Aaaaaagh Kennels or holiday dog sitters?

i personally dont go away unless my dog's can come too.... but if i had to leave them im lucky i have family i can dump them on :)


i used kennels once (family choice )....i was so heartbroken - i collected them within an hour and kept them with me....that was 8 years ago and the new guys i have will never ever go in kennels....
 
Noodle would you have found it easier to leave them if it were more of a home atmosphere rather than 'kennels' and you were able to check up online/get photo updates or similar on them for peace of mind?
 
Brochan and Neamhnaid will never go to a kennel either. The only way they might is if all the humans in the house wind up in hospital at the same time. Even then we've got friends who could look after them. When we got Brochan (just over two years ago) we decided we weren't going to put him in a kennel. We haven't catered to the idea since. We just couldn't leave them with strangers in strange surroundings in a small kennel not getting half the attention they are used to. Then there are no guarantees of the genuinity of the kennel owners or staff. I spoke to a lady who sent her last dog to a kennel. She was told her dog had been getting three walks a day, but her dog's bed was returned wet and smelling of pee. The only way that could have happened would have been if the dog hadn't been getting all the walks the kennels said she would get. The dog wasn't incontinent either.

If I were the OP, I would be going on a dog friendly holiday or I would try and find friends/relatives to look after the dog.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
I wouldn't ever consider kennels for my two: when I did manage to get away a few years back I used Animal Aunts.

They sent a woman who came and "sat" in the house, supervised the dogs, walked them etc. plus did the fowls and cats.

It wasn't cheap (£90 a day I think it was!) BUT at least I could go away safe in the knowledge that (1) the house was lived in and being taken care of and (2) the animals were OK.
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I've wondered about using a house sitter, but I don't really fancy the idea of a stranger having free run of the house.

I do use kennels successfully, but last year for instance, we didn't go away at all as the elderly JRT was on her last legs. She was too poorly and confused to do anything other than stay quietly at home so we cancelled all holiday plans.
 
Love_my_Lurcher said:
If I were the OP, I would be going on a dog friendly holiday or I would try and find friends/relatives to look after the dog.
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Believe me if I could I would, sadly both my parents are no longer with us, husbands are elderly now and mind the grandchildren so not an option and family work. Im sure we will sort something out, failing that we wont go abroad and look at a weekend away here with Boris :)

Ive heard mixed reviews with kennels too, tbf most are positive but I have a friend whos dog died a few days after he returned! and another whos dog wouldnt go to the loo in her kennel area and ended up with a bad infection for holding it in too long as she wasnt let out as promised! Someone else I know praises the same kennels no end.
 
Louby said:
Believe me if I could I would, sadly both my parents are no longer with us, husbands are elderly now and mind the grandchildren so not an option and family work. Im sure we will sort something out, failing that we wont go abroad and look at a weekend away here with Boris :)

Ive heard mixed reviews with kennels too, tbf most are positive but I have a friend whos dog died a few days after he returned! and another whos dog wouldnt go to the loo in her kennel area and ended up with a bad infection for holding it in too long as she wasnt let out as promised! Someone else I know praises the same kennels no end.
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I'm really sorry to hear about your parents and that the rest of your family couldn't look after your dog. It truly is shocking to hear about those kennels. Brochan is extremely clean in the house and would probably hold it in too if he didn't get taken out. He'll not even poo in the garden (unless he has an upset stomach and is absolutely desperate). Would a dog friendly holiday be an option for you? I do realise there are trustworthy sitters out there, but it would be finding one of them that could be tricky.
 
Love_my_Lurcher said:
Brochan is extremely clean in the house and would probably hold it in too if he didn't get taken out. He'll not even poo in the garden (unless he has an upset stomach and is absolutely desperate). Would a dog friendly holiday be an option for you? I do realise there are trustworthy sitters out there, but it would be finding one of them that could be tricky.
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Boris is the same! He never uses the garden unless he is ill and is mortified then. We have taken Boris on holiday before, he had more luggage than us lol, we squashed his bed in the car and he spent the weekend in bed with us as he was a scaredy cat! It was a tight squeeze lol :)
 
Louby said:
Boris is the same! He never uses the garden unless he is ill and is mortified then. We have taken Boris on holiday before, he had more luggage than us lol, we squashed his bed in the car and he spent the weekend in bed with us as he was a scaredy cat! It was a tight squeeze lol :)
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Maybe being most reluctant to use the garden as a toilet is a Lurcher thing. :)

My Mum and I have taken Brochan on several long weekends with us and he had a lot of luggage too. His bed would take up the entire back seat and he had to lie on it. We couldn't put his bed in the boot as it would be jam packed with our stuff and his various bits and pieces. Mostly we would go and stay with a friend, but we once took him to stay at a hotel in Creetown. He had a great time there as we went to several cafes that were dog friendly and he got lots of treats from the staff. Not to mention a lot of attention. However, we haven't been anywhere with Neamhnaid yet. We've got several places in mind, but probably won't get a chance to go on holiday until Easter. Mind you, my Mum and I would have to travel extra light as Neamhnaid goes in the boot. The bare essentials and that would probably be it!
 
Could anyone who does pet sitting (where the pet stays in its own home and you visit it as I do not have facilities to take them into my home until we move) point me in the direction of where you would get insurance for this sort of service and also any ideas as to what you might expect to pay for insurance monthly? I think I read that you don't actually NEED insurance legally but I would prefer to if I decide to do this just in case 3rd party issues arose like the dog you were walking bit somebody. Unlikely but you never know!
 
I board in my own home but the insurer I use covers you for sitting in other homes. It's cliverton insurance. Depending on type of cover it starts from about £25 a month. Insurance is a must for a variety of reasons inc vet bills, losing the dog, public liability, loss of keys to the property, in transit cover if you have animals in your car etc.
 
Cliverton. They are excellent and will cover you for whatever you need, be it dogs, horses etc. You should also be CRB checked if you are being given keys to customers homes, for your safety as much as your clients.
 
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