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The doghouse

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Original poster

No more holidays without the dog?

52 replies

HolidayRat · 31/01/2023 17:31

Has anyone else struggled to find suitable options for boarding their dog?

We've had two failed trial nights with two different home boarders, scheduled another who has just cancelled on me. When do you just accept that holidays without the dog are off the cards?

Dog is nearly 2, first home boarding trial was when she was around 10 months. Tried again about 18 months. The main issue is she won't settle and barks/howls.

She has no issues being home alone for up to 4 hours and she's not generally a barky dog. She settles fine in other places when we've gone away so new places don't appear to be an issue.

We were expecting to keep most holidays dog friendly but we thought we'd be able to have the odd few days away. I don't know what else to try.

Our house is a renovation project at the moment so house sitting is not really an option and not sure it's something i'd be comfortable with anyway.

Do we just give up on the idea of going away without her?

OP posts:
AWaferThinMint · 31/01/2023 18:47

I thought my dog would hate kennels but I've found one that he really seems to love. It's worth looking.

Choconut · 31/01/2023 19:00

Did they only have her one night? I dog sit and I've had dogs that didn't settle the first night, but then came again or stayed more nights and were then fine. Some also preferred sleeping in a different room, for example one I have sleeps in the kitchen at her house but likes to sleep in the sitting room where she has spent the day when with us. Another will only sleep in the bedroom at her own house and at ours. I always take them out for an evening walk and then have them snuggle on the sofa with me for a bit, and then leave a blanket on the sofa and one by the fire so they have a choice of places to sleep as well as their bed.

I had one who was an complete nightmare the first time she stayed, now absolutely no trouble. She might just need to stay with someone who will persevere for a bit longer if she has only been staying one night.

Original poster
HolidayRat · 31/01/2023 19:10

@Choconut - I suspect you're right and she might just be a nightmare for the first night so might be just about finding someone to work through that with us. Both previous stays have just been 24 hours, so she's been picked up in the afternoon and taken for a walk before attempting to settle down for the evening, then spent the following day.

OP posts:
kitcat15 · 31/01/2023 19:35

HolidayRat · 31/01/2023 18:38

only ever left with my Mum, my eldest DS Or my SIL

I don't think I appreciated that so many dog owners have family help when we were looking at getting a dog. We thought that having the dog walker would have us covered for any occasions we need to leave her. It was always the intention that most holidays she'd come along, she's been on ferries, camping and multiple holiday cottage trips. We've both had trips away separately but it would be nice to say be able to attend a wedding at the other end of the country together and I wasn't expecting we wouldn't be able to.

I don’t think I’ve ever thought about it from the point of view of not having anyone…l,I probably take it for granted that our family take the dog for us…..my SIL had him 3 weeks when we went to Canada …and my mum had him for 6 weeks once when we went to Australia…..I’m not sure I really appreciated what this meant for us…..because reading this thread makes me realise that there’s no way we could have had these hols without family ( our dog would hate kennels and he’s only little I would worry about him constantly ) ….I hope you find another option OP

chupachump · 31/01/2023 20:01

HolidayRat · 31/01/2023 18:07

Would you really not consider dog sitters when the renovations are done?

We possibly would, i'm just not sure how far away that is! Renovations might outlive the dog!

Honestly, if you can find someone you like and your dog likes, it's the best option.

It's got their smells, your smells etc Our dog sitter, came to visit and do walks and stuff. If they ever quit or move I will hunt them down like Liam Neeson.

userxx · 31/01/2023 20:08

Darhon · 31/01/2023 17:58

My dog comes back from kennels thin and in shock. We tried several and he would shake when he got there just knowing what he was going into. So he comes with us or is looked after.

I had the same experience. He had blisters on his paw pads from scratching the floor, he never went again!

lemonyfox · 31/01/2023 20:19

Can you try and find a dog kennels which is also a doggy daycare? Then they'll be so tired out by the end of each day that he/she sleeps for the rest of it.

EdithStourton · 31/01/2023 20:45

Have you tried kennels? All our dogs have gone into kennels, and the neurotic one I thought would hate it does very well.

Soubriquet · 31/01/2023 20:50

I dream about holidays as a family that we can’t really afford right now so it’s a moot point, but I always told myself, I would put the dogs in a kennel.

Tbh…I don’t think they would cope. I think they would be extremely stressed and my smallest dog can’t really afford to be stressed for two weeks.

Stressybetty · 31/01/2023 21:00

As a pp said, you need to try again to slowly build up their relationship with a home boarder. Just try some regular daycare, even if you don't need it, a few hours then a day a week or something, dont leave it too long in between and slowly build up to an overnight collecting first thing once he's happy and settled during the day there. Ask for updates, accept that it might take weeks or months to get him settled and you might have to try a few different boarders and be honest with them about how he's been and what you want to achieve.

nuttymut · 31/01/2023 21:08

I’m following with interest as I have a 10 month male pup and we’re looking at all the options as we want to go away later in the year. With our two previous dogs we used family and friends who are dog walker and board dogs that they walk . Unfortunately they can’t take our pup as one if their dogs doesn’t like puppies.
We viewed some kennels last week and although had lovely facilities and recommended to us. It felt like dog prison. So I’m now looking at dog sitters/boarders. However some insist on your dog doing day care with them , so that your dog knows them . And some won’t take un neutered males . Good luck

Original poster
HolidayRat · 31/01/2023 21:16

I guess I need to decide if it's worth putting the effort in. We got a dog walker at 6 months despite not needing one so pup could get to know the dog walker/home boarder, she had doggy playdates in that house, absolutely no issues but it still didn't work out for an overnight. I'm not sure we could have taken it any slower.

OP posts:
Stressybetty · 31/01/2023 21:22

Did you find out exactly what happened at nighttime with the dog walker one? She was happily playing during the day then what changed, did the other dogs go home and she didn't? Where was she given to sleep and where does she sleep at home? Did she have her own bedding with her?

devildeepbluesea · 31/01/2023 21:22

As a single person I had no option but to use kennels for my first 2 dogs. They were used to them and of course were always together, but I always put them in for a single night here and there before a longer stretch. They managed fine. In the end I’d pull up at the kennels and open the boot, they’d be racing down to the kennel lines before I could grab hold of them, they really loved it.

Current dog hasn’t yet been in kennels (except for the ones he was adopted from). DSis has a dog and hers and mine adore each other. We’re each other’s dog sitter when possible and we both use the same dog walker who is another option.

My tip would be to think about finding someone with a dog who your dog gets along with and suggest a reciprocal arrangement.

Springisspringingagain · 31/01/2023 21:33

Yes try finding friends with a dog who gets on well with your dog in your community and then start spending time together, building up into swapping a couple of hours of care each, then try overnight. It’s free and if it works can be a brilliant long-term solution. We use a mixture of dog walker who boards, kind friend in own house and family in our house. One friends used home/pet sitters and it worked brilliantly. Can have decent handover period to get to know your pet. Just leave printed instructions for house foibles, everyone has some! Good luck!

Original poster
HolidayRat · 31/01/2023 21:37

One resident dog at the dog walkers. She had her own bed with her which was in the kitchen diner (this is where her bed is at home) and a choice of other beds, and the option of a sofa in their conservatory. It was pretty much get onto bed, get off bed, walk around a bit, bark, back to bed on repeat for hours. She had one of her toys with her and a yak chew. She normally sleeps in the evening from 7pm at home either on the sofa on the lounge or in the kitchen.

The dog walker was really surprised as she's such an easygoing dog normally, she'd never even heard her bark before.

She still goes out with the same walker and has been back to the house and doesn't seem to have any bad memories of it. She came home absolutely shattered though (dog walker was shattered too!).

OP posts:
Stressybetty · 31/01/2023 22:18

Sounds like she was unsettled once the house was quiet and the host was upstairs. Might have heard something unfamiliar outside. Dog boarder might not accept it but can help to have the run of the house and settle where she's happy. We do a bit of boarding ourselves and find dogs are sometimes better with access to the host for comfort. We've had a few creeping upstairs and settling either on our bed or bedroom floor where they would normally be in their bed downstairs.

Peanutgurgle · 31/01/2023 22:30

There will be something out there OP. Have you tried a local dog walking Facebook page for recommendations? We have had three different dog sitters stay at ours and all have been amazing. Our eldest dog sleeps in our room and our youngest is a handful but they have taken it all in their stride and the dogs adore them. They have a really lengthy questionnaire for all the dogs preferences and needs and I relax entirely. Our house has also been a building site with many quirks when they stay but they haven’t flinched. Ask around and contact loads of people until you find something you feel comfortable.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 01/02/2023 07:16

I would see it the boarder is willing to have her for 2/3 nights (with you at home) to see if she settles better.

That way if the dog really struggles you can come and collect her, but it gives her a chance to settle properly too - one night really isn't a long time.

Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee · 01/02/2023 09:50

we put ours in daycare with a kennels so he would be used to being left in the kennels. The first year we went away he stayed in the kennels. Then after that our dog walker had him at hers while we away, no issues with settling as she allowed him in bed with her just like at home. Now our walker has just dropped him as a client after 3 years (whole back story there) & we already have 2 holidays booked for this year. He is booked in for the kennels as we have carried on the daycare once a week & he gets so excited he shouts when we turn off at the road down there. I think he'll settle fine as he's used to going already & has a relationship with the kennel owners. He will I imagine lose weight while in there, but he did with the home boarding too as he wasn't getting the same amount of treats he gets at home. We just try to fatten him up a little before we go.

WendyRVN · 12/02/2023 15:12

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Original poster
HolidayRat · 13/09/2023 20:40

Still on the search, we've not tried anywhere else since, I'm just looking at options now that summer is over and it's easier to arrange trial nights. I've got a couple of recommendations that I'm looking into.

Is it in unusual for a boarder to feed their own food? I've seen a couple that state they feed raw or x brand of kibble. I assumed that most would feed food provided by the owner.

OP posts:
andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 13/09/2023 22:20

Honestly, I would look at having someone stay in your home. I know you've mentioned renovations but I recently did a dog sit in someone's home where their bathroom was being renovated - it was fine and really didn't bother me.

It's the best way for dogs to settle - they're in their own space with their own smells, their own routines (any sitter worth their salt will follow your routines and feeding schedules).

User65412 · 13/09/2023 22:26

I have 2 very anxious rescue dogs and we tried boarding them with someone else but they hated it. We tried a kennel and they're fine! Lots of trial days and getting to know them building up to an overnight stay. They can now stay there for a few days or a week. Lots of off lead exercise in their secure fields. Their tails are wagging and they jump out of the car when we get there! I don't know if someone else's house was too strange for them but kennels feel more neutral? Obviously they have eachother as well which helps.

AnnieMay55 · 13/09/2023 22:57

Normally they would feed them with the food you provide. You shouldn't normally change food unless very gradually otherwise they will get an upset stomach. I think a lot of dogs would be unsettled the first night away. We leave ours with a dog boarder and he is usually fine but last time he had a bit of the runs( no indoor accidents) but the boarder slept downstairs on the sofa with him for 3 nights.
We take him away to the same cottage every year. He recognises it and pulls to go in but this year he was unsettled most nights, usually it's just the first night. He just wanted to be with us and he is not supposed to be allowed upstairs in the cottage. He is always fine sleeping downstairs at home. I would persevere getting to know the boarders home and try a whole weekend.