Dog boarding Comfort and Relaxation Tips

Posted on 29th August 2022 by Ariana Mortenson

Your beloved pet is used to spending a significant amount of the day with you. Separation from you for a couple of days may cause them to behave differently than expected. Pets can suffer from separation anxiety and tend to behave undesirably. They might make excessive noise, start chewing and scratching things randomly, try to escape, urinate and excrete in places they aren’t supposed to.

This behaviour will agitate you. Hence, next time when you have to stay away from your dog for a prolonged time, you might want someone to take care of your pet temporarily. At times, you might find it difficult to find someone trustworthy to leave your pet with temporarily. Well, put a stop to your worries. This blog will provide you with the necessary information about boarding a dog when you are away.

Try to ease your dog into it

Prepare your dog by taking him to the boarding for short periods of time as this will help to acclimate your dog over time. This way, even if you have to leave all of a sudden, your pet won’t feel anxious or panic. You may start by leaving them there for an hour. You can gradually add time until they get conditioned and know that you are coming back.

Take a comfort toy along

When your pet is away from home, surrounding them with familiar items helps to make the stay in the boarding more comfortable. That’s why pets are allowed to possess two or three items from home. That can be the bed, favourite toy or any clothing that smells of you. This will provide your pet reassurance that you are going to come back.

Speak to your vet about possible medications

Even after taking necessary precautions, it is completely normal to still worry about your pet. At this time you can book an appointment with an experienced vet. Express your concerns clearly to them. They might suggest certain medications that could help to alleviate the anxiety of your pet. Other than this there are different tools available that may be beneficial for your pet ahead of boarding. These tools include distraction toys, swaddling jackets and many other things. You can ask for a recommendation from your vet regarding these.

Choose a boarding facility with sufficient physical and mental stimulation

Your pets need to be engaged in active physical and mental stimulation to keep them happy and healthy. That will distract their mind. They won’t continuously worry about when you are coming back. They will be able to enjoy themselves to the fullest.

Make the drop-off short and sweet

Dogs can sense when something out of the ordinary is going on. Hence, don’t make a fuss about leaving your pet at the kennel. Try to keep things short and sweet while saying goodbye. This will make the stay more comfortable and happy.

Entertain your pet

Choose a boarding facility that has entertainment facilities available for dogs. This will help them to overcome anxiety and stress. You can always send their favourite toys and chewy treats. The boarding entertainment facilities can help them to explore new activities. This will keep your dog distracted as well as entertaining in the given time.

Packing Tips

While packing for your dog’s stay, make sure you pack their favourite belongings. Along with the favourite toys and objects, make sure to put in something that smells like you. That will help them to feel your presence, and provide reassurance that you will be coming back.

Work on coping mechanisms

Make sure to actively work on any separation issues beforehand. If you are leaving your dog for the first time, you may not be aware of the intensity of their separation anxieties. However, don’t take the risk of making your dog go through that phase. Start working on these issues initially by leaving them in boarding for one hour.

With initial experimentation, you would be able to know about your dog’s comfort. If they are not comfortable with staying in pet boarding. You can always hire a pet sitter, to take care of them temporarily in the comfort of the house. Other than that you can always ask your close relatives, friends or family, to take care of your dog in your absence. These alternate options will also help your dog to cope with separation anxiety.