Going on vacation- house sitter or board outside of the home??

[gigi d]

Hi! At the end of August, we will be going on vacation for a week and am worrying about what to do with Graycie.  She is used to being home about 3-4 stretches the most alone (or with grandpa sitting in the room, but he does not do any caretaking of her at all)...and we have a dog walker when we are at work.

Anyway, my question is what are any of your experiences with vacations and your pup?

Probably like most, she loves to be around the family, follows me EVERYWHERE.  She has never done doggy day care...curious about other dogs but gets scared of bigger ones, loves cuddles from strangers.  I feel so bad leaving her home on a typical daily basis, let alone a whole week! :(

I know people do it all the time and I know I shouldn't stop our lives completely because of her --  my other friends with dogs don't seem to have this guilt that I feel!  HaHa!!

Any thoughts and experiences would be so appreciated!!

[Wasseem Sidhom]

We love www.rover.com and www.dogvacay.com. We've established 2 or 3 sitters that we use depending on their availability when we're out of town.

I'm with you that I would feel terrible leaving my Cooper all day and night by himself with only someone to check on him 2 or 3 times / day and that's why we send him to another home with other dogs and not a kennel when we're out of town.

My recommendation is for you to find a couple of sitters next to your house with the websites above and try it out for a couple of days and see how it goes.

Good luck!

[gigi d]

I def like your idea of trying a night or 2 out before the week vacation so she can get used that person.  She's so used to sleeping in her crate too in our room.....thank you for your suggestions!

[Lisette Palmer]

Thanks for the Websites.  Very helpful.

[Wasseem Sidhom]

Or we'll take her from you for the week if you're vacationing up north by the Boston area :)

[gigi d]

awww I wish!!!!

[SK & Hudson]

Dogvacay.com and Rover.com have been excellent for our Hudson . We have been able to find folks to watch her at their homes in all areas, and we love the apps, insurance, and concierge services. We even strategize doggysitters based on airports that we fly out of, if they have other dogs to play with, if they are okay with both taking her out for potty and allowing potty pads indoors, if they have a backyard, if they give an exit bath, if they work from home, adminster medication, train dogs as a profession, and so forth. Sitters send you photos and videos, which really helps to refocus your guilt into happiness that your pup is gaining a new experience.

If you are in the NYC/NJ area, I can make recommendations on specific sitters or would be happy to watch your pup myself!

[gigi d]

we ARE in the NJ (northern NJ/Bergen county area) if you have any recommendations?!!

Do you think she will be more nervous being in a different home or environment?  

[Carrie]

I also have kennel guilt. As a result we always use in home dog sitters. Over the years it's been relatives or responsible kids of friends who are 18-30. They tend to like staying away from home and the money. I also stock the fridge/pantry before leaving.

[Susan and Bentley]

we are taking our first family vacation since we got Bentley 3 years ago.  We are having my best friend's daughter stay at my house with him.  I know he will still be depressed but at least he'll be home and with someone he likes.  And I'm lucky enough to have my sister's living nearby so they will come visit him too.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

We used Rover.com for a day. Left both our doodles. It was a great experience.

[VScott & Lloyd]

We've had great experiences with rover.com. We moved cross-country and had to leave Lloyd twice for 3-4 weeks at a time with 2 different sitters. Both were great and he came back the same happy-go-lucky pup we left. I actually think he enjoyed the long stays because he could see all sorts of dogs come and go. The sitter said he would be the welcome wagon and showed the new dogs the ropes.

Look at rover.com and check out the sitters' reviews. Do the meet and greet and you'll know if it's a good fit.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I don't feel comfortable having people come to my home, so that is out for me. Last week I boarded Annabelle for 5 days while we took a trip. It seemed like a nice enough place. She came home with a little card telling me what she did and what she liked and who her buddy was for the week. However, I won't do it again. I feel it was too stressful for her. I would like to try the Rover or Dogvacay if there is a next time. When we picked her up at 1:30 she was a pooping machine. It was like she didn't go in the the whole 5 days she was there. About every 2 hours on the way home, we were stopping for her to poop. Then we get home really late, and she wants to go outside. My husband takes her out, she poops a couple of times and then proceeds to roll in it. She has never done that, ever. I don't know if she was mad at us or she picked up some bad habits from her fellow boarders or what that was about. But it was just what I wanted to do at 11:30pm when I am tired from traveling is give Annabelle a bath and wash off smelly poop. I had just spent 4 hours on a rocking car ferry going across Lake Michigan in rough waters and heard people all around me puking the whole time. Annabelle rolling in her poop was not what I needed to deal with. Anyway the next day she did seem pretty much back to her normal self. I think the first 2 days after we got back, she was scared we were going to leave her again. But she is over it now. My husband and I though may never get over the guilt.