Boarding kennels provide varying quality of care, with the welfare of dogs during owner absence depending significantly on facility quality and staff training.
Kennel welfare varies enormously from excellent to distressing. Dogs that struggle in kennel environments face acute stress throughout their owner's absence. Home boarding avoids the kennel environment for dogs that cope poorly with it. For kennels, assessing exercise provision, social interaction, feeding practices, and disease prevention enables informed choice. Dogs with known kennel anxiety benefit from veterinary anxiolytics before and during boarding.