By Katie Leslie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Any dog lover knows Fido and Fifi are like members of the family, but with the holidays fast approaching, traveling with our fluffiest relatives isn’t always possible.

With families dropping off their four-legged friends for a week’s stay or out-of-town guests bringing their pet just to play, November and December are high time for doggy day care and boarding. But today’s animal boarding facilities are a far cry from the “K” word: kennel, which makes many think of cold, cement cages and anxious animals. Luckily, Atlanta is home to countless boarding businesses that cater to your pooch’s every desire.

“So much of boarding is giving parents peace of mind,” said David York, owner of Barking Hound Village. (He’s also the head of Fulton County Animal Services through the Barking Hound Village Foundation.)

To that extent, many modern facilities work to satisfy owners’ requests, even those that may seem extreme. York recalls one family that dropped off a love seat along with their dog, a Yorkshire terrier, each time they traveled. Another couple brought Wedgwood china for their Cavalier King Charles spaniels, insisting their dogs would only eat out of the fine dishes. (Turns out, York says, none of the dogs were as particular as their owners thought.)

“Some of us are obsessed pet owners, so a lot of it is making the owner comfortable,” he said.

Many boarding facilities use “doggy cams,” allowing pet owners to watch their pup at play while they work or travel. Gisele Schmidt, an Atlanta-based architect, watches Rudy, her 3-year-old corgi-dachshund mix, on doggy-cam while she’s away. Schmidt boards Rudy at Bark ATL, a 24-hour cage-free facility in Midtown.

“The camera is a really nice part of it, to see how much fun he’s having,” she said. “It’s definitely a comfort factor.”

Leah Cochran boards Seymour, her nearly 2-year-old mixed-breed dog, at Wagging Tails in Buckhead. She chose the day care because she liked the cage-free playroom, the summertime pool and the friendly staff. Most importantly, Seymour always comes home happy, healthy and exhausted.

She recalls living in Denver years ago and having to board her former dog with her vet when she traveled. At the time, she couldn’t find a doggy day care center in Denver.

“I had to pay [the vet] $5 extra just to play with him,” she said. “It ultimately was cheaper to fly him with me to Atlanta and have my parents pick him up and keep him while I was away.”

As the owner of Glocal Consulting, Cochran has boarded her “fur kid” when she travels to Asia or other locations.

“Just the ability not to have him sit in a crate all day and instead play with other dogs is a stress relief in and of itself. When you’re traveling, you have enough on your mind. It’s basically the last thing you want to think about,” she said.

Atlanta has a variety of dog boarding facilities, including some that keeps dogs in cages or pens during the day; others that allow dogs to play cage-free during the day but are crated at night; and others still, such as Bark ATL and the Park Pet Retreat in Tucker, that maintain a 24-hour cage-free environment. Humans are on staff around the clock to watch the dogs and keep an eye out for scuffles or illnesses.

“It’s like a giant slumber party,” said Rita MacCallon, owner of the Park Pet Retreat. “Once owners become familiar with the 24-hour concept, they really love it. Being away from you at all is stressful enough for the dog, so throwing them in a chain-link run with strange sounds overnight is extremely stressful.”

The word “kennel” has a negative connotation, says Angela Diffly, owner of Bark ATL. But while letting dogs of similar size and temperament play in open areas is a wonderful option, it’s not for every dog, she said.

“It’s for dogs who are social and love their freedom,” she said. “Not the best for those that are very timid or aggressive.”

Thinking of boarding your pet?

Tips from the experts on picking the right place:

● Try out the doggy day care first and make sure you are comfortable with the play group.

● Visit sites like Kudzu and Yelp to see reviews.

● Do a tour. Ask about the hours of play and hours of rest.

● Ask the facility whether someone lives on-site or is available overnight.

● Inquire how the staff would handle emergencies and if they monitor the dogs for overnight problems.

● Ask friends for referrals.