When you pick up:
All pets respond to change and new environments in different ways.
There are some things that could occur when a pet boards and we would like to share them with you in case your pet experiences any of them.
- Appetite changes:
This is common and not alarming.
Often pets boarding will not keep the same eating habits as at home.
There are more smells, increased activity and different noises which can impact their eating habits.
Our team is trained to know what to look for and we monitor daily food/water intake.
- Water consumption:
Dogs spend a lot of time playing in our yard which can impact how much they drink.
We keep plenty of water handy to accommodate the increased activity.
Increased water intake may result in increased urination.
We also monitor this daily.
- Frequent Urination:
Dogs that board are drinking more, smelling many new smells, and are adjusting to a new space. Many times, this will impact how often they urinate.
We are walking your pet multiple times a day in our fenced yard to allow them time to play and go to the bathroom.
Dogs may still urinate in their run, in response to the new smells and increased activity. Many dogs that never have accidents at home will do this and it is common.
Our team cleans the run when this happens and changes all bedding.
You may opt to have a dismissal bath at the end of your dog’s stay to help with any odor from their stay.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) changes:
Pets that board are experiencing a new space with many new faces and noises.
Your pet is never interacting with other pets, but they still see, hear and smell them.
It is common for pets to experience diarrhea or lack of appetite when they experience change.
If you get home and notice any GI upset please reach out to us at 518-283-1127.
If they experience any GI upset while here, our boarding team is trained to inform our medical team.
- Potential Injury:
When pets are in new situations, they sometimes will “nose rub” on the door, floor, bedding or bowls which could result in irritation to the nose
Some dogs will gnaw or scratch at the door/wall which could injure their mouth/paws
Excessive tail wagging could result in injury to their tail
Excessive barking is a common occurrence from excitement or anxiety. This can lead to a hoarse bark or cough and even lead to upper respiratory irritation/infection.
Our boarding team is trained to look for all of the above and alerts the medical team if they see any of the above behaviors or signs.
- Illness:
4 Paws requires all the vaccines possible to reduce risk of pet’s contracting any communicable diseases (ex. Bordetella / kennel cough) but with boarding there is risk of exposure and no vaccine has 100% effectiveness. Our team is trained on proper cleaning protocols and to look for any signs of illness in pets.
