Jin's Thanksgiving Retreat

When I made a reservation for Jin at a kennel for Thanksgiving, the last thing they asked me was when I could bring him in for a socialization test. This threw me. I went along with it and set up a time, and then got off the phone and checked out the website and panicked because I learned that I had just signed Jin up for a kennel-free boarding experience. What this means is that the dogs are not kept in separate cages. Instead, they run around all day and play with each other in a big indoor/outdoor open area. This sounds awesome, unless you know my dog. Jin doesn't like other dogs and he doesn't know how to interact with other dogs and he doesn't play well with other dogs. I think he doesn't fully realize that he is one.

How I happened to sign him up for this facility is a long, stressful story that I won't go into, but when Jin failed his socialization test (like I knew he would), the owner assured me that it was okay, they had dealt with dogs who can't deal with dogs before, and they had a place they could keep him separate from the other animals.

So before I left for Thanksgiving I dropped Jin left and saw the pitiful look on his face as he was dragged away into what must have to him seemed like the absolute worst place I could leave him, and while I then went and had myself a wonderful Thanksgiving, I just kind of felt bad for Jin, sitting back in Provo in his little isolated cage with dogs running around outside and barking for three days straight.

But when I walked in to pick him up after I got back, the owner opened the door and said, "Great news!" Apparently they had put Jin with a few very large dogs on the first day he arrived (a St. Bernard, and Great Dane), and when Jin started acting in non-dog-appropriate ways, the bigger dogs quickly put him in his place and let him know gently and firmly that such nonsense wouldn't be tolerated here, and Jin gave no one any trouble for the rest of his stay. They never had to isolate him, and he ran around with the other dogs the entire time. Those of you who know my dog well know what a big deal this is. I even have video evidence! Jin makes his first of many cameos early on, so you don't have to watch all 4 minutes (the best shot of him is in the last 30 seconds), but it made me so happy to see Jin running around with other dogs and (so it appears) actually having fun.