Cruise/Boarding Pets

[summer slope]

I have a friend who moves in to care for my kitty baby when we travel. The friend enjoys it as much as the cat. She visited several times before we left so both she and the cat were accustomed to each other. Works out great for everyone as she considers our vacation a time for her to be alone too.

[DandDM]

The upside, for me at least, is that I used to get very sad when the cruise was over and it was time to go home.

 

Now, I get so excited to go home to my two dogs, I don't mind leaving the ship!

[Donut23]

I totally understand your dilemma. We were recently gone for over 3 weeks and had to board our cairn terrier during that time. We missed her terribly and we know she missed us. But, we do forgo certain things when we are home to take care of her - we don't begrudge it in any way because we love her so much and get such joy from her (every time we come through the door she is as excited as if she hasn't seen us for a week) -but one of us does make sure to go straight home from work to see her and let her out instead of going to dinner or happy hour or running errands. Plus, when we make it home after a trip we appreciates the time together that much more, as does she.

 

We use two different kennels, one of which has a "playcam" where you can watch your pet outside two times a day for half an hour each time. We try to watch that once in a while to reassure ourselves she is ok. I do wish she could go more places with us but it is not always possible.

 

We take her own food for the morning so everything is not different. We also take a blanket she sleeps on and one of her "babies" - a stuffed toy to sleep and play with. That way she has some familiar things with her, so it is more like home.

 

We always make sure the kennel has multiple ways to contact us just in case something comes up - which it never has! Don't hesitate to call part way through the trip just to check up and make sure everything is ok if that will help ease your mind.

 

 

Awwwww....... We have a Cairn Terrorist too.

 

We leave in 2 weeks for Alaska and will be dropping out little guy at "camp". My Mom used to watch him but she passed.

 

He is not a fan of camp.....but it is the most responsible place for him. They are dog people, his environment is big enough to todder around-----they keep him near the dog walk area so he can bark. He LIVES to bark.

 

I can no longer take him. The look of panic and abandonment sends me into a crying meltdown.....actually makes Hubsters cry too.

 

He is my special guy. My nurse after my accident and heart scare. He is rarely away from my side.

 

Ok, thinking about this so close to departure........I must stop now and go hug my terrier.

[Justmekaren918]

Not sure if you have a boarding facility, but see if the facilities have cameras, so you can see them online. I might put a collage of pictures into a slide show. I was watching mine that I had made a good 7 years ago, and I was quietly smiling and laughing at my gooney boy who passed a while back for the first time. It brought joy and love; while I was on the flight to Florida to catch Brilliance. It is hard to leave your dog.

 

If you don't have a facility, ask for help or a sister to find one. Please make sure your dog is up to date on all shots required. My current to go to an amazing place. They have there own private room. They get to be in doggie camp twice a day. They are around 20 &30's that totally love dogs. Good luck.

 

Have a great cruise.

[Scotty G]

A possible solution for you could be a pet sitter.

 

We have a neighbor who is our "Pet Nanny" for Teddy Bear our Malty-Poo. As well as taking Teddy into her condo she drives us to and from Port Canaveral when we cruise from there. She also house sits as necessary for those that require such service. Hope OP can find someone who cares about the animals they care for :)

 

There are also a couple of local grooming and boarding businesses we use when needed. It took some research to find the most reliable where Teddy was happy. We can judge his happiness level when he returns for a repeat visit ;)

[George C]

Long ago we used to board our cats, but been using pet sitter for last 20 years, she spends many hours at our house since cats really like her and she can use our pool and large screen TV

[parrotfeathers]

I don't mind leaving my hubby to cruise but I sure hate leaving my animals.

[Fa-Li]

Awwwww....... We have a Cairn Terrorist too.

 

 

.

 

 

Love this! I am on my second and third Cairns. During the lifetime of my first, I was an English teacher and put "terrier" on a spelling list. Most of the kids spelled it "terrior" and that's still what we call them. Feisty little monsters, aren't they?

 

OP, good advice so far. I will add that you should look for a kennel that does a lot of business with the breed of your dog and knows the personality type. For example, my kennel ladies are involved in Westie rescue and they keep a special terrier section. They know what my dogs like, and my "terriors"are always happy to go there and bark along with the other terriers.

 

If you can, once you find a kennel, do a few short test stays. Then your little guy will know that he will always get picked up from camp, and you will learn his typical readjustment routine.

 

 

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[Alisabeth]

We travel frequently and having a dependable place to board our dog is vital. We use a Cageless boarding company. Type in Cageless dog boarding and the city you live in on google or yelp, there are quite a few companies nationwide. Read the reviews for each company. We always have a. "meet and greet" before we leave our dog, so we can feel comfortable and know she is in good hands.

 

 

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[bearette]

We feel.form you here too. My husband works with a dog and we have to board him. We always come home to.stories of the crazy things he did while my husband was gone. I feel for the dog, but since we love to vacation I figure one day he will get used to.it.

 

For our pet I usually have family or friends feed him. I like this as it makes the house busy and keeps him company.

 

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[matj2000]

Sneak him on....

[kathyemma]

Not sure where to post this. But since Im be sailing on RC. Ill ask here. Ok so some people wont understand this. A long story short. A friend just passed away and now Im the proud owner of his dog. Its a Chi. He knows me really well so the transition has been very smooth. My question is how do you deal with leaving your pet at a Boarding place while cruising? Im afraid Ill miss him to much. Yes he gets spoiled rotten. I missed him when I was on my last cruise and he wasnt even mine. Anything you can tell me to ease my mind? I cant leave him with a relative because he doesnt know any of my family. So I think boarding will make things easier. I just dont know what to do. Please there is no need to post on this if you dont have anything nice to say.

 

I have 2 cats and three VERY large dogs. Boarding is expensive and make me worry non stop. I have someone come stay at my house. I found the most amazing person thru http://www.dogvacay.com She is AMAZING. She stays at the house and takes care of ALL the monster, plus the house. She was charging $30 per day but I convinced her to up her fees to 40. Boarding I was paying 80 PER DOG. And I still had to have someone come take care of the cats. Look into hiring someone who is insured to come stay at your house. You and your new baby will be much happier.

 

Kathy

 

PS Thank you for taking in your friends dog. So many dogs end up shelters after their owners pass away. Thank you!

[Jenhem31]

While I was fortunate enough to have a friend house sit and watch my chi for my last cruise, I have a kennel I've boarded her at twice and feel 100% confident leaving her there. Instead of a tiny cage, I book her in a "townhouse" suite complete with a toddler bed and tv tuned into the animal planet. There's a lot more room for her which I like because she's not in a kennel at home when we are gone. I pay for extra one on one play time and she's let out about 4 times a day.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still cry when I drop her off. But I do feel better having her there.

 

 

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[kathyemma]

While I was fortunate enough to have a friend house sit and watch my chi for my last cruise, I have a kennel I've boarded her at twice and feel 100% confident leaving her there. Instead of a tiny cage, I book her in a "townhouse" suite complete with a toddler bed and tv tuned into the animal planet. There's a lot more room for her which I like because she's not in a kennel at home when we are gone. I pay for extra one on one play time and she's let out about 4 times a day.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still cry when I drop her off. But I do feel better having her there. [ATTACH]312317[/ATTACH]

 

 

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She is beautiful! I used to board my dogs when I just had two. But then as the family grew the costs for boarding became insane. (I really am in the wrong business!!) At one place I paid extra for cable. I am a loser.

 

Kathy

[Jenhem31]

She is beautiful! I used to board my dogs when I just had two. But then as the family grew the costs for boarding became insane. (I really am in the wrong business!!) At one place I paid extra for cable. I am a loser.

 

 

 

Kathy

 

 

Haha, thanks! I can't even describe the guilt I had on my last cruise, we were gone on her birthday. She did get a nice new blanket from Mexico tho and my friend had a little celebration for her.

 

 

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[kccrzr]

[quote name='Donut23']Awwwww....... We have a Cairn Terrorist too.

We leave in 2 weeks for Alaska and will be dropping out little guy at "camp". My Mom used to watch him but she passed.

He is not a fan of camp.....but it is the most responsible place for him. They are dog people, his environment is big enough to todder around-----they keep him near the dog walk area so he can bark. He LIVES to bark.

I can no longer take him. The look of panic and abandonment sends me into a crying meltdown.....actually makes Hubsters cry too.

He is my special guy. My nurse after my accident and heart scare. He is rarely away from my side.

Ok, thinking about this so close to departure........I must stop now and go hug my terrier.[/quote]

Terriers are special, aren't they? Sookie is so protective of us, if she sees something she thinks is threatening she will growl then shake from fear, then growl some more. She is also a little too smart - she notices everything and is always on the lookout for anything out of place.

And so funny - laughter is the best medicine, so I bet your terrier was a fantastic nurse. :)

[sippican]

Sorry, duplicate post. Edited May 12, 2014 by sippican

[sippican]

[quote name='kardut']We're fortunate to have an excellent cageless boarding kennel near us, but check out dogvacay dot com. It's a listing of local people who will take care of your dog in their homes, complete with user ratings.


Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app[/QUOTE]

Here's another vote for Dogvacay.
Ask tons of questions at any boarding facility including those already mentioned; emergency vet care, staff to pet ratio, exercise and potty breaks (how frequently and how long), feeding schedules, noise levels (can your pet tolerate incessant barking from other dogs), nighttime staffing/security, are pets monitored during outside play, what are their cleaning/sanitizing routines. Take a tour and note the cleanliness and safety of the facility. There should be no odor of urine, feces or disinfectant.
I used to board my boys at a kennel that I thought was the top of the line. The last time I dropped them off, we noted a group of dogs outside with no supervision (safety and theft concerns), the staff person showed no interest in even learning the dogs' names (important because they have different feeding requirements) and the oldest dog cowered in a corner when the staff bent down to remove his leash. So, that was the end of that. We also visited another "state of the art", very expensive, kennel in Sarasota, equipped with video cameras, garden suites, televisions, etc. Upon leaving, I asked what the nighttime arrangements were, only to find out that the building is unstaffed all night (monitored remotely by camera). I felt very uncomfortable, thinking about emergencies such as a fire or injury.
Since then, I have found the most incredible sitters through Dogvacay.com. They encourage a meet and greet with caregivers prior to leaving your pet (or having a sitter in your home). The price is usually no higher than outside boarding and we vacation with complete peace of mind.

[Chipchip]

Hi, Cant you get you dog introduced to family before going. Im lucky, my daughter moves into my house to look after our dog, could never put him in kennels. Good luck

[iuki]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Blue"]One thing I do is to take a piece of clothing I have worn (not washed) and take it to the boarding facility for the dog to sleep with. It is comforting to the dog to have the smell of their owner next to them. (I know - it sounds weird, but a vet once told me that a long time ago.)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Snow cat]

For those who say they'd never put their dog into kennels....certainly where I live in BC and I'm sure in many areas - you can now find "cageless" boarding options where dogs (of good temperament only) hang out together and sleep in large communal buildings.

I have a choice of several like that - so my dog actually goes to "adventure camp" while I am gone with 2 long walks a day and a week of "sleepovers". He loves it!

[BARNET]

[quote name='Snow cat']For those who say they'd never put their dog into kennels....certainly where I live in BC and I'm sure in many areas - you can now find "cageless" boarding options where dogs (of good temperament only) hang out together and sleep in large communal buildings.

I have a choice of several like that - so my dog actually goes to "adventure camp" while I am gone with 2 long walks a day and a week of "sleepovers". He loves it![/QUOTE]

I'm one who would never put our dog into kennels, we are lucky she goes to my dad's, she has been going since she was 12 weeks old and at a time that my mum was alive, it's her holiday and she gets spoiled rotten. We are lucky in that respect, to take a dog to somewhere that they are caged for 20-22 hours of the day I believe is not fair. If we didn't have anyone to look after her we would cancel the holiday not having children as we married later in life she is our baby.

A adventure camp like you talk about I take it the dogs are check that it is suitable to be there.

[Jenjer]

Have you looked at Rover.com

I have a very skittish mommy dog. She really only likes me and always gets depressed when we leave her. I know she will be unhappy but within a few days she is back to normal.

I feel like leaving my dogs with a person in a home stresses them less than boarding. I have done both and if I can find someone I trust I pay them very well IMO to care for my furbabies.

[Donut23]

[quote name='BARNET']I'm one who would never put our dog into kennels, we are lucky she goes to my dad's, she has been going since she was 12 weeks old and at a time that my mum was alive, it's her holiday and she gets spoiled rotten. We are lucky in that respect, to take a dog to somewhere that they are caged for 20-22 hours of the day I believe is not fair. If we didn't have anyone to look after her we would cancel the holiday not having children as we married later in life she is our baby.

A adventure camp like you talk about I take it the dogs are check that it is suitable to be there.[/QUOTE]





Um.......I hope you don't mind a little frankness.

My pet sitter DIED. If I followed your rules, we would never travel.

A month after Mom passed, Hubsters and a friend took me to Disneyworld to find my smile. They had just opened Best Friends kennel and that is where our Shadow stayed-----after the Mother of all Car Rides from Maryland.

No, it's not my Mother 's lap, nor her backyard. Our Best Friends in New York happens to be staffed by loving pet people who are responsible and will take good care of my precious Shadow.

In our case, it 's the most responsible option.

Does he miss choosing between the bed and the sofa for his afternoon nap? Probably so. Should we stay at home forever because we have no one responsible to leave Shadow with? Hardly.

I guarantee no one could possibly love their pet more than I live my Shadow.

Lets keep one thing in mind............

He
Is
A
Dog

[BARNET]

[quote name='Donut23']Um.......I hope you don't mind a little frankness.

My pet sitter DIED. If I followed your rules, we would never travel.

A month after Mom passed, Hubsters and a friend took me to Disneyworld to find my smile. They had just opened Best Friends kennel and that is where our Shadow stayed-----after the Mother of all Car Rides from Maryland.

No, it's not my Mother 's lap, nor her backyard. Our Best Friends in New York happens to be staffed by loving pet people who are responsible and will take good care of my precious Shadow.

In our case, it 's the most responsible option.

Does he miss choosing between the bed and the sofa for his afternoon nap? Probably so. Should we stay at home forever because we have no one responsible to leave Shadow with? Hardly.

I guarantee no one could possibly love their pet more than I live my Shadow.

Lets keep one thing in mind............

He
Is
A
Dog[/QUOTE]

Off cause I don't mind a little frankness.

We are lucky that we have someone to look after her when we are away and I understand that not everyone does and kennelling for some is the only option, It's just not something that we would do. Living in the UK I have never heard of cageless kennels. no doubt there are about. It's just a personnel thing she has never been kennelled and I'm sure she would hate it.