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Since I've chosen to keep this new puppy my wife and I just got on impulse while still grieving over the loss of our dog of 17 years, one of the things we have to consider is whether or not it is good to board the dog when we go on vacation or away for a few days.
The hardest thing we had to face losing our dog of 17 years was it had to be put to sleep within a couple days of picking it up from boarding, from a combination of the vet kennel's neglect and the fact that our dog was 17 years old and probably could not recover from being separated from us, even though the past couple years she was still able to handle it, and the vet boarding actually gave great care, but not this time around, she seemed neglected. So my wife and I have such a strong guilt with boarding.
So for the past few months we haven't had a dog, we felt a little freedom of being able to do what we want to do at anytime, leave when we want, and sleep in. Ever since we got this little puppy on impulse, because we felt a void that needed to be filled in the house, now we're worried to board him considering we do have to travel maybe 1-2 weeks out of town this year.
I've read in other forums and on Facebook that some pet owners will never board their pet and will either bring them along wherever they go or don't go at all. I also read one pet owner who has never taken a vacation for 15 years because they refuse to leave their pets, just like the one owner I read in another thread that paid up to thousands of dollars (over $10,000) to try and save their pet rather than euthanize it. Well, I love dogs and we raised one for up to 17 years, but not sure if I could afford doing that or even give up our own lives to go on trips like that one owner does.
So I'm just curious of your feelings of boarding a pet or not. If you don't board it, what do you do? Have family take care of it, otherwise, you don't go on vacation or on a trip at all? Any comments in addition to the poll responses is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
The place I board my dog is a doggie day care (that keeps overnight for a price). They have live webcams and you can watch your dog anytime they are open (you can't watch at night for example). But that gives me just enough reassurance that I don't worry and sometimes on my trips, when I have a few free minutes, I can log in to their webcam and watch my dog.
My dog seems to love going too (gets excited to play with other dogs all day long). Although she's always happy to come home too.
The place I board my dog is a doggie day care (that keeps overnight for a price). They have live webcams and you can watch your dog anytime they are open (you can't watch at night for example). But that gives me just enough reassurance that I don't worry and sometimes on my trips, when I have a few free minutes, I can log in to their webcam and watch my dog.
My dog seems to love going too (gets excited to play with other dogs all day long). Although she's always happy to come home too.
Maybe I should socialize this dog a little in a doggie day care so it can be a little more independent. Can't do it just yet, just 10 weeks old, have to wait until it's a little older unless they take him.
Not going on vacation my entire dog's life? That's ridiculous. I need a vacation from my dogs (Great Danes) and they from me. They are pets, not fine china. I go on vacation two or three times a year and board them with a trusted petsitter who takes them into her home. For reasons I know not what, Danes do not do well mentally in traditional boarding kennel situations. I had problems after doing that once and I have heard the same from other Dane owners (too late for me unfortunately).
I don't like the idea of having a petsitter come over and my dogs being alone most of the time. One of my Danes is a deaf girl and although she's almost five, she will always act like a puppy because of her disability, so she sometimes causes mischief. I also don't want to depend on a petsitter coming because if something happens and they don't come, my dogs could be in deep trouble. It's better for the dogs to go to them. As for your pup, I think it's a good idea to wait until she is a bit older. But never go on vacation without her? Heck no.
Not going on vacation my entire dog's life? That's ridiculous. I need a vacation from my dogs (Great Danes) and they from me. They are pets, not fine china. I go on vacation two or three times a year and board them with a trusted petsitter who takes them into her home. For reasons I know not what, Danes do not do well mentally in traditional boarding kennel situations. I had problems after doing that once and I have heard the same from other Dane owners (too late for me unfortunately).
I don't like the idea of having a petsitter come over and my dogs being alone most of the time. One of my Danes is a deaf girl and although she's almost five, she will always act like a puppy because of her disability, so she sometimes causes mischief. I also don't want to depend on a petsitter coming because if something happens and they don't come, my dogs could be in deep trouble. It's better for the dogs to go to them. As for your pup, I think it's a good idea to wait until she is a bit older. But never go on vacation without her? Heck no.
No, not me either. I'm just saying this one lady attested that she NEVER leaves her pets. But even with my first pet my wife and I left her many times, boarded in a reputable vet, but unfortunately since we moved to another state, this one vet's boarding service took good care of our first pet up until last year, someone neglected her the whole week, we were devastated, but we decided not to sue as that won't bring her back.
Yes, we board our dog. Friends/family won't watch her because she is too high energy. I no longer put her in doggie daycare boarding because she does not care to interact with other dogs and it's expensive. She seems to do better in regular kennel boarding and it's easier on the wallet.
I travel a lot. I own a travel trailer, all set up with built-in kennels and I carry portable fencing. The dogs vacation just fine. They consider the trailer to be an extension of their full time home and they are relaxed and happy.
When we lived in Britain , the dogs had to stay in kennels when we visited the USA. Because of the quarantine, it was too expensive to take them back and forth. But traveling and camping inside the UK, the dogs went with me. Almost every camp ground allows dogs and with a slight extra bit of effort it is possible to find nice hotels that allow dogs.
I'm taking off this week with the travel trailer and three of my dogs. The fourth one stays with my son, who protests if I try to leave him dogless.
Every vehicle we own was purchased after careful discussion about how the dogs would fit into it.
boarded the dog with the vet but I had 2 and they were together.
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