3 Reasons Your Dog Loves Boarding at Canine to Five
The holidays are coming, which means there’s a lot of people looking for dog boarding facilities around the Metro Detroit area. That means it’s time to get those reservations in or else you risk being odd pup out at a Southeastern Michigan-sized game of musical chairs (kennels), or… even worse… this:
…or this…
Bottom line: You’re a human and you need vacations and holidays. You also love your pup as part of your family, but sometimes they don’t fit into that equation. That’s why Canine to Five has made dog boarding guilt-free by turning it into a pup vacation.
1. “Change? I Hate Change.”
There is no one in this world your dog loves more than you, and that’s the truth. So being away from you is tough on your dog, particularly if you have an outgoing, active and social pup. Going from your home environment to an unfamiliar kennel all day is a drastic change with very little stimulation or benefit to your dog.
It’s a culture shock and dogs aren’t fans of drastic changes. The stress can cause fearfulness, aggression, separation anxiety, lack of interest in eating, and depression. That’s why dogs often show new behavioral issues after staying in a traditional kennel.
Selecting a dog boarding facility that offers (and emphasizes) handler-monitored “Free Play” with other dogs during the day may be the best fit for your dog’s well being. It’s basically like going to Disney Land for a dog. Also, ask if a staff member/handler stays overnight with the dogs. Both Canine to Five locations have a Pack Handler stay overnight in the facility near the dog as both a safety and a comfort measure. These factors make boarding feel less like “Change” to your dog, and more like “Routine.”
2. “Finally, someone I can talk to!”
Communication with your dog is both important and an ongoing process. It takes time for the two of you to learn how to communicate with one another because of one simple fact – you are human, and your dog is a dog. However, dogs communicate with each other effortlessly and the benefits of this are endless.
Imagine not speaking or understanding Italian, but moving to Italy for a year. You struggle at first and it’s overwhelming, but bit by bit you begin to learn the language and you build confidence. Then, you run into an English-speaking tourist… sweet, sweet conversational ecstasy! It’s effortless and wonderful.
That’s what it’s like for your dog. Communication with other dogs improves both your dog’s quality of life and supercharges their training. Before boarding your dog, think about what sort of “communication” they will be getting from the facility. If other dogs are stressed out, your dog will feed off that communication. If other dogs are having the time of their life, your dog will likely feed off that. While playing in a monitored pack atmosphere, your dog will be able to communicate with a variety of dogs including older dogs farther along in their training. Being part of a pack brings out your dog’s natural instincts, and when that occurs their ability to learn is unprecedented. Even the Wall Street Journal says so!
3. “You eat turkey, I’m gonna sniff some butts – it’s a Win Win!”
It’s hard to fully enjoy that juicy turkey with a side of green bean casserole wonderfulness when you’re feeling guilty about boarding your dog. We could go on and on about the benefits of Free-Play dog boarding for your active and socialized pup, but in the end the biggest benefit is for YOU. Your dog feeds off your emotions and either mirrors them or uses them. (My dog is a mastermind of manipulation, for sure.)
A little time away to enjoy a holiday or vacation is exactly what you need as a human for happiness and balance. It’s important for not only your wellbeing, but also for your dog’s wellbeing that you get the most out of it, and feeling guilty about Fido in a kennel all day is not going to get you there. That’s the brilliant thing about dogs – when you are happy, they’re happy too!
That’s why Canine to Five Detroit and Ferndale both offer a unique boarding option for dog aligned with our “Pack” culture along with Handler-Attended Overnights. Dogs are pack animals, and are healthiest and happiest when properly socialized and exercised. So Canine to Five offers what we call “Free-Play” boarding. When your dog boards with us, he/she is welcomed into the pack during our daycare hours for a full day of playing, exercising and socialization within our closely monitored pack of dogs and handlers.
To board at Canine to Five, all dogs must meet the same requirements as our daycare dogs since they’ll be interacting with the pack all day. It takes a little more effort than simply dropping your dog off at a kennel, but we promise every bit of pre-boarding effort will be worth it when you come home from your vacation or holiday exhausted from all the fun you had, and your dog does too.