Would boarding be traumatic to new pup?

[Sher]

I got this 5 month old pup on June 7th. We have to travel 1,000 miles one way on July 7th. I WAS planning on taking her with me, but am rethinking that option, considering she isn't totally housebroken yet and the fact that she is so young for such a long trip. I am not sure my husband, myself or her will be up for the stress. However, I was wondering if anyone knows if it will be particularly traumatic for her being separated from us for a week since we will only have had her 4 weeks by then? I was thinking of boarding her at my vets and having her spayed at the same time. They have indoor a/c runs (hot/humid FL),so that sounds good to me. Any suggestions/advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Regarding the spaying during boarding, read this thread.

I'm not sure why one would plan such a huge trip immediately after getting a puppy. Is there someone she can stay with? family? Friends? Boarding may be your only option, but I don't see why she couldn't go with.

 

[Colin Pederson]

Hi Sher,
This is a bit of an unfortunate situation - it's not really ideal to plan a major trip so soon after getting a puppy.
Consider the world from your pup's point of view: in her short 5 months of life so far, she's already had several changes of circumstance. After four weeks of living with you and your husband, she'll JUST be starting to get used to a routine; disrupting it now is likely to be traumatic, unfortunately.
Whether or not it's best to take her with you depends on what you'll be doing. When you're at your destination, will you be able to spend much time with her? Or would she be spending most of it cooped up in a hotel room somewhere? Even if you can only spend a short amount of time with her each day while at your destination, this is still preferable to not seeing her at all for a whole week while she's just learning to trust you and your husband.
Ideally, you'd take her with you, as the first few months with a new owner are an important bonding time; 'abandoning' her (which is how she'll see it) will only damage the developing trust between you and your dog, and the week of your absence will likely be an anxious and stressful time for her.

 

[Zoom]

Some dogs can take it just fine and this really depends on the quality of boarding facility you choose. We get quite a few young pups in and we fawn and coo over them worse than their family does, so they dont' feel abandoned at all. Expect housebreaking to take a few steps backward. Depsite all efforts of boarding staff, noone is able to keep to a home schedual like you are. Also expect another period of adjustment when they get home and have to get used to you again.

Depending on where you take them and how stringent their cleaning is, you might have some health issues to deal with when you come back. That's a young pup to have to deal with all sorts of potential health issues. It really hinges on how well they clean and how often.

 

[SisMorphine]

From day one my pup was being boarded at night, spending the night at friend's places away from me, and just being passed around. Did it stress her out? Sure it did. BUT the only way a dog can learn how to deal with stressful situations is to BE in stressful situations. Now at 6 months Teeny is **** bomb proof and I could leave her just about anywhere and as long as she could play she'd be happy.

At work we suggest to puppy owners to start boarding them young as it's easier for a pup to recover and learn to love boarding than for the 5 year old dog who boards for the first time.

You will have had the pup for 4 weeks, plenty of time! I would choose a facility that perhaps has daycare also so you can drop the pup off for daycare a few times prior to boarding so that she's familiar with the facility.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Wow. ^

 

[Sher]

We had this trip planned long before we got the puppy. We had been thinking of getting a pup for several years but just never followed thru. Then my sister-in-laws daughter had this dog that she got a didn't know she had to put up a good deal of money at her condo association to keep and she didn't have the money or didn't want to spend the money and was looking for someone to take the dog. I agree it was bad timing, but it was like a "now or never" type thing. She was so cute! And I so did want the company.

Anyway, now I am quite confused. Would it be more stressful to travel with "Lily" or board her? We would stay one night on the road coming and going. (traveling from FL to PA). Then 1 week in a motel. I don't think we would ever leave her in the motel alone. I would be visiting my children's houses and they are all dog friendly. Only can think of several times when Lily wouldn't be with us. That is when we are attending my daughter's graduation from nursing school and when we are eating out.

It really would be easier on me to just board her, but I surely don't want to cause her any trauma. On the other hand, I have COPD and have to look out for myself too and the trip in itself is stressful enough, let alone with a new puppy to contend with... I know... terrible timing...

 

[SisMorphine]

Wow. ^

?????

 

[Herschel]

If you're driving you should definitely take her with you. Just make it a fun, stress-free experience for everyone involved.

Make sure you take plenty of stops to exercise her and make sure you take her home crate along with you so she has a familiar place to sleep while you're on the road.

 

[squirtsmom]

Buddy's Parents I am with you. We got our pup yesterday because we will be home for the summer for trainilng and bonding. I think it is hard for them to be boarded so soon. Good luck though and congrats on the new pup. Very exciting.

 

[mjb]

I don't know how stressful it is on them, but I have a friend who boarded hers a week after she got her puppy. She's had the puppy 6 months now, and she doesn't seem to be any worse for the experience. I don't know how it was on her while it was taking place, though. She also had 2 other dogs frome her house boarding with her, but, since she had only lived there a week, I don't think she knew the other dogs well at all. I'm sure she wasn't kept in the same run or kennel as them.

I have another friend who is going out of town a month after getting her puppy. She talked to the vet about boarding him, and the vet recommended having a neighbor watch him (she has a neighbor who has volunteered to do so, but she didn't know what would be best) would be less stressful on him than boarding him. She was planning to board with this vet, and the vet thought having a neighbor watch him at home would be less stressful.

 

[caseysbiatch]

hi sher...
i have the same situation...5month old puppy and i have to board her next month for 6 days... not ideal but hey sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.. im trying not to stress and i'll just have to suck it up.
after the trip she'll be lavished with love and affection again and i think like a new baby she'll cope..adjust...and will get over it. although im expecting housebreaking setbacks..
from reading about your trip...my opinion is its gonna be really stressful dealing with a new puppy on the road and in motels... im not a seasoned dog owner so for me ...i personally couldnt deal with a puppy on vacation..
different if you were gonna be at a campground..
is your pup housebroken? if not how will you deal with her having accidents on the road, in motels and in family members homes?
as long as where your boarding her comes with good reviews i would try not to feel guilty and enjoy your trip

 

[StunnedMonkey]

We're having our 5 1/2 month old (at that time) pup boarded for 10 days in July. I'm not particularly thrilled about it either, but there's nothing that can be done.

Do what you think is best, and enjoy your trip either way.

 

[bubbatd]

I'd have the pup travel with me ..........

 

[T&D's Mum]

One option that we have in Australia is through a place that finds you a family who will treat your pup the same way you do and care for it while you're away. It's almost like they 'adopt' it. We're doing that with our little ones when we go away later in the year.

 

[Sher]

I am probably making a horrible mistake, but we have decided to take the puppy with us on the trip. I just couldn't bear the thought of dropping her off at some strange place where I really had no personal experience how they treat the dogs in their care. And the idea that she would think she was going to yet another home (and a cold and mostly loveless one at that) in her short 5 months of life was another thought I really did not like.

Anyway, we will just do the best we can do with her. I know it will be stressful, but we will just have to have patience and hope we are doing the right thing. Thank you for your replies...

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Make the best out of it, don't go into it thinking it's going to suck.

I like traveling with my dogs- they're a part of our family.

FYI- Motel 6, while lower end, is dog friendly.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

I'm not sure why one would plan such a huge trip immediately after getting a puppy. Is there someone she can stay with? family? Friends? Boarding may be your only option, but I don't see why she couldn't go with.

Roomie did that. Bought Cider.. Went oh *beep* It's xmas. I can't possibly take a dog home in three days. Uh can you take her though you know nothing about dogs. And I got to take her for 2 weeks of Xmas... Ended up bonding to me from the beginning die to that initial time together actually..

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Cider and I have traveled a lot. She's always just slept. I often tethered her to me in people's houses to prevent accidents out of my control out of my sight..

New pup is coming in a few weeks. Plan on taking both of them to NY state hopefully in august. Really not too worried. Figure it can't be too too much different I hope.

 

[doberkim]

You have the pup, nothing can be done about it now.

If you can swing it, taking her is always still an option. No, housebreaking is hard in the car, but it can be done - just know you WILL be stopping every 2-4 hours to make sure she doesn't have an accident - going any longer and you will just be PO"d that you have to constantly clean her crate!

As for how she will do - yes, she could potentially be absolutely fine. We have a few pups that board and most of them do just fine - I'll be honest (I have worked at vet clinics that board as well as one vet clinic that had a large attached boarding facility) - there is NO way your dog will be walked enough to make sure it retains housebreaking (because your dog will be in a cage, a run, or a room and not 100% supervised at all times), and likely will have to do a 12 hour night or so once in awhile. That being said, many dogs do just fine even with that. Temperamentally, some dogs are very sensitive and shy, and they are afraid of so many other dogs who bark often, new people, etc. Other dogs take it in stride and could care less - especially well socialized ones. I've had pups that walk in like they own the place and could care less that they are not home - we take them out to play all the time, cuddle them, etc.