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We got a puppy last week that's 2 months old, and he will be exactly 2.5 when we go on vacation. Out 20 day driving vacation was booked way before we found the right puppy, so we're wondering if we should take him with us or leave him at the vet's office where they also have a boarding facility. Thanks.
see how he does in the car...if he seems ok id personally take him along (assuming you can find pet friendly hotels and wouldnt be leaving him alone in a hotel room for more than a couple of hours each day...(he is afterall a puppy, they cry, howl, chew, get bored, need potty breaks ect)
but thats just me persoanlly, i dont like boarding my dogs, ESPECIALLY young puppies who arnt finished on their vaccines yet...
If you dont want to take him id look into having a pet sitter come to your home rather than boarding at a vets or similar kennel type facility. just make sure the pet sitter is bonded/insured.
I think your puppy would benefit from being with his family, not in a cage at the vet. I assume he would not be left alone for a long time while you were out sightseeeing? This is a good opportunity to socialize your dog, and get him used to new sights and smells.
I'm going to go against the grain here and say don't take him. This decision is hinged on a couple of questions though:
-where are you going? Some cities and locales are more dog friendly than others.
-what's on the agenda? If you're looking to spend time at museums, shops, restaurants, and the like, then these are obviously places you can't bring a puppy. So the pup is going to be left behind at the hotel anyways. This may sound selfish, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to visit such places if you had this trip planned out ages ago.
-if you're going someplace that is dog friendly, I'd be very concerned about such a young, tiny puppy that's not fully vaccinated. Someone mentioned the risk at a boarding facility, but that risk is there as well if you go to a pet friendly location like a pet friendly hotel (at least a boarding facility would hopefully know the dangers on transmutable diseases. The hotel/motel may may not and not sanitize properly).
Honestly, you booked this vacation before you got the dog, so I'm guessing you didn't plan an itinerary with such a small puppy in mind. Have you marked out all the vets along your route, including 24/7 emergency vets in case something goes wrong? Discuss any bathroom issues, including when you're out and about town? Check rules regarding dog friendly locales (some places, like dog parks and beaches, require dogs be UTD with shots and even neutered).
Puppies this age are so fragile (ESPECIALLY toy breeds) that I don't think it's wise to expose it to so many possibly unknown variables out there like disease. It always concerns me when people bring puppies this young to pet stores and dog beaches.
I would either delay the trip or not take the dog. To be really honest, I also think you should postpone this trip. Regardless of which option you choose, neither will be optimal for properly bonding with the puppy and socializing/training your new puppy. You haven't even really had time to gauge the personality of your pup to see if it's laid back enough to be okay with such a trip, or if he is going to be a little terror at nearly all hours of the day, barking and running around nonstop (a lot of this depends on the breed too).
My two cents worth if your traveling in an RV fine take him..If not stay home and take the trip another time..Hotels can either be really dog friendly or not.The hard part of a hotel is finding a clean safe place to walk him..I've been there done that and its not always easy ...
Good luck
My question is...the timing of getting a puppy when you had a big vacation already planned. I agree with all the previous posts.
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