[Kirska]

My husband and I will be going out of the state/country for up to a month. I think we should board the dogs at our vet's office but he thinks we should have a friend stay in our house to watch them. He is someone we can trust. What do you all think?

I am not opposed to the idea by any means, just getting a feel for what is best.

The dogs are old and lazy, and Harley does tend to stop eating when his surroundings change.

Do you prefer to board or have a housesitter for long trips?

 

[CatherineM]

We boarded, but he was a new puppy. Dogs that are older, and have a companion, I think do better at home.

 

[paisleysmom]

I would prefer Paisley to stay home in her own house. We hace never kenneled Paisley but preferred to take her every where we go. She is an expert at hotels etc. and when we travel down south she usually stays at my brother in laws i Toronto since we have not found an in home sitter. That being said it had recently created a problem for us -- my daughter and I are travelling to Turkey and Greece in August but hubby will stay home with Paisley (mostly his choice but since we don't have a sitter).
Paisley and her Dad tho will travel together during that time to Toronto twice and to Manitoulin Island on another weekend. You should have heard my husband explaining to the hotel guy that we had a little dog (he rationalized by saying she is VERY short). That being said I sure wish we had an in house sitter so that he would travel with us. We love to travel with Paisley but sometimes it would be convenient to leave her at home since my hisband and I agree that boarding is not an option.... we have to find a sitter soon.

 

[Annie714]

I haven't ever done either with Annie, but I am an experienced house/pet sitter. I think leaving your furry friends with someone you trust in your own home is a better choice.

 

[bassetmom26003]

I think a month is a long time to board, would opt for a pet-sitter for inhome care, especially with older dogs I think it would be quite stressful on them. We have a few sitter services in the area and my neighbors use them often. I know they come regularly a few times a day to tend to the animals.

 

[Princess Buttercup]

PBs pretty lucky & gets to go with me most of the time & if she can't she gets a slumber party at a friends house with a big backyard & is pretty much in heaven. I can't imagine kennelling her so I'd totally go the house sitter route. I loved the "very short" dog rationalization too by the way! Enjoy your trip!

 

[Lightning&Stomps]

I think boarding for that length of time would be so stressful. If you have someone you trust to housesit, I would definitely go that route.

 

[Boomer's Mom]

I'm going with the status quo, and say find a house sitter. And have a good trip!

 

[shallhb]

Housesitter, for sure. We have some one we trust, and Bella and Pearl always look happy and healthy when we get home. They are in familiar turf, getting their usual foods, and with some one to keep an eye on them personally for health issues, should they arise. I have kenneled dogs (many, many years ago), and sure didn't like what I saw when I came home, every tho we took them to what we had heard was the best kennel in our area.

 

[houndmomma]

I can’t say about boarding – I’ve only had house sitters that live at my house when I’m gone. Most of the time we’ve been extremely lucky. Our daughter is in her late 20’s and has always been very responsible – works for a great company with a very nice boss who lets her come to our house and work when we go away. We just always bring him a gift back as an added thank you.

On the rare occasion that she can’t because of her schedule I have a lady that I got from a friend that comes stay at our house.

I’ve thought of boarding years ago but Lucy is a rescue and was extremely aggressive the first couple years so I was afraid of the stress that would put on her and someone not understanding her aggression. I would just do a lot of research before I boarded.

I would go with your gut – no better way to ruin a good vacation than worrying the whole time you’re gone about how your fur babies are doing. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Jen~

 

[roscolaylamommy]

I agree with everyone else. The dogs will do best in their own home environment especially with the stress of you being gone. The less change the better.

Not to mention it will be good for your home security to have someone there all the time.

 

[Kirska]

The timing is weird... we are going to start renting out our spare bedroom a couple of weeks before but I don't want to trust someone I've only known for a couple weeks in the house by themselves. So we are going to have a house sitter for a non-empty house.

 

[Annie714]

Ha! I was just asked to dog-sit next weekend Was thinking of this thread the whole time the lady was asking me LOL. Too bad the dog isn't a hound, he is a Shih-tzu named Jesse James. So Annie Oakley and Jesse James will be having a shoot-out for sure

 

[Wworm]

Awesome, Ms. Oakley! i wanna hear all about the shootout between u and Jesse James (ummm... i bet Boomah would be jealous, except for the shit-zu part.... tho he would wanna pertect u, not shoot u out!).

Annabelle & Harley seem like they would do bettah w/a sittah at home. From what i remembah, it seemed like they have a nice backyard and a nice tree? tho the tree don't make fruits no more or something?

i get boarded at an open boarding, cageless place, where we dogs get the run of the peeple's house. yup, the backyard and all the rooms too i likes it a lot and am soooo sleepy after playing all day. oh, and then i get so sleep in the peeple's beds and bedrooms at nite w/their dogs and the other boarding dogs too. but that's also because i go to the same place once a week every week, so it is familiar to me, and i know the peeples. People do board their dogs for 3-4 weeks, even. i got boarded for 10 days. it was all good. and they send my person text messages and pictures of me while i'm there.

anyway, all that to say that boarding isn't NECESSARILY a bad option. it can be good. in my case, otherwise i'd be in my crate all day and nite in the apt, so the housesitting thing prob wouldn't work for me... plus i love to play with other dogs.
my 2 cents, Worm

 

[Lightning&Stomps]

Long before I had my own dogs I used to housesit a lot. Once I housesat a dog for 6 weeks. That lady had a roommate too. It was a little awkward, but not that big of a deal.

 

[Boomer's Mom]

Annieeeeee, please don't get in a shoot-out!