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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Dogs and holidays

23 replies

bevelino · 16/03/2013 20:54

We love our dog to bits and she is treated like a queen. However, we are unsure what to do with her if we take a family holiday abroad. We are worried about finding good quality care for her and are wondering if she would be ok on her own during the day and overnight if we had someone to call in and walk her twice a day?

OP posts:
fanoftheinvisibleman · 16/03/2013 21:02

I don't think that is a great idea myself. I'd sooner put my dog in reputable kennels. It's far too long to be alone.

RosieLig · 16/03/2013 21:13

Ours is going to home boarding with a local dog walker. Why not ask friends for recommendations?

We wanted somewhere that was more homely, more what our puppy is used to.

Hope that helps.

Rosie

Sausagedog27 · 16/03/2013 21:32

Absolutely no way should you leave your dog alone and overnight- if you are thinking of abroad then that will be for one or two weeks? Your dog will be far more distressed at being left and will notice your absence - far more than a change in routine from kennels/family etc.

You can get places which advertise themselves as doggie holiday places. Our local vet have posters up of local dog walkers that have one to one boarding.

I do understand you wanting someone who offers good quality care, but IMO it would be totally irresponsible to leave a dog alone like that.

SpicyPear · 16/03/2013 22:46

I never use kennels but it would be preferable to leaving a dog alone. To be blunt that is animal neglect.

I use a person who boards my pair at their home. You can also have people stay in your home to care for the dog if you prefer.

tabulahrasa · 17/03/2013 09:30

I've never used a kennel - I have obliging relatives, so I might be missing something here...

How is leaving a dog in a house alone with someone coming to walk it and feed it so different to leaving it in a kennel?

tigerellatomato · 17/03/2013 18:15

How is leaving a dog in a house alone with someone coming to walk it and feed it so different to leaving it in a kennel?

Seriously?????

Owllady · 17/03/2013 18:57

I really feel very uncomfortable with leaving a dog alone even for one night. let alone a week or two. It's very different from being in a kennel environment imo and I just wouldn't do it

god I just couldn't imagine, why would you do that? Confused

have you not got anyone nearby who does the live in thing? either at their house or yours? from the adverts in my local agri place it isn't any more expensive than a kennel or twice a day dog walker anyway

SpicyPear · 17/03/2013 19:02

In a kennel there are at least people passing by and doing feeding as well as exercise time. Other dogs are nearby and the dog is away from the home environment. Very different to being suddenly left alone in your usually buatling family home!

SpicyPear · 17/03/2013 19:04

Oh and someone would realise if something was wrong with the dog. The stress of being alone could cause all sorts of behaviours that put the dog at risk of injuring itself and it wouldn't be picked up until the next walker visit.

Sunshinewithshowers · 17/03/2013 19:09

If you had someone walk the dog twice a day, then I guess it would be spending 22 hours a day, totally alone.

There is no way you should do that.

tabulahrasa · 17/03/2013 19:11

Like I said, I've never needed to use a kennel and I have no plans to - I don't leave them either, I get my mum to come and stay or my dogs have always gone to my sister's, in case anyone thought I meant they've just been left and visited.

I was just genuinely curious as to why it's better to be alone in a strange environment over being alone in their usual one...is it to do with frequency of visits, or because somebody is near by or what?

littlewhitebag · 17/03/2013 19:17

My pup is going to gran and granddads when we go on holiday. She goes there when i work and she loves it. Don't leave your dog alone.

BeerTricksPotter · 17/03/2013 19:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SauvignonBlanche · 17/03/2013 19:21

You can't leave a dog alone overnight for a week! Shock
Our dog walker does home boarding. Google your local dog walkers and see if any offer this service.

Original poster
bevelino · 17/03/2013 19:31

Thank you for your comments/advice everyone. We will have a family friend house sit for us if we decide to go away. I have no experience of kennels and was worried that if we placed her in one (no matter how good) our dog would think that we had truly abandoned her as she loves the familiarity of home.

OP posts:
tigerellatomato · 17/03/2013 19:31

OK Tabilahrasa since you are still asking the question, you clearly need a brief answer.

  1. The dog will need to relieve itself more than once in 24 hours
  2. Should it hurt itself my knocking something over/swallowing something, it will be left to suffer until the dog walker reappears - possibly in 20-22 hours.
  3. It will go crazy with the loneliness - kennels are busy bustling places and dogs are talked to, taken out for runs, able to watch the world go by etc etc
  4. If your house burns down, your dog will go with it.

Need I go on?????? The simple answer is - don't leave a dog on its own in a house for more than a few hours at a time. If you can't manage this, don't have a dog. Kennels may not be like your home, but they are a safe place to leave your dog. Better still, get a house sitter, or a helpful friend or relative.

tabulahrasa · 17/03/2013 19:41

I'm sorry you seem to think it was a stupid question, but thanks for answering anyway.

I have never and would never leave a dog home alone, not even overnight, but being unfamiliar with boarding kennels I was curious about how they're better as it didn't occur to me that there would be people passing while looking after other dogs, that was perhaps a bit stupid of me...but like I said - I've never used one.

tigerellatomato · 17/03/2013 20:23

Sorry to you too - some posters on here post deliberately provocative posts and I'm afraid I mistook you for one. You are lucky not to need kennels. They are not my number one choice, but we have now found a good one, and our dog happily trots off for his holidays. I was just really worried that someone may glean from this thread that leaving your dog for a week on its own in a house with a dogwalker coming once a day is ok. It really isn't. You know that, I do, but you never know.....

Owllady · 17/03/2013 20:28

I haven't used kennels for maybe a decade tbh but the ones we used were absolutely fine and they loved our dogs and knew about 'them' iykwim when i went to fetch them, sought medical if they needed it, fed and walked them and I knew they would come to no harm. I just don't understand how that is worse or even comparable to leaving them in a hall or crate and having someone let them out twice a day (even for a walk) and the rest of their time they are locked up on their own

tabulahrasa · 17/03/2013 20:33

God no, I wasn't trying to be provocative at all, just nosy Blush

MumOfTheMoos · 17/03/2013 20:55

You really shouldn't leav the dog alone like that - its too long nd cruel.

What about a dog sitter? Our dog goes to her trainer/walker when we're away - SE has a great time!

But I've also had dog sitters who come and keep in the spare room at night - also very good for house security.

A dog is not like a cat - they need company and exercise not just food and water.

HotPanda · 18/03/2013 19:28

We have one of the girls from our vets move it and look after our boy. They all do it, and charge £10-£20 per day. He gets to stay at home, but still gets spoilt rotten. We saw her once on a walk out, he wanted to go with her not us!
Also, we know the house is still being lived in, post picked up, that kind of thing.
We even come home to fresh milk and a hoovered house!

ByTheWay1 · 18/03/2013 19:38

We use kennels - had 2 bad experiences with places that are basically people having the dog in their homes - one, the dog was obviously bullied by their dog, the other he came home covered in Ticks and had a dog bite on his ear - cute ads like "puppy nightcare", or "we look after your dog in a home-from-home" mean nothing to us now... kennels - he came bounding out as happy as can be....

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