My Grey Seems Depressed After Having Been Boarded

[deboosh]

We've had Bonnie for 7 months and last week we went away and boarded her at a greyhound camp for 10 days. We picked her up yesterday, and although she greeted us with excited wiggles and kisses, she's been very quiet and subdued at home, and to me, she looks depressed. She also seemed to have dropped some weight, so I took her to the vet's office to use their scale and it confirmed a 2 lb. loss. Her appetite has been very good however, so she should easily regain the loss, but I'm more concerned about her wellbeing. Maybe we shouldn't have boarded her so soon after the adoption, but what's done is done now. I just hope this is temporary and that I'll get my happy, sassy little girlie back. Has anyone else experienced a similar reaction? Thanks!

[HeidisMum]

I bet she's just tired. My girls were always like that after being boarded. They were exhausted and it took a few days for them to get enough sleep to be back to their normal state.

 

ETA: I wouldn't worry about her weight. Mine always lose a little. They gain it back with no problem.

Edited August 2, 2013 by HeidisMum

[Guest Trammell]

She probably lost weight due to the extra exercise! Did you ask the boarder how she behaved in her home?

[SilversMom]

The same thing happens when I leave my guy with friends. They have 2 greys. My guy Silver is an "only". I think he misses the company. Val

[Guest IrskasMom]

I was just wanted to ask if Bonnie is an ONLY Dog in your House? Maybe she misses the Company .

[Yamaha_gurl]

My Bella was always the same way after a regular greyhound run, to me either she was tired or missed greyhounds.

[deboosh]

She probably lost weight due to the extra exercise! Did you ask the boarder how she behaved in her home?

 

I did ask, and she said she was "fine".

 

I was just wanted to ask if Bonnie is an ONLY Dog in your House? Maybe she misses the Company .

 

Bonnie is an only dog, but she seemed very happy and content prior to camp and was never mopey. I was thinking back to the time when we first got her, and she was more like her old self even back then. Will just have to wait it out I guess.

[OwnedBySummer]

She sounds either lonely or tired. I'm leaning towards lonely. Cheer up, pretty Bonnie! Bring her to the run tomorrow and see how she behaves? If she perks up with all the hounds around, you'll have your answer.

[Batmom]

She's tired. Give her a couple days.

[deboosh]

She sounds either lonely or tired. I'm leaning towards lonely. Cheer up, pretty Bonnie! Bring her to the run tomorrow and see how she behaves? If she perks up with all the hounds around, you'll have your answer.

 

Wish I could take her to the run Lisa but tomorrow I'm at my volunteeri job; however, I meet with about 6 other greys/owners early on every Saturday morning so I'll check out her reaction there. I'm leaning towards tired, as I'm not ready for a chip, lol.

[RedHead]

I'm guessing just tired. With all of the other dogs around, she was likely awake a lot, as well as a bit stressed to be out of her usual environment. Teague always loses a few pounds when he goes to stay with someone else. I don't think a few pounds is anything to be worried about, she probably didn't have the same appetite being away from home. I'm sure she will be back to normal in a few days!

[o_rooly]

Aston always seems a bit subdued after boarding, and he does lose weight if we don't give him more food in his prepackaged meals to compensate for higher levels of activity -- there are regular long turnouts at the boarding facility. Combined with the fact that we literally have to CARRY Aston out to the car when we pick him up -- he turns into a statue when we put a leash on him and turn toward the parking lot gate -- I've come to the conclusion that he loves being around other greys and misses the company when he gets home. (I'm sure he is also tired, on top of this.) He's an only, and we don't have the financial resources to comfortably get him a buddy. So, I've just joined my adoption group's Facebook group in hopes that we'll be able to connect with other local greyhound folks to do weekly walks/playdates so that Aston can have some more time with his buddies.

[OwnedBySummer]

Here's hoping for tired, then. LOL! Was she like this any other time she went to camp or was this your first time? Could be a combination, too.

Edited August 3, 2013 by OwnedBySummer

[cleptogrey]

exhausted is probably a better description. lots of new smells, routine, exercise and stimulation when they are boarded. don't worry, the weight will come back, she will be back to herself in no time.

[Guest Trammell]

 

I did ask, and she said she was "fine".

 

 

Bonnie is an only dog, but she seemed very happy and content prior to camp and was never mopey. I was thinking back to the time when we first got her, and she was more like her old self even back then. Will just have to wait it out I guess.

 

If she said she was "fine" and not stressed, than I bet she will be back to herself in a couple of days

[a_daerr]

Hoping she's just tired.

 

I boarded Henry once. Bad experience. Even though it was a greyhound kennel, he majorly regressed and was fearful of everything when he came home. Since then, we just take him on vacation. If there's somewhere he can't go, I plan to get a pet-sitter.

[Rickiesmom]

Whenever I've boarded mine for more than a day or two, they come back very tired and if it's been for any length of time, leaner (and in amazing great shape) because they are so much more active. I would be very surprised if it was anything else. Except maybe lonely.

 

I had a sort of reverse experience once - when I put my house on the market a couple of years ago, I boarded the two greys but kept my whippet, who is older and very bonded to me, at home. After awhile he stopped eating and was very subdued. Because of his age, I thought something was physically wrong but the vets couldn't find anything, and they checked everything. All I was left with, was that he was lonely.

 

So I took him up to camp and abracadabra, problem solved, he was a happy boy.

 

I bet if you took her back up there she'd be happy to see the place again, and that would be your answer.

[Guest jimmy_dee]

My dog was boarded at a greyhound kennel for 11 days one time. When he got back he would have accidents in the house again for the first couple of days. Actually really annoyed me that he regressed while there.

[TheFullHouse]

My guess is she's just tired from all the activity that goes along with being boarded. There are always noisy dogs and dogs that make a huge fuss thus keeping the others awake. I know my dogs come back from a day at the vet's exhausted. They usually sleep for a few days to catch up because there is so much activity going on at the vet's. Give her a couple of days to recoup and I'll bet she's back to normal.

[kjw]

We call that the "Camp Greyhound hangover". For all the reasons described here

[Busderpuddle]

Ruby is always a bit mopey and very exhausted when we bring her home from the kennel that we use when we are going to be gone more than a few days. There are many other greys (and other breeds) there and I know she just runs and runs and plays. I am sure she misses the other dogs but she soon snaps back to her old happy only self.

[deboosh]

Thank you so much for your thoughts and experiences everybody. Bonnie's much more like herself now. This is her 3rd day home, and she had a few moments of foolishness last night. She roached this morning and just finished tearing around the park with her usual grey friends like a fiend. Looks like there was no need to fret, but I'm thankful I can come here when I do. I never would have made the connection that Little Miss Confidence's moping around would have anything to do with missing the other greys, but it does make sense considering her history, as I'm sure it felt familiar and comforting to be on the go with a pack again. As always, you've been most helpful. Many Thanks!