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!