Understanding Canine Colds, Kennel Cough & CIRDC
Common respiratory illnesses can occur anywhere dogs spend time together—including daycare, boarding facilities, grooming salons, veterinary hospitals, dog parks, and neighborhood walks. While no group environment can eliminate every risk, thoughtful prevention, daily wellness monitoring, vaccination, professional cleaning, fresh air, and prompt communication all work together to help reduce that risk.
At Best Friends Fur Ever, we believe informed pet parents make confident decisions. This resource explains how the many ways we help support your dog’s health before, during, and after every visit.
How We Help Keep Dog’s Healthy
At Best Friends Fur Ever, we use a multi-approach system, which includes:
- Required respiratory vaccinations
- Daily wellness monitoring
- Professional cleaning and disinfection
- PetAirapy air purification
- Outdoor play and fresh air circulation
- PackPro Certified handlers
- 24/7 onsite staffing
- Report cards and pet parent communication
- Collaboration with trusted veterinary partners
Every layer helps strengthen the next, creating a thoughtful approach to supporting the health and well-being of every guest.
Vaccination Requirements
Vaccinations Are One Part of a Healthier Environment
Vaccination requirements are one of several ways we help support dog wellness in a group setting.
Along with thoughtful facility design, daily observations, sanitation, fresh air, and responsible participation guidelines, vaccines help reduce the likelihood of common canine illnesses and support the health of every guest.
Daily Wellness Observations
Dogs can’t tell us when something feels different.
Throughout the day, our trained handlers observe changes in behavior, mobility, breathing, appetite, energy level, comfort, and overall demeanor.
Recognizing small changes early allows us to respond appropriately, communicate with pet parents, and recommend veterinary follow-up whenever needed. Because every dog deserves personalized attention—not just supervision.
Hospital-Grade Cleaning & Disinfection
Daily cleaning helps maintain a healthier environment for every guest. Routine sanitation is one of several ways we support dog wellness, alongside 
vaccinations, wellness observations, fresh-air environments, and thoughtful facility design.
Our commitment doesn’t end when the last daycare guest goes home. Best Friends Fur Ever is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. While our overnight team cares for boarding guests, they also prepare the resort for the next day by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting play areas, laundering bedding, sanitizing equipment, and ensuring every space is ready to welcome a new day of happy, healthy dogs.
Air Quality & Fresh Air
A healthy environment goes beyond clean floors and surfaces. Our resorts utilize PetAirapy air purification technology, fresh air circulation, and 
spacious outdoor play areas to help support overall respiratory health and provide dogs with regular opportunities to enjoy time outside. Together, these measures are part of our multi-layered approach to creating a cleaner, healthier environment for every guest.
Trained Team Members
Every member of our care team is trained to recognize changes in
behavior, appetite, energy level, and overall well-being. Our handlers are PackPro Certified and have completed Basic Pet First Aid and CPR train ing through Pet Emergency Education. Ongoing education helps ensure our team is prepared to provide attentive, professional care every day.
Communication
We believe clear, timely communication is an important part of exceptional care. If we have questions or concerns about your dog’s health or we
ll-being during their stay, we’ll keep you informed using your preferred method of communication. Depending on the situation, that may include updates through the Gingr Pet Parent App, text messages, daily report cards, or a direct phone call. Our goal is to make sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions alongside your veterinarian.
Veterinary Partnership
Your veterinarian is an important partner in your dog’s care. If questions arise during your dog’s stay, we’ll communicate our observations, provide documentation when appropriate, and encourage follow-up with your 
veterinarian. If immediate veterinary attention is recommended, we’re conveniently located just around the corner from our trusted veterinary partner, allowing us to help coordinate care quickly while keeping you informed throughout the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does Best Friends Fur Ever Help Protect Every Dog?
Every place where dogs gather—whether it’s a dog park, veterinary hospital, grooming salon, training class, daycare, or boarding facility—carries some level of health risk.
While no environment can completely eliminate the possibility of illness, we believe thoughtful prevention makes a meaningful difference.
At Best Friends Fur Ever, our approach includes multiple layers of protection working together, including:
- Required respiratory vaccinations
- Daily wellness monitoring
- Professional cleaning and disinfection
- PetAirapy air purification
- Outdoor play and fresh air circulation
- PackPro Certified handlers
- 24/7 onsite staffing
- Individualized care and report cards
- Open communication with pet parents
- Collaboration with trusted veterinary partners
Each layer helps support the next, creating a thoughtful approach to protecting every dog’s health, comfort, and well-being.
What Is a Canine Cold?
Many pet parents use the term “canine cold” or “kennel cough” to describe coughing, sneezing, or other cold-like symptoms in dogs.
Veterinarians often use the broader medical term Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) because several different viruses and bacteria can produce similar signs.
The good news is that most dogs recover well with rest and appropriate veterinary care. Vaccination, healthy facility practices, early recognition, and responsible pet ownership all help support a healthier dog community.
Why Are Respiratory Vaccines Important?
Respiratory vaccines are one of the best ways to help protect dogs that spend time around other dogs.
Although no vaccine can prevent every canine cold or respiratory infection, vaccination helps reduce the severity of symptoms, supports faster recovery, and helps slow community spread.
That’s why Best Friends Fur Ever requires core respiratory vaccinations before dogs participate in daycare or boarding. Our goal is to help create a healthier environment for every guest—not just protect one individual dog.
Why Are Respiratory Vaccines Important?
Respiratory vaccines are one of the best ways to help protect dogs that spend time around other dogs.
Although no vaccine can prevent every canine cold or respiratory infection, vaccination helps reduce the severity of symptoms, supports faster recovery, and helps slow community spread.
That’s why Best Friends Fur Ever requires core respiratory vaccinations before dogs participate in daycare or boarding. Our goal is to help create a healthier environment for every guest—not just protect one individual dog.
Understanding Community Protection
Every vaccinated dog helps strengthen the health of the entire dog community.
When more dogs are protected:
- Fewer dogs develop cold-like symptoms.
- Respiratory viruses spread more slowly.
- Puppies receive added protection while completing their vaccine series.
- Senior dogs and dogs with ongoing medical needs benefit from reduced community exposure.
- More dogs stay healthy and active.
This concept is often called herd immunity, and it’s one reason vaccination requirements are so important in places where dogs spend time together.
What Happens If My Dog Doesn’t Feel Well During Their Visit?
Our handlers spend the day getting to know each dog’s personality, energy level, and normal routine.
If we notice a meaningful change, we provide your dog with a quieter space away from group activities while our leadership team completes a wellness assessment. We document our observations, contact you promptly, and discuss the most appropriate next steps based on what we’re seeing.
Our goal is to support your dog’s comfort, keep you informed, and help every dog enjoy the healthiest experience possible.
Working Together for More Good Days
Our Commitment to Your Dog’s Health & Safety
Every policy, protocol, and decision we make is guided by one goal: creating a safe, healthy, and enriching environment where every dog can thrive.
Protecting dogs’ health isn’t the result of one product or one procedure. It’s the result of thoughtful planning, daily wellness observations, comprehensive vaccination requirements, professional cleaning and disinfection, trained handlers, quality air management, and open communication with pet parents and veterinarians.
As new research emerges and veterinary recommendations evolve, we remain committed to reviewing our protocols, collaborating with our trusted veterinary partners, investing in our team and facilities, and continually looking for ways to strengthen the care we provide.
Thank you for trusting Best Friends Fur Ever to be part of your dog’s journey. Together, we can help create a healthier community—and more good days—for every dog.
Information Disclaimer
The information provided in this Resource Center is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace the advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations of your veterinarian.
Best Friends Fur Ever regularly reviews this information with guidance from veterinary professionals and current industry best practices. As recommendations regarding canine health and respiratory illness continue to evolve, our health and safety protocols may be updated to reflect the latest available information.
If your dog is showing signs of illness or you have questions about your dog’s individual health, we encourage you to contact your veterinarian.
Last reviewed and updated: August 2026