Dog boarding intake checklist: what to ask before confirming a stay

A good boarding intake call should end with two things: the owner knows the next step, and your team has enough information to decide whether the stay is a fit. A requested date is not a confirmed reservation until availability, care requirements, and your facility's policies have been checked.

Use this checklist as a starting point. Adapt it to your own admission rules and have your team approve the final questions.

First, capture the stay the owner wants

• Owner name, preferred callback number, and email if you use one for forms.
• Pet name, age, approximate size, and whether this is a first stay.
• Requested drop-off and pickup dates, with times if your facility uses arrival windows.
• Whether the owner is asking for boarding only or adding daycare, grooming, or another service.
• Whether another pet from the same household is coming, and whether they should stay together.

Repeat the dates back. A date mix-up is easier to fix on the call than on arrival day. If the dates are flexible, record the alternatives instead of guessing which nights to hold.

Ask the questions that change the care plan

Your staff may need to review feeding instructions, medications, mobility needs, behavior around other dogs, and any separation or handling concerns. Ask neutrally: “Is there anything our team should know to make this stay comfortable and safe?” Leave room for the owner to explain rather than forcing a yes-or-no answer.

Keep detailed health information in your approved intake system, with appropriate staff access. A general phone summary can flag that a care need requires review without turning call notes into a medical record. Staff should make care and eligibility decisions; a phone script should not diagnose, approve medication handling, or promise that every need can be accommodated.

State your facility's requirements clearly

Explain which forms, records, trial visits, deposits, or assessments your facility requires and where the owner can find the current policy. Ask whether they can provide the required documentation by your deadline, then send the official instructions. Requirements differ by facility, so use your written policy instead of a generic boarding checklist found online.

If capacity or suitability needs review, say so directly: “I can take the request now. Our team will confirm whether we can accommodate these dates and care needs.” That is more useful than implying the booking is already complete.

Close with an exact next step

Before ending the call, tell the owner who will respond, how they will hear back, and when to expect an update. If your team has no guaranteed response window, avoid inventing one. A concise handoff note can read: Requested stay: October 30–November 2; first-time guest; medication handling question for staff; owner prefers text; availability unconfirmed.

For a repeatable process, keep one intake checklist beside the phone and one place to review pending requests. If calls arrive while the team is caring for pets, see how PawStaff handles boarding and daycare inquiries. For related day-program calls, use the dog daycare phone inquiry checklist.