When you go away

[loopydoo]

Hi - really not trying to be arguementative here but was just wondering what all you dog owners do when you go away (say to relatives/friends) for a weekend.

Say if, for example, you didn't see your siblings very often, would you expect them to 'host' your dogs too, as well as you - even if they had cats?

Do relattives tell you outright that they won't host the dogs or do you ask them etc?

thanks for any info

and if money isn't an issue, I'm sure there are some luxury, bling type doggy kennels

oh loopy there certainly are around here. There is a dog hotel near me - I kid you not! The dogs get whatever they want... whether that is caviar and champagne or salmon steaks - the Dog Hotel cater for the dog!

They also get groomed, washed and are taken very good care of, sadly they only take the teeny, tiny, fashionable dogs and not big lumps of GSD. The owners are lovely, bit dotty (imho) and are getting on in years now, but they are always booked up and lots of slebs take their dogs there.

I never assume my dogs are invited along with me - although some friends invite the dogs specifically and take me as an extra . I usually leave them with the dogsitter, whom they love. But if she wasn't around, and it was just for one night, I might be inclined to turn an invitation down rather than deal with the not-inconsiderable hassle and expense of finding a new kennel, checking it out, getting all their innoculations up to date, leaving them in a new place, etc. Yes, they're dogs, but they like their routine and familiar places as much as human beings - it's not just a case of putting the car in the garage and leaving it for a few days.

Is there any reason why you can't meet your siblings halfway for a day out?

I assume my dog isn't invited and tbh, when I vist friends and family I don't want to have to factor in the dog.

Panda - thanks for your reply. You've prompted me to start making some enquiries about local dog sitters now rather than the week before we go away (i usually leave things til the last minute). At the moment I have a puppy sitter all day for my puppy for 2 days a week while I work but don't intend to maintain such an expensive arrangement indefinitely and I was hoping to find a pet sitter who would have her for those 2 days as well. Someone at work today asked if I'd 'left her in the garden' for the day - the very thought of my baby in the garden horrified me!!!