When you go on holiday...

[MooMoo]

...what do you do with your dog?


My mum is considering taking on her on-off OH's labrador. He was supposed to be used for shooting along with the springer, but his owner isnt sure he'll be suitable for it. He's completely adorable and very well behaved though.

One of the main things holding her back from getting him is that she's worried she'd be tied down at home the whole time. Is this the case or are there other solutions?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Boarding kennel, owner goes to our club and knows our dogs.
Before we had less, er, high-maintenance dogs, they stayed at home and someone, usually a friend, moved in to look after them.

 

[CAYLA]

I personally leave mine with my mam, who else would take 11 dogs

But, there are other options

Pet sitter coming to the home
Boarding kennels
Home boarding, like me, who takes dogs into their home
Friends/family staying over

 

[MooMoo]

Ah, so quite a few options there. I know you can sometimes take them with you to certain places but I'm not sure she'd like it.

I would look after him as he's wonderful to have around, but I'm "flying the nest" soon and I probably wont be allowed pets in my own place.

 

[severnmiles]

My mum looks after mine, like Cala, I have quite a few dogs and I wouldn't want to upset their routine. Would also worry alot, leaving a stranger in charge of my babies!!

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Mine has been going to kennels since he was about a year old - out of necessity. When possible he goes and stays with my parents (especially now he is older) and sometimes my sister. As I have to go away with work a lot - and my parents go away a lot now they are retired - sometimes it just has to be kennels. However, as he has gone to the same kenels since he was little he loves them and the owners know him (also goes there for haircuts) so he is quite happy. My advice would be to go round and check out different kennels and find one you are happy with.

 

[Aru]

im lucky enough to have family who love our dog so we just let one of them have the loan of her while we are gone on holidays...as it happens shes living with my uncle at the minute while im doing exams and then shes home with me again..we are lucky with jesse though her does not care where she lives as long as she has food and attention..typical lab really

i no a lot of people who have used boarding kennels to and found them very helpful...just do some shoping around and find one you think would suit....one that asks for certs with vaccinations up to date,kennel cough vaccine etc(im not trying to be insultng by saying this its just iv seen a few dogs with kennel cough lately because from being in the kennels)

i no this may seen like an obvious solution but could she not ask the old owner to mind him for a few days while she is on holiday?or am i putting my foot in it there?

 

[Tinkerbee]

any holidays we go on we have to go via NI to drop dogs off at my grandparents. Ever so convenient and adds about £300 minimum to each trip

 

[keeperscottage]

I look after dogs both at my house and their own home. After having to leave my three Springers in kennels when I went to Badminton for three days (took Goldie and Munsterlander with us), I now know why people leave their dogs with me! It was awful leaving them in a kennel, even though they were well looked after! One dog I look after very regularly is positively happy to come and stay with my pooches (he's a "townie" dog who only ever gets walked on a lead whereas with us, he goes on "proper" walks, goes swimming etc) - I felt as though I'd abandoned them at the boarding kennel!

 

[Ginger_Thing]

We holiday in the UK and take the dogs with us - haven't been abroad for almost 5 years, even though we have our own villa! OH's mum can't understand why we won't go, but we don't like to leave them.

Now we have 3 dogs and 2 cats I think it would work out better for us to get a housesitter if we did decide to leave them - kennels and cattery would be almost as expensive, and would leave the house empty.