Unfortunately, we are going to have to board Vader next month during Thanksgiving. We've tried every other option but we don't have a choice. We can't take him with us (traveling out of state), we don't have anyone in town to take care of him for us, and we can't afford a petsitter to come to our home as often as he would need. I made reservations for him to board at our vet clinic. I'm nervous because he'll be in a kennel most of the day except for three walks/potty breaks. I am taking his own food of course (they feed Science Diet :sick and plenty of toys to keep him busy, but is there anything else I can do to keep him as comfortable as possible? He's doing so well with his training but I'm terrified I'm going to pick him up and he's going to be a different dog. He's used to being with me 24/7 and I don't know how he's going to react to being in a kennel with lots of other dogs and not much human interaction. Any suggestions or tips?

Will he have an indoor outdoor run or just in and walks? Indoor and outdoor runs will help him stay worn down even with only three potty breaks.

Get him some bones.....long lasting recreational.

My experience is that the dog does better than the owner. The more relaxed you can be when dropping him off the better for him. But he will be okay.

Talk to every club in the area.

I'd take the dog or cancel the trip before I'd leave my dog/s in that situation. For how long?


I have no life.
Randy

Sonya- They are indoor runs

Randy- I wish I could take him but it's just not possible. We are traveling over 8 hours with two small kids and we are staying with my grandparents who are NOT dog people. They don't allow dogs on their property, much less inside (and it's going to be COLD where we are going). There is no one I can leave him with either. I wish I could cancel the trip but we are going to see family who we only see once or twice a year. I have several older relatives who have never met my youngest son and since they are in poor health, we need to see them before it is too late.

Hi Olivia,

It is stressful but you can make it better with some preparation. First I would start getting him accustommed to being left alone and not with you 24/7. Also some friendly visits to the vet clinic with lots of tasty treats will make it a place he enjoys going to. Ask if you can bring a blanket for him to sleep on and you start sleeping on it every night so that your scent is all over it by the time you need to go. And most importantly RELAX; he will feed off your emotional state.

Like I said Olivia,
I have no life.

Love me, love my dogs.
Randy

No clubs in your area?

Any clubs where you're heading?

Maybe something can be arranged on that end.

 Quote: randy allen

I'd take the dog or cancel the trip before I'd leave my dog/s in that situation. For how long?


I have no life.
Randy

DITTO...Life here has the dogs getting highest priority, too.

The fact that they feed Science Diet would be the least of my concerns.

I always wonder why people never think about these things BEFORE they get puppies.

 Quote: olivia brown

Randy- I wish I could take him but it's just not possible. We are traveling over 8 hours with two small kids

Olivia,
I thought you were flying but if you are driving you can do it. I drove to Toronto (10 hours away) with 3 kids and Thor when he was a pup. The kids needed potty breaks along the way and I used those times to exercise and relieve Thor. It added a little time to the trip but I was going to have to stop with the kids anyway or if you drive through the night (did on the return) everyone sleeps for the majority of the trip (not the driver )

Check for local accommodations where you can stay with Vader and see if you can swing it. Remember to subtract the amount you will be saving on boarding. Ask your family if you can crate him in the garage or porch or somewhere out of the way while you visit. Or you can leave him in the car and keep saying "Oh I have to check on the puppy" every 5 minutes; and guaranteed after the cheer is flowing you will be told to bring the little bugger in to join the festivities.

Anne- We DID think about what we would do with him before we got him. We have plenty of family in the area who would usually watch him for us, but since they have the same destination that we do, that's not possible. We did not plan on leaving for Thanksgiving until one of my family members developed a terminal illness and now I have to put family first (yes, over my dog. Sorry if some don't understand that but my family is very close.) We are NOT those people who buy a puppy without giving any thought to these types of situations....we planned for him for YEARS but this is a rare time where he will have to be boarded. Any other situation and he would be going with us no questions asked.

The car trip alone does not deter me...we love traveling with him and he loves being in the car. There is NO way he can stay with us at my grandparents though. It will be way too cold for him to be crated outdoors or even in my car...it would be cruel given his low tolerance for extreme weather. The boarding places near them are the same situation that he will be in here. I feel that at least I know and trust my vet here if something should go wrong. I'm not looking for alternatives to boarding him..I'm looking for things I can do to make his time there more comfortable. I'm aware that this isn't the best situation for him, but it's the only choice we have.