While we're not doing any travelin' for the holidays some of my friends go through it each year. I over heard one of my friends complainin' to their Lady the other day! Does this sound familiar to ya?
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Why are y'all leavin' me again! I'll be good this time, I promise! Yer sisters cat was callin' you all kinds o' nasty names, I HAD ta chase her 'cross the livin' room, I didn't mean ta knock over tha' sparkly tree! *whimper* Yer still packin' yer stuff an' nothin' fer me. *whine* OK. Well, at least can ya put me in a nice place this time? The last one was kinda scary n' dirty."
Yep, poor gal was havin' a bad day! If you are gonna be goin' off to Grandma's house for the holidays, my Lady has a few holiday pet boarding tips that might make it a bit easier. I'll let her tell ya 'bout em.
Here's my Lady to share 5 Holiday Pet Boarding Tips:
The holiday season often involves a lot of travel, which is plenty stressful even if it's just you and/or the kids. Adding a pet is more than many people are willing to tackle. Flying can be dangerous for pets, on top of the cost and driving distracted by a stressed out pet is a recipe for disaster. Even if you get to your destination, finding a place where you can have a pet is another complication to deal with.
The obvious solutions are either a pet sitter or a boarding house. The trick is finding a place that will care for and love your pet as you would. Here are a few holiday pet boarding tips for making the time away from you as sstress-freeas possible for your pet.
1. Consider a Pet Sitter
For many, this is the best solution. A lot of people are looking for a little extra money over the holidays and kids are on break from school. Find a trusted high school or college student and ask them to pet sit for you. This way your pet doesn't have to deal with the stress of a new environment and strange people or animals. They still have their bed, their toys and their food. The pet sitter can feed and exercise your pet and it's easier for you to enjoy your time away because you can get text or Facebook updates.
2. Read Reviews and Ask for Recommendations
If a sitter isn't right for you, ask around. Your friends and family are a great source for honest opinions (they aren't afraid to tell you what they think about everything else in your life, right?). It's a lot easier to find a great solution when it's been recommended by someone you know and trust.
3. Visit the Kennel by Yourself First
Take the time to look around, stop by the kennel and talk to the owners. The best way is to just walk in so you know how things are day to day. Are the animals happy? Are they playing? Is the space clean and well maintained? Do the employees look happy and alert?
4. Ask Questions
While you are there, ask questions about feeding time and play time. How do they handle an altercation between animals? Do they have a vet on call? How many people are on staff over the weekends and holidays? If an animal needs quiet time, is there a place they can rest?
5. Trust Your Gut
If something doesn't seem right, trust your instinct. If you are going to spend the entire time away worrying about your pet, you aren't going to enjoy yourself very much.
Boarding your pet can be stressful for both of you. Take the time to make sure you have your pet taken care of and you with both have a better time over the holiday.
KateV says
I like all these tips. I guess I'd add- listen to why they do what they do, and decide if you agree or need to look for another place- or find a compromise. For example, we do very limited (medical) boarding where I work. We don't allow multiple pets in the same cage as some families request, and we don't encourage beds/toys from home. Even the best of friends can start a fight with each other in this stressful situation, and pets can destroy toys or beds under stress. Don't like it? Go elsewhere, or work with us on a compromise (cages near each other so they can see/smell each other, use our beds/blankets so yours don't get ruined, or use yours understanding we're not liable for anything that happens, etc. ) Basically, like you said- ask questions, LISTEN for the reasons for policies, work toward a compromise, or move on if it doesn't work for you.
Betty B. says
Great tips! We recently went on a mini vacation last weekend and had a friend watch our dogs. Lets just say it didn't go so well so next time i'll be looking at boarding facilities. Thank you for the tip about visiting them alone first!
rose cantu says
Nice tip to keep inind when I travel
Sara says
This dog so very cute
Richard Hicks says
Very good tips. We have used a pet sitter in the past and it worked out well
Brandi Dawn says
These are very helpful tips, thank you! I haven't had to board my doggers yet so I appreciate this list.
April Monty says
These are some awesome and useful tips, we tend to get nervous leaving our babies anywhere
deanna says
I love the pet sitter idea. I feel like the dogs will be so much more comfortable.
Two French Bulldogs says
Mommy fears leaving us in a boarding place. She is chicken . Good tips
Lily & Edward
Jan Roberts says
I have worked out arrangements with several of the families who have adopted my foster dogs, we trade off taking one anothers dogs when we vacation! SOOooo much better than boarding, and thedogsare already buddies!
Aria Wellington says
I really like your tip about looking for referrals and recommendations! I have two dogs that I love traveling with but I can't always take them with me. My brother and I are planning a big trip to Europe and I am thinking about looking into pet boarding. I will be sure to keep these tips in mind in my search, thanks for sharing!
Julie Wood says
Very good tips! I had my sister watch my dog over the Holidays for a few days, and it sure makes having someone trusty watch your dog. I have gotten a pet sitter before and it worked out great!
Avery Grey says
My husband and I are going to be going to Europe over the holidays and I am a little worried about our dogs. We have two of them and we have never left them alone for as long as we are going to be. We usually leave them with my parents whenever we go to different places but we are considering pet boarding this time around. I will definitely take your advice and read reviews and take recommendations. Thank you for sharing!
Olivia Sherwin says
These are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to visit the kennel in person before you choose it for your pet. My husband and I are going on a two week long trip, and we need to find somewhere for our cat to stay. I'll definitely keep in mind to see the facilities in person before making a final decision. Thanks for the great post!
Deanna R. Jones says
I'm going out of town for my sister's birthday, so I'm trying to look for someone to look after my dog. It seems as though I may have to take my dog to a pet boarding facility. I agree, it's a good idea to consider a pet sitter, but all of my friends are allergic to dogs, or they don't have time to take care of her while I'm away. I really liked your advice to visit different kennels in person before picking one. I should do that so that I can see for myself the type of care my dog would get and to ask the staff some questions about how they take care of the dogs.