I'm going on vacation for two weeks, and I have the option of using a pet sitter who works all day but would stay with Star (2.5 yr old bullmastiff) in the evenings, or put her in a kennel. She is a very "needy" dog - my husband and I both work at home so she's with us almost 24/7. This will be our first time for both of us to be away from her for more than 8 hours.

I live in Estonia, where at the end of September the weather is cool but not freezing. Star would be fine outside all day. She sits on the front porch where she can watch everyone walk by and be entertained. The pet sitter is a friend who Star loves, but he would leave at 8am and not get home until between 6 and 8 pm. That's a long time for her to be outside alone. I could get another friend to come and walk her in the middle of the day, but not sure about that, yet. Her eating and sleeping schedule would be messed up, but at least she would be in her own home, in her own environment, and someone she loves would be here with her at night.

The only other option is a kennel, where she would probably have people around her during the day, but not at night. She's not so great with other dogs - has to be introduced slowly and watched. Sometimes she's okay with them and sometimes not. Most of the kennels here in Estonia let all the dogs play in the yard during the day (I don't like that at all), and one I saw that they keep them in cement runs that look more like prison cells than anything, and don't have a yard at all for them to play in. I just get a strange feeling about either kind. I have an American friend who boarded her dog at one kennel here and she loves it, but she lets her dog run with other dogs and her dog eats just about anything, so she doesn't see my concerns.

I guess I know the answer, I'm just wondering if anyone has had good/bad experiences with either option, and is there something specific I should be concerned about? I kind of feel like a parent leaving my child for the first time in her life!

Thanks!
Brenda

My opinion, I am no longer comfortable with kenneling dogs. I stopped kenneling for the same reasons that I do not/stopped taking my dogs to dog parks; I am not comfortable exposing my dogs to unknown/uncontrolled human or dog contacts.

I know you have a difficult decision and I am interested to read the inputs from other members.

I think I would try to extend the periods that the dog is alone during the daytime or evenings leading up to your planned trip. So that you can reduce any anxiety. Maybe your friend can assist during this phase. So that it is not an abrupt change to the dog's routine?

I have taken two of my three dogs to a boarding kennel in the past and they did just fine-they were very happy/excited when we picked them up of course I felt the same way you do- Like a mother leaving her children for the first time. And I had my dogs before I had my daughter, so I comepletely understand that feeling

Most boarding kennels will ask you questions about what your dog is like and if there are any specifics that you'd like while your dog is there (i.e. feeding schedule/special diet, any meds it may need, how it is around other dogs, etc.), you may have to tell them if they don't ask. You can also tell them that you don't want anyone giving your dog commands-both the kennels I boarded at were fine with this and didn't give my dogs any commands or "extra" training.
One of the places I had boarded my dogs at, they asked me how they were around other dogs (because they would let so many dogs out into the yard for "play" time. I told them that they might be ok, but I'd rather they weren't out with a bunch of dogs. They explained that they would put dogs of the same "personality" out together (labs with labs, etc.). I said that that would be fine, but I don't want to be responsible for someone else's dog getting attacked and vice versa. Everything went great. I would recommend checking out the facility beforehand, to get an idea of how it's run and where the dog would be staying.

As far as a pet sitter goes, I've only had family watch my dogs, which works great because they know the dogs and the dogs are fine with them.
If your pet sitter won't be able to be around for 10-12 hrs a day and your dog will have to be left outside during that time, I would really consider either arranging for someone else to come over during the day to let your dog outside, etc. then to leave the dog outside for the time the pet sitter can't be there. Do you have a crate, dog house or kennel run outside so your dog can be safe from the elements? This would change things if you decide on the pet sitter. The only way I would leavve my dogs outside for that amount of time (10-12hrs) is if I know that they have shelter if they need to get out of the wind, rain, cold. This is just MHO and comes from my experiences.

Edited by Keleah Stull (09/08/2009 03:51 PM)
Edit reason: added more

I like the idea of extending her time alone to let her adjust... only that means I have to go somewhere. (I'm quite the homebody and only go out to run errands or to check on my office for a few hours a few times a week). Our longest time away is on Sundays to church and that's only a few hours.

Our front porch is covered, so she would be out of the elements, but a friend has also given us a nice large doghouse that we haven't gone and picked up, yet. We'd like to get that here as soon as possible so Star would have time to get used to that being in the yard for her. (And not a big foreign object in the yard right before we leave - that would freak her out even more).

Very good points from either side. Thank you!

unless its a close friend, who i know will listen to my directions(you'd be surprised who, once you are gone, thinks they know more about your dogs than you do, and does what they want anyway), i prefer to board, in a place where i KNOW the dogs will be kenneled, and NOT let out with other dogs, and not even really "played" with.
Of course, this depends on how long you are gone, but imo, if its a week or less, being kenneled and only coming out to potty won't kill them. For my dogs, i want someone to just feed and water them, and have them do their business.
Back in NC, i was fortunate enough to have a friend or 2 who, even if they didn't agree, were kind enough to follow my directions about my pets...I don't know enough people yet here, so if i had to leave, i would end up boarding them.

I really think is one of those things that fully depends on the situation and the individual dog.
We kennel one of ours at the Vet. They don't have any fancy areas or playtime or anything like that, but he is fed, cared for, listen to my wishes with socialization with other dogs, and they love on him when he is there. I always feel guilty dropping hiim off but he goes in tail wagging and greats everyone so I figure he doesn't hate it too much!

He just needs to much supervision to be left with a petsitter. Plus with some interpack aggression issues I just don't trust anyone else to deal with all three.

The other two stay home with a dog door and a petsitter and they do just fine.

I went throught this with an older dog when I had to travel quite frequently for work during a period of time. I found she did much better at home with a petsitter who stayed in my home and came home each night after work.

For me, it was better to leave her in her own environment in my absence rather than completely turn her world upside down with nothing and no one familiar.

Katie

I have ALWAYS used pet-sitters, mainly because leaving my entire zoo would be cost prohibitive! (2 parrots, 2 gerbils, 8 cats, 4 dogs, 5 fish, no partridge-in-a-pear-tree yet).

Now I am minus the parrots (VERY labor intensive) I can go off and leave my neighbor to care for them. Living right next door and being a college student and mom, she can come over twice a day if I need her to. We exchange favors when they go on vacation.

I have found wonderful pet sitters using CL for my area. I advertised and have found a responsible teenager and stay-at-home mother looking for a little extra cash.

Mine have never been boarded, but I guess I just figure they'll at least be happier in their own yard without their people, than in a strange place with no one they know!

We have had excellent luck with house/pet sitters. At times we have had a family member stay, but we have also had two different couples, unknown prior to the stay, who were going to vacation in the area and were looking for somewhere to stay. It worked out perfectly; they watered plants, got our mail, played with the dog, etc... This may not be ideal for a "high maintenance" dog, but for the run of the mill, happy with anyone pet, it went very well.

If I can't take Erika I don't go