About boarding or having someone in.

**Presley** · 05-25-2002, 05:43 PM

My mom and I are going away in June and July for a few days. I am a bit worried about leaving Presley in a kennel. We have one in our town that i wouldn't leave her there if my life depended on it. So the next town over has one i would but i think she would be much happier at home. My questions are what should i be looking for in this person.
I know of one 18yo who i did contact about coming here but i don't know if i can trust her.
I don't want to leave her with a stranger. I am worried they wont take her outside when she needs to go out or they wont play with her enough.
Presley is high maintance. She demands loads of attention and she loves to play. Also when she wakes up between 6:30 to 7am i take her out. Will someone else be willing to do that?
I have never looked at having someone come into my home while i went away so some help on things to ask and press would be nice here....

Melissa

**tatsxxx11** · 05-25-2002, 06:12 PM

Melissa, I have some advice I would like to share with you. Right now I have to go out for dinner, but I'll get back to you. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages! You're very astute to have realized that! Talk to you later or in the AM...OK? Hugs to Presley! (Did you see all of your BD wishes??

)

**Presley** · 05-26-2002, 12:30 AM

Hi,
I would very much like to hear what you have to say on this topic.
But i honestly dont think i will be going in June.. I just remmebered Presley is getting spayed on the 6th and we would be leaving around the 9th and i am really worried about having her stay with someone she doesn't know well. I have a real problem on my hands. Presley is stuck on me Big time... I have a hard time leaving her alone with anyone as she whines and looks for me the whole time. Presley comes with us everywhere pretty much so now it is almost impossible to leave her. She gets insecure if we are not around. I am kinda unsure of how to fix that problem as well. I only trust my mom with her and she lives here with me so its not so big of a deal to leave her with her. Presley also gets worried when my mom leaves but my mom says it is bad when i go out and leave her home... Also if someone comes to the door Presley is there to great them. Now she listens to me and my mom when we call her but will she listen to someone else? What if she gets outside? Will this person keep her on a leash all the time? This is stressing me out big time.

Another reason i'm very worried about her is if she has a seizure. Now she hasn't had one for a long time but i'm worried the stress might bring one on. Will this person give her the valium? Will they put her in a dark quiet calm place? Will the yell at her or get frustrated by her demanding to go out to pee lots in the evenings? Will they take care of my baby like i would... I don't think i can trust someone to.... I get too many thoughts in my head and last time i left her with someone she started to have seizures and i couldn't live with the guilt of knowing i left her with another person who harmed her....

Yes thank you all for the birthday wishs

take care now
Melissa

**sasvermont** · 05-26-2002, 08:44 AM

I have boarded and had someone come in for my pets. I prefer someone here, with them. But if that person is not around much, then the Vet / boarding would be the next best.

Most animals would prefer their own home to a kennel, but then, some dogs love going to a friend's house as well.

I often watch my friends' dogs here, and spoil them rotten. They thrive here. I take them for lots of walks in the woods, let them sleep on my bed....you name it, I spoil them! It also makes my friends rest easy, knowing that their doggie is being loved so.

It is easier on me too, having the dog at my house. I have two cats that could care less about the dogs. The dogs are usually scared of the cats, and leave the cats alone.

Good luck. I vote for taking your doggie to a friend's house or having someone in. A kennel would be fine too, if you know their policies.

**Albea** · 05-26-2002, 11:41 AM

Melissa:
To begin with HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!
Do you have anybody you can trust that would stay in your house, or a friend that would be willing to have Presley while you're away?
I know exactly how you feel; worrying about Presley could stop you from enjoying your vacation. Many years ago, when I had my first Golden, I went to Florida to spend the Christmas holidays with my brother and his family and left Natasha in a kennel. The trip was supposed to last for two weeks but the day after Christmas I was so worried about her that I came back home, at the risk of offending my sister-in-law. I have never kenneled a dog since. Whenever I travel I have somebody stay in my house. I must admit I've been very lucky to find people I could trust and hope you can find somebody too. Good luck!

**Presley** · 05-26-2002, 11:54 AM

Hi

I don't really have anyone i can leave her with. My moms friend who we left her with at Easter was wonderful to her. She had a blast there. But Presley is only a puppy still and they don't have a fenced yard to leave her in. And you can't leave her unattended as she will still chew on things if no one is around and this lady works full time.
I have contacted a couple of teenagers (17 to 20) but i'm unsure if i can trust them. I have one more person i am going to call and see. She is a quiet girl who likes to just sit around with her friends and watch movies and so on.. She is a friend of mines neice.
I just worry because Presley needs so much attention....

**tatsxxx11** · 05-26-2002, 01:24 PM

Albea and all have expressed so well my thoughts. I help out at my friend's boarding kennel a few mornings a week. I know that safe, clean, responsible kennels do exist. But many are horrendous! You must thoroughly inspect the kennel and ask tons of questions.....Does someone live on the premesis, what are the safety provisions re: fire: are there smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, alarms, etc. Are the kennel large, clean, bright and airy? In summer, is there AC or good ventilation. Are the kennels free of broken wire, metal, etc. Do they provide bedding? (Some say they do, won't allow you to bring a bed of your own, then don't provide anything at all!) Are the dogs exercised in a safe environment, not just allowed to pace in a long run? And most important, what is their protocol in case of a medical emergency!!! You get the idea!

On the other hand, while having a TRUSTED friend or family member stay in my house would be ideal, I have had personal experience with friends for whom this option turned out to be a nightmare. You really need someone totally familiar with your dog and her/his routine, the layout of the house, your dog's routine and most importantly, someone with whom the dog feels comfortable, trusts and likes.

Paid professional sitters in the home can sometimes stress the doggie or make him or her feel protective of the house and territory. One person I know had a sitter who brought her friend (a stranger) and HIS dog into the house and the dog bit the "intruder!" When my friend returned from her crusie, her dog was in quarrantine at the pound and she had a law suit waiting for! And my greatest fear of all....someone leaving a door ajar or gate open! It really is a very personal decision, with good and bad points on both sides I think. I have never yet left my doggies alone! With sitters or kenneled! My vet, whom I trust implicitly, offers boarding services to his clientele. The facility is large and immaculately clean. Daily intake and output, behavior and mood are observed and charted by the vet tech. Individual meals are prepared to your specifications and in case of illness, the vet is right there! If for some reason I had to board, that's where I would go. I don't really have any family close or friends whom I trust enough to dogsit. If I did, I would go that route. The key word is trust! I'm not sure I would give that responsibility to a teenager I didn't know. Hope this is of some help Melissa. Like Albea, the stress of being away from my furkids is so distracting, I don't enjoy going away!! Where I go, they go!

**wolf_Q** · 05-26-2002, 03:59 PM

I hope you are able to find a good person to watch Presley. We have left Reggie and Smokey with my grandparents before. But I know we couldn't do that now, they couldn't take care of them. Most of the places we go are just camping so they come too. And other times my brother was home so we haven't had to leave them at a kennel yet. I don't know what we would do with them right now if we had to leave them. I can understand you not knowing who to trust with your sweet pup, but don't rule out people just because they are teenagers. We aren't all bad I promise.

**tatsxxx11** · 05-27-2002, 05:30 AM

Oh, Wolf Q, please forgive me if I offended you!! What a blockhead I am. I most certainly did NOT mean to imply that a teenager could not be responsible! I guess what I meant to say was that anyone, teenager or adult, should be someone you trust and know to be responsible. Geeez, some of the biggest ding dongs I've ever met were adults!! The example I gave of the petsitter who brought a stranger into the house WAS an adult!!! Please accept my apology!! I have a friend whose son, 13, just started his own doggie sitting business and he is wonderful and SO responsible, getting up before daybreak to make sure the doggie is let out for potty, fed breakfast and given a hug and kiss! With home sitting, I more worry about someone being left in a strange situation with a strange dog that they don't know well, or in Presley's case, a doggie who has a medical condition. That's a lot of responsibility to put on anyone, no matter what age. I'm so very sorry if I hurt your feelings.

There are so many wonderful young pet guardians here on PT and I wouldn't hesitate for second to leave my furkids with any of you. Wolf Q, you are the perfect example of a wonderfully caring, responsible teenager! I'm SO sorry!!! Sandra

**Presley** · 05-27-2002, 06:24 PM

I am not going to go away in June. We were actually going to go on a horse shopping trip for me. But i will stay home with Presley because i do not feel comfortable about leaving her with anyone at that time just after she gets spayed. And it isn't safe to bring her along. We will be going quite a ways from home.
As for July i will come to that when the date gets closer but i have a feeling i will be once again staying home.. Also in Aug i wanted to go to some big Quarter horse shows and i think i will end up staying home. I find it really hard to ask someone to come into my home when i have a billion rules that would need to be followed. Also leaving her at the dog kennels would make her so unhappy.
In July i would love to bring her but it is a horse clinic and the people she fears will be there.. as well as in Aug... so i'm stuck...

I knew this would happen when i got a dog.. I wouldn't want to go anywhere unless she could come...

**wolf_Q** · 05-28-2002, 12:03 AM

Oh Sandra I am not mad at all! I just saw a lot of the word "teenager" on this thread lol. I know that nobody meant anything by it. Don't be sorry! I just wish more people would realize that just because some teenagers are irresponsible trouble makers, that doesn't mean we all are.

And I know all of you already know that! lol

**sammi** · 05-28-2002, 04:30 AM

Oh Presley, you don't want to stay home all the time because your dog does. And about 2 days after she is spayed she will be right back to her old self. You should be able to find a place that you feel good about to board her. It is hard to leave them I know. Sometimes I leave Buddy at the vets even though he dosen't get played with as much I know he safe. Having someone came into the house is best but very hard to find someone you can trust or even will do it.
Last summer I had a 11 year old boy take care of Buddy for 1 night and 2 days. (remember I live in a very small town) and it worked out great! His mom said he was over checking on Buddy during the day about every hour! Good luck.