Everyone likes to take their four-legged friend along with them on a holiday, but the situation just won’t allow it sometimes. Not all the dogs take well to long trips by car or high temperatures, or are A graders in obedience, some are habitual runaways, so you might not want to risk a trip abroad with them. There can be loads of reasons why the dog can’t go with you. But what to do with it?
If you can’t take your dog on holiday with you, the best option naturally is, if you have some relatives or friends, that will take care of it during the time when you’re away. However, this might sometime not be possible. Either they are not willing, or they don’t have any experience with dogs, or they just have their own plans. It can be all the more difficult to find an accommodating carer, if you’re dog has any health or character issues. In such case, it is necessary to start looking around for other alternatives.
Some private shelters and depositories are willing to take care of the dog you’ve adopted, if they have the capacity. Of course, that it is all the more likely, if the dog’s owner is in contact with them, or if they come over to help out. Naturally, it is not obligatory for shelters to provide such a service, so to require it would be quite out of place. These organisations usually don’t ask for anything for the minding, but I would be filled with shame, if I didn’t bring at least some granules, detergents or other necessities that they currently lack or that I know they will make use of. The advantage is, that they know your dog. They know what to expect from it, how it is likely to behave in various situations and the dog won’t be in an entirely strange environment and you will be calm, since you know, how they treat animals. I use this possibility from time to time and I am beyond grateful for it.
Another possibility is a dog hotel. Today, you will find one in almost all the regions. However, it is not exactly a cheap thing, with the prices depending on the services that the hotel is offering. And often, all the places are already reserved months ahead, so it is necessary to start dealing with it due time. It is also necessary to choose well and to check the chosen hotel carefully. I would start checking on the internet, trying to find everything I could. I would look mainly for experience and satisfaction of other clients, you will for sure find these in forums and discussions.
Before you place a dog, you should also see the hotel you’ve picked and let the owners show you the whole place. Take notice of cleanliness, for example, so that no dog excrements or dirty bowls are lying about in the runs, pens or rooms. Learn about the daily regime from the operator and whether they are able or willing to adapt it sufficiently for your dog. Thoroughly describe the character of your pet, only this way, you will secure its contentment during its stay. Your questions and descriptions should definitely not bother the operator and they should be actively interested in what your dog needs and what it’s like. Find out, how they provide veterinary service in a case of need and make sure that your dog gets the food that it is used to and at that it gets it at the usual time.
If a thought of putting your dog into a hotel does not appeal to you, you can also use the service of the so-called professional minder. These are people that will put your dog up in their home and they tend only to them, or maybe only to other two. Usually, these are students or dog lovers that provide a high level of services: they devote more time to your dog and they are better at following the dog’s regime. You can find the right minder for example on the Doginni server. On this server, individual substitute masters are checked and on individual minders’ profiles, you will also find the ratings from previous clients. Moreover, the server will provide you with a nice overview of substitute masters in your area. You pay for the service in advance, but the server will forward the money to the minder only after you’ve confirmed, that everything went down fine and they will even insure your dog for free.
Apart from minders, you will also find walkers here. If you’re going somewhere only for a day or two, you can order a substitute master, who will come to walk your dog at the agreed time. This way, you are not unnecessarily stressing your dog by a change of the environment. However, this is also suitable only for a short time, otherwise, the dog would suffer from loneliness, and even I would be nervous, if it were to stay unattended for such a long time between the individual walks. This has the disadvantage of letting a strange person into your home. Therefore, I would not choose this service, unless the minder had enough positive ratings.
So, if you want to or need to go on holiday, or perhaps on a work trip without your pet, there are relatively many more options, how to provide it with care, so that it doesn’t suffer. The only thing is to pick the one that will suit you and your dog the most.
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