There are many available options for dog boarding, but in-home dog boarding offers a personal feel that may make your pet feel at home, especially if he is prone to separation anxiety.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is a widely used term that is often used simply to describe dogs who seem stressed as their owners leave. True separation anxiety is much more serious, because the dog won't calm down the entire time the owner is gone. He may even put himself in physical danger trying to escape, such as smashing through a window to follow the owner.
Most dogs bark a little when their owners first leave and settle down once they have been gone a few minutes. These dogs can often be helped by giving them a good bone or toy stuffed with treats, so they have something to do as the owner walks out the door.
However, this will not calm a dog with serious separation anxiety. This dog usually won't eat or drink while the owner is gone and may pace, destroy furniture and injure himself trying to escape. Often the only thing that will truly appease this dog is being with another person.
This limits the options of the owner, who feels they can't leave their dog in a traditional kennel when they want a vacation. However, there are options available: pet sitters who bring dogs into their homes for boarding.
Private Boarding
These facilities are more like visiting a person's home than staying in a kennel. There may be kennels in which the dogs can sleep at night, but many pet sitters don't even have that, allowing dogs to sleep in the house as they would at home. They get to spend the day with the sitter, get walks and play with other dogs.
Though these pet sitters are usually more expensive than a traditional kennel, the difference isn't too significant, especially if you have more than one dog. However, you'll want to ask how many dogs the sitter takes in and if the dogs are temperament tested. If the sitter takes in too many dogs, especially those that may not get along with others, it can be more dangerous than a traditional kennel.
As with a traditional boarding facility, ask to see it. If your dog is an escape artist, you will want to look for potential exits, such as a low fence, and ask how often the dogs are left unsupervised. If it's too long, this may not be the place for you.
Many of these locations also offer dog daycare, where you could leave your dog while at work to avoid separation anxiety during the week.
In-Home Boarding
Some pet sitters will also stay in your home, providing your dog with the comfort of company without the stress of staying at a different location. However, these sitters often leave the home for long periods of time, which would not work for a dog with severe separation anxiety. It could get pricey to get all-day care.
Though more expensive, there are options available for private home dog care. Ask friends with dogs for references and visit the facility to find the right place for your dog.