About to take my reactive and not dog social dog to a daycare/boarding facility for an assessment for private boarding

[ke1220]

My reactive dog will spend 4-5 hours at this daycare/boarding place to be assessed for whether she’s suitable for boarding there. I have been obsessively overthinking everything. I’m pretty much exhausted at this point. Hoping to hear some positive feedback from people with both dog reactive and not dog social dogs who have been successfully boarded in a similar environment. My dog did spend over a year at my local shelter, and managed. And this situation would be much better than the shelter. I also learned about this place from someone who works at the shelter and has known my dog for longer than I have. So obviously she thinks it’d be a good fit. But I’m just freaking out like a worried mom.
Update: kita was conditionally approved, meaning she has to go back there before she can board. I contacted her vet and she prescribed gabapentin and trazadone (which kita has used before) for boarding so hopefully they help! ANOTHER UPDATE: Kita did better on second visit but went back for a third today. Scheduled from 11-2, so still only 3 hours. Just got a call from the daycare/boarding place and she’s doing sooooooo well I’m not picking her up until 6! So a solid 7 hours there. I’m so proud of her.

 

[thomask]

@ke1220 Another idea if your dog is not a candidate for that place, is to hire someone to come into your house when you need boarding. I have a friend who is a former vet tech who does this all the time and people love her because she's knowledgeable and reliable. She really knows her stuff! Takes all the stress off of wondering how the dog is doing in a different environment. I never board my reactive dogs either. I have a family member come to our house and it works out well.

 

[ke1220]

@thomask I would much prefer this but, unfortunately, it’s not an option with my living situation. I rent a lower level apartment in a house and the homeowner isn’t comfortable with a stranger at the house. So the deal is I’m out of the country for a week and a half. Homeowner is watching my dog most of that time. But something came up and she’s going out of town for a weekend. So that’s why I’m scrambling to figure out a boarding situation for Kita.

 

[thomask]

@ke1220 That's a tough situation! Hope he's accepted at the boarding place!

 

[childman]

@ke1220 Do you know if she will be in a daycare environment, or just boarded and exercised separately from the other dogs?

I did one evaluation at a training place for day training (didn't pursue, but did the eval) and my boy has also stayed at groomers and at vets because he's had some health issues. He honestly is very nervous and shuts down quite a bit - and tends to become really clingy to the first person he sees - but does really well and isn't his traditional level of reactive. I think he's honestly too scared to be too out there, he just wants to hide. Obviously not ideal, but better than his alternative, IMO.

Fingers crossed it all goes well!

 

[ke1220]

@childman So it’s a daycare place that also does boarding. She wouldn’t participate in daycare at all but it means there’ll be a ton of dogs on the premises. I’m picking her up in an hour. Fingers crossed she’s doing okay! Edit: I guilt bought her a new bed on my way home after leaving her there haha.

 

[messenger_of_truth]

@ke1220 I bet she's fine ! My dog sounds similar and when he is removed from his daily environment and most specifically placed indoors, he is amazing.

My trainers and boarding facility use him in training classes, as an extra while leashed for safety in a "place" command while they work other dogs on the floor. Every time I see a video I'm like .... really !? That is MY dog ?? Same at the vet with me, perfect gentleman

 

[ke1220]

@messenger_of_truth Haha. Yeah, my dog randomly is fine around dogs at the vet. Weird.

 

[felipe_]

@ke1220 My dog has been to multiple boarding places that have a "non-social" option where they get walks instead of play groups as I know she would fail such a test. If your dog doesn't pass, look for another place if you can. (granted I love I'm a large city there are more options)

 

[ke1220]

@felipe_ I live in metropolitan area as well with a lot of options. I have a month to figure something out but I’m finding it super stressful I first went with this place because my dog’s guardian angel from the shelter (she works there and is basically the reason my dog managed almost a year in a half at the shelter) recommended this place, as it’s where she boards her dogs.

 

[mikeseven]

@ke1220 Is she okay with people? Because if so, most boarding places are well-versed in handling less social or even totally unsocial dogs. Both the ones I use have a "non-social" option where the dog is not put with any other dogs but is walked alone. Unsocial dogs are not as uncommon as lots of people think!

 

[ke1220]

@mikeseven Yeah, she’s fine with people. I just don’t want to put her in too stressful of an environment.

 

[mikeseven]

@ke1220 Fair enough! For what it's worth my dog, who is reactive and highly dog selective, loves his kennel. They're very chill with him and have worked him up to being in large spaces with 15+ other dogs, something I would have thought impossible myself. I still wouldn't take him to a dog park etc., but am happy for them to use their judgement and place him as they feel he can cope. But if I had asked for no interactions with other dogs they would have respected that. People who run boarding facilities with good reputations are often excellent, sensitive, experienced handlers of all sorts of dogs.

 

[ashiedu]

@ke1220 How’d it go?!

 

[ke1220]

@ashiedu report card

She was conditionally approved, meaning she has to spend more time there before she can be boarded. So we’ll try again Thursday. “Kita is a bit on edge in this building. She is looking to react at dogs and is a little bit unsettled in her room. Let’s see if a few more visits help.” I guess “looking to react” is better than reacting tho!

 

[ashiedu]

@ke1220 True!!!! Yay Kita!!! Have you talked to your vet about maybe getting some temporary meds on board for the visit? And maybe testing the meds before she is at the facility to make sure she reacts okay on them?

 

[ke1220]

@ashiedu Great idea! I actually do have both gabapentin and trazadone on hand. Somehow didn’t think of it before the first visit. Will try and reach my vet today and run it by him but it should be fine. Think I’d need refill of trazadone.

 

[ke1220]

@ashiedu Just heard back from vet and sure enough prescribed trazadone and gabapentin. So hopefully they help.

 

[ashiedu]

@ke1220 Yay! I hope so. Has Kita taken them before?

 

[ke1220]

@ashiedu I have used them for some vet visits, before surgery, and for some long car rides closer to when I first adopted her. I had a small amount remaining but not enough for the assessment days and boarding. Used them on my last dog as well. There’s no excuse for me not thinking of it before the first assessment! Will try them out Thursday and hopefully takes the edge off and she has an easier time relaxing. Just got back from picking the meds up at the vet