Boarding Your Dog For The First Time

As you prepare for spring break and summer vacation, you may be thinking about what to do with your dog during your travels.   You have a number of options from pet sitters in your home to boarding them at an all-inclusive doggy day care.     Both are great options and offer your dog lots of TLC and play time.  Other options may just be boarding your dog with the vet or kennel.    No matter what boarding options you choose, there are some things you should consider doing long before you go!

Dogs are really family oriented beings and as such can become very attached to their people.  When their people leave them somewhere new for the first time, it can lead to high levels of anxiety.   This can be especially true if your dog is a rescue dog who may have previously been given up by a family or if they have spent any time at all in the shelter environment.

Stress in these environments can lead to a number of medical issues for your dog.   Like with any desensitization program there are some easy things to do in the weeks (or even months) before you head out for vacation and leave him behind.

• Begin crate training your dog weeks in advance, so that being confined and sleeping alone is not a new experience for him.
• Select your boarding/sitting provider weeks in advance and allow your dog to go several times for play dates and a few overnight stays.  A good facility will require an evaluation in advance anyway and give you key indicators of how your dog reacted to the new environment and the staff.
•  Allow your dog to go for a couple of 1/2 day visits, building up to a full day visit, and ultimately a single overnight.
• Get feedback from the staff after each visit on how your dog responded to the environment, to other dogs and to them.
• Disclose everything to the staff at your boarding / sitting provider.   If your dog has a history of anxiety, medical issues, fears (including Thunder, Strangers, Purple Sunglasses, etc) let them know!  The more they know about your dog, not matter how silly you might thing it is, the better prepared they can be.
• Send your dogs regular food and treats each meal that he will be there
•  There are great calming treats that might be beneficial to your dog.  Discuss with your provider. 
• Send medication and specific detailed instructions for the staff
• You might even discuss medication with your vet in advance if your dog is prone to depression or anxiety in your absences. 
• Send a mat, t-shirt, toy or other item from home that is familiar to the dog and has scents of home & you on it.
• Leave a local emergency contact -- someone that is not traveling with you who can go get your dog from the facility if necessary.
• Provide copies of your vet records and your vet contact information.

When selecting your pet sitting service or boarding facility -- interview them in depth

• Ask them to describe their emergency response protocols
• For dog breeds prone to bloat question them on their experience, knowledge of the symptoms and protocol for treatment. 
• If your dog has a medical condition --discuss it at length and be sure they are prepared to manage an emergency
• Ask them about kenneling dogs from the same home together.  Some facilities do this and so do not.

Vacation should be a time of relaxation and enjoyment.   While there are never guarantees emergencies and medical scenarios wont arise while youre gone -- taking a few measures in advance can help you prepare as best as possible.

Consider a Board and Train Program while youre on vacation.  Hes being boarded anyway... why not get some training too for a few dollars more.   Great Value.   Great Investment.
http://www.thek9-coach.com/Board_and_Train_Matthews_NC.html

Do you have tips you would like to recommend we include in this article -- email us!   We want to keep it current and as helpful to clients as possible.






Dana Brigman
The K9 Coach
Dog Training - Matthews, NC
980-339-8064
www.thek9-coach.com
info@thek9-coach.com

Follow us On

Facebook,  Youtube, Twitter, Pinterest , Instagram  & Google+

The K9 Coach is a Professional Certified Dog Trainer Serving Charlotte, NC, Matthews, NC and surrounding areas.


My mission is a better life for dogs as members of a forever family.

My goal is create training solutions for the home owner, to rehabilitate dogs from shelters and rescues, and to prevent dogs from dying alone as strays or owner surrenders in shelters due to unnecessary aggression or behavioral issues.

Begin all training with a consultation with a professional trainer to be sure youre solving the right problem. Misdiagnosis can make the matters worse. Be sure that there are no medical issues at play and that your dog is not in pain, as pain can be a contributor to a new display of aggression. If you have any fear or uncertainty -- do not attempt the techniques without professional supervision.

How To Train Any Dog Any Time

Dog training can be one of the most important investments that you make in your dog. If you can instill obedience and loyalty in your dog as a puppy, you will have a family friend for life. You can learn more about how important training your dog is.

If your dog possesses specific triggers associated to bad behavior, try to keep him busy while the temptation passes. For instance, if your dog reacts negatively to other dogs, you need to keep his focus on you as you come into contact with them. This will help him correlate the relationship between that stimuli and the positive things that come from it.

 Challenge your dog often. Provide your dog with fun ways to "quiz" it in order to ensure that it hasnt lost past training.

 Dont give up on training your dog, no matter what. Through constant and positive reinforcement, you will be able to train your dog to retain the behaviors you teach them. Taking care of your dog must include instituting a training plan, as well as meeting his food and shelter needs.

 A wise tip in canine training is to always call the dog by his rightful name, rather than using any nickname or other deviation. To maintain control of your dog, you must be able to encourage a favorable response. Try this with your dog at least ten to twenty times. Avoid confusion by not calling your dog to you for punishment.

 Everyone in your household needs to be on board for dog training to be effective. While he may have one person who works with him on a regular basis, having everyone be a part of his training will teach him that he must follow the rules of the house at all times, and keep his training more consistent.

 If you are training more than one dog, remember that some breeds of dogs can be trained together, but some breeds cannot. If your dogs cannot focus during training, you may need to start with one-on-one before training them together.

 Train your dog on a regular basis to make sure he understands the rules of the house. Too many owners tend to be under the impression that once they have trained their dog, thats the end of it. But pets and humans actually share the same types of habit learning systems; if they dont practice they will forget! Therefore, it is vital that your dog follows an established rule system at all times.

 If your dog suddenly starts misbehaving out of the blue, it is best to bring him to the vet so any health problems can be ruled out. Your dog might be acting out because he is suffering. Since they cannot tell us what is wrong, this is their way of letting us know that they need extra attention.

 Depending on the personalities of your dogs, it may not be possible to train them at the same time. If your dogs fight or goof off instead of paying attention, it may be wise to do a bit of one-on-one training before training them together.

 Teach your dog the difference between right and wrong. You will need help from everyone in the family to teach this. It can quickly undermine your efforts.

 Dogs have natural destructive behavior, so provide outlets for them to exercise their natural behaviors. Feed your dog a balanced diet, give them space to run, and provide them with activities that will burn energy.

 Understand when you cant handle your dog on your own, and use that knowledge to know when you need to call in a professional to help you. Training you dog can be tough, and sometimes you need a dog trainer if your dog is too hard to handle. Your trainer will pinpoint the problem areas and point you in the right direction.

 Remember how many treats you reward your dog with during the course of the day to avoid fattening him up. A lot of people forget to account for treats given during training when considering a dogs diet plan.

 If you prepare your dog for veterinary exams, it will help both you and your dog. Gently place your hands over its body, acknowledging your dog when he responds positively. Prepare your dog to accept someone handling his paws or looking at his teeth. Ask your friends to help out, as well.

 Crate training is very beneficial, but there can be difficulties that the following tips can help with. If your pet is nervous about the crate, consider putting a toy or treat inside to motivate them to go in. Temptation wins with this exercise; your dog will be eager to enter the crate when a treat is waiting for him. Give your dog some praise when he gets inside, so that he further associates being in the crate with good behavior.

 Do not tie more than one dog in the same area. It is possible for the chains to become intertwined, and the animals can be hurt as they try to get free. If a large dog becomes tangled with a smaller one they could wrap up to the point the airway of the latter is closed off and the dog would die.

 Crate training is an effective way to house train a dog. Always take your dog out consistently if you want to be effective at crate training. If youre patient you will find a dog who has been crate trained will make less messes inside.

 Try not to use wee-wee pads as a tool in potty training your day. The problem with the wee-wee pads is that they leak and leave enzymes from urine and feces behind. The pads may also confuse the dog because of their shape. It could cause the dog to think that a bathroom mat or welcome mat is a place to go potty. The best option is to toilet train your dog outdoors.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 By following these tips, you should have a better understanding of how to train your dog. Putting these tips into action while training your pup can help the two of you forge a wonderful ongoing relationship..

When is the best time to start training

One of the most common questions I get asked is "When is the best time to start training?" The answer to that is simple: As soon as you bring your new puppy or dog home!

You need to start training him where to go the bathroom, when it is time to eat, acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, where to sleep and when to play. Dont forget the 3 Ps of dog training: Patience, Persistance and Praise! Getting a new dog on a schedule will help the dog settle into his new environment and let him know what is expected from him.

Feeding a new puppy on a schedule will also speed up the housetraining, because you will learn the puppys elimination pattern. Most puppies will go the bathroom within ten minutes after eating, but I have seen some go two hours after eating. Knowing when your puppy needs to go will help reduce accidents in your house. Dont expect an eight week old puppy to hold it through the night. If you see that he is having an accident at around the same time every night, set your alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier and take him out. Slowly adjust the alarm clock forward until he can hold it through the night.

When is the best time to train your dog

The simplest way to train your dog is with rewards!

So, when is the best time to train your dog?

With best time in mind, if the reward is to be an edible treat, then there is really only one time to train - and that is before a meal when your pet is at its hungriest!

If, on the other hand, you only train with non-edible rewards... then you must choose a time when your dog will be at his or her most responsive to whatever form of treat you are using.

Should you have been expecting a different type of answer to this question - a type which says at what age or stage in development should you start training - then the answer is even simpler... NOW is the answer.