What do you guys do when you want to travel and bring dogs, but aren't sure if you should bring a specific dog? Radar sounds scary, and looks even scarier for someone who doesn't know he's not an 'attack dog'. He's also a brat sometimes, and is noisy in his kennel if he's frustrated.

I'm very nervous about leaving him with someone I do not know, for obvious reasons. No one can handle my dog like I can, but I don't know anyone who's staying home for Christmas that I'd trust with a dog like him. Part of me says he'd be just fine and I should board him, but part of me remembers him attacking the intruder and how he didn't hesitate. In my opinion a dog that has bitten before will bite again, under the right circumstances. If I'm not there to stop it, what if someone sets him up for failure and they take my dog away and kill him?

I'm also nervous about bringing him, because we're visiting Clark's parents. I do not like his parents, so I'm going to be stressed about having to be around them. On top of that I'll have to worry about Radar doing the wrong thing and either them bitching at me/Clark about it or the hotel asking us to remove our dog and not having anywhere to place him.

I've seriously considered staying home and sending Clark up without me.

I personally do not trust anyone with my dogs, except my mom. We usually travel together...so that means we routinely travel with three GSDs. It's not always convenient, but we make it work. I drive a minivan, which usually has three crates set up in it for travel.

How are you getting to Clark's parents?

If you are driving, can you set it up where Radar could stay in the car in a crate while you are in there house? Or maybe he could stay in a crate in a spare room there?

you could board at a kennel w/sliding doors so they don't have to touch your dog my mal pup travels with me every day in the front sit trying to sit in my lap at 60 ibs

I've really been turned off recently about boarding kennels... even more so then I used to be. At my work, I'll see our regular dogs/grooms come in. They arrive filthy, covered in fleas- and these are normally very clean well kept dogs.

Hear the story from the owner- they just got them back from being boarded while owners were on vacation. Yikes!!!!!!!

I agree with Melissa's ideas- Can you leave a crate in the car, and just make sure you allow plenty of time to exercise him, so he's content in a crate?

When I travel I always have my dogs- it makes for a VERY full Jeep with 2 big dogs, and 2 kids!!!!! I bring a crate for Koenig, and he'll stay in it nearly full time when I'm visiting my grandparents (who are both very frail, and couldn't handle so much as a tail tap from him without falling over, much less a butt slam!) I make sure to allow more time the normal to work him, both OB, as much hard running as I can provide, long brisk walks, and lots of yummy stuff to chew in his crate. I also bring his bark collar- but he's used to this, and I wouldn't suggest slapping it on Radar just for the holidays!

Edited by Kelly Byrd (11/01/2011 08:58 PM)
Edit reason: personal habits

I never thought about leaving him in the car. You just don't do that around here, but it's not uncommon to have 80 degree days in December, either. I'm expecting it to be freezing in WI, so we may be able to get away with leaving him in the Jeep with some toys and just turning on the engine to get the heater going every so often.

There's lots of walking trails in the area, a nice downtown area, and a very large, half wooded off leash dog park that I'm sure I can manage to go to when it's vacant. I'm not too worried about keeping him tired, but he's still a baby, so he'll probably be keyed up from all the newness.

 Quote: SamanthaTopper

I'm not too worried about keeping him tired, but he's still a baby, so he'll probably be keyed up from all the newness.

Or tired from it...could go either way.

You could also look into a place with "doggy daycare" that is nearby Clark's parents. Not saying you would release him into a pack of new dogs, but thinking these places have boarding too. Maybe you could work out an arrangement where he only stays during the day, separated from the other dogs.

Ummm, yeah, I can tell you it will be freezing in WI One Christmas we had -20 degrees for over a week (not including wind chill - if you include wind chill it was more like -50). I would not suggest leaving the dog in a car when it's that cold. My dogs don't go anywhere in the car if it's below 0... one never knows if something is going to happen, and car heaters can break.

Where will you be in WI? Those of us on the board that live in WI may be able to suggest some trusted places for you to take your dog during the day if it's too cold to leave him in the car.

Is there any way you can set up a crate in the garage or basement for him to stay in while you are at his parents' house (I am assuming here that you are staying at a hotel).

If you don't like his parents, I am guessing the feeling is mutual? In that case, I wouldn't worry about them bitching about the dog because they will find something to bitch about whether you have the dog with or not... And if they do bitch about the dog, you have an easy out for next year....




Edited by Kelly (11/02/2011 10:23 AM)
Edit reason: added stuff

Take him with you. Bring a crate and crate him in your room in the house. Exercise the heck out of him daily, and provide chewies for him in the crate. Having him there will give you something to do (rather than be forced to mingle with relatives!).

I'm not a fan of boarding my dogs. I built a kennel on my property, and I pay somebody to care for them while I'm away. Even then, the more serious of my dogs stay with trusted friends who know them well.