Boarding and Daycare Guide

How do I make a boarding or daycare reservation at PawPlex?

Start by confirming whether your pet needs daycare, overnight boarding, or both. Provide the correct arrival date, pickup date, contact information, feeding routine, medication instructions, and an emergency contact when you book.

• Book as early as possible for busy dates.
• Tell PawPlex about medical needs, allergies, anxiety, escape behavior, or aggression.
• Confirm that all required forms and vaccination records have been received.
• Ask whether a first day evaluation or trial visit is required before group daycare.

How do I prepare my pet for their first visit?

A first visit tends to go more smoothly when your pet arrives calm, healthy, and ready to follow a normal routine. Give your pet a bathroom break before leaving home and avoid making major changes to their food right before the visit.

Tell the PawPlex team how your pet responds to other dogs, new people, loud sounds, crates, feeding, handling, and separation from you. PawPlex may adjust group play, rest time, or handling based on your pet’s comfort and safety.

What should I pack for a boarding stay?

• Food in clearly labeled portions or a clearly labeled container.
• Simple written feeding instructions with the correct amount and schedule.
• Medication in the original container with approved written directions.
• An emergency contact who can make decisions if you cannot be reached.
• A secure leash and collar or harness for arrival and pickup.
• Only approved personal items that are clearly labeled.

A single small item that smells like home, such as a worn t-shirt or a familiar blanket, can be a comforting addition for a pet that hasn’t boarded before, as long as it’s something you’re comfortable not getting back in perfect condition. Avoid sending valuable, fragile, or unsafe items. PawPlex may remove an item if it becomes damaged or creates a safety risk.

How can I help an anxious pet adjust to boarding or daycare?

Some pets take a little longer to settle into a new environment, and there are a few things you can do at home beforehand to help. Practicing short absences, leaving your pet alone for gradually longer stretches in the weeks before a stay, can help build confidence that you always come back. Keeping your own goodbye at drop off calm and brief also helps, since a long, emotional goodbye can actually make a pet more anxious rather than less.

If your pet has never boarded before, ask PawPlex about starting with a shorter daycare visit or a single overnight stay before booking a longer trip, so your pet has a chance to get used to the routine while the stakes are lower. Be upfront with the team about any anxiety, past bad experiences, or specific triggers so they can plan accordingly.

What should I know about boarding a puppy or a senior pet?

Puppies should be current on the vaccinations your veterinarian recommends for their age before their first boarding or daycare visit, since group settings involve contact with other pets. Confirm with PawPlex which vaccination records they’ll need on file before you book, and expect that a younger puppy may need a more gradual introduction to group play than an adult dog.

For senior pets, share any mobility limitations, joint issues, vision or hearing changes, and current medications clearly when you book, and ask PawPlex directly about accommodations for an older pet, such as a quieter rest area or a slower pace of activity. Bringing your senior pet’s usual bedding or a familiar item can also help them feel more settled in an unfamiliar space.

What happens at drop off and pickup?

Arrive during your confirmed time window and allow extra time for check in, especially when boarding overnight or bringing medication. Report any changes in your pet’s health, appetite, bathroom habits, behavior, or medication at drop off, and confirm the pickup date, pickup contact, and phone number before you leave.

Keep the goodbye calm and brief so your pet can settle into the routine. If your pickup plans change or you’ll be late, call PawPlex as soon as you know.

What are PawPlex’s feeding and medication guidelines?

Familiar food can help reduce stomach upset during a stay, and instructions should be clear, consistent, and easy for the care team to follow. List the exact food amount and feeding times, and identify any allergies, sensitivities, toppers, treats, or foods to avoid.

For medication, provide the name, dose, time, method, and reason, and do not place medication loose inside a food bag. Tell PawPlex what to do if your pet refuses food or medication during the stay.

What does daily care and safety look like at PawPlex?

Pets receive fresh water, cleaning, rest, attention, and routine wellness checks throughout their stay. Daycare activities are based on size, temperament, comfort, health, and safe group compatibility, and play schedules may change due to weather, behavior, energy level, staffing, or health. Not every pet spends the same amount of time in group play.

Contact PawPlex before arrival if your pet develops vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, unusual fatigue, or another sign of illness.