What to expect after boarding your pup.
February 16, 2025
The experts at Dogtopia have put together an extensive list of some post-boarding expectations whether you board with us or somewhere else. Your dog will likely seem very thirsty upon returning home. This is a common reaction to the excitement of being back at home with their family. Please withhold water from them for the first 30 minutes that they are home. After they have calmed down from the excitement of being home, you should then give them a small bowl of water and continue to monitor their water consumption for the next few hours. Dogs that drink too much water too quickly may lead to vomiting or, in very serious cases, could lead to bloat.
With our highly recommended socialization model, your Dogtopia pup will be extra stimulated and while your dog received access to unlimited water in their playroom at Dogtopia, the above is especially true after your pup enjoys his playcation with us.
We also recommend waiting at least three hours from the time you arrive home to offer your pup their next feeding. Again, they will be very happy to be home and quite excited. Similar to the side effects of drinking water too quickly, eating too quickly may cause illness.
Lastly, as noted Dogtopia is a very active environment, with the dogs interacting for several hours per day. Even if your dog did not run all day, simply being awake can make them very, very tired. At home, most dogs sleep the day away getting 18 or more hours of sleep. Although we have a two-hour nap, and the dogs sleep approximately eight hours per night, they will be tired. Please let them rest. We do not recommend that you take them to the dog park or any other social environment for at least a few days.
For Dogtopia daycare dogs, the familiarity with the Dogtopia surroundings and being with their friends relieves the “anxiety” your pup may feel at other boarding facilities, so we strongly recommend setting up a few days a week of daycare before overnight boarding to make the post boarding time that much more stress free for your pup.
