Leaving your dog in extended boarding can be stressful for both you and your furry friend. While reputable boarding facilities provide excellent care, returning home requires a period of readjustment for your dog. This article outlines essential aftercare steps to ensure a smooth transition back to their familiar environment and routine.
The Initial Reunion: Keeping it Calm and Controlled
The moment you reunite with your dog will likely be filled with excitement. However, it’s crucial to manage this initial interaction to avoid overwhelming your dog. After a stay in a stimulating environment like a boarding facility, they might be extra excitable.
- Avoid Overstimulation: Resist the urge to engage in overly enthusiastic greetings. While you’ll naturally be thrilled to see them, keep your voice calm and your movements gentle. Avoid loud noises, excessive hugging, or rapid movements, which can further heighten their excitement.
- Acknowledge and Redirect: Acknowledge your dog’s enthusiasm with calm praise and gentle petting. If they become overly excited (jumping, barking excessively), redirect their attention with a simple command like “sit” or “down.” Rewarding calm behavior reinforces the desired response.
- Leashed Greetings: If possible, keep your dog on a leash for the initial moments after picking them up. This provides you with more control and prevents them from bolting or becoming overly exuberant, especially in a busy parking lot or reception area.
- Observe Their Body Language: Pay close attention to your dog’s body language. Look for signs of stress, such as tucked tail, lip licking, whale eye (showing the whites of their eyes), or panting excessively. If they seem anxious, give them space and allow them to approach you at their own pace.
The Car Ride Home: Prioritizing Safety and Comfort
The car ride home should be as stress-free as possible. After a stay away from home, your dog might be more prone to car sickness or anxiety.
- Secure Travel: Ensure your dog is safely secured in the car using a pet carrier, seatbelt harness, or dog-specific car seat. This is crucial for their safety and prevents distractions while driving. Never allow your dog to roam freely in the car.
- Comfortable Environment: Make the car comfortable by providing a familiar blanket or toy. This can offer a sense of security and familiarity.
- Minimize Stressors: Keep the car quiet and avoid loud music or excessive talking. If your dog is prone to car sickness, consult your veterinarian about potential remedies or anti-nausea medication.
- Short Trips Initially: If your dog hasn’t traveled in a car recently, consider taking short trips in the days following their return home to help them readjust.
Arriving Home: Gradual Reintroduction to the Environment
This section emphasizes the importance of a calm and controlled homecoming to prevent overwhelming your dog after their time in boarding. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Controlled Entry: Instead of letting your dog bolt through the door, keep them on a leash. This allows you to manage their initial excitement and prevents them from running around the house in a frenzy. It also gives them a chance to acclimate to the familiar smells and sounds of their home at their own pace.
- Quiet Environment: Upon entering, ensure the house is relatively quiet. Turn off the TV or radio, and ask family members to refrain from loud greetings or excited noises. This creates a calming atmosphere that helps your dog relax and decompress.
- Designated Space: Before your dog arrives, ensure their bed, crate, or favorite resting spot is clean and accessible. This provides them with a safe haven where they can retreat if they feel overwhelmed or need some alone time. This space should be associated with positive experiences and comfort.
- Limited Interactions: If you have other pets, avoid immediately throwing them together. Allow them to greet each other through the crate or on leash, keeping the interaction brief and calm. Supervise their interactions closely and separate them if they show signs of stress or aggression.
- Scent Familiarization: Allow your dog to explore the house at their own pace, sniffing and reacquainting themselves with familiar scents. This helps them re-establish their territory and feel more secure.
- Avoid Overwhelming Activities: Refrain from immediately engaging in highly stimulating activities, such as rough play or long walks. Give your dog time to settle in before resuming their usual activities.
Food, Water, and Potty Breaks: Monitoring Physical Needs
This section focuses on addressing your dog’s basic physical needs upon returning home, which can be affected by the stress and changes associated with boarding:
- Offer Water First: Dehydration can occur due to travel, excitement, or changes in their routine. Offering fresh, clean water immediately is crucial to rehydrate them.
- Small Meals Initially: Avoid giving your dog a large meal right away, even if they seem hungry. Their digestive system might be sensitive after the change in environment and routine. Start with a smaller portion of their regular food to prevent stomach upset.
- Monitor Appetite: Observe your dog’s eating habits over the next few days. If they refuse to eat or show a decreased appetite for more than 24 hours, contact your veterinarian.
- Frequent Potty Breaks: Take your dog out for potty breaks more frequently than usual, even if they don’t indicate a need to go. This helps them re-establish their potty routine and minimizes the risk of accidents inside. The stress of boarding can sometimes disrupt their normal elimination patterns.
- Monitor Stool: Keep an eye on the consistency of their stool. Diarrhea or constipation can be signs of stress or dietary changes. If these issues persist for more than a day or two, consult your veterinarian.
Re-Establishing Routine: Gradual Return to Normalcy
This section emphasizes the importance of consistency and structure in helping your dog readjust after boarding:
- Resume Regular Feeding Schedule: Gradually transition back to your dog’s normal feeding schedule. This helps regulate their digestive system and provides a sense of predictability.
- Engage in Familiar Activities: Reintroduce familiar activities like walks, playtime, and training sessions. These activities provide physical and mental stimulation, strengthen your bond, and help them reintegrate into their usual routine.
- Maintain Consistency: Stick to your regular household rules and boundaries. This provides structure and reinforces appropriate behavior.
- Observe for Behavioral Changes: Pay close attention to your dog’s behavior for any signs of stress, anxiety, or changes in their usual demeanor. These could include excessive barking, chewing, hiding, or changes in sleep patterns.
- Gradual Reintroduction to Social Situations: If your dog regularly interacts with other dogs or people, reintroduce these interactions gradually. Avoid overwhelming them with large gatherings or intense playdates immediately.
- Patience is Key: Understand that it may take a few days or even a week for your dog to fully readjust. Be patient, understanding, and provide them with plenty of love and reassurance.
Addressing Potential Issues: When to Seek Professional Help
This section outlines potential problems that may arise after boarding and when it’s necessary to seek professional assistance:
- Separation Anxiety: If your dog displays excessive barking, whining, destructive behavior (especially around exits), or house soiling when left alone, they may be experiencing separation anxiety.
- Digestive Upset: Persistent vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or signs of abdominal discomfort warrant a visit to the veterinarian.
- Respiratory Issues: Coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, or lethargy could indicate a respiratory infection such as kennel cough.
- Behavioral Changes: Sudden aggression, fearfulness, withdrawal, or changes in sleep patterns should be addressed by a veterinarian or certified professional dog trainer.
- Physical Injuries: Check your dog for any signs of injury, such as limping, swelling, or sensitivity to touch.
- When to Seek Help: If any of these issues persist for more than 24-48 hours, worsen, or cause significant distress to your dog, it’s crucial to seek professional help. Your veterinarian can diagnose any underlying medical conditions and recommend appropriate treatment. A certified professional dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist can help address behavioral issues.
Bringing your dog home from extended boarding is a joyous occasion. By following these aftercare tips, you can ensure a smooth and stress-free transition for your furry companion, allowing them to quickly return to their happy, healthy selves.
For exceptional pet boarding services and care, contact Pets Are Inn at 972-424-8400. We provide a safe, comfortable, and loving environment for your pets when you can’t be there.