Dog not the same since back from kennels?

pandamoanium

I have a beautiful 10 month old husky and she's never been away from us til we left her in kennels when we went away on two weeks hols last month.

Before she went she was very lively, extremely playful - if a bit cheeky!

She was a real live wire, but since we brought her home she's been very quiet. not running around like the mad hatter she was!

In one way she's a lot more mannerly - she was terrible for biting and chewing before we went, you couldn't pet her without her gnawing your hand, but I fear she's too quiet now?

Now before I go any further these kennels were personally reccommended by family and friends and the owners seemed to have a genuine love of animals, and everything looked above board like dogs would be well cared for etc..

However, i'd be lying if i didn't say that at the back of my head there's a shadow of doubt in case she was mistreated, neglected there hence the change in her..

Or perhaps they just simply put more manners on her and calmed her down a bit (admittedly she was a bit hyper before, but then again being a puppy I expected this)

She's also hoarse and can't bark properly (though she hasn't really barked at all since we brought her home and she was a big barker beforehand, very lively, big personality) she's had her kennel cough vaccine so I don't think it's kennel cough, only thing we can think of is that being her first time away from us she was distressed and barking a lot.

Anyone ever notice a change in their dogs behaviour after their first time away before? Should we be concerned?

Is it likely she was distressed thinking we had abandoned her? Scared in her new surroundings? Or simply a case of a more experienced dog handler having put a bit more manners on her?

She's not normally a scared/frightened dog, she's extremely sociable and friendly (even the kennel owner commented on this) she's used to meeting other dogs and people and has no fear, and wants to play and make friends straight away so this sudden timidness has us concerned.

In fact before we left her to the kennels we were fairly confident she wouldn't miss us as she seemed to have no sense in that she'd go off with any stranger, so long as someone was nice to her and fed her she wouldn't mind.. or so we used to joke about anyhow.

We kinda had the feeling that given she was so young and just a puppy she hadn't formed any major bonds with us - given that she's often ran after strangers and would pay no heed to us for her safe return. She was always very easy going, very welcoming to strangers, she'd go off with them no bother without a second thought, so we really hadn't anticipated that she'd seemingly be so distressed after been in kennels where we hope she was well treated and had the company of other animals.

are we worrying too much? Is it a simple case of her missing us and the familiar environment, or is it something more sinister?

I know this sounds silly but it's almost like she's on her best behaviour since she came back, the perfect model dog in everyway not wanting to put a foot wrong in case we put her in the kennels again.

Are we looking too much into this?

Should we just be thankful that we brought home a more manageable well behaved dog and leave it at that?

Any opinions from you animal experts and lovers would be great, would be nice to get an outsiders view on the situation.

Btw, just in case there's any confusion, she's not scared of us or anything, shes still her ultra loving self, just a toned down version.. not as bouncy or playful or cheeky,

Victor

pandamoanium wrote: »

Or perhaps they just simply put more manners on her and calmed her down a bit (admittedly she was a bit hyper before, but then again being a puppy I expected this)

Has she learned to "self soothe"?

She's also hoarse and can't bark properly (though she hasn't really barked at all since we brought her home and she was a big barker beforehand, very lively, big personality) she's had her kennel cough vaccine so I don't think it's kennel cough, only thing we can think of is that being her first time away from us she was distressed and barking a lot.

Unless you suspect she might have caught something, I imagine shes just done some growing up.

Beth

She's probably grown up a bit, as well as she could be missing the company of the other dogs which has her quiet. It sometimes happens and isnt anything to worry about.

As for the manners, its possible that someone in the kennels gave her some tips as some kennels and day care do run through some basic obedience with the dogs in their care, and its also possible that some older dogs put some manners on her too if she was mixing with dogs and not taken out on her own.

Hoarse doesnt equal kennel cough. Kennel cough is an awful thing for a dog to get, and they spit up clear fluid, with the cough sounding as if there could be something tickling their throat and them trying to get it up. If she's not lethargic, off her food, different er.. waste, drinking more/less etc , or otherwise unwell, then I wouldnt worry about it. She probably just had good fun barking along with all the other dogs

EGAR

A few years ago I had to go away for a week and although all my dogs plus rescues were cared for in my own home by my volunteers - two of my own dogs ignored me for over a week when I came back home.

I wouldn't read too much into it.

ISDW

I'm a husky owner and I'd say that she's just growing up. The barking thing, well huskies generally don't bark much, one of their plus points:D so I'd say its probably just maturing, or do you give her lots of attention when she barks?

You're absolutely right about her going off with strangers, unfortunately huskies, as much as we love them, don't usually feel the same about us, they are not very loyal dogs and will go with anyone they want to:) I don't want to turn this into a different subject, but as she goes off with other people and doesn't listen to you, can I deduce that you let her off the lead? I really wouldn't recomment this with huskies, they have the capacity to run for miles and not come back cos they can't remember where they've come from. But, because of that lack of loyalty, she probably isn't freaked out by you leaving her into the kennels, no huskies I've met think this way:D It can be pretty soul destroying to realise that the dog you love doesn't care if you're around or not, as long as someone is there to feed them and give them some attention.

mary123

This is one of the reasons now that i dont leave my dogs in kennels anymore. My lot usually come back moody or sick the last time even though they were vac they came down with KC. Oh and the time before that one came back with a cut paw. Now when i go away(which aint often) my son moves in to mind my dogs.

peasant

pandamoanium wrote: »

I know this sounds silly but it's almost like she's on her best behaviour since she came back, the perfect model dog in everyway not wanting to put a foot wrong in case we put her in the kennels again.

As others have said, this is most likely because she has met some other dogs & people that taught her some manners.

Also, after any lengthy separation from the group, dogs usually go through a bit of an adjustment period to figure out if anything has changed in their absence and what the lay of the land is now.

Actually ...you should use this to your advantage. Seenashow she's on her best behaviour, so should you. Stop all the bad habits that crept in during her puppyhood (i.e allowig her to nip, run rings around you etc) and start to behave now as you intend to continue.

Some strictness now, as she's re-assessing the rules, may save you more drastic measures once she goes through her rebellious "teenage" phase which isn't very far away.

So, stop pining for your old, spoilt puppy back and treat her as a grown-up instead.

Sigma Force

Kennel cough is a bit like the way the cold virus works (correct me if I'm wrong) there are numerous strains and the vaccination most likely doesn't cover all of them.

Unless the dog barked like mad in kennels and gave himself a hoarse throat or if someone pulled too hard on the lead. If you feel the throat is sore then a little honey might help. Dogs tend to bark a lot in kennels when one starts they all start even ones that aren't big barkers can get carried away.

My collie acts like it's the end of the world when she goes to kennels but once she's there and she can't hear me she's fine (have seen her when she hasn't seen me) they are exactly the same when they come home.
It can be hard to find a kennels you're comfortable with we're lucky we have one that's great it's not a fancy building it's a straight forward clean kennels that gives them a walk unless the weather is terrible and my little dog wasn't really pushed wether I took her home or not the collie of course just wanted to go because she's clingy but the other one is all about her and a spoilt brat as long someones giving her attention she doesn't mind if mum has to go.

If it's the pooches first time in kennels it can be strange for them, so could be just that. Dogs can pick up things when housed near lots of other dogs like kids can when in playschool.

MissyN

I totally understand how you're feeling pandamoanium. I left my girl into kennels for only 4 nites and she was very different and more subdued when I picked her up. When they have a great life at home it can be a big shock when they are put into kennels and two weeks is long enough yenno. The vital signs are drinking, eating and good solid number 2s so if thats all ok then its just in the dogs mind. No matter how good the kennels are, it just never has the comforts of home.

BlackCat2008

If the cough doesn't go away have it checked sooner rather than later.

From what I'm seeing lately and how my vet explained it to me is they change the vac's every year to try to keep up with it mutating so It is still possible he has caught it. To try to explain it the vac's leave a mark on DNA that looks like this + so when the body see's it again it knows how to fight it, over time it mutates to +_ and the body can fight the + which gives it time to muster up the antibodies to fight the _ but from time to time a strain comes along that has mutated and looks like this * so the antibody has to start from scratch which means the animal can become very sick if it can't keep up the fight and needs the vets to give them something else to help them fight.

And being away from home can sometimes confuse them as to whats happing and just as they settle in they are brough back home, they just need time to realise their there not going any were for a while, get the cough checked if it continues and give him time to reajust and he should be fine.