We love our dogs and we wish we could take them everywhere with us. But, there are times when you're leaving town for a few days or more and you need to board your dog.
While you know that boarding your dog is a great option, as it means you're leaving your dog in good hands, your dog doesn't always understand this.
Oftentimes, dogs become very anxious when they're separated from their owners. While some dogs only feel anxious for a few moments, others suffer greatly from the anxiety.
However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't board your dog. It just means that you need to put a little extra preparation into boarding dogs with anxiety.
Check out this guide to learn how to make boarding a dog with anxiety possible.
1. Ease Your Dog Into It
If your dog has hardly spent any time away from you, then you can almost guarantee that they're going to become very anxious when you board them.
So, ease your dog into the transition by spending small amounts of time apart from them. Start with just an hour or two, and then gradually build up this time.
The more your dog gets used to being away from you, the easier the boarding process will be on both you and your pooch.
2. Pack Carefully
When packing for your dog's stay away from home, you want to make sure to pack things that will remind your dog of its family and home.
Familiar sights and smells can make your dog feel somewhat less stressed.
So, try to pack as many things that will remind your dog of their home as possible. For example, you can pack their bed, their favorite toys, and their own food and water bowl.
3. Exercise and Socialize
You want your dog to go into their boarding session in a great mood. If they're already in a bad mood when they arrive at their boarding school, then their anxiety is only going to be worse.
So, what should you do to put your dog in a good mood beforehand?
Exercise and socialize them!
Make sure you take your dog on plenty of walks leading up to the trip. And, if your dog is the social type, make sure you spend plenty of time with them and take them to dog parks leading up to the day.
Also, make sure you pick a boarding school that will allow your dog to socialize with other dogs and one that will allow your dog to run around freely.
4. Keep Your Dog Entertained
If you can create a happy distraction for your dog when dropping them off, then they'll be much less likely to get anxious and upset.
To keep your dog entertained, you should give them their favorite toy or a treat-dispensing ball with their favorite treat inside.
This way, your dog will stay busy and will have some degree of comfort when entering the boarding facility.
Boarding Dogs With Anxiety: Are You Ready to Board Your Dog?
As you can see, there are a lot of things you can do to ease your dog's separation anxiety.
If you have any questions about boarding dogs with anxiety, please comment below.
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