Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have a 9 month old dog. I was unable to care for her for a day so I decided to board her. I found a lady through a site called DogVacay. The lady had great reviews so I met her and her dogs and she seems to be a good fit. I picked up my dog yesterday and since we arrived at home, she has been really scared of everything and almost everyone. Every little noise she hears, she hides and barks now. She is constantly hiding too. She seems to be getting a little better but she constantly shakes when i take her outside and bring her in. I was thinking of asking the dog sitter if anything happened but I felt like she might not be honest with me. My dog was not fully potty trained but she was willing to use the bathroom outside sometimes. Now, she just sits there and shake. I brought her over to my sister's house and she seems fine there and was willing to use the bathroom in her yard. Has anyone experienced this with their dog? Could it be due to stress?
What was your dog's temperament like before this boarding experience? Did she tend to be an anxious dog at all? If so, the boarding may have stressed her out. I would give it a couple of days and see if she returns to her normal self.
The last time I boarded my dog I gave strict instructions she was not be released into the general population.
(She's afraid of other dogs, and deaf.) She was so nervous and shaken up that I concluded I would never board here there again. And I haven' t. Only in-home now.
If she doesn't start heading back to normal soon, I'd take her to the vet for a look. A vet can feel around the body parts with more knowledge of how things should feel and can spot little bite marks...that kind of thing.
We had a dog home for a little bit with a visiting relative who had been staying with us many times over the years who was pretty quiet, read a lot, watched tv. Also cooked, did her own laundry. Had been reliable in the past. I was gone a short time, returned and could sense something off with our dog. No crying, no hiding, but an uncertainty about her. The visiting relative was unusually quiet. Wouldn't really answer when I asked her about it. So I took our dog to the vet right away. He felt all around, spent time with the dog, etc etc and found no problem but we agreed the relative may have pushed the dog or yelled really badly at her.
We felt so bad, we never let the relative return of course. And doggie improved perfectly.
Years ago we boarded our dachshund when we went for a short trip because
some friends said their dog loved it. Our dog also was scared and "muttering"
all the way back home as if to tell us never to do that again, so we didn't.
Both my last dog - Kaya - and my current dog - Izzy - haven't done well with boarding. Both are (or were...Kaya passed away a few years ago) fearful of other dogs, and Izzy doesn't do well with any sort of change in general. With Kaya, I boarded her a couple of times - along with her friend, my sister's dog, Lassie - and each time Kaya displayed stressful behaviour on the way home after pickup. She would whine, cry, and pace in the back seat endlessly on the drive home - very unlike her - while Lassie sat there quietly.
Izzy stresses out over the least little things; loud noise, sudden bangs, the sight of umbrellas...you name it. And since he's also "dog-phobic", a boarding facility is the last place I would put him.
While yours certainly could be a case of your dog not being treated well at the boarding facility (and I'd definitely do some follow-up with other peoples' reviews of the boarding facility, etc.), it also could be a case of a dog who stresses easily in certain situations. It all depends upon the dog; if I were to place Izzy in a boarding facility, he would absolutely come back with severe issues. In fact, when my sister's current dog began having issues of his own and would sometimes lunge and bark at Izzy (despite the fact that they used to play with one another), Izzy began shutting down and started reverting to old behaviours from when he was a pup (food guarding, hiding). I had to make the decision that the two dogs could no longer be together.
If it turns out that your pup simply stresses out easily at change, then the next time you go away, look into family, friends, or trusted neighbours to take care of her in your home. Another option, if available in your area, is professional pet sitters who come to your home to feed and walk the dog. This is the route I take with my dog now, and I always make sure to have the sitter come for a meet-n-greet prior to my going away.
If she doesn't start heading back to normal soon, I'd take her to the vet for a look. A vet can feel around the body parts with more knowledge of how things should feel and can spot little bite marks...that kind of thing.
This
Poor thing was stressed, confused and stuck in a strange place with strange noises.
No animal or human wouldn't be.
Good luck!
Oh, man, I carried a turtle on the road to a nearby lake today. I washed my hands 6 times and still my cats and dogs could smell it. One had startle reflexes for a little while over this new smell and what it could mean for her life going forward. She's fine now.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
