Late September is the quiet deadline of the pet year. Boarding facilities and sitters around Centennial fill their Thanksgiving and December calendars weeks in advance, and anything your pet needs in order to be accepted takes lead time. An hour of planning now is the difference between a calm handover and a scramble.
Why the timing matters more than the packing
Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year, and the December holidays follow close behind. Good kennels, daycares and in-home sitters in the south Denver area are often booked solid for those dates by mid-October, and the best ones take returning clients first.
The part people underestimate is the paperwork behind the booking. Facilities require proof of vaccination, and if something is due or overdue, it cannot be handled the afternoon before you fly. Some vaccines need to be given a set number of days ahead to be considered valid, and a pet who has never had a particular one may need more than a single visit. That is the whole reason to sort this out in September rather than November.
What a facility will usually ask for
- Core vaccination history, current and documented.
- Bordetella for dogs, often within the last six or twelve months, and sometimes required a minimum number of days before arrival.
- Canine influenza, increasingly requested by Colorado facilities, and it is a two-visit series the first time.
- Parasite prevention, current, and sometimes a recent fecal test.
- Spay or neuter status for group play areas.
- Written instructions for anything your pet is given by mouth each day, in its original labeled container, with enough for the whole stay plus a few spare days.
- Emergency contacts, including your veterinarian and someone local who can make a decision if you cannot be reached.
Call your chosen facility and ask for their list in writing, then bring it to us. If anything is due, our wellness program visit can cover the exam, the records and the timing in one appointment.
Prepare the pet, not just the booking
A boarding stay is a big ask for an animal who has never done it. The pets who struggle are usually the ones whose first experience is a ten-day stay over a holiday.
- Book a trial. A half day, then a single overnight, weeks before the real stay. It tells you and the facility what you are working with.
- Visit first. Walk through with your dog, see where they sleep, and watch how staff interact with the animals.
- Send their own food, pre-portioned in labeled bags. Switching diets in an unfamiliar place is how a stay ends in diarrhea.
- Send something that smells like home, a worn t-shirt or their own blanket, not a new toy.
- Write the routine down. Feeding times, the word you use for outside, whether they guard food, how they are with other dogs, and what a bad day looks like.
- Keep the goodbye short. A long, emotional departure makes it harder, not easier.
If your pet already finds being left difficult, work on that now rather than in November. Our guide to easing separation anxiety in Centennial pets covers the groundwork, and it applies just as much to a kennel as to an empty house.
Cats, seniors and pets with ongoing needs
Cats often do better at home with a sitter than in a facility, provided someone is genuinely present and watching. The critical thing with a cat is that somebody notices if she stops eating. A cat who does not eat for a couple of days is a real problem, not a mood, and the sitter needs to know to call rather than assume she is sulking.
Senior pets and pets with an ongoing condition need a frank conversation before you book. Some do better with an in-home sitter and their own routine. Others are safer somewhere with staff overnight. If your pet has a condition that can change quickly, ask us what the facility should watch for, and make sure they have it in writing along with our number and your authorization to seek care.
If you are taking the pet with you
- Air travel usually needs a health certificate, and it is only valid for a set window before travel, so the exam has to be timed rather than early. Ask us as soon as you have dates, because some destinations also require specific tests well in advance.
- Check identification. A collar tag with a current cell number, and a microchip registered to an address you actually live at. This is the single most common gap we find.
- Car travel means restraint, a crate or a crash-tested harness, never loose in the back or on a lap.
- Plan stops every few hours, and never leave a pet in a parked car, which gets cold fast in a Colorado November.
- Pack their food, bowls, waste bags and records, and take a current photo of your pet on your phone before you leave.
After the stay
Expect a tired pet, a big drink and a long sleep. What is not routine is coughing, a runny nose, ongoing diarrhea, limping, or a pet who seems genuinely unwell rather than worn out. Respiratory illness spreads in any group setting, and it typically shows up a few days after pick-up rather than on the drive home.
A cough that is persistent, a pet who stops eating, or any breathing change should come through our medical services rather than being watched over a long weekend.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should I book for Thanksgiving?
Now, if you have not already. Facilities around Centennial commonly fill their Thanksgiving and December dates by mid-October, and the ones with the best reputations go first. Booking early also leaves room for a trial stay beforehand.
My dog’s vaccines are due. How much lead time do I need?
Give yourself at least two to four weeks. Some facilities require certain vaccines a set number of days before arrival, and a first-time canine influenza series needs two visits a few weeks apart. Bring the facility’s written requirements to your appointment so nothing gets missed.
Sitter or kennel: which suits my pet?
It depends entirely on the animal. Cats and anxious, older or routine-driven dogs often do better at home. Social dogs who enjoy other dogs frequently have a better time at a good facility than alone in a quiet house. Either way, what matters is that a competent adult is genuinely paying attention.
My dog came home coughing. Is that normal?
Coughing after a group stay is common and has several possible causes, so it is not something to ignore. Kennel cough spreads easily wherever dogs gather, even among vaccinated dogs, because several organisms cause it. Most cases are mild, but a cough that worsens, or comes with lethargy, poor appetite or labored breathing, needs to be seen.
Should I feed my pet before drop-off?
A light meal several hours ahead suits most pets more than a full one right before, especially for a pet who gets carsick or anxious. Send their normal food and their normal schedule so the facility can keep everything else the same.
What if my pet has never been away from me?
Start small and start now. A half day, then one night, with the same facility you plan to use. It is far kinder than making a ten-day holiday stay the first experience, and it gives you real information rather than hope.
Speak to the team at Cherry Knolls Veterinary Clinic
If you have holiday travel booked, call us with your dates and the facility’s requirements and we will make sure everything is current in time.
Published by the team at Cherry Knolls Veterinary Clinic.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Cherry Knolls Veterinary Clinic or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Cherry Knolls Veterinary Clinic
7300 S. Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80122
Phone: (303) 779-1170
Hours: Monday to Wednesday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Thursday and Friday 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM | Saturday 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM | Sunday Closed