When planning a trip, there are many things to worry about: buying A plane ticket, booking a hotel, planning and scheduling activities and of course if you are a dog lover like me, one of the most important things is finding a place where to board your little friend.

There are a few steps you can take to make boarding your dog less stressful. If you plan ahead you can save yourself and your pet a stressful experience. Boarding your dog should seem like a vacation to your dog too. Not all boarding facilities are equal so you need to investigate them to make sure it matches your expectation and your dogs personality and needs

Below are some steps you can take into consideration when trying to find the right place

Know your expectations and your dogs

Is it important to you that your dog gets lots of attention and pampering while you are away? Or is your dog just happy and content as long as his or her basic needs are met. At bare minimum, a kennel or boarding service should offer dog walking at least twice a day for 30 minutes. The place should be clean and offer your dog plenty of space, play options and exercise.

Decide what type of boarding facility is best for your dog.

There are different types of boarding facilities, so choosing the one that meets your pets needs is really important.

Vet facilities and animal clinics: A lot of vet offices and clinics offer boarding services. Most of them have limited space and don't offer exercise or play activities for your pet. Normally your dog will be in a cage during the day until he/she gets the daily walk(s). Your dog will not have that much interaction or pampering from human beings and/or other dogs. These type of places most of the time are clean and safe, but your dog will not get the level of attention that you might desire.

Pet Resorts: These places offer plenty of options. Some offer suites with TVs in them, comfortable beds, play activities, etc. These are great places for your dog to get pampered. Most of them have "a la carte type of services. Any extra activity or upgrade for your dog comes with a price. This is a good alternative if you don't mind paying extra for all the things you will want for your pet.

Pet sitter: This is a person who will come to your house and feed and walk your dog. If you have a sitter you can trust, this is a good alternative. Depending on how used your dog is to being left alone during the day, this could be something that works for you. Dogs and animals in general get used to certain routines, so you need to think about providing your dog with the closest alternative that resembles or it is better that his or her daily routine at home.

Home Boarding: This option, if it meets your requirements, is one of the most perfect ones. Your dog will actually go to a "real home where, he/she will be surrounded by people and possibly other dogs as well.

Things to consider when evaluating home boarding

It is important to know that the caregiver is going to spend a lot of time at home taking care of your dog. Otherwise your dog might be subject of being caged and left alone anyway.

Does the caregiver have other dogs? If so you need to make sure your dog gets along with his/her dogs. Also, if your dog doesn't like cats, make sure there are not cats in the house. This could create a lot of distress for your dog and the home owner (caregiver) as well.

It is important to know how many dogs the person boards at a time. You need to evaluate the safety of your pet at any given time. If you own a small breed dog and know that big dogs might be also clients, the risk of having your dog hurt increases. Make sure you understand how do they do business and how concerned are they to provide your dog with a safe and clean environment.

Make sure they are insured. Even though this is a private home, this is indeed a real business and should be treated as such. Make sure they are insured and they are ready to offer this type of service.

Hopefully money will not be what determines where you leave your dog. We are not underestimating the cost, but if you plan with anticipation you will be able to find a place that meets the needs and makes financial sense. Remember that having peace of mind is "priceless.

You want the best for your dog, so evaluating all these conditions will come natural for you. You need to feel comfortable with the service they provide. Your dog is your best friend so treat him/her like one.