Prevent Your Panicky Puppy From Freaking Out At A Pet Boarding Facility

Most days of the year, you are perfectly capable of taking your furry four-legged pal along with you wherever you go. However, no matter how much you love your pooch, there are bound to be occasions when you have no choice but to leave it behind. Unfortunately, if you have a dog who suffers from separation anxiety, this can be a nerve-wracking experience for everyone involved. If life has handed you a predicament and a pet boarding facility is your only option as a pet parent, there are a few things you can do to calm your panicky puppy to prevent an all-out meltdown.  

Try natural remedies to help encourage a state of calmness before you go. 

While there are prescription medications that the veterinarian can give you to sedate your dog or just calm it down, there are much safer, all-natural alternatives that are easy enough to try on your own. For example, did you know that you can give your dog a mild chamomile tea to help calm their nerves or even rub lemon balm on the pads of their feet before a stressful event? Just trying a few natural remedies before taking your pet to the boarding facility can help ease them into the situation without such a big reaction to you leaving them behind in a strange place. 

Pack along a few favorite things for your nervous canine. 

Instead of just taking your dog to the boarding facility, make sure you take a few of their favorite things to keep them comfortable. Just imagine how odd you would feel if you had to stay in a strange place with nothing of your own with you. Send along their favorite chew toys, favorite pet bed or pillow, and even their usual food and water dishes. The boarding facility will keep these items in the pen with your pet so they will be surrounded by things that look familiar. 

Send an unwashed shirt or jacket of yours to the facility with your pup. 

If there is one thing your dog knows about you, it is how you smell. You smell like home to them, so if they have this familiar odor present while you are away, they will be less likely to feel freaked out about being in a strange place. Grab a t-shirt, jacket, or other article of clothing, preferably unwashed and still saturated in your natural odor, that you can live without for a few days, and take it with you to the boarding facility.