Dog Community

Blacky boarding problem

Posted : 5/16/2006 9:28:17 AM

My parents and little brother are coming to visit and stay with us for 3 weeks this summer (yeah, can#%92t wait [

])!
Here#%92s the problem: they cannot take their dog “Blacky”. They don#%92t want to put him through a 9 hour flight and he is also pretty picky about the dogs he gets along with so we wouldn#%92t know if he#%92d like Joey or not.
They decided to board him in a kennel while they are gone. My dad is a BIG worrier!!! A little background info: they adopted/rescued Blacky last March from an organization in Germany that rescues dogs from the streets of Hungary. He#%92s a very good dog (about 3 years old, neutered, no separation anxiety, he stays alone for about 4 hours a day (he#%92s not crated) and is a perfect little angel while alone. The only problem is his resource guarding and he does have leash aggression. Unfortunately there are no places to take him off leash (he#%92s a hunter and catches mice even while on leash, yuck Crying

) so they can#%92t let him meet other dogs safely to see if he has dog aggression while off leash. However he has met my grandpas dog and they get along fine (they don#%92t play but peacefully co-exist)!
My dad is worried that if they board him for 3 weeks he will freak and not “like” them anymore or have separation anxiety after the stay at the kennel!
What do you guys think about that? Any experience in a case like that?
This place they are going to take him has been very well recommended to them. It#%92s a dog training academy but they also board. He would have his own kennel but also has the option of coming to the owners house (that#%92s if he gets along with the other dogs, which we don#%92t know). I don#%92t know how much 1 on 1 time these people provide to each dog.
Would it be a good idea to take Blacky there a few times over the next 2 months (they are coming here July 29) to get him to know these people. Maybe have them give Blacky treats so he thinks it#%92s a “great” place to go????
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! My parents are really worried, he#%92s their baby and they want to do what#%92s right for him!

Oh, here's a picture of the little stinker!

forpaws

Posted : 5/16/2006 9:59:30 AM

Have your dad give the kennel a couple of shirts maybe even three of his old shirts that smell like him to board with him and bring his own food, toys, kong and treats for the kennel keeper to fill for Blacky and any other thing like bedding of his etc with him to the kennel while he boards there. He will not forget his owner and having familiar things, toy etc around him will help with not feeling abandoned and comfort him too. Also have your dad bring Blacky's food that he is currently on now.
It sounds like your dad will have more separation anxiety than Blacky will. LOL

labcrab

Posted : 5/16/2006 3:16:01 PM

Nadine, He's a rescue from the "streets" of Hungary, did he have to spend any considerable time in a shelter? i.e. does part of his troubled past include spending lots of time in a cage surrounded by barking dogs? If not, then I would say chances are pretty good that he'll be fine emotionally. As far as him getting along with other dogs, since it's a training facility, they are probably experienced at dealing with this issue (hopefully). I also think it's a GREAT idea for them to start taking him there and making the place a "good place" for him. I totally understand how they feel. I've resigned myself to not going back to Europe as long as I have Slick!

Nadine Treadway

Posted : 5/16/2006 3:40:58 PM

Unfortunately it seems like he was caged up in Hungary for a while. They catch the dogs there and then stick them in "kill stations" where they are for 1 day or 2 and then are euthanized. The rescue gets these dogs out of the kill stations, then takes them to regular shelters in Hungary until all the proper paperwork is done for them to come to Germany, then they live with foster families until they find a permanent home.
I don't know how long he was in such a shelter, I'm guessing 1 or 2 weeks, maybe more?
I feel so bad for my parents, I certainly wouldn't want to leave Joey with anybody but my DH.
Do you think eventhough this was (most likely) a bad experience for him in the past that he will be able to deal with it if they try to make him comfortable there now?

labcrab

Posted : 5/16/2006 4:15:25 PM

Well, they've had for almost 3 years? right? and he currently has no separation anxiety? I think he'll be fine. The thing is - it sounds like boarding him is their only option, yah? if that's the case, then I would just focus ALL my energy on finding the absolute BEST possible place (which this may or may not be). Then I would take him there as often as possible ensuring each time that it's totally fun.

Do they have places with WebCams in Germany? So that your folks can log in and see him while they're in the States? I boarded Slick for 3 days when I HAD to go to Florida last month. My first criteria in choosing the right place was - WEBCAM! So, of course I spent the entire 3 days on my laptop (with wireless modem) watching Slicky play!