Need advice on dog.

[tzuhouse]

Okay, we are going to Disney for 10 nights. Staying at POR. I've been concerned about my 11 year old Shih Tzu because we have a very tight bond and when I leave, he stops eating. This last weekend I was gone for 2 days. Even with my DH feeding him by hand, he wouldn't eat that second night. I know I cannot take Sammy if we stay on site. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas? Have you ever used the Disney kennels? He is getting older and his sight is going. I am really concerned that if I leave him here in Houston, he'll get ill before I get home and possibly ruin our trip. He is my first son, you have to understand. He's just more hairy than the ones going to WDW.

Thanks for any suggestions. Should I cancel our ressies at POR and stay off site where animals are allowed? We'd be gone all day and he'd be trapped in a cage in the hotel room. Our trip is in December, if that makes any difference.

Mary

 

[vettechick99]

Hmmm, that's a tough one. It sounds like you could really use a pet sitter - one that your dog really trusts and likes. I was a professional pet sitter for 4 years and I took care of several dogs that had separation anxiety. Some wouldn't eat, others would just tear stuff up. They eventually learned to trust me and weren't at all upset when the parents left.

What does your vet say about his behavior? Will he eventually eat after a few days or will he pull a Ghandi on ya?

Anyway, if you consider a pet sitter, call around and find one that you feel comfortable with and have them spend some time with you and your dog. Then maybe do some test runs...while you are there, they feed the dog. Then again; you go out shopping and they come over to feed the dog by themselves. It would probably also be helpful if you try this with your husband. He's not too old to learn new tricks (that goes for both the dog and your DH ).

If you decide to take the dog with you, I'm not sure I'd want him at the Kennels. I've never liked Kennels much...so maybe stay offsite nearby or even at Universal. I hear the Lowe's properties allow dogs (double check that though).

Good luck!

 

[jezaduck24]

My C@cker Spaniel is 15 1/2, has cardiac myopathy, cataracts (cant operate due to heart/anesthesia) and a bad knee. I feel your pain, LOL. Last year we boarded him for a week during our vacation and he did not do well at all so this year we are having my mom stay with him here at our house while we are on vacation. He adores my mom (she had him for 1 1/2 years while I was in school in England) so it's no biggie to leave him.

In your situation it sounds like your guy has some severe separation anxiety! Do you have a trusted family member or friend who would be willing to take care of him at home? That is the optimal solution for us now that our guy is so old and has so many medical issues. It's just less stressful for them. If you did board him at home I would suggest your vet or groomer if you have a good long-term relationship with them. Could you take him to visit for a few minutes a week in order to build his familiarity with the staff? I would also speak with my vet about a sedative (pharmecutical or herbal) to give to him while you are away. If you do decide to board him in Orlando I would board on-site at Disney kennels which I've read are approx $9 a day but I would expect more if your guy is on meds. We usually have to pay per pill, per dose at our vet's kennel. The $9 a day charge is actually pretty reasonable based on how much we usually pay in the Atlanta metro area for boarding. My rationale for boarding at Disney is that you will be closer to his kennel and can maybe visit during the afternoon if you are taking a nap/swim break. I know it may sound naive but I would trust a Disney kennel over taking the luck of the draw with some random vet's office in an unfamiliar city when boarding my fur baby.

I assume you are driving? Another thing to consider is how well your guy travels. If he gets car sick/anxious that may be a bad idea. I'm sure you know how far it is from your home to WDW. If he is a good traveler then you are all set and your fur baby can join you at Disney!

 

[glencoe]

I agree w/ the pet sitter idea. That is what I use, even if it is not you there, the dog can attach to someone to feel safe and comfortable. The most ideal situation would be someone watching him at your home, maybe call them a house sitter/pet sitter. That way he will not be so put out, because he will still be home. I have pet sitters come to my home for about 4 visits per day. My dogs sleep most of the time, play when she comes, she takes my mail in too. They charge around 13 per visit. Because I have 2 dogs and they charge about 20-25 per dog per day at local kennels I am not paying that much more= plus my dogs are not picking up any nasty diseases at a kennel or getting put out by staying in someone elses home.
The kennels at Disney will not put your dog out, you have to there yourself to let the dog out, and I am not sure if they require all the major vacinations (kennel cough) so sickness can happen, and your dog would probably be stressed out, which also leads to sickness.
Look for a pet sitter that is licensed and bonded to be sure. Also let them know your neighbors will be checking on your house (even if they wont), so the pet sitter knows their comings and goings are being watched too. I hate to be so sneaky but I did have one pet sitter that skipped visits and still charged, and complained that the dogs had a few accidents!! Good luck

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I would not recommend taking him on a plane if that is your method of travel.

There are kennels on WDW property, though we have not used them. I know they are about $11 a day and they require you to come visit and walk your dog a few times per day.

We kennel our guys when we go away. However, if your dog is afraid of the kennel, it might be better to get a pet sitter who your dog can bond with.

I know , I worry about mine too.

 

[tzuhouse]

Well, we have a friend that will be taking care of them. She has no human children, so she completely understands the bond we have with the dogs, because she has the same with hers. She will sit on the floor and feed him pellet by pellet, but after he stops eating that way, he just won't eat. Period. I think I should have waited to plan this trip for a few years down the road, after he has gone to the Bridge. But it's too late now. I'm just terrified that she'll call us to say that he is at the vet or has died from heartbreak. I've seen it happen before. The other dogs will be totally fine, but this one is a problem. I wondered what the kennels were like and was leaning that way, but I called to see about putting him on the airplane and they said that it is only for pets under 10 lbs. He is about 15, so he'd be going in cargo. NO WAY I'll just have to talk to him on the phone a lot and hope that helps.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Well, we have a friend that will be taking care of them. She has no human children, so she completely understands the bond we have with the dogs, because she has the same with hers. She will sit on the floor and feed him pellet by pellet, but after he stops eating that way, he just won't eat. Period. I think I should have waited to plan this trip for a few years down the road, after he has gone to the Bridge. But it's too late now. I'm just terrified that she'll call us to say that he is at the vet or has died from heartbreak. I've seen it happen before. The other dogs will be totally fine, but this one is a problem. I wondered what the kennels were like and was leaning that way, but I called to see about putting him on the airplane and they said that it is only for pets under 10 lbs. He is about 15, so he'd be going in cargo. NO WAY I'll just have to talk to him on the phone a lot and hope that helps.

Thanks for the advice.

If you really wanted to take him with you, you could always drive or take a train?

 

[Daxx]

Daxx's Wife here. Our friends have a bischon who weighs more than 10 lbs. and they brought him onboard in a carrier. So, I would double check w/the airline. Explain what kind of dog it is ... maybe that will help. I know that their bischon is prob. closer to 20 lbs.

If you choose to kennel the dog ... you need to know how the dog is going to react to the kennel. I know that at WDW, you'll be able to stop in and visit. Why don't you think about putting your dog in a kennel for an overnight or two ... visit during the day and at night and see how he does. If he does well, then he'll prob. do well at WDW. If he doesn't, then you can find a hotel that is pet friendly. Will he be ok if he's in a different environment w/o you there all the time? Something else to consider.

I know how animals are. I know our cat will punish us after our 10 day July vacation, even though family members said they'd pop in to visit him. He punished us last summer when we were at WDW for 10 days and I know we'll be in for it again this summer.

 

[tzuhouse]

Hi. I called Continental back and she said that I could try putting him into one of the carriers and just hope they don't weigh him. If they did, she said they would make him ride down in cargo. I've already paid for the plane tickets for all of us, so there is no changing that. I really feel like it would be so stressful for him down in cargo that I might as well leave him here in his home. Our friend had talked about taking them to her home, but she has two large dogs and, although there probably wouldn't be any problem, I would be terrified that one would attack one of mine, while she was at work. I definitely think that keeping them in their home and me calling and talking to him on the phone is the best I can do. What do they do with service animals on the plane? Do they go in cargo also? What about dogs that alert their owner to them getting ready to have a seizure? Do they go in the cargo? Just wondering.

Thanks to everyone for all your advice and ideas. I really appreciate it.

Mary

 

[EsmeraldaX]

What do they do with service animals on the plane? Do they go in cargo also? What about dogs that alert their owner to them getting ready to have a seizure? Do they go in the cargo? Just wondering.

Thanks to everyone for all your advice and ideas. I really appreciate it.

Mary

Service animals do not go in cargo.

 

[aubriee]

I too have a Shih Tzu. Last summer when I went to San Antonio for a week, she stayed with my parents. She ate, but very little and my mom wound up buying her canned dog food, cooking hamburger, then mixing the two together to feed her warm. I couldn't believe it when I got back as she had only ever eaten Science Diet. She did lose some weight while I was gone. I talked to my mom while I was gone and she had told me she was fine. When I got back she wouldn't let me out of her sight for almost a month.

When I went to WDW in January we decided my parents would stay in my house to watch her and she did much better, except for the times I would call to talk to her. The third time I called, my mom said she would be better off if I didn't talk to her as the two previous nights she had immediately ran over to the front door after we got off the phone and started whining. My mom assured me she was fine and sure enough when I got back she was her usual pudgy self.

At your dog's age I wonder how he would do on an airplane or if the stress of flying might be too much for him. Maggie was only a little over a year old this past January and I decided against taking her because I didn't know how she would handle flying, didn't think she would handle a kennel well, and didn't want to leave her in a strange hotel room all day. (I work nights and she is used to having me around during the day, even if I'm asleep.)

When I go back to WDW in May, Grandma and poppa are again coming to stay to our house to stay with her.

 

[FWFamily4Life]

well we feel your pain, our old boy (12 year old lab) we adopted out of a shelter will not go to a kennel at all so we have a pet sitter who comes 3 times a day and she is wonderful. "Wilson" doesnt warm up to strangers immediately and is even finnicky with our pet sitter, but after a few days he warms up to her. She gets him to eat but we always remind her that sooner or later he will eat if he gets hungry enough. If not he will eat when we get home. He will eat, even if it is only treats. We recommend having a reputable friend, professional, or family member watch your dog. If you have an RV or TT Have you thought about staying in a pet loop at FW? That is the only property that allows you to bring your pet.