Vacation Is Over... So Why Is My Dog Acting So Different?

When Ciccio came home from boarding over Easter, he wasn't quite... Ciccio.

He was happy to see us, but something felt different. He was more distant than usual. Walks suddenly became difficult again, with reactions we'd worked so hard to improve. At home he seemed anxious, on edge, and unsure of himself.

I'll admit it—I wondered if we'd somehow undone months of training.

The good news?

We hadn't.

He was stressed.

As a certified canine nutritionist, I spend a lot of time talking about inflammation, gut health, and how nutrition affects our dogs. But living with Ciccio has reminded me that health isn't just about what's in the food bowl. 

Emotional wellbeing matters too. Stress affects the whole body, and sometimes what our dogs need most isn't another training session—they simply need us to help them feel safe again.

And if you're reading this in August after returning from your own vacation wondering why your normally easy-going dog suddenly seems reactive, clingy, restless, or withdrawn, you're far from alone.

 

Stress Doesn't End When the Vacation Does

As humans, we often think stress ends when we get home.

For dogs, that's not always how it works.

Whether your dog stayed in a boarding kennel, with family, had a pet sitter, traveled with you, or simply lived through weeks of changed routines, they experienced something significant:

• Different people
• Different smells
• Different sleeping arrangements
• Different walking routes
• Different feeding schedules
• Less predictability

Even if they were wonderfully cared for—and many dogs are—they've still spent time adapting to a completely different world.

Coming home means adapting all over again.

The Science Behind It

Dogs respond to stressful or unfamiliar situations by activating their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, releasing stress hormones like cortisol.

Studies have shown that moving into a kennel or other unfamiliar environment can temporarily increase cortisol levels and alter behavior, even in otherwise healthy, well-adjusted dogs. Researchers have also found that novelty, separation from attachment figures, transportation, and unpredictable environments all contribute to this stress response. (Read more here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938407002582?utm_source=chatgpt.com, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938416301068?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

That doesn't mean boarding is bad.

It simply means change is stressful, even when it's positive.

Think about how exhausted you feel after returning from a wonderful holiday.

Your dog experiences something similar—just in a different way.

What Stress Can Look Like

Every dog responds differently.

Some become more clingy.

Others seem unusually independent.

You might notice:

• Increased barking
• Reactivity on walks
• Pulling on the leash
• Restlessness
• Trouble settling
• More sleeping than usual
• Loss of appetite
• Digestive upset
• Increased licking or chewing
• Seeming "off"

For Ciccio, it was the reactivity.

Things that hadn't bothered him before suddenly felt overwhelming again.

Not because he'd forgotten his training.

Because his emotional bucket was already full.

Your Dog Isn't Giving You a Hard Time

They're Having a Hard Time.

This distinction changes everything.

It's easy to feel frustrated.

"We've already worked through this."

"He knows better."

"Why are we back here again?"

But stress temporarily lowers a dog's ability to cope.

It's much harder to make good choices when your nervous system is telling you the world feels uncertain.

Sound familiar?

We're not so different.

What Helped Ciccio

Instead of trying to "fix" the behavior immediately, we focused on helping him feel safe again.

That meant:

We lowered expectations.

Walks became shorter and quieter.

We avoided crowded areas.

No unnecessary challenges.

We returned to routine.

Dogs thrive on predictability.

Meals happened at the usual time.

Walks became consistent.

Life became wonderfully boring again.

We let him decompress.

Not every outing needed to be an adventure.

Sniffing.

Sleeping.

Chewing.

Quiet time.

These are all incredibly valuable.

We stayed calm.

Dogs are incredibly good at reading us.

The more I worried about his behavior, the more tension I brought into the situation.

When I relaxed, he gradually did too.

Nutrition Can Help Support Recovery

Stress doesn't just affect behavior.

It can also influence digestion, appetite, and the gut microbiome.

Around 70% of the immune system is associated with the gut, and we know that chronic stress and changes in routine can affect gastrointestinal health in both people and dogs. Supporting gut health through a consistent diet and whole-food ingredients may help your dog return to normal more comfortably over time. 

This isn't about finding a miracle ingredient.

It's about giving the body the building blocks it needs while everything settles back into place.

Simple additions like fiber-rich whole foods, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, and anti-inflammatory ingredients can all play a supportive role as part of a balanced diet.

Most Dogs Bounce Back

Here's the part I wish someone had told me.

Ciccio did go back to being himself.

Not overnight.

But over the following days and weeks, his confidence returned.

His walks improved.

His reactions decreased.

The goofy, affectionate dog I knew was still there all along.

He just needed time.

Sometimes the kindest thing we can do isn't to train harder.

It's to be patient.

Final Thoughts

If your dog seems different after vacation, try not to panic.

It doesn't necessarily mean you've lost all your progress.

It doesn't mean your dog is becoming aggressive.

And it certainly doesn't mean you've failed them by taking a holiday.

Sometimes life is simply stressful.

What our dogs need most afterward isn't perfection.

It's predictability, patience, compassion, and a little time.

Because just like us, they sometimes need a chance to find their feet again.

 

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From Kate

One of the biggest lessons Ciccio has taught me is that progress isn't always a straight line.

As humans, we love to think in terms of "fixed" or "broken." We work hard on training, nutrition, or a routine, and when something slips backwards, it feels like we've failed. But that's rarely what's happening.

Stress is part of life—for us and for our dogs. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do isn't to push harder or search for the perfect solution. It's to take a deep breath, return to the basics, and trust that consistency will do its job.

If you're coming home from vacation and your dog feels a little "off," be patient with both of you. You've already built the relationship they need to find their way back. Sometimes they just need a little time to remember that home is their safe place again.

Thank you for trusting me to be part of your journey with your dog. Whether you're here for nutrition advice, behavior insights, or simply reassurance that you're doing better than you think, I'm so glad you're here.

With love (and a pocket full of treats),
Kate
Certified Canine Nutritionist & Founder of The Barkery

 

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About the Author

Kate is a certified canine nutritionist and founder of The Barkery, a small-batch dog treat bakery in Ticino, Switzerland. After losing her dog Bucky to cancer, she became passionate about helping dogs live healthier lives through whole-food nutrition. Today, she shares practical, science-backed advice to help dog parents navigate everyday challenges—from gut health and nutrition to behavior—with compassion, not perfection. She lives with her rescue dog, Ciccio, who reminds her daily that progress isn't always linear, and that patience is sometimes the best medicine.

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