Wolfkin Dog Boarding

Wolfkin Dog Boarding Fully-licensed and insured five-star dog boarding service in East Yorkshire. Serving the Vale of York, Yorkshire Wolds, Humberside and surrounding areas.

Providing overnight home boarding, day boarding, dog walking and pick-up and drop-off services. Licence Summary: AA6261229

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Website: https://wolfkin.co.uk/

Price list: https://wolfkin.co.uk/

Terms & Conditions: https://wolfkin.co.uk/ -c

Next up is adorable Husky x Akita mix puppy, Blue! At only just five months old, this sweet little fellow was very brave...
06/12/2024

Next up is adorable Husky x Akita mix puppy, Blue! At only just five months old, this sweet little fellow was very brave during his recent trial night with us. Nessa was certainly quite taken with him! Looking forward to hosting him again over the holidays. ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ’™

Little cutie Bailey joined us again in late November for a brief stay. The chilly weather meant none of us spent much ti...
06/12/2024

Little cutie Bailey joined us again in late November for a brief stay. The chilly weather meant none of us spent much time outdoors and preferred warm cuddles. ๐Ÿฅฐ

Bonfire night may be over, but for many dogs the scars remain. We've been dismayed after encountering some callous attit...
12/11/2024

Bonfire night may be over, but for many dogs the scars remain. We've been dismayed after encountering some callous attitudes towards this issue recently, and wanted to share this in case it is helpful to others. The UK claims to be a nation of dog lovers, but there are still those who seem to view dogs as programmable automatons rather that as sensitive, instinctual creatures who often cannot help or control their reactions to such extreme levels stress.

I am really tired of the hurtful comments directed at those who have dogs with a fear of fireworks. There are so many accusing dog guardians of neglecting to socialize and train their dog or they are insinuating it is the guardian's response to the fireworks that makes the dog so afraid. This is despite the fact that dogs (and other animals) across the UK are having heart attacks, seizures and strokes, some of which have been fatal. How can a dog guardian's response to fireworks possibly elicit such an extreme reaction to fireworks?

And if this is the cause of such extreme fear, what accounts for the deaths of wildlife and farm animals? Are there people โ€˜coddlingโ€™ them too? Let's not forget dogs in rescue shelters. If it's our response that creates this fear, then why do rescue dogs show extreme anxiety and try to escape their kennels? They are in there alone most of the time. Such heartless comments are baseless since studies show that there are many factors that contribute to noise sensitivity and a fear of fireworks, as seen below.

Genetics

A study involving over 13,700 dogs in Finland discovered that around 32% of dogs had sound sensitivities and 26% were afraid of fireworks. The scientists in this study also identified a genetic predisposition to a fear of fireworks (Salonen, M. 2020) Blackwell et al. (2013) discovered that twelve breeds or breed types were less likely to show fear responses to noises than cross-breeds and their data suggest that some breeds may be predisposed to fear of loud noises, including fireworks.( Linn Mari Storengen, Frode Lingaas 2015.) Thus, your dog may be afraid of fireworks, due to their genetics.

Pain & health conditions

A study showed that dogs that experienced muscle or bone pain were more sensitive to sudden noises, loud noises and different pitches than dogs who were noise-sensitive but didnโ€™t have pain. (Lopes Fagundes 2018) The same study found that the average age of onset for noise sensitivity in dogs differed between groups. In clinical cases (with pain), the average onset of noise sensitivity was 5 years and 7 months.

โ€œAlthough the average ages of the dogs at presentation were similar, the average age of onset of the problem was nearly 4 years later in the โ€œclinical cases.โ€ This strong theme of an older age of onset suggests that the pain may develop later in life and that owners seek treatment more readily, perhaps because the appearance of the problem is out of character in the subject. The average age of onset within the control population also suggests that the problem does not simply relate to a lack of habituation as a puppy and that other mechanisms need to be considered for many cases.โ€ (Lopes Fagundes 2018)

Other health conditions can also trigger noise phobias. Conditions such as endocrine diseases, cardiopulmonary disease, neurological problems, and cognitive dysfunction, can potentially contribute to or exacerbate behavioural problems including noise fears. (Bowen J. 2008) So both pain and health conditions can cause a fear of fireworks.

Age

Studies show that fearfulness is most common in dogs aged 4-8 years and that noise sensitivity often increases with age., ( Milla Salonen 2020) Another study that supports this shows that the average age of onset of noise phobias developed around 4 years 7 months of age. Dogs progressing through adolescence also go through a second fear period from around 10-12 months of age. At this time of development, dogs can develop new fears and phobias, including noises like fireworks. As a dog reaches their senior years, ill health and conditions such as cognitive dysfunction disorder (dog dementia) can also cause anxiety, fear-related behaviours and noise sensitivities.

Anxiety

Studies show that dogs most fearful of noises also presented with a higher chance of separation-related anxiety and being fearful in novel situations. These dogs also took much longer to decompress after a stressful event compared to dogs less fearful of noises. (Linn Mari Storengen, Frode Lingaas 2015.) It makes sense that if your dog is already struggling with anxiety, that they are more likely to develop noise phobias.

Survival Instinct

โ€œAn extreme avoidance response to a loud firework going off unexpectedly nearby, given the salience of this event and its unpredictability for the animal, can be interpreted as adaptive (โ€˜rationalโ€™), an argument which has also been applied to extreme fear responses in humansโ€. (Davey, 1995) From a survival point of view, it is logical for dogs and other animals to respond in fear to explosions. Why wouldn't they? They can't reason that it's harmless.

It should be noted that studies have found that dogs that attend training classes are less likely to be afraid of fireworks however, it is unknown why this would be the case, as exposure to fireworks sounds is not usually part of the curriculum.

Many dogs have been desensitized to fireworks as puppies and have been adequately trained and socialized, and yet they still develop a fear of fireworks. The fact that dogs donโ€™t develop this fear until around the age of 4 proves that often the fear is due to over-exposure, trauma, anxiety or health issues. If it was solely due to a lack of training or due to the dog guardians' response to the fear, we would likely see the phobia developing much earlier in the dogโ€™s life.

Therefore, it is hurtful and completely speculative to blame guardians for a dogโ€™s phobia of fireworks. The real blame rests on the shoulders of those who continue to set off loud fireworks, knowing for well the suffering it causes to dogs, pets, wildlife, and even people. - Holly Leake

Huge thanks to my friends at Canine Principles for their help finding studies on the subject. โค๏ธ๐Ÿพ

References

Bowen J. Firework Fears and Phobias. UK Vet Companion Anim. 2008;13:59โ€“63. doi: 10.1111/j.2344-3862.2008.tb00529.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar]

Camps T., Amat M., Manteca X. A Review of Medical Conditions and Behavioral Problems in Dogs and Cats. Animals. 2019;9:1133. doi: 10.3390/ani9121133. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar

Lopes Fagundes AL, Hewison L, McPeake KJ, Zulch H, Mills DS. Noise Sensitivities in Dogs: An Exploration of Signs in Dogs with and without Musculoskeletal Pain Using Qualitative Content Analysis. Front Vet Sci. 2018 Feb 13;5:17. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00017. PMID: 29487858; PMCID: PMC5816950.

Linn Mari Storengen, Frode Lingaas 2015. Noise sensitivity in 17 dog breeds: Prevalence, breed risk and correlation with fear in other situations Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Volume 171, October 2015, Pages 152-160 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2015.08.020

Salonen, M., Sulkama, S., Mikkola, S. et al. Prevalence, comorbidity, and breed differences in canine anxiety in 13,700 Finnish pet dogs. Sci Rep 10, 2962 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-59837-z

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Herbie joined us for the first week in November, and he provided such a steady and calm presence during all the bonfire ...
11/11/2024

Herbie joined us for the first week in November, and he provided such a steady and calm presence during all the bonfire night stress. Such a brave and handsome boy, Nessa is always over the moon to see him. ๐Ÿ’œ

In late October, we once again had the pleasure of hosting our lil pug buddy, Derek! He and Nessa enjoyed some lovely au...
10/11/2024

In late October, we once again had the pleasure of hosting our lil pug buddy, Derek! He and Nessa enjoyed some lovely autumnal walks and had a fun Halloween together. ๐Ÿ’œ

Happy Howlaween! ๐ŸŽƒ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ‚(Featuring Derek, Nessa, and dog-friendly cupcakes courtesy of Derek's owner -- thanks, Louise!)
31/10/2024

Happy Howlaween! ๐ŸŽƒ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ‚

(Featuring Derek, Nessa, and dog-friendly cupcakes courtesy of Derek's owner -- thanks, Louise!)

We had a brief lull between the busy summer holidays and the autumn/winter season, and spent this time celebrating our r...
30/10/2024

We had a brief lull between the busy summer holidays and the autumn/winter season, and spent this time celebrating our resident dog Nessa's first birthday, attending training sessions, and making some much-needed upgrades to the doggie play area in our garden. Bring on the autumn and winter crew! ๐Ÿ’œ

Just a notice about our current pricelist -- we updated the prices on our website earlier this year, but since the major...
30/10/2024

Just a notice about our current pricelist -- we updated the prices on our website earlier this year, but since the majority of our bookings had been made prior to the change, we kept the old prices throughout the majority of 2024. Starting now, we will be going by the current pricelist (see below).

We appreciate your patience over the last year or so as we've figured things out. The current pricelist should now remain the same for the foreseeable future. ๐Ÿ™‚

Recently, we scouted out Woodland Dog Field, a brand new fully enclosed wooded area, for future use. Our resident dog Ne...
22/09/2024

Recently, we scouted out Woodland Dog Field, a brand new fully enclosed wooded area, for future use. Our resident dog Nessa certainly approved!

Little Bailey returned for a brief stay with us this past weekend โ€”our first guest of the autumn season, and adorable as...
22/09/2024

Little Bailey returned for a brief stay with us this past weekend โ€”our first guest of the autumn season, and adorable as ever! ๐Ÿคฉ

Last but not least for the summer holiday guests was the lovely Opie! Opie stayed for two whole weeks in early September...
18/09/2024

Last but not least for the summer holiday guests was the lovely Opie! Opie stayed for two whole weeks in early September, and we were amazed to watch him steadily and gradually gain in confidence over the course of his visit. He started out nervous about going for walks in new places and ended up being the life of the party on several occassions! Our adventures took us all over East Yorkshire and beyond, including a tour of various local village churches and even a trip to York. We already miss seeing him every day, and look forward to meeting up with him again at Guns and Noses mixed-ability training classes. ๐Ÿ’œ

In mid-August we were honoured to care for two lovely ladies, Peggy the ex-racing greyhound and her companion, Mia. We a...
18/09/2024

In mid-August we were honoured to care for two lovely ladies, Peggy the ex-racing greyhound and her companion, Mia. We absolutely fell in love with these two, what sweeties! Nessa was very enamoured with Peggy in particular, and Peggy was suprisingly forbearing with her adoration. ๐Ÿ˜…

In early August, we welcomed back Herbie for his holiday stay. Herbie is so easy going and a joy to look after, and he a...
18/09/2024

In early August, we welcomed back Herbie for his holiday stay. Herbie is so easy going and a joy to look after, and he and Nessa have a great dynamic. We embarked on many adventures together, including woodland strolls, countryside walks, and even a trip to the Yorkshire Air Museum. Can't wait to see you again, Herbie! ๐Ÿ’œ

Sweet Jess lives locally to us and came for a brief visit in July. Jess is an elderly lady at 11 years old, and can't wa...
17/09/2024

Sweet Jess lives locally to us and came for a brief visit in July. Jess is an elderly lady at 11 years old, and can't walk too far these days, so we tailored her stay accordingly. Lots of pets and cuddles, short strolls down the street, and a couple car rides for a change of scenery. Jess loves to be outside in the garden, but since it was very rainy we arranged it so she could sit by the open kitchen door and enjoy the fresh air that way. It's always a bit difficult for older dogs to adjust to new environments, but we did our best to make her stay as stress-free as possible. ๐Ÿ’œ

Handsome Herbie also returned briefly in early July. Herbie has stayed with us many times before and he and Nessa had me...
17/09/2024

Handsome Herbie also returned briefly in early July. Herbie has stayed with us many times before and he and Nessa had met and played together previously, but we wanted to make sure everything was perfect in advance of his holiday stay, so we had him over for another trial night. Nessa was over the moon to see her bestie again. Herbie is a very chill dude who isn't fazed by Nessa jumping on him, much to her delight. ๐Ÿ˜…

After the 'littles', we then managed to squeeze in a couple of trial nights in early July. One of these was Opie, the ad...
17/09/2024

After the 'littles', we then managed to squeeze in a couple of trial nights in early July. One of these was Opie, the adorable doodle. Opie is such a softie and was a bit timid on his first night, but definitely came out of his shell during his subsequent holiday stay! (Stay tuned for more photos from that later on!)๐Ÿ’œ

Another pug, the playful and plucky Beast, rounded out the June guests. He and Nessa had a grand time going on adventure...
16/09/2024

Another pug, the playful and plucky Beast, rounded out the June guests. He and Nessa had a grand time going on adventures and then chilling indoors in front of the AC. ๐Ÿพโ„๏ธ

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