Boarding question

[FrederykBlot]

Hello there !

Have been some time since I asked specific question for Loki, and that's good news :)
Lately he'd be adorable, and better in many things : recalls are better, settling during the day when we work also, the night routine is now almost perfect...
And I'm sure being here is a big part of it (and a little of our work, little pat in the back for us :))

That being said, I have a little question about boarding : 

My girlfriend sister is living is the USA, and at some point, we would want to visit her. Giving the upcoming things (holidays, money...), it would likely take place in Fall of 2022, something around September I'd say

We were wondering how long it would be problematic to board Loki ?

Loki has been boarded here and there since he was 4-5 months. The pension he usually goes in is perfect. She has only 6 boxes, that means she can spent time with all the dogs... Also there are often dogs with whom he can play... Pension is "Le Domaine de Pandora", in France, there is a Facebook page, with videos including Loki.
One thing that makes us sure he is very well there is the fact that every time we go, he always makes a hell of a party to the owners, and that speaks a lot

We almost put him in one weekend per month for him to get used to be boarded...
Max he made was 5 days for a holidays long weekend for us... During Xmas he will go 4 days... 2 days for New Year Eve...
So being boarded does not seem like a bother to him, he never showed any signs of stress when back, or when we're going there

 

But we were wondering how long it is "not recommended" to board ? 
As Europe ==> USA is kinda big trip, we don't want to go only for a week... And we're planning 3 weeks there
Loki would be 1 year and a half at the time... Max he would have would be a full week in July 2022 as we have a wedding is a Mediteraneen island...

Is boarding 3 weeks too long ?
What should we take into account for this future trip ?

 

Thank you for the help

 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there!

So happy to hear that Loki is doing so well, you certainly deserve a big pat on your back as you have been so patient and determined to help Loki succeed. Your question is very reasonable, and I have good news for you. 

I have found that the most 'difficult" times for dogs are the first 2-3 days of boarding. This because it takes some time adjusting to a new place, its sights and sounds and dogs don't seem to know what role the person taking care of them plays. Is this person a vet who will poke him? Is this person a groomer who will give him a bath? Is this person trustworthy?

The dog will also look for the owners wondering when they will come back. He may bark, pace and walk towards the door in hopes of re-uniting. When he is taken out, he may look around for the owners. After some time though, he will start relaxing, to the point of feeling comfortable enough to take a nap. If he is awakened from the nap, he may lift his head, look around a bit as if wondering where he is, but then will go back to sleep. 

As those first 2-3 days go by, the dog realizes that the place is not bad at all, the person is trustworthy and feeds them, he is taken on walks and even played with.  The dog starts getting used to a new routine and habituates to the noises as long as they are not too intense. 

Now, this is what happens with dogs who have never been boarded before and are in total new place and around new people. If you have kept Loki in touch and boarded him often, it's as if he's going to visit family and several doggy friends and will be quicker to adjust. The more time he stays, the more he adjusts. Three weeks is quite the average time I have boarded/trained dogs for people who travelled overseas or for military TDY. 

Of course, the owners are never forgotten! The longest I have boarded a dog was for 3 months, and you had to see the big party he threw when the owners came through the door. The dog kissed me goodbye and then readily jumped in the car. 

Things to keep into account is that once back, dogs boarded for longer may take a bit to get back to their routine, but dogs can quickly re-adjust. I can't say really what to expect behavior-wise though in regards to things this boarding place may or may not do. For example, if they allow certain things that you don't normally allow at home (like pulling on the leash, humping other dogs) it may take some time to work on those things again and re-establish the old rules. 

At the same time though, the dog gets to have a variety of new experiences. He may get to meet new people and dogs, and this can enrich his social skills especially when play is carefully monitored and all experiences are ensured they stay positive (which I am pretty sure they do their best at that). 

 

[FrederykBlot]

Thank you for your answer.

 

It's very reassuring to know we can plan good holidays for us, without it being at the expense of Loki

 

Btw, I have exactly the same question with frequency : 

we're planning the incoming ski season, but if we want to go to States next year, we won't have enough days off work for having a full week of holidays for skiing

so we're likely gonna spend the season by going on multiple weekends

 

 

Is there any threshold that can be inconvenient for the dog ? like 1 weekend over 2 would be too much ?

for now on, we try to board him a weekend per month, but we hope for ski we could try 1 weekend over 3, 1 over 2 if not too much and not problematic for the dog

knowing he will go for Xmas, come back a few days, and then go again for New Year Eve, as we're hosting the party at our place for the first time...

 

 

still, it would be in the same place as usual, which he loves

 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

I don't see it as a problem as long as he's happy to be there! I have boarded dogs intermittently having them over several times a month for short stays and the owners always joked about it saying "let's go visit "aunt Adrienne!" and their dogs were always happy to visit. 

As long as he has a good time, and the facility monitors him carefully, it's good, especially once he knows the caretakers well.  As for frequency, there may be issues at times with dogs who are taken every single day at a daycare as they play wild with other dogs and their arousal levels tend to be high for prolonged periods of time, and this can cause them to never get to relax. So in that case, too much, too often, can have a negative effect as these dogs don't get  much time to "recuperate" so to say.