Having a dog with special needs can be incredibly rewarding, but also comes with unique challenges. One of those is finding suitable care when you need to be away. Traditional kennels are often ill-equipped to provide the specialized care and accommodations these dogs require. However, with some research and planning, pet owners can find a professional dog boarding facility that is able to address their dog’s specific needs.
Understanding Special Needs Dogs
Special needs dogs have medical, mobility, or behavioral conditions requiring more care and attention than typical dogs. Some examples of special needs include:
- Disabilities: Blindness, deafness, missing limbs, paralysis
- Chronic medical conditions: Diabetes, allergies, arthritis, incontinence
- Recovery from surgery or injuries: Orthopedic injuries, amputations
- Age-related conditions: Sensory decline, limited mobility in senior dogs
- Behavioral issues: Anxiety, fear aggression, antisocial tendencies
These dogs need careful supervision, medication management, mobility assistance, or training modifications. Their conditions mean they cannot be boarded like regular dogs.
The Challenges of Boarding Special Needs Dogs
Pet owners face considerable difficulties finding adequate boarding for their special needs dogs. Traditional kennels are often noisy, crowded, and fail to provide:
- Individualized care and attention
- Controlled environments to avoid overstimulation
- Assistance with mobility and activities
- Administration of medications/treatments
- Customized spaces and amenities
As a result, many pet owners rely on family, friends, or pet sitters to care for these dogs when traveling. However, this isn’t always possible.
Finding the Right Boarding Solution
To find a good boarding fit, do your research:
- Ask your veterinarian for recommendations of facilities experienced with special needs dogs.
- Reach out to local doggie daycares to inquire if they have separate accommodations and staffing to care for special needs dogs.
- Search for facilities specifically catering to special needs dogs, like wheelchair boarding.
- Look for veterinary technicians on sites like Rover who have medical experience.
- Consider a pet sitter, if you can find one able to administer medications and provide adequate care.
Start your search well in advance of when you’ll need care. Visit facilities in person and explain your dog’s needs to determine if they can realistically provide the level of care required.
Tips for Making Boarding Easy for a Special Needs Dog
To set your special needs dog up for success during their stay:
- Provide detailed medical records and care instructions. This includes diagnosis, medications, mobility limitations, dietary needs, behavioral issues, and emergency contacts.
- Bring medications in original containers with dosing info. Double check nothing will run out during your trip.
- Send their own food. Sudden diet changes can upset your dog’s stomach.
- Send familiar items from home. Favorite toys, blankets, and bedding can help ease anxiety being away.
- Confirm the facility has proper amenities like ramps, mobility harnesses, or fenced areas appropriate for your dog.
- Schedule a trial day stay to assess how your dog handles the facility.
Thoroughly communicating your dog’s needs sets them up for the best stay possible.
Accommodations and Care for Special Needs Dogs
To properly care for special needs dogs, facilities must provide:
Safe, controlled spaces. Kennel environments can overstimulate special needs dogs. Separate, quieter kennel areas are ideal. Facilities may also have special isolation spaces to further control stimulation and block loud noises.
24/7 monitoring and assistance. Dogs with mobility limitations or in post-operative care may require periodic assistance getting up, going outside to relieve themselves, or moving around. Staff should monitor dogs closely, especially seniors and those recovering from surgery.
Ramps, treadmills, therapy pools. Facilities catering to mobility-limited or rehabilitating dogs have special equipment for exercise and assistance. Staff can perform range-of-motion and stretching activities.
Administration of medications, injections, and treatments. Staff should be trained to properly give oral and topical medications as prescribed. Some facilities are equipped to provide post-operative cold laser therapy, pain treatments, and physical therapy.
Customized amenities. Accommodating disabilities may require specialized kennels, padding, designer elevated feeders, grass turf for mobility, and more. Staff experience with special needs enables these customizations.
The right facility has the staff training, resources, and environment to provide dogs comprehensive care tailored to their specific conditions.
Soulmutts Provides Special Needs Dog Boarding
Soulmutts is a Toronto-based dog boarding and daycare facility catering to dogs with special needs. They have multiple large indoor spaces to accommodate needs for isolation, control over stimulation, and separate play. The facility is equipped with ramps, turf, pads, and harnesses to assist mobility-limited dogs. Staff members are experienced working with senior dogs, disabled dogs, and those with medical conditions. Their special-needs boarding provides enhanced services customized to the dog.
As one happy customer said:
“The dog boarding experience here is amazing – they treated my blind, anxious girl like royalty. I will forever be grateful.”
Real-Life Stories: Boarding Special Needs Dogs
To understand how the right boarding facility can care for special needs dogs, read stories from pet owners who have boarded their dogs successfully:
Surgery Recovery Care
“When my dog Kali had knee surgery, I was so anxious to find somewhere I could board her for a work trip a month later. She would still be in the recovery stages. My vet referred me to Canine Rehab Center since they do specialized boarding for dogs’ surgery recovery. Kali stayed in one of their supervised isolation suites so she always had someone with her assisting her up for potty walks. They iced and did laser therapy on her knee, administered her medications, and kept her comfortable. It was such a relief knowing she was in good hands.”
Boarding a Deaf Dog
“I was so worried boarding my deaf dog Copper for the first time. He startles easily with touch and could get overstimulated. I found a great pet resort with real experience caring for deaf dogs. They gave Copper his own quiet kennel away from the other dogs. The staff used gestures and vibrations to communicate with him instead of touch. They really understood his needs. Copper seemed happy and comfy when I picked him up. Now I don’t stress so much about boarding him when I travel.”
Diabetic Dog Care
“As a diabetic dog, Lilly needs insulin injections twice daily and regular feeding schedules. I always thought I could never leave her until I found a pet hotel that does specialized boarding for diabetic dogs. Their vet techs monitor blood sugar levels and give insulin shots. They feed the same diet on the same schedule we do at home. I’m so glad I can still travel without worrying about Lilly’s care.”
These examples show that with the right boarding facility, pet owners can feel at ease leaving their special needs dogs in good hands. The key is finding a provider with specific experience catering to your dog’s needs.
Finding Suitable Care Lets You Travel Worry-Free
Having a dog with special needs doesn’t mean you have to forfeit travel and time away. As discussed in this guide, pet owners can turn to specialized boarding facilities offering the enhanced services, amenities, and care their dogs require. With thorough research and planning, you can find a provider to address your dog’s unique needs above and beyond traditional boarding kennels.
Prioritizing your special needs dog’s comfort and safety means you don’t need to feel guilty or anxious when work and life take you away from home. You can feel confident leaving them in the care of compassionate, capable professionals dedicated to making their boarding experience pleasant. Your dog can look forward to their own vacation full of tailored care and attention.
