# Boarding a puppy/dog



## Cotonlove (Jan 29, 2012)

First of all I want to say that everyone here has been so helpful. This is my first puppy and I love her dearly. She is a small size pup...will be 10 pounds or so. There will come a time I know when I won't be able to take her with me and will need to board her. We have a very nice boarding facility near us and I trust them to care for her. I have no family to leave her with so that is not an option. Have any of you ever had to board a puppy? If so, for how long. Is a week too long if I were to go on a vacation (she would probably be a year old when I would do that). I do take her to the boarding facility once a month for the day just to play and have fun with the other dogs and she seems to love it. I guess it is more just ME.....I would feel so guilty leaving her. AGGGHHHHHH Will she still love me if I had to leave for say a week????? This is really bothering me...can you tell???? I have left her crated for an hour or so to go grocery shopping and no accidents in the crate at all. Do you think 3 hours would be ok to leave her if I wanted to say, go play 18 holes of golf? Geez, when I retired I guess I didn't consider a tiny puppy would capture my heart so much and tie myself up in little knots!!! Thanks for input/advice/ a hug????:wave:
OH, by the way she is 4 months old now and knock on wood...house trained and a joy!


----------



## PatchworkRobot (Aug 24, 2010)

I work in a boarding facility and I don't think that a week is too long for her to stay there, especially if she's been there before and associates it with good feelings! She will still love you when you pick her up, I promise. I would advise bringing some stuff from home for her to have during her stay. Perhaps an old shirt that smells like you and a few toys.


----------



## chocolabs (Mar 3, 2012)

I also hear its best to not make a big deal of leaving, the bigger deal you make of it, the more the puppy will feel you leaving is a big deal and worry.


----------



## trainingjunkie (Feb 10, 2010)

I think some of the answer depends on your dog. If you have a very comfortable, laid back sort of dog, boarding is no problem as long as it's a decent place. If you have an emotional dog or one with special needs, it gets a lot harder.

I boarded mine for the last time about 3 years ago. I took them to a very, very nice place and left clear instructions to keep two of them seperate. When I arrived home a little early, both were in the same kennel. I haven't trusted a kennel since. Mine stay with friends.


----------



## Canaqua (Sep 27, 2011)

I agree, it depends on the dog. Our ACD mix does not do well when we leave, she's a very anxious dog and very much a "one person" dog, attached to my husband. She's also not friendly, so she doesn't enjoy the company of strangers, or even non-family members who she knows. She's fine if my husband travels for work and she stays home with me, though I can tell she is worrying...she also becomes more aggressive toward visitors when he's not home, so I have to manage her environment carefully. We've tried to board her, hire pet sitters, etc...and she becomes so stressed and aggressive that they can't manage her. She's OK with my mother, as she trusts her, she behaves about as well for my mother as she does for me and my mother is very dog experienced, so that's where she stays when my family travels together. If we had to board her, I'd send her to the vets, they know her, have the skills to manage her and, if worst came to worst, they could tranq her.

We used to be able to use the ACO as our last resort, if my mother wasn't available. He could handle her, though she didn't like him one bit. He kept her at his home. He's in prison now, though (not animal related), and the new ACO has young children at home and can't take an aggressive dog in. We sometimes joke that, if the State Pen allowed dogs, staying with the former ACO there would be perfect for her . 

OP, you will NOT, however have these kinds of problems with your dog!! I'm sure she'll be fine.


----------



## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

All I would suggest is take her for the day several times, let her stay overnight say a week or so before you leave so its not a new thing the first time you go for a week. We boarded Caeda a month or so ago for 3 nights and I felt like such a jerk because she hadn't been there for several months even for doggy day care so she was pretty distraught when we left, not used to it any more....though apparently she was playing like she'd forgotten about us about an hour later lol.


----------



## Bordermom (Apr 28, 2010)

If your pup is used to the place for daycare, she'll likely do just fine being boarded there for a week. The things to keep in mind is that the boarding places do this sort of thing all the time, and that's what they do - if they messed up constantly they'd have no business at all pretty soon!

Just keep in mind not to get emotional when you drop off, that makes things much worse. Keep thinking about how she's going to have a great time. I will likely board my pup soon just for the experience of being away in a new place overnight...


----------



## Cotonlove (Jan 29, 2012)

Thank you all so much. I feel MUCH better about everything. I am very careful about not making a big deal when I leave for an hour. I just put her in the bigger kennel and leave her a chewy and don't even say anything. And when I get back I won't even let my husband approach her as he would be the one to fawn all over her. LOL I wait a few minutes to say hi to her and pet her. She is fine not being in the same room with us all the time but when awake she does follow me everywhere...which is fine with me. She will be spending the day at the boarding facility for "doggy daycare" next tuesday again. I will try to keep taking her there as often as I can afford as it gives her a chance to play and interact with other dogs. Sometimes I read too many of the problems on the forum and have to calm myself down and have others (YOU) tell me that I am doing fine. Thank you for your comments and advice once again. I do dread the day I have to board her for a vacation but it is ME that has to get over it.....she will probably be just fine! LOL I bet PatchworkRobot sees folks like me all the time!


----------



## Rmedina (Mar 1, 2012)

We're having the same dilemma. My wife and I are leaving for 8 days and are leaving our dog boarded for the first time ever. 

He's been away from home for a night or two due to a broken leg but other than that he's always been home.

We're taking him to doggy day care for two straight days and then leaving him boarded there for a night. That way he's used to it. 

Then he's coming home for two days before we board him up for the long trip. We're hoping that it'll be a lot less stressful for him since he will have had so much fun.


----------



## Tazor (Mar 5, 2012)

I managed a large boarding facility and it really does depend on your puppy and the stress level. I would take her overnight a few times just to see how she reacts and if she eats ok. Since she is small, you may be able to put her crate with the door open inside a bigger cage so she feels more familiar in her surroundings. 

She will most likely get plenty of attention being so tiny and cute. I really feel she will be fine. Make sure you bring her own food and seperate her meals in baggies so the right amount is fed.


----------



## NRB (Sep 19, 2009)

I also think that boarding the dog overnight well before you leave on your trip is best. Even if your trip is a year away, I'd board the pup overnight when I felt that it was old enough..... iow I'd board a pup a titch older than 4mo fwiw. but that's just me.

I have boarded my dogs for 2 weeks straight, they were fine. My current dog's been boarded for 10 days. My dogs tend to be outgoing, love all people type of dogs that do well in new settings. So they have never had an issue. But lately I've been using a pet sitter b/c I like having someone in my house watching over things. And the cost is about the same as I have to board my cat as well as my dog...


----------

