When your dog came back from being boarded/kenneled, was he different?

We recently went away for 10 days, and boarded our dog at a very reputable local kennel. We had never boarded him before. We got him back yesterday morning and it's like a totally different dog. Usually he's hyper, barks a lot, very mushy and wants to be on us all the time. Since yesterday he's just kind of flopped out, not interested in anything or anyone. Also, this is going to sound really strange, but on the couple of occasions he has barked, his bark sounds totally different, almost hoarse. He's completely not himself.

Is it normal for them to be "off" for a few days after being boarded? I was really apprehensive about kenneling him anyway, and now I feel like maybe something bad happened to him, or something. He is really not himself.

Re: When your dog came back from being boarded/kenneled, was he different?

Not sure if this will help, but...We've never had ours boarded, but we did have him stay over someone's house for 6 days while we went away a few months back. It was someone new to him - and we found them as a pet sitter on Care.com.

When we got back, for about two days he totally acted differently. All he wanted to do was sleep. He just acted differently.

I'm 500% sure that the person just didn't walk him regularly like he normally does and that he just missed us. Guessing he also didn't get full attention and just went and ran around the back yard w/ the other dog that lived at their house (he wasn't used to that on a normal basis). He went back to himself fairly soon after that, but I couldn't help but think after that maybe something happened or they didn't treat him with as much love as we do

We're going away again next week and are having family and neighbors be with him instead for peace of mind.

Re: When your dog came back from being boarded/kenneled, was he different?

Yes. Totally normal. My girl would come home exhausted and would be out of sorts for a day or two. Although I don't board her anymore because she always had a cold or stomach issues I think from nerves when she came home. More than likely it's just exhaustion. I'm sure your boy will be fine!

Re: When your dog came back from being boarded/kenneled, was he different?

Consider the kennel environment - are all the dogs in the same area, where they can hear and see each other? If so, there was probably a lot of barking going on. I feel like barking is contagious and your dog was probably going right along with them. If that happened all day, that could account for the hoarseness and the lethargy because he probably didn't get as much sleep as normal with all the strangeness of new smells and sounds around him.

I'm a pretty cautious person with my dogs too and along with your worries, I'd probably take him in to the vet with a stool sample to get checked out. Just like doctor offices and hospitals, kennels are a prime environment for the transfer of communicable diseases. I'm not trying to worry you but just sharing the possibility in case he has more concerning symptoms later.

Re: When your dog came back from being boarded/kenneled, was he different?

Yes! Totally normal. I think they feel like they were punished. My dog is usually a PITA but after even being "boarded" at my parents' house, he is SO mellow for a few days. I also think that since they are not at total ease while being boarded, they don't sleep as well and come home and catch up on rest.