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We've had Wally for over a month and one half now. When we leave on vacation during Thanksgiving, we would have had him two months. He's settled in nicely and feels secure in our home. We've arranged (via Rover) to board him in someone's house while we are gone for a week. This will be the first time he's been away from us for an extended period of time. He's pretty good about us being gone for work and such. He's a very mellow dog, so I don't expect him to have issues being in someone else's house. I'm just worried (for lack of a better word) that he'll think we're passing him off to yet another person since he's only been with us for about two months at that point. He was a stray, then in a shelter, then in a foster for a handful of weeks, then us. All of this in a matter of months, so he's had quite the journey. He's taken all of this is stride, all things considered. We just don't want to stress him out too much.
Thankfully the place where he's staying has lots of the creature comforts he enjoys with us, plus they have children for him to interact with (he enjoys being around kids).
I would take him for 2-3 shorter 1-3 hour stays before the actual board. This way he can get used to being dropped off and picked up again shortly after.
It will also give the Rover caretaker the opportunity to see what he is like when you aren't around. If any issues arise during these short stays you will have time to address them before the final board.
Please be sure that the caretaker you found on Rover's is experienced, knows how to handle multiple dog groups, has a broad base of experience with dogs that includes training and basic medical stuff. I am finding that too many people on Rover's are just people without any real dog experience but like the idea of making a buck or two.
I've had three different dogs in this house. After much experimenting I have concluded that they prefer to be at HOME so I get someone (usually a neighbor) to check on them when I 'm gone.
I think twelvepaw's and Izzie's ideas will help alot with his comfort level.
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Thanks! We had him stay at her house for two hours and he seemed to do ok. Right now he's a bit intimidated with dogs his size. He's naturally rather low key anyway and larger, younger, boisterous dogs kind of caught him off guard. He did enjoy hanging with the sitter. She's a rescue foster, so that makes me feel a bit at ease.
For what it is worth, we just boarded our dog (from foster), for the first time. He has been with us for 1 1/2 years. We were worried, but he did fine. We boarded him at our Vet’s boarding facility and worried the whole time. Yet he was well behaved there, and fine when we returned. He seemed a bit disoriented when we picked him up, but as soon as he realized we were home, he was happy.
I think I was guilty of human emotions taking over. A dog who is well taken care of, really doesn’t care where he is.
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