If you are leaving your dog at a dog hotel for the first time, you are probably the more nervous one, and that is completely normal. The good news: with the right preparation, a first stay can be stress-free for both you and your dog; in fact, most of our guests walk through the facility gate wagging their tails on their second visit. Here is our step-by-step first-stay guide, built on years of experience.
Step 1: A Meet-and-Greet Before the Stay
Instead of "dropping off" your dog somewhere you know nothing about, meet first. At PatiLee a free meet-and-greet before booking is mandatory, and this is exactly why: you talk with the team and tell us about your dog, and we show you the suites, play areas and cameras on a live 360° camera tour. The meet-and-greet turns the facility from an "unknown place" into a familiar one for you, and that is the most effective insurance for a first stay.
Step 2: A One-Day Trial if Possible
Before a long holiday, leave your dog at daycare for a day: it arrives in the morning, spends the day playing and goes home in the evening. This trial does two things at once: your dog gains the confidence that "I come here, but I also go home", and the team makes real observations about your dog’s sociability, eating habits and character. You receive honest feedback on how well it settled in.
Step 3: Paperwork and Health Preparation
- Vaccination record and microchip: Combination and rabies vaccines must be up to date and a microchip fitted. Be wary of a facility that doesn’t ask; if it doesn’t ask about your dog, it didn’t ask about the others.
- Parasite protection: Check the dates of internal and external parasite treatments.
- Medication: If your dog takes regular medication, leave written instructions with the dose and time.
- Vet details: Make sure your own vet’s name and phone number are on record.
Step 4: What Should You Pack?
The food your dog is used to must go with it; changing food in the middle of a holiday can cause digestive problems. A blanket or T-shirt that carries your scent acts as "a piece of home" in the suite. A favorite toy is also a good idea, but leave valuable or irreplaceable items at home.
Step 5: Write a List of Habits
A short note makes the care team’s job much easier: how many meals a day does your dog eat, where is it used to sleeping at night, how does it get on with other dogs, what is it afraid of (thunder? the vacuum cleaner?), what is its toilet routine? At PatiLee this information is recorded during the digital agreement and is known by everyone who looks after your dog.
Step 6: Keep the Goodbye Short
The hardest advice but the most important: long, emotional goodbyes at drop-off tell your dog "there is something to worry about". A calm, short and positive goodbye, then leave with confidence. Few creatures read your anxiety as well as your dog does.
During the Stay: Stay Informed
At PatiLee the facility is camera monitored; you can follow our guests for free through our weekly social media posts. If you would like personal photos (300 TRY) or videos (600 TRY) of your dog, we will prepare them; VAT is added to the prices. It is normal for your dog to be a little quiet on the first day; most guests settle into the routine and join in the play within 24 to 48 hours. Our team closely monitors the settling-in period; in any unusual situation, you and, if necessary, a vet are contacted immediately.
Coming Home: Keep the First 2 Days Calm
When you get back, your dog will greet you with excitement and then probably sleep for a long time; this is normal after intense social activity. Keep the routine calm for the first two days: meals at the usual times, the walking route it knows. Watch its water intake and toilet habits; if you have any questions, you can always ask our team.
Final Word
A good first stay is not luck but preparation: meet-and-greet + trial day + the right paperwork + a short goodbye. Dogs whose families take these four steps learn to see the hotel not as "a place where I get left" but as "a play camp". You can take the first step today: the meet-and-greet is free.