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Does anyone have any advice on boarding dogs when you don't feel it is safe to leave them alone?

Hi,

I could really do with some advice from experienced sitters. I've been boarding dogs all summer and it's been going well. However, I notice that most of the time even though my dog is fairly tolerant of other dogs coming into our home, I don't always feel comfortable leaving dogs off leash to roam around my house. My dog is older at 8 and a half and younger dogs can sometimes annoy her. Occasionally she will really click with a dog and they will be best buds but often it's a mixture where they walk really well together and are friendly but where issues can come up and i have to watch them closely all the time. We have a wonderful dog staying with us at the moment but when he sees one of our cats he chases it and my dog thinks he is attacking the cat and gets very protective. Our house is a split level and we have pet gates on nearly every floor (and a separate exit through a bilco door in the basement for potty breaks) so I can keep animals separate but it feels like a lot of work and my goal is always for every animal to be a part of the family and for all animals in the house to be able to mix. The reality is that most jobs require some separation or at least being constantly vigilant. I'm wondering for other people who board regularly, do your own dog(s) get on well with all other dogs or do you just naturally separate everyone most of the time? When I see an issue like maybe growling over something it makes me nervous and I tend to keep everyone separate out of fear of future problems. If there is anyone willing to share tips and feedback on this issue I would really appreciate it. I'm trying to figure out if boarding is for us and also whether my expectations of how boarding should go are reasonable! Thanks in advance!

3 Answers

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Dylan S.

I have 3 dogs of my own and take on 1 to 2 dogs at a time. If I have 2 dogs in addition to my own usually one of the boarding dogs go home within a day. I know my limits after having had up to 7 dogs at one time by myself. Every room in my house was filled with dogs, but I kept the rules below which got me through it.

Boarding is not for everyone and is not as easy or "nice" as Rover makes it out to be. Many dogs end up pooping or peeing in the house because it's a new place, this happens just about every time I get a new stay. Even though they are let out continuously. Many times blankets or toys get destroyed as well.

Housing multiple dogs can be difficult even if they are your own. I know my dogs in and out plus they are naturally a nonaggressive and a pack oriented breed. Yet it doesn't mean I can trust them with new dogs especially if they are just completely opposite to them like a super hyper breed. They get overwhelmed when I have boardings longer than 2 weeks. So I had to learn their limit as well. Since your dog is older you may have to figure out their limit with the amount of boarding you can do.

When it comes to the dogs I bring in each dog gets catered to in different ways. They have different feeding, potty, and sleeping schedules. You'll have to take this into consideration, if a dog gets up to pee at 6AM everyday there is a good chance they are going to do that with you too even if you went to bed at 2AM and they got to potty.

Things I always do when boarding a dog, new or repeat is:

Separate during feeding time
Separate them when I am not present (going to the bathroom, doing a dog walk at another location, doing yard work, etc.)
Be present for every potty break or any outdoor time
Never give chews that are made of food (bully sticks, yak cheese, cow hooves, etc.)
Monitor playtime
Lay down the rules of the house

Just because they are not your dog doesn't mean they should be able to walk all over you in front of your own dog. This will make it so everyone walks all over you especially if there at 3 or more dogs in the house. This does not mean punishing, but if they are scratching wall, chewing furniture, playing too rough, asking to go in and out to go into the backyard and these are things you don't want don't allow it. It makes the stay go a lot smoother and helps to reinforce good behavior.

Now sometimes I do have to separate my dogs and the dog(s) I am boarding. They have good days and bad days, if my dogs ... (more)

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Though I've been mentally prepared for it, so far none of my boarding clients have eliminated in our apartment (though the still-finishing-her-housebreaking puppy I housesit for has done so in her own home, lol), reading this, I guess I've lucked out.

Tim J.

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Deb A.

This answer is formed from two perspectives: experienced sitter and client. Absolutely, I think you're doing the right thing by staying constantly vigilant, keeping them separate and yes, it's a lot of work, to do your best to ensure that no harm comes to animals on your watch. I agree that means if dogs aren't being watched, they need to be kept separate because as you realize dogs that like each other can react to stimulus (cat, delivery, etc) and all of the sudden a dog friend can get hurt.

Years ago, a dog boarding facility that houses over a dozen dogs at a time with constant supervision went through their process with us. When I asked about emergency care referenced in their paperwork, the response basically was every couple months a dog would tear part of another dog's ear off, which ended that as a potential possibility. Our dog never spent time at any such place and was left in hands of a sitter who only accepted 1 family's dogs at at time.

I'd caution that an unsupervised exit through a bilco door in the basement would cause me concern, in regards to multiple dogs sharing that travel path and also going outside alone.

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Hi Deb, Thanks so much for your response. I'm definitely aware and concerned about that stimulus response too where someone comes to the door etc As for the bilco door it is only open when I am letting a dog out and they are always supervised and let out one at a time. Thanks again appreciate it!

Carolyn K.

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Sherry S.

I have been boarding for the summer also. I try to take dogs that get along with the dog I watch everyday. So kinda like mine but goes home at night. And I never leave a dog I am boarding alone not even for a minute. The reason being is because I am being paid to watch them. I had a dog that was starting to chew on my carpet when I got him after to go to sleep. So I had to find something else for him to chew. Also when they play sometimes they can play rough and I have to intervene. I trust the dog I watch everyday because I know what she going to do. But some dogs just have weird tendency like eating rocks or trash. I don't want to have to call the owner for that.

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Does anyone have any advice on boarding dogs when you don't feel it is safe to leave them alone?

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