Dog Boarding and Anxiety- How to relieve your and your pet's stress

Advice From The Doggie Nanny




Occasionally when someone brings their dog to me for boarding for the first time, they are upset.  When I say "they", I mean both the owner AND the dog are upset.  The doggie mom or dad is insecure about leaving their precious little pet with a stranger.  The dog is frightened when they realize they will be separated from their mom or dad-- the people who are the focus of their existence.  Quite understandable.  Sometimes the pet parent exacerbates the situation with a prolonged goodbye and the dog's anxiety becomes heightened.  Goodbyes should be short and sweet.

I want to reassure pet parents out there.  How can you feel secure in your choice of boarding service?  First, do your due diligence.  You can get boarding recommendations from other pet owners, from your Groomer, Vet or even the internet.  

Research the person or business with whom you are leaving your little pet. Spend the time to visit their home or facility.  The last thing you want to do is to leave your precious pet with a boarding service without visiting beforehand, discover you made a mistake, but due to time and circumstances realize you have no other options.


After you have found a boarding service that interests you, spend at least 15-20 minutes there to see what happens when all the dogs calm down after your arrival. If you are visiting a private home, you should see the dogs calm down within a short time after the initial excitement of your arrival.  Once they have quieted down, you can get a good feel for the energy in the home. Spend time talking to the caregiver.  It is fine to ask for references. 

If you feel a check in your spirit, if something seems off or wrong, if the home/facility is not clean, if you do not feel welcome, if the doggie guests there do not look happy--keep looking.  The first step in finding a place to board your dog is for you to feel confident and secure in your decision.

I have discovered an interesting process that some dogs experience when they are dropped of in my home for the first time. For some new guests, there might be a short period of mild anxiety.  They wimper at the door, or jump up on the couch and look out the window for their pet parent.

While they might seem initially anxious, within a short period of time, they become part of my little pack and the anxiety is gone.  Soon their eyes are on me and all their love and affection has been transfered to me during their stay with us. They follow me wherever I go, and there is no sign of anxiety for the rest of their visit.  This is what I commonly experience with our little guests.  Their love and affection is focused on me until the return of their owners.  Dogs just have to love someone.  But have no fear, when their owner returns, that love and affection that has been temporarily directed towards me, goes right back to where it belongs--back to their family.

Most little dogs are happy and excited to be in our home from the first moment they enter the door and they immediately blend into our little pack, playing with other guests and show no sighs of fear or anxiety whatsoever.  Occasionally we have had a dog that just cannot adjust to a new environment.  Over the past 6 years this has only happened with three dogs.   Click here to read my recommendations for pets with severe anxiety.

The majority of little dogs who have come to board in our home have had little to no anxiety and thoroughly enjoyed the company of other little dogs, (as well as The Doggie Nanny!).  They usually are sleepy the first day or two after returning home which is to be expected after so much fun with their new little friends!www.doggienanny.com