Meets Your Dog's Needs...
Unfortunately there are some dog boarding kennels that are just overwhelmed with too many dogs and too little staff. This means your dog will probably get the basic necessities like being let out to go to the bathroom on a minimal basis and getting two meals a day. A good facility will make sure your dog receives necessary medications, special foods for their diet, as well as adequate outdoor time. If you are going out of town and have a new puppy, you may also want to consider finding a place like a puppy kennel that specifically takes care of puppies or at least a facility that has adequate staff to watch over a potty training puppy.
A Clean Facility...
One of the most important factors you should look for is a clean facility. This means that the kennels are hosed down on a regular basis to remove any urine or feces. As well, the facility is cleaned with disinfectants and the animals are cleaned immediately in the case of an accident. When you stop by to check out the facility, if the kennels and dogs there don't seem clean, trust your instincts.