# What to do with the pups when you go on Vacation?



## S-Dog's Mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I'm leaving for Reno, NV at the end of this month for a bowling tourney, and usually have folks come to my home to watch the boys.

This time, I'm having trouble finding someone I trust, which made me wonder what others do.

So...
What do you do?


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Some breeders welcome the oppurtunity to watch dogs from their breeding as it gives them the opportunity to observe them for a short time. But some do not.
Doesn't hurt to ask.


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

I HATE leaving my crew. We board the golden girls... and I'm always a nervous wreck about it. They do great and have a fun time, while I worry. DUH-O! Old lady Syd stays home with one of my neighbor friends looking in on her, and Cody with his AI issues, comes with us. Makes traveling more of a hassle, but that's just the way it needs to be.


----------



## Bob-N-Tash (Feb 24, 2008)

Vacation? Without the dogs? What sort of vacation is that? 

Oh, wait a minute... we left the country and couldn't take them with us... so we boarded them with our vet.


----------



## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I don't leave them. We take them with us or we don't go.


----------



## TwoGoldens (Feb 8, 2008)

We've never left them with anyone. We are a camping family so they always come with us. If the dogs can't go----I don't go. 
I realize that won't work for everyone---so I would ask the breeder. I know Spirit's breeder boards---but only dogs that she has bred. She says it gives her a chance to spend time with her "kids"


----------



## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

We usually take our pups with us. But if not usually a family member watches them.


----------



## 3SweetGoldens (Feb 28, 2007)

i have a close friend that runs a "Critter Sitter" business. I pay her to stay in my home, and it works out wonderfully. My dogs all know her well and love her, so I don't have to worry about them. Also, she is a Vet Tech....so makes me feel even better, if there are any problems.


----------



## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Usually we take ours with us. When we absolutely could not, I left Sam with my parents, they stayed in our home and watched him. Ike is too much for my aging parents so I will have to board him if we are going somewhere that he cannot come also.


----------



## olik (Apr 13, 2008)

normally we try family vacation and its includes all kids(furry or not).Couple times we went without pups and it was horrible(i was insane,called my friend several times a day )I never board Honey,she will go bazooka.Holmes been board twice and we both are hated.They stay with my friend(she has a pool) and Honey love it.I keep her dog while they go on vacation.So far it's works.
If no one around to keep my pups we are not going.


----------



## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

We have always boarded our dogs when they couldn't come with us. But Merlin loves his cousin Maddie so I think he'll be staying with my sister next time around. 

We have a few dogs that board at the doggy daycare (where I work) for 5-6 weeks at a time while their owners visit family overseas. That would be SO hard for me to do. But their pups become like family to us and we miss them when we go home. 
I always think it's much harder on the owner than it is the dog!

My criteria for kennels is that I show up unannounced (during their open hours) and request a tour of the facility. If they won't let me do that, I won't board there. Ask around too, to find out where others board and how they like it.

www.city-data.com has forums for most cities and may also be helpful to find a kennel.


----------



## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

What's Vacation?


----------



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

So far I've always taken them with me wherever I go.


----------



## 3SweetGoldens (Feb 28, 2007)

NuttinButGoldens said:


> What's Vacation?


 
Boy....isn't that the truth! Especially now, with the economy so bad! Who can afford it?? :uhoh:


----------



## riddle03 (Jun 9, 2005)

We usually plan are vacations around them. We are going to the Smoky Mtns. in Sept. with them. Just about the only place we didn't take them was on our honeymoon. My parents stayed at our house. I still worried and called all the time !


----------



## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

I have someone from a pet-sitting service stay at the house and take care of the dogs. It's expensive ($65/night) but at least the girls are in their own home.


----------



## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

This is the one time when it's a good deal that Obi isn't legally ours (owners l mile away, but for the past 7.5 years only goes "home" 1/2 times a week). Have ok relationship with his owners, so we "board" him there -- pack his food, treats 

Even when we only had l dog we'd take Obi "home" when we went airplane camping - we don't take as much stuff now that we have own 2 dogs. 

I always meant to find a place/begin boarding when I lst got a dog -- well, Sadie's 8 & has never spent the nite without DH


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

if you guys could see how much fun your dogs are having, while you are away, worrying and fretting about them, you'd be amazed!


----------



## LibbysMom (Jan 15, 2008)

We don't have any family or friends close by so we board the dogs. 

We are going to Phoenix in May and they will be vacationing at Camp Bow Wow. I love that I can watch them on the webcams and they have so much fun! Plus, they are exahausted when they come home. It's always a plus


----------



## Angel_Kody (Feb 27, 2007)

We will be boarding Jester while we are in Hawaii next month for 10 days. He's stayed at this kennel many times and seems to love it. It's a really nice place but I do hate leaving him (at all) and worry about him while we are away. :uhoh:


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Debles said:


> I don't leave them. We take them with us or we don't go.


Yes, same here.


----------



## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

Great poll. For probably close to 9 years now my doggies have been going to their other mother when we vacation, a wonderful doggie hotel run by Hotel4Dogs. I never ever worry about them, they love to go there, in fact they know when we are heading out there and become so excited they literally burst out of the car when I open the doors. Several years she was booked full and I boarded them at another place, I was worried sick about them the whole time, since then if she doesn't have room, we don't go. Since I train with and often go to shows with her, my Raider especially is close to her and Tito. And at shows when we do the out of sight sits and stays, it is comforting to him I think to see her ringside, if he can't find me. Been a blessing and a joy to have her take care of my doggies.


----------



## cinnamonteal (May 16, 2008)

There's a dog walker here in town who will pet sit in her home. On the few occasions when we had to leave Caleb, we have dropped him off at her house. She only has a few dogs at a time, so Caleb gets lots of individual attention and he has a great time there. But we try to take him with us as often as possible.


----------



## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

We haven't traveled since we got Sierra in Oct. but, the Breeder/Vet we got her from says bring her out to the farm anytime.
Since the Vet has 3 Goldens, Sierra's mom and dad and 1 year old puppy Sierra loved to play with, I'm sure she'd think it was a real treat to run around the farm again and roll in poo just like the others again.
Karen


----------



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

For real vacations, we try to only do stuff that we can take the dogs with us to do. Once in a while, we have big family shindigs and we can't really take them with us. In that case, we have one of our friends stay here.


----------



## Bud Man Bell (Feb 25, 2007)

Buddy will be 13 this June 20th and we have never left him anywhere. I don't think we could stand it without him.
Bonnie&Buddy
PS We ARE SICK LOL


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Bud Man Bell said:


> Buddy will be 13 this June 20th and we have never left him anywhere. I don't think we could stand it without him.
> Bonnie&Buddy
> PS We ARE SICK LOL


Hope you feel better.


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Lucky goes to a boarder and hates it. But have one that I feel pretty comfortable with. We've gone through three to find the one that tramatizes him the least.


----------



## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

We've never left our big baby beast!! But if there was an emergency and we had to. I would only feel comfortable if she was left with someone in our little family (hubby, daughter or myself).


----------



## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

Basically, if our doggies are not allowed to go with us then what's the fun in having a vacation. In short, we don't board our dogs 'cause they go with us.


----------



## Pudden (Dec 28, 2008)

I ain't going nowheres without my Pudden. She comes along.


----------



## Doodle (Apr 6, 2009)

Debles said:


> I don't leave them. We take them with us or we don't go.


Same here too....


----------



## Nan (Jul 21, 2007)

I take Honey to a "Spa" for pets. She loves it there and the owners are with the dogs all of the time. Freddy will be getting his first taste of it next week but will be sleeping with Honey overnight. I have every confidence in them. I took Honey there when I was getting her socialized as a young pup. They take dogs to their bedroom if they seem traumatized. Good people.


----------



## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

We vacation on Cape Cod, my mother-in-law has a house on a fresh water pond. Heaven for goldens. So of course they come with us. If we go somewhere that the dogs can't go they go the kennel at our vets and the neighbors take care of the cats.

v


----------



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

I take the dogs with me.


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Maggie always goes with me and usually one other dog and the other 2 stay with friends.


----------



## cprcheetah (Apr 26, 2009)

It depends on where we are going, we like to camp, so most of the time we take the dogs with us, if we are going somewhere the dogs can't go we board them at my work, where they have rooms with full sized toddler beds, and get to play in doggie daycare all day long, so honestly I don't think they miss us  They have a blast, always come home tired and happy. I can't wait until Shellie is healed and can play in doggie daycare she's going to have a blast!


----------



## Mandy's Dad (May 27, 2008)

That's what my in-laws are for!!!

Last time I boarded a dog they had serious health issues when I got them back (after 5 days!). NEVER again!!!


----------



## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

We camp or visit relatives on our vacations, so they come with us. I am not interested in a vacation without them.

On the other hand, when we went to Miami for 2 weeks while my son had his surgeries, My neighbor that they love stayed here with them. I called her a few times daily.. On my phone.. lol. Making sure she was here.


----------



## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

- They come with us
- My parent's have come to stay with them
- We've traded dog watching with friends with dogs (although not sure how that would go over with three...)
- They've been boarded at the place the go for daycare.

I hate to leave them, but sometimes it's nice to get away and relax -- I'm always glad to get back home to them though... I really don't know what I'm going to do about leaving all three.


----------

