Should she stay or should she go (on holiday)?

[SyraCusa]

Please could I get some advice about taking my dog on holiday?

I have the chance to go to Cyprus in September, for a family wedding. I'm keen to go, for various complicated reasons. It would be my only holiday this year.

I'm worrying, however, about what is best for my dog. She is a very small (only 3.7kg), and will be 19 months old in Sept. Last year, I took her with me, to the south of France. We drove to allow her to come, she has her passport and rabies vaccination still valid, and coped well with the journey and the (40C) heat there.

This time, however, she would have to fly. Monarch will take pets London-Paphos, but in the hold. I can't find an airline that would take her in the cabin on that route. I'm querying with the hotel where everyone is staying whether she would be allowed, but as their website says 'pets not welcome', I may well have to find pet-friendly accommodation for us nearby. Taking her is likely to be much more expensive and complicated, and I'm also worried that the disruption and stress will be hard for her - am I being selfish for putting her through that just for a week?

The alternative would be leaving her to stay with my usual dog-sitting family. She goes there for a day or two per week when I am in the office, they are lovely, and she knows them. However, overnight rate is £35 per 24 hrs, so will be around £280. (I am in London). This is probably around the same as the extra I'd pay to take her. I have found a few cheaper quotes (around £180) online, but I think I'd be happier paying more for her to be with familiar people. Friends have hypothetically offered to look after her, but really I think it's a big imposition, and again would be unfamiliar for her.

Or I could not go - my responsibility to her does come first after all.

Any advice? How have you found flying with pets? What do you think would be best for her?

If you have a family that she's used to staying with and you trust I think I'd be inclined to leave her with them.

Flying with an animal isn't like taking her on the plane with you. She has to be in the carrier some time before the plane leaves and will be in the carrier for sometime after the plane lands. She will be on her own in the hold and the whole thing will be pretty stressful for her I imagine.

Unless a plane journey is vital for an animal e.g. emigration, I wouldn't put my dog through it - there and back, certainly not for a week's holiday.

As far as cost is concerned, sounds as if it's probably similar whichever you settle on.

Tbh I'd leave her with your usual dog-sitting family. You know them, they know the dog, less stress then trying to take her.

You don't say what breed she is to know whether she is actually small for age or just a little dog breed. If the latter, why the worry?

Yes, you are probably right - I think I'm being selfish by wanting to take her with me. I've only ever been away from her for 3 nights, when I left her with the dog-sitting family while on a mini-break - I missed her terribly, but she was absolutely fine there. I guess a week's holiday isn't that much longer. I'm just very attached to her and feeling bad for planning to spend time away!

Magrat, she is a papillon, so average (actually on the large side) for her breed/age.

Have now added a couple of pics to try to explain why I'm so reluctant to be away from her!

Oh she's gorgeous. Can fully understand why you don't want to leave her. I'm the same with my small dog (pomeranian, also on the large side for the breed).

Would definitely not put such a little dog through such a stressful experience. She'll be better off with the dog sitter.

Enjoy your holiday.

I'd leave her here without any shadow of a doubt. There's an element of risk to flying with dogs (though if you're emigrating there's usually no choice). What about when you get to Cyprus? Even if you found accommodation that takes dogs then what about restaurants/wedding venue. I agree that dog sitters are best! Have a fabulous time away - you'll probably miss her more than she misses you ...

I would be very surprised if once you had bought the correct crate and gone through all the correct airport requirements if taking the dog to Cyprus was as little as £280. I currently have client looking at a quote to fly dog one way to Malaga with Monarch for £1000. It is much more expensive for pets to fly as there are additional requirements for the airline to comply with not least switching the heating on in the hold for the duration of the flight.

I wouldnt take the dog to Cyprus with me. Having to be in the hold is no fun for the dog and will probably stress her out and turn her into a bad traveller.

Far nicer (for the dog) to leave her at home with people she knows who will look after her

get her a dog sitter it really isn't worth the palava in my opinion if you have nice dog sitters use them who would watch her while you were at the wedding out socialising etc I am sure she will be fine at a sitters

Can't think of any good reason to take her, and absolutely no reason to think putting her through that would be 'best for her' in the circumstances you describe. It wouldn't even occur to me to take my dog on a plane unless absolutely necessary and unavoidable.

I think in the nicest possible way you are putting human feelings on your dog dogs adapt and there is no need to stress her

As a dog owner of many years experience, having owned 5 dogs of very different breeds and temperament I'd suggest you find a good boarding kennels and send her there. She will be quite happy and you will be able to go away without having to pay huge amounts for her keep (£8.50 per day for our medium sized dog) with the knowledge that she will be safe and well looked after.