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So we are quickly approaching our first time of boarding Boone. He will be there for 7 days and we've taken him there for daycare quite a few times so that he'll be used to the environment. He loves it there and doesn't want to go home. When I picked him up this week he actually saw me and turned around and ran into the back room lol He really wants to stay and play! I have never boarded a dog before. Anything you've found that makes things go smoothly? I asked the staff and they told me to bring as much as I want, that some dogs come with luggage. I asked what in the world they bring in their luggage and was told many dogs bring outfits for each day :D. I told them Boone will be wearing his fur coat each day.

 

They will give him a covered crate to sleep in each night. I've baked a ton of his favorite peanut butter treats, measured out his dry & wet food, will have his blanket and "little brother" stuffed dog, a few of his favorite chew toys, a bully stick...what am I forgetting?

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I am right behind you. Never boarded but will need to this year. Watching and noting your experience. So glad you posted this.

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That sounds like a good list. The pre-visits are very helpful. We did that too. We bring an older dog bed or blanket. No matter how nice the kennel, there is always more soil and wear on the things we send. It's good that you are sending food. Sometimes when they get stressed they don't eat well or get the runs. It will be stressful - even if it's a happy stress of LOTS of stimulation. You may want to pick up a substitute little brother and "season" it for a few nights at home. They sometimes will destroy a toy from home just because the situation is very stimulating. We don't send anything we are attached to with them to the kennel. Also be sure they take off his "pants". We had a case were the GSDs "liberated" Waki from his harness because the staff were new and though he needed to keep his harness on.

 

It's good also to tell him when you leave him that you will be "right back" our dogs understand that. We even tell them what time - right back at: dinner time or at bed time or "tomorrow". They have an amazing sense of time and rhythm. I tell mine when we go out, every time we go out that we are going to be "right back". They don't have separation issues and I think that when you tell them what's going on they handle things better.

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Hawk was boarded last summer for 5 days. He did fine, but he also had his nephew Chief and Kyla the lab. So he knew them and I think felt better about staying.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We're home from our trip and trying to catch up with all I've missed while we were away. Thank you for the responses. I'm very happy to report that Boone loved his stay at Rover Resort. I thought for sure he'd be traumatized by the experience but he completely enjoyed himself. We did talk to him all week long before leaving, telling him he'd get to play with dogs all week and we'd be back to get him in 7 days. We're convinced he knew something was up because he was overly clingy for 2 days before we left. When I took him to RR he ran off to play and never looked back. He's been there many times and knows the routine. They asked if I needed to follow him to say goodbye but we'd already talked it all out and were good to go. We called each day to check on him and he was playing hard, eating well and adjusting to the night time routine. They also sent pictures through out the week.

He had a private room with private outdoor patio. During the day he had friends in his room & played with them in the yard too. At night he was alone in his room from 7:30 pm until 7:00 am. They moved a crate into the room and left the door open so he could use it if he wanted. We had instructed them to put his blanket, stuffed dog, horn and antler in the crate just like home. He was also able to wander outside onto the patio at will through out the night. I know he loved that!

We weren't sure what to expect when we picked him up. We were hoping he'd be excited to see us but I know he never wanted to leave when I took him to daycare there. He didn't run the other way but he also didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave! I think that's a good problem to have. I'd much rather him love it there so much he barely misses us, than to be so distraught he makes himself sick. The staff gave him a ton of love and attention. They commented that he loves every single dog and person he encounters. So true! He was sound asleep within minutes of getting in the van. And he's done nothing but sleep since we got home. They told me he played hard every day and would sleep for 2 days...I think they nailed it. The only thing he didn't like was the bath they gave him before we got there. They said he howled like crazy. He isn't found of getting wet.

 

i don't have any amazing words of wisdom for those of you boarding in the future. I'd just stress the things we found that worked:

 

I think taking him there so often before the actual boarding was very important. He knew the staff and they knew him. He also knew the routine and the lay of the land. He only had to adjust to spending the night.

 

Taking his own food and treats was a good choice. He ate slightly less the first day or two and then ate normal amounts the rest of the stay. Even though the feeding instructions were in the computer, I also wrote them on the bag of food, on the top of canned food, and on the cup used to scoop the food. We all know people get busy and things get mixed up. There was no way there would be any question about his eating routine!

 

Having his own favorite things from home may have helped when he was alone in his room at night.

 

Having a place where he was free to run and play was so important. He would not have done well in a boarding place that put them in crates.

 

We put his name on everything. That included his antlers and horn, toys, food. Nothing was lost or misplaced but I like the suggestion of having a backup for favorite toys & blankets.

 

Make a list of boarding facilities in your area and visit them. Ask for a tour. Ask questions. Check out customer reviews online. If they have cameras, log in during the week at random times. We ruled out one place by seeing things on their cameras that concerned us. We found the perfect place for Boone. It's a long drive for us but so worth it because he loves it so much.

 

 

 

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That's great to hear!!!!!!

Glad it worked out so well!!!!!! :wub:

 

Tayamni hasn't boarded, but that's how she is at the Dog Park.

DENISE WHO???????

 

I would much rather have that then have separation anxiety.

 

 

I like the suggestions and the things you did in researching places, too!

 

Hope you have an excellent trip and enjoyed yourselves! :D

 

 

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Nice review. Thank you very much.

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I think taking him there so often before the actual boarding was very important. He knew the staff and they knew him. He also knew the routine and the lay of the land. He only had to adjust to spending the night.

 

I really like this suggestion...very wise.

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We read about another boarding place with daycare closer to home. Online it looked like a beautiful place. It also had indoor rooms with doggie doors that lead to a patio and private run. We drove over there on Saturday to check it out. It was half the price of our current place so was thinking it might be nice for more doggie day care & socialization. OMG what a horrible place. I felt sick when we left. No way would I ever board any animal there. I think the woman genuinely loves animals and has a desire to rescue, which is admirable. She has 14 crates reserved for rescues from kill shelters. I can't say that anything was dangerous or needed reported. It was more that it was just a terrible atmosphere. It was total chaos, run down, smelled bad, tiny crates instead of rooms, tiny runs that were opened 3x a day for a single pup at a time to use. Absolutely no social interaction between the dogs. It was so depressing! It would be like putting Boone in prison. The place was full so someone thinks it ok to take their dogs there. WOW you just never know until you go and scope it out in person! I'll gladly pay twice as much and drive twice as far to other place where he loves to be.

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I'm so glad you found a really good place and it's working out for Boone (and you and Nick)! :D

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