The items pet parents forget most often aren’t the leash or the food bag. They’re the details that help a care team follow a dog’s routine safely: vaccination records, portion sizes, medication directions, emergency contacts, and honest behavior notes. Getting those details right before drop-off makes everything else easier.

A useful boarding preparation checklist starts before you pack. Every facility has its own health, screening, and arrival policies, so confirm those details before choosing an arrival date. Each new Camper at Camp Bow Wow completes a Camper Interview before joining supervised group play, giving our team a chance to assess comfort around people, play style, and readiness for the environment.

Start with the Facility’s Requirements

Facility requirements determine what you need to schedule, collect, and bring, so confirm them first. Don’t assume one boarding facility follows the same policies as another, particularly around vaccinations, temperament screening, medication, and personal belongings.

Ask about the following before you finalize an overnight stay:

Health Records: Ask which vaccination records are required and how current they must be. Some facilities require documentation for vaccines like Bordetella, which helps protect against a common cause of kennel cough.
Screening Process: Find out whether your dog needs an evaluation before joining group activities. Screening helps staff make safer play group decisions based on your dog’s behavior and comfort level.
Daily Routine: Confirm meal policies, play periods, rest times, treat policies, and how staff communicate updates during the stay.
Care Options: Ask whether medication administration is available, what instructions are needed, and whether there’s an added charge.
Personal Belongings: Check which comfort items are permitted and whether bedding, bowls, or food storage are provided.

At Camp Bow Wow, overnight Campers have access to indoor and outdoor play yards, an individual Cabin for rest, a nightly Campfire Treat, and medication administration at no additional charge. Knowing what’s already included keeps the boarding bag focused on what your dog actually needs.

Gather Records & Care Instructions

Write care instructions as if the person reading them has never met your dog. A quick verbal explanation at drop-off is easy to miss when travel is on your mind, so put routines, health details, and contact information in a clear, written format.

Contacts & Medical Information
Bring current vaccination records, your veterinarian’s contact information, your travel contact details, and an emergency contact who can make decisions if you can’t be reached. Let the facility know about allergies, ongoing medical conditions, recent changes in appetite or energy, and any care your vet has recommended.

Feeding & Medication Instructions
Write feeding instructions with the number of meals, serving size, usual meal times, approved treats, and any food sensitivities. For medications, list the name, dose, timing, method of administration, and whether it should be given with food. Keep medication in its original packaging unless the facility instructs otherwise.

Behavior Notes That Matter
Accurate behavior information helps staff support your dog, not judge them. Mention handling sensitivities, fear of loud sounds, resource guarding, fence climbing, escape tendencies, social preferences, and anything that tends to trigger stress. If your dog experiences separation anxiety (pacing, vocalizing, difficulty settling, or similar stress behaviors when away from home), note that too, so staff know what to watch for.

Pack for Consistency, Not Quantity

For dog boarding in Joliet, familiar food and clear instructions matter more than a full bag. Routine changes during a stay can cause digestive upset or stress, so bring what your dog actually uses, not what feels thorough.

Enough Usual Food: Bring enough for every scheduled meal plus a small reserve in case travel plans shift. Pre-portioning meals makes feeding instructions especially easy to follow.
Medication in Original Packaging: Include written directions and confirm administration procedures before arrival.
Approved Comfort Items: Bring a familiar blanket or toy only if the facility permits it and the item is safe in a shared setting.
Updated Care Notes: Include feeding instructions, health information, your vet’s contact, and your emergency contact.

Leave irreplaceable items, oversized belongings, and unfamiliar treats at home unless the care team has approved them. A favorite toy can be comforting; a valuable item or new food can create avoidable problems in a new environment.

Help Your Dog Adjust Before the Stay

A first overnight stay goes more smoothly when the facility isn’t completely unfamiliar. If time allows, arrange a trial visit, a daycare day, or a tour so your dog can get comfortable with the sights, sounds, and staff before an extended stay.

Keep your dog’s normal meals, exercise, medication, and sleep schedule steady in the days leading up to arrival. This isn’t the time to switch foods, start a demanding new training routine, or make several changes at once. Familiar patterns ease the transition, especially for a dog who takes time to warm up to new places.

How you say goodbye matters, too. A calm, ordinary handoff works better than a long, emotional sendoff, which can signal to your dog that something unusual is happening. Dogs take cues from their people, and a low-key departure gives staff the room to start building trust from the first moment.

The Arrival Checklist

Plan to arrive with enough time for staff to review updates, not just hand over a bag and head out. That final conversation is your chance to confirm that written instructions still match your dog’s current needs.

Before you leave, make sure you’ve:

Labeled Every Item: Put your dog’s name on food, medication, and approved belongings.
Shared Recent Changes: Tell staff about any shifts in medication, appetite, mobility, behavior, or health since you booked.
Confirmed Pickup Details: Verify the authorized pickup person, your return date, and the best way to reach you during travel.
Reviewed Routine Reminders: Walk through feeding instructions, medication timing, comfort needs, and social preferences directly with the staff member receiving your dog.
Asked About Updates: Confirm how the facility communicates during the stay and whether camera access or other tools are available.

At Camp, dogs move between supervised play and individual Cabins throughout the day. Pet parents can check in anytime through Live Camper Cams.

One Last Check Before You Go

The night before departure, confirm the reservation, organize vaccination records, label food, pack medication with directions, update emergency contacts, and write down any behavior or health details staff should know. Then review the facility’s requirements one more time. Their policies take priority over any general packing list.

Camp Bow Wow can help pet parents complete the Camper Interview and confirm everything before an upcoming stay. Call us at (877) 700-2275 with questions about reservations or preparation.