Home from Home Canine Boarding

04/02/2025

This is something that can so easily be missed as a potential cause of dogs behaving in a certain way.

Just as for us, it's vital that dogs get enough sleep and that the sleep they do get is quality sleep. It is particularly noticeable in puppies when they are overtired and in need of a nap - this is what is often causing the behaviours jokingly put under the heading of 'landshark' where the puppy can be very mouthy and nipping.

The amount of sleep needed can be surprising to inexperienced caregivers. An adult dog needs somewhere in the range 8-14 hours, while puppies and senior dogs need a massive 18-20 hours.

It's also important to remember that dogs do not get all of their sleep in one go, unlike humans. They will sleep for a time then wake up for a while before settling down again later.

Dogs are also crepuscular, meaning they are generally most active at dawn and dusk compared to humans who are diurnal, and so usually most active in daylight.

It's vital to make sure that we provide comfortable places for our dogs to sleep, preferably giving them a choice of where they want to sleep. As an example my dogs have the pick of 3 dog beds and 2 sofas downstairs. Upstairs we have 2 human beds, 2 dog crates (with the doors permanently left open) and 3 dog beds. This gives a huge amount of choice for our 2 dogs, and they usually divide the night between the 2 human beds and the dog beds, although my younger dog likes to have a little time in a crate too.

If you find that your dog is showing signs that could be linked to not getting enough sleep, take a fresh look at their sleeping opportunities.

Are they all sufficiently comfortable for your dog?

Do they have the ability to be able to find somewhere nice and quiet for a nap if the house is busy?

As with many things relating to dog behaviour, it could be well worth taking them to their vet for a checkup to make sure there is nothing else causing the issues sleeping or the symptoms being seen - it's always best to rule out anything linked to health or pain as early as possible.

02/02/2025

Availability for February & March!🐾

We offer -

Day boarding✅
Overnight stays✅
Long holiday boarding✅
Drop in visits local to Horton✅

We aim to provide an alternative to kennels offering a homely, familiar experience for all types, ages & breeds🐕🦮🐩🐕‍🦺

26/01/2025

There is a dog under there somewhere…we promise!😆

Saffy has been back with us for a few days💖we hope everyone has had a good weekend and stayed safe out in the storm today☔️🌪️

24/01/2025

21/01/2025

February Availability!🐾

Due to some cancellations we now have some last minute available slots for day care or boarding - please get in touch if you are interested😊🐶

18/01/2025

Looking back at the history of our dogs, many breeds were deliberately devloped by humans to carry out specific jobs. This was done by selecting the dogs who had the right traits and were the best at those jobs to breed together.

Due to this, over time, the result was breeds of dogs who all tend to have these particular traits. In the times when dogs were needed to carry out these jobs this was ideal, and they would spend their working day doing the very things they had been bred to do.

Fast forward a few hundred years and, while there are still working dogs today, the proportion of dogs working at the role for which their breed was developed is much lower. A great many of these dogs from working breeds are now in companion roles. (In my case, I started out working sheepdogs on the farm and, although we are no longer on the farm, the Border Collies remain).

The fact of no longer performing their roles does not mean that those traits have gone away. A terrier is still likely to dig. A scent hound will follow their nose. Retrievers want to carry things around in their mouths. A herding dog will often find something to herd - possibly the kids in the home.

When we look to find a dog to join our family, it is vital that we think about their history and whether our home can honestly provide the things they need. If not, a different breed or type of dog would be a better choice for all concerned. If we think we can, then it's time to think about exactly how we are going to meet those needs.

When we bring these dogs with history in specific roles into our homes it's so important to think about the breed and what they might need. Find ways for them to carry out these behaviours that for many generations they have been bred to carry out.

Give your terrier a digging spot - either a patch of garden where they are allowed to dig, or a sand pit.

Find out about scentwork for your scenthound - mantrailing is a popular pastime where dogs learn to follow scent trails and find people.

Let your retrievers have something to carry to greet visitors or returning family at the door, and maybe look at finding some activities involving retrieving for them to do. Avoid lots of repetitive ball throwing for fetch as this can cause issues with joints. Instead look at maybe getting some of the gundog training dummies and doing a few gentle tosses with those or asking your dog to wait while you throw. You can also hide the dummies and send your dog to find them.

Herding games can be fantastic for herding dogs. Look at Kay Laurence's Sheepballs, or Treibball, both of which involve balls to let those herding moves and instincts be used (links to both in the comments). Think about finding games that involve them following and controlling movement such as a flirt pole - a stick with some cord attached and a lure or toy attached. These can be bought from a store or made at home.

For every type of dog there are activities and games that are breed-appropriate and will let them do those things humans have bred them to do. Take some time to find out about the history of the breed (or breeds) of your dog and find these activities that are designed for them and their traits - you will both be happier for it!

16/01/2025

Spaniels, spaniels and more spaniels!🐶🐾

14/01/2025

Beautiful January morning walk for Charlie & Reilly🐾☀️

10/01/2025

Snowy Walks🐾🌨️

With Bonnie & new client - spaniel pup Charlie through recommendation by The WAG, Taunton 🐕‍🦺🦮

06/01/2025

We hope everyone has had a great start to 2025!🐾

Zigsby was our most overnight stayer last year and Reilly had the most day stays with us🐶🖤💛

01/01/2025

Happy New Year Everyone!🐾🎉

Wishing all our wonderful 🐶 clients a fantastic 2025🥂🎊

29/12/2024

Lovely afternoon at Heavenly Views Dog Park 🐾❤️

28/12/2024

At the root of everything we think about for our dogs is this, the most basic but most important of their needs - safety.

28/12/2024