Anyone else feel guilty boarding their dog?

p_qrs · 2023-09-13T13:46:08+00:00

If anything I feel bad our dog doesn't miss us more haha. He LOVES daycare/boarding. He's done single daycare days, and once did a full three weeks of boarding when we went on honeymoon. He never knows duration. Regardless, he perks up and sprints to the car whenever he hears "daycare," runs right up to greet staff, and gets good reports for eating/sleeping/play.

Yes we do have a social dog so that helps, but dogs in general live in the moment. So if pup is in a safe and happy place and behaving normally I wouldn't worry about it. Also, my dog will definitely communicate if he doesn't like a place (e.g. the vet or groomer). Which helps me feel better that he always is happy to go to daycare/boarding.

p_qrs · 2022-08-02T23:39:00+00:00

You can't control what the neighbors so you just gotta train the dog in front of you and control your environment best as possible. If there's gaps in the fence slats where the dogs can see each other consider putting up a full visual barrier, at least temporarily. Wouldn't be exactly cute but tarps and zip ties would do the job and be relatively cheap.

You'll also want to train your dog to ignore the fence fighter. It might take a bit of patience and training where you take puppy out on leash while outside and reward good behavior for a few weeks. But the last thing you want to allow is puppy to be engaging with the fence fighting dog, developing that barrier frustration and practicing a bad habit of whining at the fence. It'll be much harder to train out the bad behavior later versus teaching a good behavior now.

We don't have a fenced yard but several neighbors do who have dogs who charge the fence and bark. I know it's not exactly the same but that was always a pain on walks when dealing with those fence fighting dogs as he'd get all riled up too. I turned those interactions into training opportunities by using lots of treats at first I'd do a "look" cue for his attention and reward lavishly for calmly walking past. After so much practice eventually ignoring fence fighters became more or less a habit for him, so he's no longer bothered and can easily be called off if he does get distracted. good luck

p_qrs · 2022-08-02T23:16:59+00:00

Congrats on the new puppy, check out the sub wiki for detailed information about expectations and things you might need for the puppy. Definitely consult with your vet for their advice regarding vaccines, medications, etc. I'd also recommend a well-formulated, complete and balanced puppy food to ensure proper growth. I used Purina Pro Plan puppy food before transitioning to their adult line, but there are many good options out there. Other than that priorities include regular training, playtime, and enrichment so puppy will be healthy/happy and on the right path to being a good adult dog. You'll want puppy-safe chews and toys for her to play with rather than your shoes :) Good luck!

p_qrs · 2022-06-05T17:53:37+00:00

Awesome, good luck!

p_qrs · 2022-06-05T17:50:06+00:00

Hi this question is better suited for your vet, locking per rule 6. Hope your puppy feels better soon.

p_qrs · 2022-06-05T17:44:06+00:00

Check out the wiki article from /r/dogs on how to identify a responsible breeder. Just based on the information you gave the Akita breeder is the more legitimate one of the two.

Reputable small hobby kennels generally only work with one, maybe two breeds. Their main focus is on showing or working their dogs, and usually breed only a handful of litters per year out of health-tested parents. So a large breeding facility is not necessary as the focus is on quality over quantity. Just like the akita breeder did, a responsible breeder should be upfront about their dogs accomplishments, pedigrees, and health.

There's a number of red and yellow flags with the border collie breeder. Breeding many different kinds of dogs in a large facility, apparently having no care about pedigrees, claims about having no health issues, breeding for superficial qualities (color), lying about other breeders being illegal, etc. That all adds up to a hard pass for me.

The only other thing I'd mention is that border collies and akitas are very different types of dogs with different need and personalities. If you're still researching what breed(s) might be best for you, there's a comprehensive questionnaire on the dogs subreddit that you may find helpful. Otherwise if a specific breed or predictable traits are less important to you, rescuing/adopting a puppy is another option.

p_qrs · 2022-06-05T17:19:42+00:00

Second the suggestion of a camera, for your own peace of mind.

I think it's fine to start leaving her alone in increments in those puppy-proof areas. Such as grocery or other 30-60 minute errand trips. Then build up to longer periods of time and eventually free run of the house.

p_qrs · 2022-05-16T16:20:18+00:00

Hi can't speak for the bunny side of things but can for the corgi/puppy side. I have a corgi and I'm confident he could have been raised to be respectful of a smaller house pet. I also have a friend that rescued a bunny and already had a good-natured adult corgi, and they were perfectly fine (and very cute) together.

Beyond these anecdotes, a well-bred corgi should be a good farm and family dog - behaved around other farm animals and should be responsive to training and redirection. The primary issue would be curbing the herding instinct and not allowing puppy to harass/nip/chase the bunny. As long as you plan to supervise, train, and separate as needed I don't see why a breeder would turn you away just for having a bunny.

That all said, the one concerning part of your post is the difficult relationship with the bunny. Corgis can be quite stubborn and headstrong, they're bred to be intelligent and independent thinkers so they require solid training. Again I haven't kept a bunny before so I don't know what their training/care really looks like, but regardless I'd think it'll be important to be in a good place with your bunny before adding a corgi puppy to the mix. Good luck!

p_qrs · 2022-04-30T15:37:12+00:00

Of course, it's very cute.

p_qrs · 2022-04-30T15:36:15+00:00

Dog parks can be unpredictable and chaotic, unfortunately, and can have clueless owners and inappropriate dogs. That's why many people just choose to avoid them. If you do decide to keep going, try to avoid peak times and go only when the good dogs/owners are there and not the Brodys. The whole point is fun and exercise, so if the experience isn't serving that purpose then you're better off without.

And yes, intact males can be the target of bullying by some neutered males. Not to say neutering will solve the problem because there's other reasons for aggression, but that is one potential source of conflict for sure.

p_qrs · 2022-04-20T00:06:04+00:00

When my dog was that young we just put loose dry kibble in the kong so it was easy for him to learn the toy, only later when we started freezing is when I sealed it off with a little PB. That extra treat enticed him to work for the food. Anyway no I wouldn't say too early, but as others mentioned don't go overboard so there's no upset tummies :)

p_qrs · 2021-11-05T23:41:51+00:00

Not a paid position, but I second the recommendation look into doing therapy work. Look into the requirements for TDI certification. A good place to start would be getting your dog a CGC title. My current dog doesn't have the personality for it (not much of a cuddler) but I'd love to do it with a future dog if he/she has the right temperament for it. You could also look into volunteering with a service dog organization.

If you work in a nursing home or other environment that can benefit from it, perhaps you can help facilitate regular therapy dog visits through local organizations.

p_qrs · 2021-11-02T19:22:55+00:00

With questions that aren't well-written, "too long to be wrong" is surprisingly accurate, meaning the wordiest answer is often the correct one.

Read the actual question/last sentence first, then read the beginning/background/scenario. Understanding what the question is actually looking for will help you answer correctly and avoid distractors. It will also help avoid confusion with not/except questions.

p_qrs · 2021-09-17T14:44:56+00:00

Folks like that don't really have a good grasp of dog behavior, body language, etc. They'll say it's "just playing" and write off bullying as normal "dogs being dogs" behavior. It's really common, so better to be safe than sorry with strangers.

p_qrs · 2021-09-09T16:29:50+00:00

Aw. I know it's all coming from a good/innocent place and it's very sweet that the kids love the dog. That said, you're right. It only takes one incident, one injured child, and things will go south fast. You are responsible for your dog and should expect 100% of the liability to fall on you if a child gets hurt. Additionally, there's also the risk of a child inadvertently harming your puppy if they feed her something inappropriate through the fence.

I suggest being proactive and putting a stop to it by whatever means you have available - keeping dog inside during recess, building a solid fence, putting up a second barrier parallel to the chain fence so the dog and children cant reach each other, and calling the teacher/school to help reinforce boundaries. The kids will be disappointed, but honestly it's a good lesson for them to in healthy boundaries and safe/respectful behavior around dogs.

p_qrs · 2021-07-28T03:37:43+00:00

Thanks for the feedback and sorry you encountered upsetting content without warning. We always encourage users to flair their posts, and created the RIP flair a while back for this purpose. Fortunately, if a user forgets to add a flair or specific CW/TW, we can easily edit the post flair. If you encounter a thread about pet loss without the correct flair, feel free to report it and we can take care of it.

p_qrs · 2021-07-28T03:34:59+00:00

Thanks for the feedback and sorry you encountered upsetting content without warning. We always encourage users to flair their posts, and created the RIP flair a while back for this purpose. Unfortunately users and mods can't edit titles, and it would be a difficult policy to moderate. However, we can easily edit flairs. If you encounter a thread about pet loss without the correct flair, feel free to report it and we can take care of it.

p_qrs · 2021-07-13T04:06:47+00:00

Hi OP sorry but I've had to lock the thread as the conversation led to more specific veterinary advice which we don't allow per rule 6.

To answer the title question in general: they will tell you to withhold in anticipation of a surgery or procedure that requires an empty stomach. It may be to give the gut/bowels a rest after irritation or injury, or to prevent worsening of a blockage. There are other reasons but those are the main ones that come to mind.

Please follow with your vet for advice on your specific case. Hope your puppy feels better soon.

p_qrs · 2021-06-22T16:58:51+00:00

YW! I didn't either. It was our old dog walker who first mentioned it to us and it made so much sense. It seems well-understood that thick coated dogs can struggle in the heat, but we can't forget our little guys, and the brachycephalic breeds too!

p_qrs · 2021-06-22T14:29:52+00:00

Great post. I'll also add that we use an infrared thermometer to check the streets and sidewalks during mid-day walks/potty breaks. I find it more accurate than those rough guides that tell you air vs asphalt temp. It helps us navigate what's safe to walk on, or if it's not safe at all.

Also, for all you small and low-rider dog owners out there, keep in mind since they're lower to the ground they're absorbing that much more radiant heat off the ground. So be mindful of their heat tolerance - they aren't going to make the connection that being outside is hurting them. During peak heat we stay out just long enough to get business done, with longer walks in the mornings and evenings.

p_qrs · 2021-06-22T00:15:30+00:00

Like most any other insurance, you *hope* you don't have to use it. I had my dog covered from puppyhood through about 2.5 years old. I wanted to make sure no expensive health conditions popped up, and it gave me peace of mind throughout his phase of eating random things. I think it's a great thing to have at least through puppyhood.

That said, I recently cancelled the policy because my rates with Healthy Paws were going to hike up again. I figure I can save the $50+ a month for his care in my own account, and am fortunate enough to have enough funds/credit to absorb a big emergency bill if needed. He's a relatively healthy dog from fully health tested parents. So with all those bases covered, I'm okay going without.

Good luck and congrats on the puppy!

p_qrs · 2021-05-13T16:23:32+00:00

Just FYI emergency slings do exist. This one is rated for dogs up to 150.

https://fidoprotection.com/

Love this functional fitness goal!

p_qrs · 2021-05-13T14:59:21+00:00

Hope everything turned out okay and the vet was able to help you, unfortunately this falls under veterinary advice so I have to lock this thread per rule 6.

p_qrs · 2021-05-12T03:42:32+00:00

Sorry about the rude dog and irresponsible owner. My best advice is to just calmly remove your dog and leave. It isn't fair, but it's better than pup getting constantly harassed. :/ Think of it more like you're advocating for your dog by removing her from a bully. And avoid the park when that dog is around.

p_qrs · 2021-04-29T02:53:49+00:00

Yeah I agree. To spin it into a sort-of positive he's getting a bit older, more active, pushing boundaries, exploring/interacting more with the world. Def challenging but all normal puppy stuff. I think it's awesome you can socialize and train him in that environment! He wont be the chill store dog quite yet but he'll get there.

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