaying, Neutering and Dogs in Heat
We welcome dogs who have not been spayed or neutered. There are two things to be aware of.
Females in heat
We are not able to accept a female who is in heat at drop-off. If a dog comes into heat during her stay, she is moved to our isolation room for the remainder of the booking — it is genuinely unsettling for the other dogs otherwise. An additional charge applies for isolation. If your dog's season is anywhere near your booking dates, please get in touch before you book and we will help you work around it.
Intact males
Intact males are welcome in group play provided they are social, not aggressive, and do not mount other dogs. If that turns out not to be the case, we will move them out of the group and reclassify them — it is a matter of everyone else's safety and enjoyment, and it is not a judgement on your dog.
Age
There is no minimum age. Chandra and I bred dogs for many years and have extensive experience with both very young puppies and elderly dogs, and we are comfortable caring for either. If your dog is very young, very old, or has needs that come with either, tell us on the registration form so we can plan around them.
What to Bring
- Food — please bring your dog's own food, with enough for the stay plus at least one extra day. Sudden diet changes upset stomachs, and the spare day covers any unexpected delay. Portioning meals into bags or containers is helpful and we would recommend it, but it is a suggestion, not a requirement.
- Bedding and blankets — machine washable bedding is welcome. Something that smells of home helps a lot with settling in.
- Toys — you are welcome to send toys along.
- Medication — in its original labelled packaging, with dosing instructions.
- A leash — all dogs must be leashed at drop-off and pick-up, without exception.
Anything left behind can be held for you, but we would rather it went home with you.
Why We Require Vaccinations
Distemper, parvovirus and parainfluenza are highly contagious and can make a dog seriously ill. Rabies is fatal and affects people as well as dogs, which is why it is required by law. Bordetella — kennel cough — is a respiratory infection that moves rapidly wherever dogs are together in numbers.
Of the recommended ones, leptospirosis is a bacterial infection picked up from contaminated water or soil that can damage the kidneys and liver. Flea and tick prevention guards against infestations and tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease. Heartworm prevention protects against a parasite that affects the heart and lungs.
Every dog that comes through our door is protected by the vaccination status of every other dog here. That is the whole reason we hold the line on this.
Ready to get started? Your vaccination records are uploaded with the registration form, and one form covers both daycare and boarding.
Not sure whether something applies to your dog? Ask us — we would far rather sort it out now than at drop-off. Email info@kennelclubboarding.ca, use our contact page, or call us at 613 276 5074.