Four Tips For Boarding A Dog Who Suffers From Separation Anxiety
Dealing with a dog who has separation anxiety is not easy. Whenever you leave the house, he gets upset. So what about leaving this dog at the boarding facility while you go away for a while? It seems like this would be an insurmountable challenge, but if you follow these tips, you can make boarding a better experience for your anxious little friend.
Work on coping mechanisms well in advance of leaving.
At least a month before you're planning on going away, start working on improving your dog's coping mechanisms. In other words, start leaving him at home for longer periods of time than you normally would. It will be easier for him to adapt to this in your home rather than in a foreign place. Consider going somewhere else overnight and having a friend stay with your dog. With you gone, he'll have to learn to deal with his anxiety – and your friend can tell you how he does.
Pack reminders from home.
Dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell. If the area where they are smells familiar, they will be much more comfortable. So make sure you pack a bunch of items from home and take them with you to the boarding facility. Your dog's own food bowl, blankets that smell like you, toys from home, and even some of your shirts will make the experience less worrisome for your pet.
Consider calming sprays for the first few days.
There are pheromone and herb-based sprays that can calm your dog down. It's a good idea to purchase one of these and take it with you to the boarder. Ask them to spray it around your dog's kennel for the first few days that you are gone. You may want to purchase a few of these sprays and try them out before the boarding experience to see which works best for your dog. Some dogs react better to pheromone sprays, while others are more sensitive to the herbal ones.
Choose a quiet, friendly boarding facility.
There are big dog kennels and there are smaller kennels that only take a few clients at a time. While a large kennel can certainly be well managed, dogs with separation anxiety often do better in a smaller kennel since there are fewer other dogs to tolerate and less commotion overall. Make sure the staff members are familiar with dogs with separation anxiety so you can be assured that yours will be properly cared for.
For more information, contact local professionals like Marquette Animal Hospital.
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