The Spotted Devil Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) We camp mostly - Winter and Summer - what we save on accommodation we spend on eating out! I have 2 very active breeds so camping holidays revolve around finding places I can train and exercise them - but my OH loves helping so it's a pleasure rather than a chore. We also use a boarding kennel when we travel overseas or interstate - it's never going to be as good as home but they are extremely well taken care of. It also eats into our budget but the peace of mind is worth it. We plan our holidays with and without dogs to be outside of peak times eg school holidays, Easter and Christmas - a lot more camping options, wineries and cafés are much more accommodating and, if we leave the dogs in kennels, they get more exercise and it's easier to book them into our preferred kennel. My dogs are also quiet and well behaved so have always been welcomed when we've travelled with them. Lots to consider! Edited July 25, 2014 by The Spotted Devil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 We don't have family here, and don't go away often but if we do, my dog boards with his breeder. For an overnight/ weekend trip I have also had a friend look after my dog at her house. She has a bitch of the same breed who mine gets along well with, and who has recently become an only dog. That worked quite well for all of us too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottsmum Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 We're fortunate enough to have family but weekends/ holidays are always negotiated euthanasia the "baby sitter" eg at Xmas I stay at my parents place and mind the cats then leave the dog with them for a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spencinator Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 I'm going away for my cousin's wedding in december and don't want to put my boy in a kennel due to his reactiveness to other dogs. He can't stay with friends or family for the same reason. So what I've worked out is that seeing as I'm only gone for one night, I will leave on the saturday morning, a friend will come over to feed/play/love saturday night and sunday morning and then I'll be home again sunday evening. I was originally not happy leaving him alone for the whole night but then I figured that happens when I do night shifts anyway... so he's used to it. Maybe this type of arrangement could work for you if its only occasional and the dog is getting plenty of attention during the week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazhak Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) Did anyone mention that there are services that can come to your horse to pet sit or your dog can go to someones house, keep in mind a good service should/would do police checks on their staff.. we have a great service down here in Tas.. in saying that we plan our holidays around our dogs.. so if we're going to the mainland for a length of time my boys go with me.. if I had to leave the country then my boys would probably stay with their breeder because I know they would love a holiday with her & she's the one other than me I trust with my little guys :) if its short notice I know my mum would look after them for me, like if I had to go into hospital or something.. forgot to say we also have 3 cats so we've got an arrangement with our lovely next door neighbours who come in every second day to check water & kitty litter & food.. otherwise we just load up automatic feeders & waters for them :) Edited July 25, 2014 by Kazhak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasha Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 If I am just going one day and back the next. I sometimes will leave the dogs in the larger yard and feed them before I go and then when I get back the next day. For the ones that jump out or dig under fences.... Of which I have 2.... They will be locked in their secure pens. If possible, sometimes a friend will pop in and let them out for a run or feed them. Or I ask a friend if I can drop them there for the night. I may soon use a kennel if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 I love my dogs, spend lots of time with them ( nights and weekends) but I don't believe that there is anything wrong with having a life outside of your dogs - I think it's healthy. If my dogs need to stay somewhere they stay at our trainers house (cosmolo on this forum ). Both her and her husband are trainers and they have four dogs who my dogs love. They love going to their " holiday home " and I can go visit family without worrying if someone will leave the gate open etc. There is nothing wrong if you occasionally go to the city as long as you make arrangements in advance ( I'm not a fan ov leaving the dogs home and having someone pop over to feed them - too lonely for them ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest donatella Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Mine go to mums. I know kenneling is necessary for people to have lives so it's great but there's no way in hell mine will ever stay at one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) I rarely go away but have to for work once a year, I have friends that will mind some dogs and I have one that needs to go to one particular neighbour or a kennel (at my vets). He is a phenomenal escape artist (not from my house) and vomits copiously if driven in a car for more than 15 minutes so it is very limited. I've only had him a year so it's been neighbour once and kennels once. He's a foster dog that can't be rehomed due to issues (more than listed here). I find having houseminders more stress than it's worth and don't like having them fed once a day by a visiting dog minder, it's ok for a day if I was desperate but not more than that. That said, I've done this to help other people but I've always felt guilty at not being able to spend a lot more time with their pets when they are away. Edited July 25, 2014 by Her Majesty Dogmad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 My Mother in law or my Mum comes and stays and looks after them. We recently did a O/S trip of 2 weeks and they didn't even miss us but they were a few kilos heavier as they get spoilt.But they do require a life style change but they are worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESCS Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 We went on a very big holiday before we got our puppy! Once we got our puppy, we anticipated we would not be able to go away much until we thought he would cope in kennels. He was about 12 months before we found a kennel we were happy with. The kennel is about 1.5 hr round trip for us so weekends away are a rarity. We do plan 2 holidays a year and we budget for the kennels. My husband often comments it is an extra overseas air fare but he's used to it now! The Easter break is always with our dogs at a holiday house that allows dogs indoors. The end of year holiday, we travel and our dogs go away for their own holiday at Samford Pet Resort which they love and we trust. In answer to your question, we haven't found a house sitter and it's difficult to leave our dogs with my parents so we have had to give up spontaneous weekends away. We have children so their weekend sporting and other commitments hold us back anyway. I'm not a fan of leaving dogs alone with pet sitting service popping in as I worry our dogs will be lonely and may annoy neighbours with barking. Perhaps a house sitter for your pup is the way to go if you're able to find a trusted person or reliable boarding kennels. I do sympathise as it's a huge decision weighing up possibly giving up a lifestyle you enjoy with the joys of having a dog. Dogs are for the long haul too (ours will be with us even after our kids fly the nest). It really came home to me recently when the kennel staff told us that our tibbies had the company of two 22 year old tibbies while they were at the kennels. Our two are only 5! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazyWal Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 I don't go away. To begin with I have no one to care for my dogs and secondly I would not enjoy my time away from them. Same. I'd feel sick with worry the whole time so it would be pointless. I had two short holidays in 16 years with my old boy and had friends stay in my home but he was much easier to look after than the pair of lunatics I have now :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taliecat Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 We have family looking after our boy while we're in Bali at the moment. I miss him millions at the moment. Only Another 5 days till I get to see him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I wouldn't send a young pup to boarding, we did it with our first dog at 6 months and he came back a barker. This may have eventuated anyway, but I don't think it helped! You have a few options though: Some Vet Nurses look after dogs or provide a visiting service to clients' homes to feed pets. Someone may offer in-home pet sitting in or near your home town or on the way to the city. If you wanted to take your dog with you, there would be pet friendly holiday cottages/apartments/homes probably in the city and more on the outskirts -> search stayz.com.au then specify pet friendly. However, you'd need an extremely well adjusted dog to be able to leave it for periods of time in an unfamiliar house and I would definitely be crate training the dog so they didn't damage the house while you were away. I love to take my dogs away to pet friendly holiday places, and I also love going away with friends. Luckily my dogs are looked after by my parents, but in the future that may not be an option so they would have to be kenneled. Although here I would use Kepala Pet Resort where my Retriever could swim in the pools everyday and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to come home. :laugh: I would also consider splitting mine up to go with select friends who are trainers and own similar breeds, but I would expect to pay them what kenneling would cost me unless we had a reciprocal arrangement. I do miss them when I go away for the first few days but as Megan says it's a healthy thing to do and I also love my remote area volunteer work and I wouldn't want to miss out on it. Obviously this is conditional on the dogs being OK, if I had one that was a complete wreck when I was away I would have to sort that out...yet to have that problem though! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
korbin13 Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Holidays in Australia, the dogs come with us. Overseas holidays they go into kennels. Weekend trips to Perth, they travel down with us and we take them to the beach and then drop them off to the kennel. Pick them up, take them to the beach and then drive home. But, personally, I wouldn't put a pup into board. I would just accept that for twelve months it is camping trips/dog friendly accommodation holidays only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazyWal Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Are you saying I have an unhealthy obsession with my greyhounds SnT? :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I miss mine terribly after the first week but by then I've also remembered what it's like to not share a bed with them. It's a double edged sword. My younger sister lives with me so I have a built in dog carer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Are you saying I have an unhealthy obsession with my greyhounds SnT? :p Nah, who would dare leave Stan in a kennel!!! He would disown you. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawsaroundoz Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 I am 'away' all the time...my Whippets and I live in a motorhome pretty much full time, this year we began house / pet sitting and it working out wonderfully well thus far....I am now 'Auntie Annie' to several more Whippets and an Italian Greyhound as well as 7 cats, 2 Labradors and Lewis! I regualr updates on what all my temporary charges are up to and it is lovely, my 2 Whippets are enjoying it now they have got used to the idea of sharing me some of the time. Having said all that I really don't think I could put my boys in kennels or even have someone look after them in their own home.....I would fret too much, they would be fine. But then it is a bit different for me coz I am on my own so going away on my own without the 'boys' would be a lonely experience. What I am really saying is that it can be done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denali Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 We travel a lot also. We take the dogs with us as much as possible, but for the short interstate trips or longer overseas trips that just cant happen. So in the past we have both had someone live in our house with the dogs and cats, and taken the dogs to a friends house. We have never left them with anyone that we dont know, they are usually long time friends, workmates or family. I have never had to pay for boarding, or a kennel, and i do not know how one of my 3 would cope in an environment like that. The reciprocal dog sitting is a good way to go when you have 1 dog, but thats a bit harder with 3 :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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