I have had dogs as part of my family all my life, usually more than one at a time. I adopted a new little Chihuahua/terrier, Miss Prissy about 10 yrs ago. We walk at least 4 times a day and we love to have her friends come to visit with us. I am retired so I am home most of the time (except grocery shopping and occasional lunch date). Prissy gets along well with other dogs. When away from home (which is hardly ever for more than 2 hrs) I do use kennels for both my dog and our visitor. The visitor gets the large one which is huge. This is for the dogs safety more than anything. I have never had a problem with dogs adapting to crates for short periods of time. I can also use a gate in my kitchen if this is preferable. I ask that you have a harness for walking your dog so there is no chance of the dog slipping out of a collar. I prefer to have a meet and greet prior to boarding to make sure we are a good fit. It is best for the 2 dogs to meet outside first on neutral territory.