--- title: Your Dog's First Boarding Stay | Happy Paws Kennels url: https://happypawskennels.com/guides/first-time-boarding/ business: Happy Paws Kennels address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 phone: 707-678-6600 hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971 rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night) --- - [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/) - [Guides](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/) - Your dog's first boarding stay # Your dog's first boarding stay: what really happens A first boarding stay starts with a one-time boarding agreement, current vaccine records and a car-side check-in, then your dog settles into a private indoor/outdoor run. Many first-timers skip a meal or two on day one, and most go home tired, like a child back from summer camp. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) Most of the worry before a first stay comes from not knowing the steps. Here is the whole sequence at Happy Paws Kennels in Dixon, from the tour to the ride home, so nothing is a surprise. ## Before the stay: paperwork and vaccines Every dog needs a boarding agreement on file once, even if you already have an online account. You can download the PDF, ask for it by email, pick it up at the office or fill it in at the first drop-off, though that last choice takes extra time. Vaccine records must show rabies, distemper/parvo and Bordetella that will not expire before pick-up day. The canine flu vaccine is recommended rather than required; if given, it is accepted after the first dose, with the booster due 3 to 4 weeks later. The AVMA explains that vaccines work best when given on schedule, which is why boarding places check dates instead of taking an owner's word for it. Upload records to your account, email them or bring a copy. See the [vaccination requirements](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) for the full list. ## Tour first if you can Tours run every day from 9 to 11 AM and 2 to 4 PM with no appointment, and a staff member walks with you. Seeing a run in person answers most first-timer questions: the Kuranda bed, the doggie door between the inside room and the outside area, the sound of the place. Watch your step on wet concrete during cleaning. The [plan a visit page](https://happypawskennels.com/tour-request/) has directions, and the big white wind turbine near the property is the landmark to head toward. ## Check-in day Leave your dog in the car. A staff member carries in food and belongings and walks your dog to the run, which prevents parking-lot scuffles and escapes. On a warm day leave the air conditioning on, and know that on hot pavement staff may scoop up a small dog and hurry. Drop-off windows are 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM, every day except the closure days on the [hours page](https://happypawskennels.com/hours/). You do not need to bring much. Bowls, leashes and balls are provided, and each run has a Kuranda bed and blankets. One toy is fine, just not the favorite one, because toys can get lost or chewed. Bring your own food in the original bag if your dog has a special diet, with amounts written in cups; house food is free otherwise. ## The first night and day The 100 runs are heated in winter and air-conditioned in summer, and each dog chooses inside or out through a doggie door. Dogs can see their neighbors through the fence but have their own space. First-time boarders may eat less for a meal or two; if a dog keeps refusing food, the staff offer tempting extras such as hot dogs. Walks and medications are included in the nightly rate. A calm goodbye helps. Long, emotional farewells tell a dog that something big is happening; a quick, cheerful handoff does not. ## Pick-up day Check-out is by 11:30 AM. Pick up in the 2:00 to 5:00 PM window and the stay adds half of the nightly fee. Expect a tired dog with some grass or dirt on the coat: this is a country kennel on about 10 acres, and dogs run the field. If you want a bath before going home, tell the staff your arrival time so bathing and drying are done when you get there. Read [bringing your dog home after boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/dog-coming-home-after-boarding/) for the first 48 hours. ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [Happy Paws Kennels, things to know](https://happypawskennels.com/things-to-know/) - [Happy Paws Kennels vaccination requirements](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) - [Happy Paws Kennels hours page](https://happypawskennels.com/hours/) - [AVMA, vaccination for pets](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/vaccination-pets) ### 2026 nightly rates - First Class kennel $72 - Business Class kennel $59 - Economy Class kennel $52 - Cat condo $35 All-inclusive: food, medications and walks. 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026. [All 2026 rates](https://happypawskennels.com/rates/) ### Visit or call 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) | Drop-off and pick-up, every day | 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM | | --- | --- | | Tours, every day (no appointment) | 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 2:00 to 4:00 PM | [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin) ### Related - [How to prepare your dog for boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/how-to-prepare-your-dog-for-boarding/) - [Dog boarding checklist](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/dog-boarding-checklist/) - [What to bring](https://happypawskennels.com/what-to-bring/) - [New clients: first-stay plan](https://happypawskennels.com/new-clients/) - [Plan a visit](https://happypawskennels.com/tour-request/) ## Your first-stay timeline Drop-off date - Pick your drop-off date to see your first-stay timeline. [Ask about these dates](#book-form) ## Read next - [Dog boarding checklist](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/dog-boarding-checklist/) - [Why is my dog so tired after boarding?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/why-is-my-dog-tired-after-boarding/) - [My dog won't eat the first day at boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/dog-not-eating-at-boarding/) - [Is boarding stressful for dogs?](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/is-boarding-stressful-for-dogs/) - [Boarding a dog with separation anxiety](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/boarding-and-separation-anxiety/) - [Boarding an anxious or shy dog](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/boarding-an-anxious-dog/) - [Questions to ask a boarding kennel](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/questions-to-ask-a-boarding-kennel/) - [How to choose a dog kennel](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-dog-kennel/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/). ### How long should a first stay be? A weekend of two or three nights makes a gentle first stay. Nightly pricing is the same for a short stay as a long one on the 2026 rates, for example 3 nights in a Business Class kennel is 3 x $59 = $177. ### Will my dog eat on the first day? Some skip a meal or two. The kennel offers enticing treats if a dog keeps refusing, and appetite usually returns within a day or so. ### Can I visit during the stay? Please call 707-678-6600 to ask about visits for your dates; the office is closed between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM.