How to choose dog boarding: what to ask before you book

Choose boarding by going to see it. In Louisiana, boarding means taking your dog to a kennel or a private home; nobody collects, and most places have premises you can visit before you book. The differences that matter are who is there overnight, where your dog sleeps and how much time it spends out of that space, and whether the place can handle its medication and temperament. Ask about those, tour before you commit, and try a single night before a long trip.

What tells one boarding place from another

These are the differences recorded on our listings.

Difference	What it means	How common it is here
Gives medication	Gives pills or injections such as insulin	About half
Cats	Boards cats as well as dogs	Some
In a home	Boards pets in a private home, not a kennel building	A few
Webcams	You can watch your pet on a live camera	A few
Staffed overnight	Someone is on site with the animals through the night	Only a few
Cage-free	Dogs are not kept in cages or kennel runs during their stay	Rare

Staffed overnight. This is the one people assume and shouldn't. At many kennels the last person leaves in the evening and the first returns in the morning, with the dogs secured in between. That is normal, and many dogs sleep through it. But if your dog is elderly, has a health condition or panics when alone, look for a place that states someone is on site all night, or choose boarding in a home.

Kennel or home. A kennel has purpose-built rooms or runs, staff, and usually set routines. Rooms are sold in steps, from a standard kennel up through larger suites. A home takes fewer dogs, and your dog lives much as it does at your house, with the host's own pets and whoever else is boarding. Dogs that are relaxed with other dogs often do well in a home; dogs that need their own space may be better with a room of their own.

Time out of the room. Two places with the same price can give a dog very different days. One lets each dog out to a yard several times a day; another runs supervised group play; another offers walks as an extra. A cage-free place keeps dogs together most of the time, which suits sociable dogs and doesn't suit shy or reactive ones.

Medication. About half the places listed here say they give medication. If your dog needs injections or doses at exact times, confirm who gives them and what training they have.

Webcams. A camera lets you look in. It is often tied to a particular suite, so ask which.

For a sense of price, boarding on this site starts from $27 per night, with $40 a typical starting price and $60 at the higher end, as of October 2026. Places that charge by the day start from $20 per day, with $25 typical and $45 at the higher end, as of October 2026.

Questions to ask before you book

The space

1. Where exactly will my dog sleep, and how big is that space?
2. Is it indoors and air-conditioned? In a Louisiana summer this is not a detail.
3. Can my two dogs share, and should they?
4. May I see the rooms, the yard and where the dogs are let out?

The day

5. How many times a day is each dog let out, for how long, and where?
6. Do dogs play together? How are groups chosen, and who is watching?
7. Can my dog be kept apart from other dogs if I prefer?
8. What and when are the dogs fed? Can I bring my own food? (Do. A sudden change of food upsets many dogs' stomachs.)

The night

9. Is anyone on site overnight? If not, when does the last person leave and the first arrive?
10. Are there cameras, alarms or smoke detection that someone is monitoring?

Health and emergencies

11. Which vaccinations do you ask for, and how recent? Your vet can tell you what your dog should have before a stay.
12. Who gives medication, and how is it recorded?
13. What happens if my dog is ill or injured? Which vet do you use, and will you call me first?
14. What is your plan if a hurricane or flood threatens while my dog is with you? Ask where the dogs would go and how you would be told. If you board during storm season, this matters.

The booking

15. How do you count nights or days for my drop-off and pick-up times?
16. What are your drop-off and pick-up hours, including weekends?
17. Is there a deposit, and what is the cancellation policy?

What to look for on a tour

Ask to see where the dogs actually stay, not just the lobby. A place that won't show you is telling you something.

• Smell and cleanliness. A kennel smells of dogs, but it shouldn't smell of old waste.
• Noise. Some barking is normal. Constant frantic barking suggests stressed dogs.
• The dogs. Do they look settled? Do they have clean water and dry bedding?
• The staff. Watch how they speak to and handle the dogs when they aren't performing for you.
• Fencing and doors. Look for secure fences and a double door or gate at the entrance, so a dog can't bolt to the street.
• Temperature. Stand in the kennel area for a minute. If you are uncomfortable, so are they.

What a first stay looks like

Before the stay, the place will ask for your dog's vaccination records, your vet's details, an emergency contact, and notes on feeding, medication and behavior. Some ask for a short assessment or a trial day first, especially if dogs are mixed in groups.

Pack your dog's food, portioned by meal if you can, its medication in the original containers with written instructions, and something that smells of home, such as a blanket or an unwashed T-shirt. Ask before bringing toys or bedding; some places don't allow them.

Keep the drop-off short and calm. A long goodbye winds a dog up. Many dogs eat less for the first day and are quieter than usual; that generally passes.

At pick-up, ask how it ate, how it slept, whether it played, and whether anything came up. Expect your dog to be tired and thirsty when it gets home, and perhaps hoarse from barking. If anything worries you in the days after, such as coughing, loose stools that don't settle or a dog that seems unwell, call your vet.

For a dog that has never boarded, book one night as a trial before a long trip. You learn how it copes, and the second stay is easier because the place is familiar.

How often, and how far ahead

Boarding is used when you need it, so the question is really about planning.

• Book early for holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mardi Gras, spring break and summer weekends fill up well ahead.
• Use the same place. A dog that knows the building and the people settles faster each time. Many owners board for a night now and then just to keep it familiar.
• Have a storm plan. If you might need to evacuate, find out now which boarding places would take your dog, or whether you would bring it with you. Don't leave that search for the week a storm is in the Gulf.

If your dog doesn't cope with boarding, a pet sitter who visits or stays in your home is the usual alternative.

Where to compare boarding

Boarding places are listed side by side, with their rooms and their prices where stated, on Boarding in Louisiana. You can also look by city: New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport and Leesville.