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The doghouse

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Original poster

How long would you go away for without your dog?

60 replies

Bhu · 23/06/2022 21:26

Assuming both you and your dog are perfectly happy with the care you have arranged for them while you’re away?

DDog is having an overnight boarding trial soon, and I’m considering what degree of freedom it might provide if it goes well…

OP posts:
ellieboolou · 23/06/2022 22:42

When he was younger my mum used to have him so 2 weeks, now he is old (13) no more than 1 week as he fret's with a sitter / mum died.

Weelegs29 · 23/06/2022 22:46

Normally 1-2 weeks.Mine stays with my DB and her doggy cousins and is the most fiercely unloyal dog who doesn't even rush herself to come home once I'm back! I'm always the one pining for her while she is living her best life not even giving me a 2nd thought

Floralnomad · 23/06/2022 22:48

Ours is only ever left at home with family but at the moment I can only leave him for 1/2 nights as he has medical issues that nobody else in the family can deal with .

userxx · 23/06/2022 22:57

Left him once for a week, thought he'd have a great time in the kennels, he clearly hated every moment. Never again, he's old though.

FrangipaniBlue · 23/06/2022 23:01

We're going away for 17 nights in October and dreading it a little..... holiday was supposed to happen when he was a pup but Covid.

I now have a Velcro dog who is not going to be happy.....

Clymene · 23/06/2022 23:02

I did 16 nights last year and it was too long. Wouldn't do it again. I'm not leaving him at all this year. He's coming with us.

easyday · 23/06/2022 23:10

We go to the States for two weeks every other year, and tag on a day either side so I'm not panicking the day we leave or rushing to collect them straight off the plane. Dogs are fine with that. I know they are well cared for so don't miss them.

chipsandpeas · 23/06/2022 23:17

my dogs are in the kennels this trip for 2 weeks, before that its been 10 days was the longest
think 2 weeks would be my limit

Ihatethenewlook · 24/06/2022 09:19

I absolutely love dogs. My oh hates them. So we compromised and got two massive dogs 😬this was on the understanding that I did literally everything for them, he’s never walked, fed and (god forbid) picked up a shit. I hate leaving my dogs in kennels but oh has made it clear that I’m not allowed to be ‘one of those weirdos’ who never goes on holiday because they can’t spend a night away from the dogs. He has put up with a lot with me getting the dogs, but no way will he tolerate him and our kids sacrificing any holidays because of them. If he wants a holiday then they’re going into kennels and that’s that 🤷🏼‍♀️ They’ve always come out ok and they get kennelled together so they’ve got each other.

MargosKaftan · 24/06/2022 10:31

We have only had our dog since last summer. We already had a holiday booked due to a covid rescheduled holiday at Easter for a week and left her with the normal doggy day care sitter. We are going away 1 week in the summer and it clashes with our dog sitter being away, so DDog is going to a friend of our doggy day care lady who does home boarding.

For next summer I'm already thinking of booking ddog into a local kennels for a week then trying to schedule our holiday around that as it was rather hard to find dog care this summer.

Keepyoursarcasmtoyourself · 24/06/2022 13:46

I don't have anywhere I would be happy leaving our dog so he just comes with us. Obviously that limits the type of holiday but dogs can always be accommodated on the sort of holiday we like to go anyway. I'd rather have our dog than any holiday.

We did have somewhere we would leave our last dog, my parents. We were happy going for a week but would be itching to get back to him by the end of the week.

StillMedusa · 24/06/2022 15:01

We are going to Oz in October for 3 weeks (DS1 and his Aussie partner are getting married) I'm dreading leaving my dog!!
But, she's being cared for by her breeder, who we see a few times a year, had her for a weekend recently, and have the most marvellous home and garden, plus their two dogs, and while I know she will miss us, she doesn't have a sense of time like a human, and she will be safe, they know her breed quirks, and she will have loads of space and walks...she will be fine.

However the day I get back off the plane home I am going to be dashing to get her!

It's going to have to happen every few years. But otherwise... I can't bear to leave her!

OldTinHat · 24/06/2022 15:18

You're not using Barking Mad by any chance??

EdithStourton · 24/06/2022 19:59

We've done three weeks, but both dogs were kennelled together.

With the current duo, anything beyond about two and half weeks would be board and train with a gundog trainer who they know, and whose training paddocks etc they are familiar with. Boredom would get to them as much as anything, and with the gundog trainer, they'd each get 45-60 mins a day of one-to-one.

Back in the 1970s, six months quarantine was standard if you were bringing a dog from overseas. My parents' dog went through it, and came out the other side just fine.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 24/06/2022 20:45

I've never left mine longer than overnight as he was only two when COVID hit so we just haven't been anywhere yet.

However I know the lady who runs our local kennels and would happily leave him there, or he could stay with my in-laws as long as we paid for a dog-walker to come and walk him daily.

bluetongue · 24/06/2022 23:12

I use a lovely home boarder for my whippet. He tends to be a bit unsettled for the first couple of days and then fine so I do one longer trip each each year instead of lots of shorter ones.

I’m a bit worried about my trip booked for August as he is currently having some issues with limping but I’m hopeful they will have resolved by then.

RunningFromInsanity · 25/06/2022 21:43

However long the holiday is. 2 weeks. It was 3 week last year. He stays in kennels that he loves.

Serenity45 · 27/06/2022 16:03

Our lovely lab has just turned one and we've left her for a week (once) and the odd weekend. However, this was with my sister who's dog she annoys adores, as we do reciprocal dog care for each other where possible. Works really well so far, but appreciate not everyone has this option.

If I'm honest I don't think I could leave her in even a good quality kennel setting (we live semi rurally and there are a few near us with fantastic facilities). I have a very good friend who does dog boarding at home (only one or two at a time as company for her own dog and she is registered with the local council), who we would use if we needed to, as I know she's reliable and a dog lover and we've done a couple of walks with her to check that the dogs get on.

We've a 3 week trip to the USA next year and a fortnight away in October. We're not too concerned about leaving our girl as she's generally very chilled. I do wish we could explain to her that we're going and will be back though!

Jalisco · 27/06/2022 16:09

I have done 3 weeks on a number of occasions. He goes to kennels but they are excellent. He actually gets excited in the car when he realises that he's on the road there! But he has them well trained, and knows where all the treats are kept (treats are limited at home to I think he makes the best of his holidays to soft soap every possible treat). He loves it, so I don't feel bad about leaving him.

MerryMarigold · 27/06/2022 16:15

Ours goes to friends who love her a lot. They have a massive garden and also walk her so I think she has a better time than when she's at ours! If she was in kennels I'm not sure how I'd feel about the lack of space and human contact for a long periods.

XJerseyGirlX · 27/06/2022 16:18

We have left ddogs (3 of them) for 1 week. The dog sitter stays at our house so they know where they are and absolutely loves her. She spoils them and they now get excited when they are our suitcases packed because they know she is coming. However when we get home one of our dogs won't speak to us for a few days. He is such a sensitive thing ( Harrier). Our twatterdale couldn't give less of a shit either.

stillherenow · 27/06/2022 21:49

I board my rescue for a night monthly with a home boarder breed specialist. Then a week in august. I have to be able to travel so it makes sense to get him used to it as a usual part of his life . He's super anxious too but always very excited to arrive so I think he must like it .

SenecaFallsRedux · 27/06/2022 22:11

The most we have done is three weeks, but she was with a close friend who stayed in our house. She had put on a pound or two when we got home, though (the dog, not the friend.)

Pallisers · 27/06/2022 22:16

I've done a week. He stays in our home with a dogsitter he knows and his regular dogwalker comes for 2 extra walks/to check on him every day. He is 12 now and I think he'd be stressed if we went away for longer. he is really really attached to me. I might consider 2 weeks if one of the (grown) children were home with him. dh isn't really aware of this restriction in our lives :)

redtshirt50 · 27/06/2022 22:20

I've left my dog for 2 months before.

But she was staying with someone I trust 100%, who dotes on her just as much as me and who I know she's very comfortable with.

I tried to leave her in a kennel for 2 days and I knew from the first video they sent me she was hating it, so I went home to get her.