Afraid to (or refuse to) kennel animals for vacation? UPDATE Post 1

[GirTheGecko]

I wouldn't have canceled the trip, but I was lucky enough to find an excellent facility for my cats when I was in PA. With big 'condos' with a little porch, which one of my cats figured out almost immediately and loved. I'm nervous this year since we might not have a pet sitter for these guys. But I'll be looking at different facilities for them to see which one I like.

 

[bballmom56]

Same here, and I have 2 horses, 4 cats and 3 dogs.

Same here except 4 horses, 3 cats and 1 dog. We don't go away very often. The only people I am comfortable with taking care of the horses live about 20 minutes away and work in the opposite direction of my house. So even though they don't say so, I feel like it is a big imposition on them. They also take care of the cats.

The dog goes to a kennel. She needs people around more than someone coming in twice a day. We were lucky that we found a place (and it is not the closest place to us) where the owner understands the big dogs (we have a St. Bernard). The owner is like the pack leader, alpha dog and our dog readily follows her and seems very content there. More than once when my DH went to pick her up, he found her out and about the building with the owner, not confined to a cage. Our Saint also goes there to get groomed, so we maintain a relationship so it's not so foreign for the dog. I had overheard this kennel recommended by our vet during one appointment. Knowing our vet has high standards for kennels, I contacted them.

Maybe you can get a recommendation from someone you trust as to kennels in your area?

 

[Colleen27]

I wouldn't cancel a trip over it I don't think, but (knock wood) we've never had that tested. My mom and brother are both happy to have our dog come for a visit when we're out of town, and if they couldn't we also have another relative or a friend in the neighborhood that we trust well enough to have come to the house to take care of her. My brother is really the perfect dog sitter - he smokes but only outside and would love a dog of his own but can't afford it right now, so when he has our Clifford he's more than happy to take her out frequently, walk her, play with her all the time, and just give her lots of the attention she's used to getting with 3 kids here at home.

We've only kennelled our dog once and she didn't eat for the entire 5 days we were gone. It is a great kennel (I know - I used to work there, and the owner is still a friend and all our pets' vet), but she just didn't take well to being away from both "her people" and her home. She's older and pretty set in her ways, and it doesn't help that we didn't have the means to travel when she was younger so she isn't used to it. So she just does better with someone familiar looking after her.

 

[kirbydog48]

I love my dogs to pieces. Luckily we have a place nearby that does daycare and boarding that is like a second home to us. One of my dogs is a lab who they let play for several hours straight if he wants (he can be with any dog, and they use him to socialize the puppies). We board them there whenever we go away and I don't even think about them. I'm not sure I would cancel a trip and be out all that money. That's sort of letting the pet run your life. Are you sure there's nowhere else?

 

[Karalea]

I wouldn't (didn't) cancel my trip but I can sympathize

I had to board my dogs for the 1st time in November. Normally, my brother comes and stays at my house with them but my mother took all of us to Las Vegas so that wasn't an option.

I did my research and visited all the kennels in my area and ended up leaving them at one for 6 nights. I knew they would be fine but it was still hard. I cried when I left them. I did worry about them the whole time and while it didn't ruin my trip, I was more than ready to go home at the end of the week.
Even though our flight didn't get in until after midnight, I was still at the kennel to pick them up by 9:00 the next morning.

I am hoping next time will be easier.

 

[Acklander]

I wouldn't have cancelled a trip for a dog (especially with non refundable airfare) but if I was that concerned about leaving a dog home, I would have arranged to take the dog with us. A hotel might be kind of small with a dog, but there are several vacation rental homes in the area that are pet friendly - that way the dog could have the space/yard needed and I wouldn't have to worry about a housekeeper being upset or upsetting the dog.

 

[RachaelA]

Our dog is our child. She sleeps in DH's arms every night. We spend more money on her monthly then we do ourselves. She is our life.

That being said I still would not cancel a vacation because she had to go to a kennel. Our parents take turns watching her when we go on vacation, but I have looked at doggie hotels as backups. If we needed to use one, we would.

Have you looked at all your options? There are so many options out there (and we live in a more rural area of Ohio!). The doggie hotel that our dog would go to if needed is insanely posh. We would probably end up spend $70 a day after all is said and done so she would have doggie daycare during the day, the best room for every night, multiple playtime and treattime, etc.

 

[luvwinnie]

Fellow crazy dog lover here...we bought an RV so we never have to leave our dog behind. We have a very high maintenace bulldog with health issues and he is wary of strangers (he's a rescue)...this works great for us. We left our 1st bulldog once to go to Disney and I worried the whole time.

 

[jaminmd]

I think kenneling our pets is more difficult on us than it is on them. Board your dog, know that he's SAFE and enjoy your vacation.

That's the problem - me! He was safe in the kennel, he just hates to be away from us & keeps going to the door to look for us.

We'll go. I can't let my emotions control my life. Geez, I feel like I have an infant all over again!

 

[java]

Fellow crazy dog lover here...we bought an RV so we never have to leave our dog behind. We have a very high maintenace bulldog with health issues and he is wary of strangers (he's a rescue)...this works great for us. We left our 1st bulldog once to go to Disney and I worried the whole time.

Oh you know I would love to watch him!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

That's the problem - me! He was safe in the kennel, he just hates to be away from us & keeps going to the door to look for us.

We'll go. I can't let my emotions control my life. Geez, I feel like I have an infant all over again!

Of course he hates it however you have to get over that anxiety. Do the pro/con list to help you with your anxiety. Here are a few examples....Keep the list in your pocket and everytime you start to obsess read the list to help you move into a postive mindset.

Con- dog misses us
Pro- dog is well cared for

Con-I have a hard time with parting from the dog
Pro- I cannot let my emotions run my families life, it is not a healthy way to live

 

[LuLuO]

Having worked as a groomer for a compamy that also boards, I know that some dogs just do not do well being kenneled. But, I would look for other solutions like an in-home sitter who would stay at our home or an in-home that visited 3-4 times a day. I don't think I would have cancelled the trip unless the dog was very sick or needed surgery or something.

I don't quite understand why the pots on the stove are an issue at your parents house. Does the dog jump up on the stove? If so both this and the pulling on the leash while walking are training issues and should be addressed. But, I'm guessing you already know this. That said, I do understand not wanting to leave your dog with certain family members. I am the same way, which is why I board. I trust the boarding facility more than I trust my family.

Sorry you cancelled your trip. But if you feel good about it then it was worth the loss of the airline money.

 

[tlbwriter]

You may not be aware of it, but there is a beautiful kennel right on Disney property. We used it last month. The facility is immaculate, they took excellent care of our dog. And you can visit your pet any time you want during your trip.

But that would mean flying with the dog. I'd put my dog in almost *any* kennel before I'd put her on an airplane to be treated as cargo.

We're lucky enough to have a really good kennel that we trust. The owner is very conscientious and observant - for example, he noticed that our dogs refused to pee on the concrete run during their first visit (each pen has an indoor space and an outdoor run that the dogs can move freely between), so he leashed them and took them for walks.

 

[BubblPopElectrc]

Do what makes you feel best.

While I probably wouldn't cancel a vacation, I refuse to kennel/board my pets. We either stay a place they are allowed or go and stay with my mom. They are comfortable and familiar with the environment. It's a major inconvenience as she lives 4-5 hours away, but it's worth it.

 

[eeyoremum]

So you child misses out on a Disney vacation because of your DOG??? Even if she says she understands I am guessing she doesn't. I am speaking from experience with a parent who put animals before humans. Going so far as to regularly tell us that she wishes she only had dogs not children.

I love my dog, cat and lizards too but they are animals. My human family has and will always come first.

 

[luvwinnie]

Oh you know I would love to watch him!

oh, Java, you'd return him after 2 nights of getting up at 3 a.m.! He's lucky he's cute.

 

[hsmamato2]

NEVER. I assume you aren't alone in your dog devotion....but I am so not with you there. My dog is a great pet,but she's a dog. We hire someone to watch her,and then we go. No biggie. losing all that vacation money,that's a biggie.

 

[sunnyday123]

Same here, and I have 2 horses, 4 cats and 3 dogs. I don't like kenneling my dogs, and I'm sure they don't like it, but I know they are safe so we all deal with it. I honestly don't trust pet sitters, been burned too many times to ever trust someone again.

Exactly. I know my Newf is not exactly thrilled when she's kenneled, but she gets pampered. They feed her canned food-sometimes by spoon-and walk her extra, like every hour extra. She also gets to hang out with them in the employee room after their regular hours because they love her. I know she's safe, won't get lost, people are there who can handle an giant breed, and there is a vet on site at all times. I'm too afraid to leave her with someone at home who may not realize how strong she is, and she gets off the leash.

That being said, we cry like little girls when we leave her.

 

[SaraJayne]

It's a DOG.

If my DH ever tried to put me in that situation (not that he ever would, but go with me here ) I'd make sure he was comfy at home with his precious pet and I'd take my children and go without him.

It's an animal that is capable of being boarded for vacation.

I hope your DH decides to take the kids and go without you. Your children shouldn't have to miss a Disney vacation because their mother can't bear to leave her DOG.

 

[jaminmd]

It's a DOG.

If my DH ever tried to put me in that situation (not that he ever would, but go with me here ) I'd make sure he was comfy at home with his precious pet and I'd take my children and go without him.

It's an animal that is capable of being boarded for vacation.

I hope your DH decides to take the kids and go without you. Your children shouldn't have to miss a Disney vacation because their mother can't bear to leave her DOG.

SaraJayne, you are always such a breath of fresh air.