Pets

[morgan1312]

One of our 2 large dogs gets very funny when DH is away. Even though our 3 grown DDs and their families are always over here, if we go away the one dog will not go outside for any of our DDs or SILs even though he knows them all quite well and plays with them when we're here. He even gives me a rough time if DH isn't home for a few days. So, we have no other choice then to take them to a kennel. We usually get one of our DDs to pick them up for us the day we're coming home since kennel hours are not very accomodating to cruise ship schedules.

 

Our cats have always been fine at home with lots of food,water and someone to check the litter box every 3=4 days.

[tootts]

A beagle and a chihuahua "own" us. Our purpose in life, according to them, is to take care of them, buy toys & treats and have a good couch for them to sleep on :D :p (I personally want to come back in my next life as one of my dogs...;) )

 

Since our dogs are socially unacceptable:eek: we have them taken care of at home. We have a retired friend that, for long trips, comes and lives in our home and takes care of them & the house. For shorter trips, the technician at our Veterinarian's office - who is also a college student living at home, comes in the morning and evening to feed them. Since we have raccoons & possoms in the backyard during night-time hours, their doggie door has to be locked at night - so in the morning she opens it up so they can come in & out during the day.

 

We still miss them & worry about them a bit (at least I do - I don't think my husband does) - but not as much.

 

Best of luck with your new dog & finding something that works for you.

[LAnn]

We have an informal dog-sitting relationship set up with my sister and her family. When we travel, our dog takes his own vacation at my sister and her family's house--they love dogs, and it's a familiar environment for him. Same thing when my sister and her family travel -- their dog gets to spend time at our place.

[hawkfanI]

We recently attained a little Chihuahua about 3 weeks ago. She is very good dog that is relaxed and doesn't bark at all (unless you are new to her I suppose). She loves to go wherever we go, and we often find her whimpering if she can't. We leave her at home alone for sometime and come home and she gives little whimpers, but she didn't do that yesterday, instead she was just really excited.

 

My question is, what do most of you do with your pets when you leave on vacation? I don't really want to leave her here alone, she loves attention and loves to be held and rubbed.

 

We were never dog people, and swore not to get a dog, until we tried her out because she wasn't getting the care she should where she was at.

 

As much as I hate to.....we kennel our English Bulldog!! He's a sweetheart and I know he's going to be well taken care of at his vet's. He's always so excited when we get back and pick him up.

[Love2cruise58]

We have 3 yorkies and a Chihuahua who are our "children", We hire a friend who is also a dog lover to house sit and dog sit... It works well for all. There are a lot of single people out there that are trustworthy and can always use some extra money... We have a doggy door and they could stay alone with someone checking in daily to feed and water, but they are very social and need the company...

My elderly mother lives next door so she keeps an eye on her also. It works great for all concerned.

[birdylady]

We are VERY lucky to have my in-laws about 15 minutes away and they LOVE our pup, Auggie. He gets to vacation at Camp Grandma and Grandpa at the Lake. I'm not sure who enjoys it more, him or them. :) But if you're not that lucky, maybe you can have a friend, niece, nephew or neighbors responsible teen stay over while you're gone.

Good Luck

Erika

[lady cruise alot]

We have 3 Boston Terriers that we take to the kennel. The staff there love having them come and visit. They get as much attention there as they do at home. They put them out in a run a couple of times a day and they get kisses from everyone. I take their food with them so they don't get an upset tummy from strange food. A kennel expierence isn't that bad. I am sure they enjoy getting away from the house as much as we do. Our 3 cats we leave home with lots of food and extra litter boxes. A friend will come and check on our two parrots and feed them about every other day. And boy do we enjoy some time away from all the animals once in a while. Wish I could find someone trustworthy to come and stay at the house. I had that once but the gal ended up marrying our son. LOL

[rt1092]

If you are going to use a kennel. Be sure to shop around.

Some (most) kennels put your pet in a cage, and walk it two or three times a day. To me thats not acceptable. I want a place that lets thier dogs play with other dogs (they are on vaction too)

Also if it smells like a kenel keep looking.

A reputable place usually requires an interview (audition) to make sure your dog isn't overly aggressive.

And any decent place will require proof of shots and bortadella vaccination.

Good places are few and far between. In the Savannah Georgia area we use Eureka farms, also have used Miss Emilys in Orlando Fl.

And when we lived in New York It was Camp Bow-Wow in Bridgewater New Jersey

Hope this helps

[G'ma]

We recently attained a little Chihuahua about 3 weeks ago. She is very good dog that is relaxed and doesn't bark at all (unless you are new to her I suppose). She loves to go wherever we go, and we often find her whimpering if she can't. We leave her at home alone for sometime and come home and she gives little whimpers, but she didn't do that yesterday, instead she was just really excited.

 

My question is, what do most of you do with your pets when you leave on vacation? I don't really want to leave her here alone, she loves attention and loves to be held and rubbed.

 

We were never dog people, and swore not to get a dog, until we tried her out because she wasn't getting the care she should where she was at.

 

Well, I'm more of a cat person.....this is what I did.

 

My business required me to be away from home for long stretches of time and, then, vacations too.

 

I always had a house-sitter stay at my place. Luckily, I lived near a college and never had any problem finding a responsible student, recommended by the college, who stayed at my place, fed the cats, took in the mail, etc. Most of them loved the opportunity to have a quiet place to themselves for awhile.....

 

I never had any problems at all....like partying, bringing friends in, etc., nor did I ever have anything stolen or destroyed. The sitter had free run of the house except the telephone. In addition, I paid her 10.00 a day for her services. It worked fine for years.

 

Of course, there is always a boarding kennel but I never had the heart. My "girls" were happy to stay home in their own surroundings, with their own toys, special sleeping places and someones lap to curl up on...

 

That 10.00 a day was in the late 90's, early 2000......might be higher by now.

[pach]

We recently attained a little Chihuahua about 3 weeks ago. She is very good dog that is relaxed and doesn't bark at all (unless you are new to her I suppose). She loves to go wherever we go, and we often find her whimpering if she can't. We leave her at home alone for sometime and come home and she gives little whimpers, but she didn't do that yesterday, instead she was just really excited.

 

My question is, what do most of you do with your pets when you leave on vacation? I don't really want to leave her here alone, she loves attention and loves to be held and rubbed.

 

We were never dog people, and swore not to get a dog, until we tried her out because she wasn't getting the care she should where she was at.

 

We have 2 dogs, we do have a place where we normally board them but this time my MIL will be staying with them while we cruise in November, it will be a savings of over $700.

[EastTexans2]

What are most of you paying for boarding? Our vet charges $15 for the first dog and 1/2 for the second. Another kennel charges $15 per dog.

[pach]

What are most of you paying for boarding? Our vet charges $15 for the first dog and 1/2 for the second. Another kennel charges $15 per dog.

 

WOW, that is awesome, here in NJ we pay $24. each dog, plus an extra $10 a day if you want play time. You have it good. It really adds up!

[lady cruise alot]

We pay $15.00 a day per dog. Large dogs are $18.00 a day per dog. Plus I take their food. Only one of mine seems a little hesitant at times to stay. Like others mentioned they are fine and so very happy to see us when we pick them up. They always smell so good because they get a free bath and nail trim before leaving for home. I ask that all three of the Boston's stay in one large cage as they are used to being together. There is a place here that has special rooms for your pet with a video camera and you can go on line and watch your dog whenever you want to see how it is doing. Haven't checked into it yet as I am sure it is very expensive. They have beds for them to sleep on with a tv playing doggy movies. Too funny.....

[Jadai]

We have three maltese and we always get a friend or family member to stay at our house. We always feel guilty leaving but at least they are in the comfort of their own home. If one person can't do the whole time we divide the week between a few people. Whatever you do, you CANNOT leave a pet for a week and just have a few visits from someone throughout the day!!!!

[Lynn the Cruiser]

I am so lucky to have an elderly neighbor who loves dogs, including mine. She has always had dogs of her own, but now since her last one died, she feels like she is too old to get another so she watches other peoples dogs.

[MDSue]

I think it's really important when you have a pet to find a reliable petsitter [or nice boarding facility]. I have been very lucky to have nieghbors that will trade petsitting for me. I also have my own petsitting business where I go between 1-3 x's daily to check on peoples pets and give them plenty of attention. I also bring in the mail and water plants. I"m not sure that would be the best arrangement though for a puppy as they need more supervision than that. Where I live there are some pet hotels that may be home like than a standard boarding facility

Also your vet may be able to recommend a good petsitter. Good luck.

[pppiglet]

I think it's really important when you have a pet to find a reliable petsitter [or nice boarding facility]. I have been very lucky to have nieghbors that will trade petsitting for me. I also have my own petsitting business where I go between 1-3 x's daily to check on peoples pets and give them plenty of attention. I also bring in the mail and water plants. I"m not sure that would be the best arrangement though for a puppy as they need more supervision than that. Where I live there are some pet hotels that may be home like than a standard boarding facility

Also your vet may be able to recommend a good petsitter. Good luck.

 

How much do you charge to go to someone's house say 3x a day and bring in the mail?

 

Not that you could come here to Calif :p , but just so I have an idea of what the rate is. I have 9 cats and to board them would run about $750! (for 7 days) :eek: Luckily my sister is only 5 minutes away and takes care of them for us while we are gone, but sometime I'd like to take her on a cruise with us and I'll need someone to take care of them.

 

I always email her while away to check on them though in case she has any questions as she doesn't have any pets of her own.

[galavant3]

We recently attained a little Chihuahua about 3 weeks ago. She is very good dog that is relaxed and doesn't bark at all (unless you are new to her I suppose). She loves to go wherever we go, and we often find her whimpering if she can't. We leave her at home alone for sometime and come home and she gives little whimpers, but she didn't do that yesterday, instead she was just really excited.

 

My question is, what do most of you do with your pets when you leave on vacation? I don't really want to leave her here alone, she loves attention and loves to be held and rubbed.

 

We were never dog people, and swore not to get a dog, until we tried her out because she wasn't getting the care she should where she was at.

 

We are in the same situation! Our vet recommended a boarder that keeps small dogs in the house with her. It is a great situation because our Shih Tzu loves to go and is pampered all week. I couldn't deal with having him in a crate for a week. Ask around. There are plenty of good options out there. Find the one you are comfortable with and good luck!

[GoodAsGold]

The woman who watches my dogs in her home charges $7.50 a day and that's for BOTH dogs. Includes lots of play time, walks and runs. Very dog-friendly house with free access to a large, fenced lawn in back through a big doggy door. Upstairs is a large, sunny deck they also can go out on. Big, fluffy dog beds, a large living room and kitchen. And a box of fun toys. Nancy says she charges $7.50 for any amount of dogs I had, providing she has space. She is just wonderful!

 

What are most of you paying for boarding? Our vet charges $15 for the first dog and 1/2 for the second. Another kennel charges $15 per dog.

[Katiebug430]

We boarded our dog for a weekend and she did OK, but I hated having to do it. She's such a "people" dog that I feel she needs to have more interaction with someone. My parents' dog is currently curled up next to me on the couch; they went away for a long weekend and we take their dog. They return the favor when we go away; they'll take our dog and cat at their house.

 

The only time we've boarded the dog is when we've had to travel with my parents. Our cat does NOT board well; she'll go on a hunger strike. We boarded her once on our first cruise and she was so upset by the experience that we decided to never do it again.

 

The cat is perfectly content to be home alone by herself and until this trip, that's what we've always done. We would leave several water dishes and my parents came every other day to give her fresh water and food. Well, miss kitty cat is currently on a month-long course of antibiotics, so this time she will stay with my parents so they can administer her pills. If they were unable to take both pets, we would have gotten a pet-sitter to come in for the cat every day.

[MDSue]

How much do you charge to go to someone's house say 3x a day and bring in the mail?

 

Not that you could come here to Calif :p , but just so I have an idea of what the rate is. I have 9 cats and to board them would run about $750! (for 7 days) :eek: Luckily my sister is only 5 minutes away and takes care of them for us while we are gone, but sometime I'd like to take her on a cruise with us and I'll need someone to take care of them.

 

I always email her while away to check on them though in case she has any questions as she doesn't have any pets of her own.

 

I think where you live kind of dictates what a local petsitter would charge. Generally I would charge about $10 per visit or $25 for 3. If I needed to walk the dogs rather than just let them out, or watering the plants or yard was extra time-consuming then I would charge a little extra. I live in a small town and only work locally so I can keep my prices down. I do it more for the love of the job than to turn a profit as I already have another full-time position. Since I work for the school system and am off over the summer it makes a nice part-time job. I had a bad experience with a kennel many years ago which made me really want to keep my pets at home when I travel. I never charge my nieghbors to petsit, we just trade off and it works out great. Since you have quite a few cats a petsitter would probaly charge extra since feeding and cleaning would take more time but I think it would be much cheaper than boarding. Generally cats would only need once a day visits. I have one customer that keeps plenty of food and water out and I only come by every other day. I hope you can fnd someone great in your nieghborhood.

[cruiserbryce]

we have a couple very close friends that have been willing to watch our 3 cats while we travel. Fortunatly cats are pretty self sufficient and dont require much but its nice to know they are well cared for while we arent there

[temple1]

DH and I did an overnight trip once and had everyone and his brother stop by , check on, feed and walk the dogs. We still came home to a big mess the next morning. When we used a kennel I still had to have someone come over and check on the cat, get the paper and the mail. So with the kennel charges for 2 dogs plus the kid to come and check on the cat - it costs about the same to pay our petsitter to stay at the house.

 

Like another person mentioned - if you know someone who is single and is in circumstances where they don't have pets, you feel they are trustworthy and might need the extra cash - give them a call. As far as our "boys" are concerned she is a part of the family.

[Celestial Traveler]

We were on a cruise last August in the Caribbean. When we returned, we found that the kennel where we had boarded our beautiful 3 lb Yorkie had allowed another dog to get to him and he was killed. We didn't even know about it until 5 days later when we returned, because they didn't even call us. It broke my heart. PLEASE, be sure to leave your precious baby with a vet or a trusted friend, who can give them individual attention. It's worth the cost.

[transam84]

We have lots of cats, some are adopted ferals that we could never bring to a kennel because we can barely get them to the vet in a hav-a-heart or even to stay in at night. So...the entire family can't travel together because someone has to stay with the cats. I don't trust having a sitter stay in my house. Luckily my mom now lives in a house attached to the back of our house so we take turns.. I watch her cats when she is on vacation and she watches mine when I go away with my son and husband.