Planning Summer Travel? Here's How to Give Your Dog a Getaway Too

It's a bigger question than people give it credit for. Leaving your dog somewhere isn't a logistics problem to solve at the last minute. It's a decision about who you trust with a member of your family. And the truth most boarding ads won't tell you is this: not all boarding is equal. It's the reason we built Planet Pooch Pet Resort in Franklin Square the way we did — as a place we'd actually feel good leaving our own dogs.

Here's the part that catches a lot of owners off guard. The weeks around the 4th of July, the back half of August, and Labor Day are the busiest stretch of the entire year for boarding. Everyone is traveling at the same time, which means the best facilities book up first — sometimes weeks in advance.

If you already know you're traveling this summer, the single best thing you can do for your dog is reserve early. Waiting until the week before often means scrambling, settling for whoever has an opening, or stitching together a patchwork of neighbors and pet sitters who may or may not show up. Booking ahead means your dog has a confirmed suite at a place you actually chose — not a fallback. At Planet Pooch, our summer suites move quickly, so the earlier you're on our calendar, the better.

When people picture boarding, they sometimes imagine a row of kennels and a dog waiting out the week alone. That image is exactly why so many owners feel guilty leaving — and it's exactly what good boarding isn't. Here's how we think about it at Planet Pooch:

Because Planet Pooch is a full-service resort — boarding, daycare, grooming, and training all under one roof — your dog can come home not just happy, but freshly bathed and ready to go. A lot of our boarding families add a groom to the end of a stay so their pup walks back through the door looking and smelling their best.

This is the one piece of summer prep that trips owners up most, so it's worth saying plainly: like most quality facilities, we require a Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine, and it needs to be administered at least 14 days before your dog's stay.

That two-week window matters. If your trip is three weeks out and your dog isn't current, you still have time — but if you wait until a few days before, you'll be stuck. Check your dog's records now, and if anything's expired or coming due, get it handled early. Your vet's summer schedule fills up too.

To make the whole thing smooth when the day comes:

You've earned your time off. Your dog shouldn't be the reason you spend the whole trip worrying. The right boarding choice turns “I hope they're okay” into “I know they're having a blast” — and that's the difference between a vacation you half-enjoy and one you actually relax into.

At Planet Pooch Pet Resort, located at 1114 Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square, we treat summer boarding the way we'd want our own dogs treated: active days, clean spaces, attentive people, and a whole lot of genuine love for the dogs in our care. We serve families across Nassau County and Long Island — and summer suites go quickly.

Planning travel this summer? Reserve your dog's stay at Planet Pooch early — book online or give us a call, and let's get them on the calendar before the spots are gone.