What would you do - dog sitting?

[Whyissheontheship]

I want to preface this by saying we don't leave our dog very often and don't ever leave him alone for more than 3 or so hours.

Here's the dilemma: We have a family wedding this summer and all our regular dog sitters who know him are unfortunately not free. He doesn't like being left with strangers in strange places (howls the whole time and gets really distressed). He is fine being left in our house alone.

Do we
A: leave him with a strange dog sitter and apologise in advance that he is prob going to howl the whole time.

B: leave him at ours alone between 9am-11pm and get someone to pop in and walk him at 12 and 4 and then feed him at 8?

C: Another option we haven't thought of?

B sounds absolutely fine to me, he'll be in his own home, and will probably sleep most of the day!

We were in a very similar unavoidable situation recently when we had to leave him for the whole day. Normally my parents would have taken him but they were away.

We got a friend to pop in a few times during the day and walk him. We left a few small stuffed Kongs for said friend to give him when he left. DDog seemed to be fine.

Can you take on a new dog walker, one who can also sit for you during the wedding, and build up the relationship over the coming weeks/months?

I'm glad people think he will be ok with option B and I think we may well end up doing that!

Might call a few dog sitters and explain the situation and see what they say. Not holding out too much hope though! (I wouldn't to look after a distressed dog all day!)

Our regular dog sitters are close family and friends and we are in and out of their houses regularly and it took ages for him to be ok being left with them, so I'm not sure we would have time to build up that with a stranger.

I would definitely start building up a rapport with someone new, just in case this situation should ever arise again. You don't want to be in the position where you can only ever ask close friends or family to mind him.

Can't you get a local trusted teen / student to come and sit indoors with him / do the walks etc or even someone from a babysitting agency might be willing .