Where to leave a dog on vacation? - Page 1

Has anyone ever left their dog at a kennel while on vacation? My husband and I are taking a 14 day cruise next summer ('07), and we're not sure what to do with our dog. He will be over a year old by then. We're thinking of asking our breeder to kennel him for the 2 weeks, and we would pay them. Or, should we look into a posh doggy-day care situation? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you! Melissa

Where are you based ?

Hi Gooner, we live in South Minneapolis. Near Lake Calhoun, in Linden Hills. Our breeder is 6 hours away in Norther Illinois, we don't mind the drive. Just want to find the best place we can. Thanks!

Do you have a person who can come by and care for the dogs a couple of times each day? I realize that not everyone has a setup that will work this way because the dogs may not be in a kennel area. I use the services of a person who works for the veterinarian it works well. He is familiar with the dogs and they tolerate his presence. Again, I realize that this option is not available to everyone. Bob-O

I should add that it is less than 1/2 the price of boarding the dogs. Bob-O

I should add that it is less than 1/2 the price of boarding the dogs. Bob-O

For short trips I use a dog sitter. She comes to the house about 3 times a day to let them out, feed them and give them some playtime (I also try to have my mom stop by too). My dogs are not used to being in a kennel, so it would be very stressful for them. House dogs also tend to have a problem going potty on cement at first, so they usually try to hold it as long as they can. If you are gone for a long time like that my first choice would be to have a friend or relative take the dog while you are gone. If you have to kennel him I would try to find one that will take the dog out to a fenced in grassy area a couple times a day. My vet's kennel has an area like this and takes each dog out twice a day for play time, it also gives them a chance to eliminate in the grass if they do have a problem going on the cement. I like the idea of the doggie daycare, it would give me peace of mind that my dog is getting some attention rather than being warehoused in a pen (no offence to people that kennel their dogs, mine are just not used to it). My only concern would be if they let alot of dogs loose together, I'd be afraid of dog fights. But I guess it would be best to talk to them about it and find out if they've had many occurances like that and what they do to break it up. I wouldn't want my dog getting hurt. Good luck, Melanie

You might want to ask the daycare/boarding place about their liability limits. I quickly abandoned the boarding idea after learning that no matter what happens to my dog (use your imagination here) I will get max $500.- Friends familiar with GSDs who are willing to house your dog for 2 weeks or come to your place a couple of times a day are the best option. Serious dog club (like SchH club) is a good place to find such friends. Labradoodle owners usually do not make good GSD-sitters lol

When I get a new puppy I get it used to being boarded by taking it to the kennel several times a week for a few hours at a time. Fortunately friends of mine operate a boarding kennel that is only a few miles from my home. IMO it's a good idea to get a dog used to being in a kennel just in case of an emergency if for no other reason. I'd recommend checking out area kennels and asking for references.

In this area a dog sitter is a lot more expensive than boarding the dog in a kennel.