Dog acts strange after kennel visit

[sotmog]

Hi all...
I have a question regarding kennel stays. I left my 1 year old male boxer at a kennel for 4 days while I was on vacation. I only wanted to leave him for 2 days, but the kennel said their policy was to close on holidays. Labor day was Monday, so they included Sunday as an extra holiday day. I didn't really agree w/ their policy, but this kennel came w/ great references.
On to my question...
My dog has lost weight & is shedding like CRAZY! He isn't itching, but just looks ill. He was vaccinated against kennel cough. He also seems... "sad" or "different"... He's not really the same dog I dropped off.
This was my first time ever leaving him w/ anyone... This is also my first time owning a dog.
Could he be experiencing separating anxiety( I sure did)? Or Is this a common behaviour w/ dogs after being left at a kennel for the first time?
Also... he returned home w/ a lof of his pre-measured food bads. The chart they gave me said he ate VERY well... I don't see how that could be when he came home w/ most of his food.
Thanks In Advance!

[rstowe]

All of our dogs went through the same thing when we would get back from a trip and pick them up from the kennel. In our case; all our dogs were rescues from kennels so it probably brought back bad memories.

Just make sure you let him know you still love him etc. In a couple of days he should be better.

[luv2petsit]

I agree w/rstowe- a lot of dogs go through it when being kenneled. It is a disruption from their "routine" and can be confusing for them. A lot of dogs don't mind, but some find it somewhat tramatic..I have worked in kennels and hospitals that boarded and that is why I never board mine (and why I became a pet sitter!;)) due to the stress some get from the experience. Maybe next time if you feel comfortable a pet sitter could take care of him so he could stay comfortable at home?
He should bounce back just fine in a few days! :)

[Evey]

My dog goes through this even when I I leave her home with my husband!

Eating well is one thing to you, and another to a kennel worker who is used to seeing dogs who do not know why they have been dropped off and left in a cage.

Shedding is a sign of stress.

If your dog is not his old self in a few days, see the vet. I think he will be o.k. once he figures out that things are back to normal. Have you put your suitcase away yet? The sight of a suitcase is enough to make my dog vomit.

[_Lisa_]

Also... he returned home w/ a lof of his pre-measured food bads. The chart they gave me said he ate VERY well... I don't see how that could be when he came home w/ most of his food.


Honestly, you probably over feed your dog. A lot of people do. Maybe next time you can ask what their feeding policy is & if you don't agree you can give them different instructions. (Consult your vet first, over-feeding an animal is very common!)

[lillyrush]

sotmog,

I sympathize with your situation. A few years ago, when Jerry was still with us, we boarded him so I could attend a wedding. Well, let me tell you that it took him over a month for him to get over the trauma... After that we found a good pet sitter. ANd now with the new gals, we stick to the pet sitter. It's more expensive , but if you have it in your budget, it's much easier on the dogs.

[sotmog]

Hi Again All...
Thanks so much for all of the tips & advice. I really didn't know that kennel visits could cause so much trauma. Now I totally understand why a lot of people opt for using pet sitters. Hi Lisa, as for the overfeeding I'm sure he's not overfed. Which is why I use the pre-measured food bags. I measured the food, as per my vets instructions. I didn't want him over or underfed.
Nevertheless, it was more extreme than just not eating. He lost weight. He's a naturally lean dog (he's a boxer), so any weight loss shows. Thank you all for explaining the shedding!! He's starting to get better, slowly as far as his mood goes. If he still doesn't seem quite right by Friday, I'll call the vet. Now I feel guilty that I didn't do enough research before leaving him at a kennel. Had I known better, I would have tried to find a pet sitter instead!

[marg]

i'm sure he'll be fine. He probably just got stressed out. I would give him a few days and if he still is acting strange or losing more weight I would make an appoinment at the vet. Don't blame yourself, he'll be alright. He just likes being at home alot so you must be doing something right.:)

[phillydogs]

He's probably just stressed. Seperation anxiety can cause that. Give him extra extra love.

Also, he may have eaten well, but maybe he didn't eat his own food. If he was too stressed and not eating his own food, they may have given him something new just to get him to eat. This could also be causing some shedding and weight loss. He might have a really upset tummy and thats why he looks sad. Has he had the runs or anything?

[_Lisa_]

Hi Again All...
Thanks so much for all of the tips & advice. I really didn't know that kennel visits could cause so much trauma. Now I totally understand why a lot of people opt for using pet sitters. Hi Lisa, as for the overfeeding I'm sure he's not overfed. Which is why I use the pre-measured food bags. I measured the food, as per my vets instructions. I didn't want him over or underfed.
Nevertheless, it was more extreme than just not eating. He lost weight. He's a naturally lean dog (he's a boxer), so any weight loss shows. Thank you all for explaining the shedding!! He's starting to get better, slowly as far as his mood goes. If he still doesn't seem quite right by Friday, I'll call the vet. Now I feel guilty that I didn't do enough research before leaving him at a kennel. Had I known better, I would have tried to find a pet sitter instead!


Just out of curiosity, what do you feed him? I have a 60 lbs. boxer mix myself & we've had contradicting opinions on what to feed her.

[Razlucky]

I had the same thing happen with my Boxer when I used a kennel. The one and only time I did that! I think they did not even use my food. Most people that dropped their dogs off seemed to be ok with changing up their dogs diets. But we all know how sensitive Boxers especially are so I wanted my own food used. Like the others I have also found in home pet sitters to be the way to go. Try to get a good recommendation for one in your area if you can. I think you will be very happy. I feed my dogs Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance. One of the few that seem to be animal (no cruel testing) friendly.

[AjaBrown]

Hi after reading this about the kennel I'm not sure if we want to leave the dogs this weekend. You see I have a wedding to go to and have to leave the dogs from friday til sunday at the kennel. Aja the Pom is very sensitive and happens to be the smallest there. She also loves to be with her Momma, Daygo the Dogo will be fine, he is very independant. I hope this goes alright:confused: .

[rstowe]

If you can't afford/find a pet sitter, the dogs will get used to the kennels. Our Rottie hated it at first (when we were in England), but after the 3rd or
4th time (being in the military, had to kennel alot), he did better. Sometimes it takes time; just like going to the vet -- if you get a good kennel with good people etc the dog over time won't have a problem going.

[sotmog]

I had the same thing happen with my Boxer when I used a kennel. The one and only time I did that! I think they did not even use my food. Most people that dropped their dogs off seemed to be ok with changing up their dogs diets. But we all know how sensitive Boxers especially are so I wanted my own food used. Like the others I have also found in home pet sitters to be the way to go. Try to get a good recommendation for one in your area if you can. I think you will be very happy. I feed my dogs Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance. One of the few that seem to be animal (no cruel testing) friendly.


Razlucky, when I read your post... I was amazed. I use the same food.
I buy it at a natural food supply company here in my city. I was using Royal Canin, when he turned 1 year old, but was told about the food you mentioned by my dog trainer. You're right about boxers being sensitive.
Lisa, my dog isn't a mix & is also male. I'm sure our dogs also don't have the same activity level. The reason there is great confusion regarding how much one should feed a dog is because many things should be taken into consideration... activity level, age, sex(lactating females, etc), breed (sensitivity to certain ingredients), climate, etc...
I sat down w/ my vet & took all of these factors & more into conderation before deciding on a feeding amount... and it changes during the wintere months... ( I live in Wisconsin... it gets cold, really cold!). I'm very picky when it comes to feeding my dog... .I even keep a daily chart of his food intake.
If my dog were overfed, he'd be overweight or close to it... which he is not.
So, I don't want to post how much I feed & mislead anyone....because like people... all dogs are different. This just isn't the right forum for giving exact numbers without taking all of the above noted factors into consideration.
But, thanks for the tips/suggestions.
I also don't want to branch off into a "how much should you feed your boxer topic:".... because the main concern I had was what happens to a pet after being boarded.
Thank you all for your help! I'm so glad there's a place like this where we can post concerns.
My dog (Sultan) has slowly started to snap out of it. He's following me around the house again, but won't go near my car( he used to love riding in the car). So, I'll keep you all updated.

[_Lisa_]

sotmog, I'm not going to use what you say against you or anything-I'm just curious! I, like you, have talked to our vet & considered many factors when deciding on what to feed my dog. But I am curious as to what you feed yours, thats all. If you had just responded simply then the conversation would not have branched at all. But now you've peaked my curiosity! I'm not going to start feeding my animal whatever you feed yours, it was just a question!


I would've PM'd you but you have disabled the function.

[sotmog]

Hi Lisa,

I have to find out how to enable the PM function...I didn't know it wasn't working. I'll check it out now.
It'd be great to privately discuss how much you/I feed your dog.

[sotmog]

I would've PM'd you but you have disabled the function.[/QUOTE]
Lisa,
I think the PM function works now... not sure why it didn't before. At the least, feel free to email me. Would love to see pics of your doggie, too.

[sotmog]

Lisa, your dog is soooooooo adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You gotta share her graduation pic w/ everyone!

[phillydogs]

I bet he thinks you're going to take him back there, thats why he isn't going near the car. Poor baby.

I have the opposite problem. I took my dogs to my sister-in-laws about a month ago and she has a huge yard and they played and played all day. Now my dog Noel tries to jump in any open car door while we are walking because she WANTS to go back there, LOL

He'll come around. It probably just hit him hard, especially if you hadn't been away from him before. He probably thought you weren't coming back :(

[Razlucky]

Sotmog,

Your Boxer is very cute! I am happy that everything is better now for you.

[sotmog]

Hi Philly... I wish I had the same problem w/ Sultan.
Next time I'll use a sitter... if I can find one.
Thanks Razlucky!
Sultan's back to normal now... he dug up 2 plants in the backyard today...so we know he's on the road to mental recovery!:) The plants won't be so lucky, however!!

[Otto-San]

Hi Sotmog,
the first time I boarded my boy it was a last minute thing so I went to my vet's. He seemed ok after spending 5 days with them. They were a bit perturbed w. having to do that (then why do they offer the service?) and suggested a kennel. So, the next 2 times I left him w. the suggested kennel. Otto came back and didn't eat for a day and wasn't himself to the point where I ran out and bought him new kibble - I left Nature's Balance for him at the kennel and since then, he won't touch it!
I'm thinking he didn't like being in a crate all day. Is your pup crated during the day? If not, maybe you need to look for a kennel that lets the pups roam around. I've found one near me and plan to use it in the future. Either way, you might want to check out another kennel if your pup's not happy.

[_Lisa_]

Lisa, your dog is soooooooo adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You gotta share her graduation pic w/ everyone!

You know, I could've sworn I posted it before but I can't find it now! :) Here it is now for everyone to see:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/lharper136/annagrad.jpg

[sotmog]

Hi Sotmog,
the first time I boarded my boy it was a last minute thing so I went to my vet's. He seemed ok after spending 5 days with them. They were a bit perturbed w. having to do that (then why do they offer the service?) and suggested a kennel. So, the next 2 times I left him w. the suggested kennel. Otto came back and didn't eat for a day and wasn't himself to the point where I ran out and bought him new kibble - I left Nature's Balance for him at the kennel and since then, he won't touch it!
I'm thinking he didn't like being in a crate all day. Is your pup crated during the day? If not, maybe you need to look for a kennel that lets the pups roam around. I've found one near me and plan to use it in the future. Either way, you might want to check out another kennel if your pup's not happy.
Hi Otto,
That makes a lot of sense about the food. My dog isn't crated during the day, because I'm home w/ him. When we do have to leave him home alone, he has his own room that's gated off from the other rooms. He does have a kennel that he likes to sleep in, but that's by his own doing ( a habit he's had since a puppy). We don't close the gate on the kennel... he just goes in & sleeps when he wants...as a matter of fact, it's the only place he'll sleep, but it's nice & cozy. The kennel wouldn't let me look around before leaving him. They said I'd have to make an appointment to visit the actual boarding rooms.
I could see the rooms from the main entry room & from the outside of the building. They were pretty large rooms, but who knows what went on once I left him or if he just hated being away from me. Either way, I'm gonna do my best to find a sitter or another boarding facility. Finding a sitter is a nightmare, because I'll have to trust someone enough to let them stay in my home while I'm gone... that presents another set of problems these days.
I'm asking friends if they'd be interested in sitting for me if I ever have to leave him again. If they won't, I'll have to do boarding somewhere, again...and I hate the thought of that.

[_Lisa_]

The kennel wouldn't let me look around before leaving him. They said I'd have to make an appointment to visit the actual boarding rooms.
I could see the rooms from the main entry room & from the outside of the building.

That is ridiculous if they won't let you walk around before you drop him off. Its one thing if they ask you to wait because they have other animals to check-in, but to ask you to make another appointment? I wouldn't like that at all!

We're lucky to have found a place that Anna doesn't seem to mind-its called PetSuites. In fact, she is staying there for doggie daycare there this Friday. Hopefully you'll be able to find another place you like just as much.

[sotmog]

That is ridiculous if they won't let you walk around before you drop him off. Its one thing if they ask you to wait because they have other animals to check-in, but to ask you to make another appointment? I wouldn't like that at all!

We're lucky to have found a place that Anna doesn't seem to mind-its called PetSuites. In fact, she is staying there for doggie daycare there this Friday. Hopefully you'll be able to find another place you like just as much.

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for sharing the pic... it's sooooo cute! Love that little graduation cap!
Can't believe she sat still long enough to let you put it on her head. My dog would freak!:p
You're right, it's crazy that they wouldn't let me check the place out. What are they trying to hide? I won't be using them again, but I will have to find another alternative... you never know when you'll have to travel! Right?
I might try some of those doggie day care places you mentioned... it's a good way to find out if he'll like the people or not..what do you think?
I'm going to email you back tomorrow. I've had a busy, rainy, cold day...!

[sotmog]

Hi All,

Just wanted to post an update & give a suggestion for others who had similar issues w/ kennels/dog boarding facilities.
I found a pet sitting service! I asked my vet & he gave me several places that his office trusts (they were also bonded & have references)! That's what I'll be doing in November (when I have to leave again). So, now I know where to look when I need boarding services... I also found a lot of brochures in the pet food store!
Thank you all for your help & tips!!!!!!!!!!!!

........Sultan is also back to normal, to say the least!!!!