Hello, sorry for the long post! Would love to hear your thoughts as we are so confused. Our 8 month old lab Cambie just spent a weekend homeboarding for the first time. The report from the sitter when we got her back sounded like a completely different dog. I realise the stress of a new environment will have contributed to her behaviour but it made me so sad to hear the sitter describe her as ‘petrified’ of people, pooped whenever she saw a person, the sitter was worried she was so scared she may have bitten. And she cried for an hour before going to sleep at night. She didn’t even do that when we brought her home at 8 weeks! The real problem we are finding is that we are getting conflicting advice and don’t know what to think. Our usual vet has alway said Cambie is a drama queen and I agree, quite vocal and excitable. But she has never expressed real concern. Then a covering vet said we needed to address her behaviour sooner rather than later because she was too jumpy and grabby with her paws. Cambie has been going to puppy training class weekly for 4 months and loves it. She has two trainers there and both have said she is quite a handful but totally normal. One commented on how well socialised she has been cause she loves people and other dogs so much. She is very well liked at puppy class and the trainers have been really supportive and have helped us manage her. They have never expressed any concern though, she is great at recall and picks new things up quickly. Our main issue at puppy class is getting her to focus on us outside the house and have started clicker training to work on this. I have called a professional behaviourist so we can get some more advice. I’m really worried hearing we may have major problems but at the same time it doesn’t fit with our knowledge of the pup we know and love. Did you get conflicting advice from various people interacting with your puppy? What did you decide to do, if anything?
Hi @Cambie’s Mum Welcome to the forum. I am sorry to see that you are getting so much conflicting opinions. Maybe you need to consider whether some opinions are better than others. Vets generally know very little about dog behaviour. And does your dog sitter have any expertise in dog behaviour? One needs to understand that being away from you, and being exposed to veterinary surgeries with large numbers of strange odours can be stressful places for a young dog. Your own observations and that of the dog trainers suggests she is doing well. I don't see anything you have said that would suggest you shouldn't trust your own observations. I would think about reading a copy of Deborah Jones https://www.amazon.com/Cooperative-Care-Seven-Stress-Free-Husbandry/dp/0578423138 You can then have a better idea of whether the covering vet really knows how to handle an anxious dog. And train your puppy that touching need not be a fearful experience. You can help the vet. I definitely wouldn't take my dog back to the sitter. Sounds like the puppy had a terrible experience.
Hi Michael, Thanks so much for your reply and the link to the book, that’s helpful. The sitter worked at The Dog’s Trust caring for dogs and has a certificate in animal behaviour but in all honesty I’m not sure what that really means I’m terms of her experience. I agree I would not send Cambie there again. Thanks for your support with this concern.
Hi Cambie's Mum, welcome to the forum! It's horrible being given conflicting advice How's Cambie been since she's been home? Do you usually use reward based training methods, and does the sitter do the same when she was with her? Obviously just a guess having not met her, but it could just be that she had a very different approach and she was unsettled? Do let us know how she gets along!
@Cambie’s Mum - the big question, is how is she now you have her home again? Are you still seeing the behaviours described by the dog sitter now she is back in her familiar environment, or is she a mess still? If she appears to be settling down again, I wouldn't necessarily do anything. Try to keep everything as predictable and familiar as she is used to. You might want to get an Adaptil diffuser up and running in the room she spends most time in, and an Adaptil collar on her - and consider a course of Zylkene and also a calming supplement that has L-theanine in it - which research shows does have a calming effect. (See Maxxi Calm, or there's the Adaptil tablets or Calmex - there are several different brands on the market now.) If her behaviour is continuing, then you need to take a more proactive approach... And I definitely would not leave her in a home boarding place again. I really dislike these kind of places, I had a client with a yellow lab which had her leg broken whilst staying at one - just due to rough playing with other dogs and jumping on and off furniture. What was incredible was that the home sitter didn't even notice she was limping or that anything was wrong, till the owners came back from holiday and collected her. They noticed immediately and took her to the vet, where an xray revealed a broken leg. I know that people worry their dog is going to be abandoned and lonely in kennels, pining and mourning for them and miserable and they want to find somewhere that is a 'home' for the dog to stay in, but the truth is that it's rarely the best option and the majority of dogs will be much better off in a good kennels they have been introduced to slowly - for an afternoon stay a few times, then overnight, for example, before being left. They will be physically safe and their environment will be completely controlled.
