I board them if they don't go with us. I just want them secured, no play or anything. I don't want to think about what they may be doing when I'm a long ways away.

We take our dogs with us on vacation. We travel in an RV and stay at dog-friendly campgrounds. If we want to go sight-seeing or hiking someplace dogs aren't allowed, they get to stay in the air-conditioned RV.

In the last few years, my husband and I have each taken some trips by ourselves, in which case there are no worries because one of us is home with them. Or, in one case, I took one of the dogs with me and stayed in a dog-friendly motel. (I never left her alone there, she was always with me.)

But having said that, I know there are occasions where folks either want to or need to go someplace without the dogs. That has happened to me on a very few occasions, like an out of town wedding or funeral, for example. In that case, I have a trusted boarding kennel I use. I just don't have anyone I can trust with the dogs who lives close enough to come over several times a day.

However, I haven't had to board them in quite a few years, and I'm wondering how it will work now that I am doing a minimal vaccine protocol. I remember they required proof of vaccines each and every time, so I guess I better get in touch with them and see if they accept titers. Even if they do, I remember they required ALL the vaccines, including lepto and bordatella, and the titers I get are only for parvo and distemper. Hmm, now I'm wondering what I'm going to do if I absolutely had to board them.

If you don't want a stranger in your house you might ask around to see if your friends/family/neighbors either dog sit or have used a dog sitter in the past. I sit for a few people regularly and also do walks only for a reactive dog whose regular sitter isn't comfortable walking her.

I suggest you avoid the large professional pet sitting services unless you have several good references. They tend to cut the time short in order to squeeze more families($$) into a single day. I'm not saying there aren't some good pro services you just have to be a little more critical of them than somebody who is only sitting for 1 family. Some will stay overnight and some won't.

I've worked in boarding kennels and since group playtime was paid for the dog's who weren't paid for it just didn't go. They were kept individually and went for potty walks in the playroom by themselves. The pet owner was told "15 minute walks twice a day". The reality is that the dogs stayed out only long enough to eliminate before being taken back to their kennel. The employees were clueless high school age for the most part. No harm done to most dogs but I wouldn't leave a harder to handle dog there.

If the kennel you're looking at has those enclosed glass front "suites" I would go for it. They cut the noise from barking a significant amount. Take your own beds and food. Take more food than the stay requires and ask for the extra back. It's a good check to make sure they were fed what you requested. The "comfortable fleece bedding" is thin to begin with and after a few washes is just plain pathetic to keep a dog off concrete.

There are boarding kennels that have a more reasonable approach to vaccination.

http://www.citizencanine.net/rates-and-policies/vaccinations/

This one still wants an annual bordatella and two sets of puppy shots but is otherwise open to every 3 years or as your vet recommends.

Then you've got this one that wants the full cocktail. Not a reasonable or medically sound request IMO.

Dogs:
DA2PP-CCV Vaccine within the last 12 months
Rabies Vaccine within 3 years for adults and 12 months for puppies
Bordetella Vaccine within the last 6-12 month

I've only left Logan once at a kennel. I found one where the people were experienced with working shepherds and mals. I wouldn't leave him at a regular vet kennel because I know those kids don't know how to handle him. The kennel I left him at was real nice, they were ok with titers and fed him raw too. The owner even let him run around a fenced yard each day by himself. She was very understanding of his kind.

Honestly, if I can't leave my Shepherds with my training mentor they are either coming along, or I don't go.

The other 4 are pet dogs, and with the exception of the Leonberger, I have friends or family that I can farm them out to.

My Leonberger usually stays home with my MIL, who watches the cats, crabs, mice and quail while we are away.

In 5 weeks I head over to Hungary to do my FCI certification as a training director and both Shepherds are coming. My husband will be home with my son and the zoo. He is very capable, however, I hired a friend who is a certified groomer, to go groom my Pom (Cream Puff) once a week, so she is show ready when I return at the end of May....ahhhh the things we do for these dogs!! LOL

ETA: I can't board my dogs because I refuse yearly vax and Rabies for my pet dogs who don't travel and none of them has ever had a kennel cough vax, and god willing, never will

It's rare for me to leave without my dogs. But when I do, a bonded person who knows my dogs well stays here.

She's a dog-walker (small business) who stays here overnight and gives some of her normal walking stuff to her employee/associate when she stays here.

This costs me a little over a hundred dollars a day, though. Needless to say, it's a factor in how often (or seldom) I travel by air. LOL And my trips are short.

But the peace of mind is great.

Toni and Cat come with me when I go somewhere. If I ABSOLUTELY had to leave them home, they can probably go back to Leerburg for a couple of days. Cindy is really the only person alive that I trust to properly care for Toni and Cat.

The other 3 dogs can stay home and a friend or neighbor can take care of them- they aren't as high maintenance as the Mals. I actually have about 5 or 6 people that would jump at the chance to take care of Drifty Dog- huh, I wonder why

Christy,
If you are comfortable with the daycare and have a good relationship with the employees; I'd do that. It's better than being stressed with someone new who you haven't built a relationship with yet. Trust is key to being able to relax when you are away.

I have to admit, since Thor is very comfortable where he is boarded, I don't get as worried about leaving him. Besides as the "leader", I'm entitled to my vacation if that's what I want. And Christy so are you; so go ahead and ENJOY!