Meghan Posted September 15, 2021 Report Share Posted September 15, 2021 Hi everyone! Looking for some friendly sense check/advice please! We're going away for our first extended break (1 week) with Bailey on Saturday and have been thinking about ways to keep him calm in the new environment. He's just turned 1 and is prone to overexcitement and difficulty settling when away from home. To add to the mix, on this break there will also be 5 other family members and another dog (who is very old and not that well bless her, so won't be in the mood to play with Bailey) - so we're coming up with an action plan to help Bailey, and everyone else, settle in to a nice calm routine as quickly as possible. Our ideas below, any others are welcome! - Nice big walk when we arrive (It's a 5.5hr drive), and of course lots of walks/exercise throughout the week - Ask my family to completely ignore Bailey when we first arrive until his excitement eases, only give him attention once he's managed to sit calmly - Take both dogs out for a short 'sniffy' walk to get to know each other calmly - Introduce him to one room at a time, with lots of bathroom breaks/training of where he can/can't go (he has a tendency to try and mark when there's another dog in the house) - Puzzle feeders, snufflemats and lickimats (we use these anyway) - Lots of chews - Crate (possibly as optional for him, he no longer uses it at home, but we'll put his bed in there in case he wants a quiet space) - Treats to reward calm behaviour/continue practicing relaxation protocol - Stick to a similar routine as much as possible Anything we've missed or other top tips? Thanks in advance! Photo attached as a thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted September 16, 2021 Report Share Posted September 16, 2021 He is so CUTE! Two bits of advice: let your family know your plans and your reasoning with Bailey before you get there and make sure you take a couple of Bailey's beds with you, so that he has something familiar in this new and intriguing place. Have a GREAT time! Ruth & Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted September 17, 2021 Report Share Posted September 17, 2021 Oh what a cutie. It sounds to me as if you have a good plan. Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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