Does anyone have any tips on leaving a dog home while on vacation?

Question

I know kennels are an option, but when I go away on vacation I will be leaving for a week and my dog isn't very good with other dogs and other people. I have a chihuahua that will be a little over a year old when I leave for vacation, and he can't come with me. He is crate trained and is very good with that, I was thinking about having people he knows, like close friends and family come let him outside and play with him and stuff while I'm gone. I'm very attached to him and I want his vacation from me to go well, so if anyone has any tips on this I'd appreciate it if you could let me know.

Answer 1

OK.. I am going to post another unpopular one.

Its a week. You seem to understand that leaving the dog alone for extended periods of time is bad. If you left the dog locked in a cage like this on a regular basis it would be one thing, but its only a week.

The dog is going to be uncomfortable, but its only for a short period of time, yes it needs attention but its only a few days. As long as you have someone coming over at least ever 6 to 8 hours to let it out, I don't think it is going to cause any permanent damage. It is a small dog, and should be okay. If you board it, do you think that they are just going to let it roam around. NO they are going to throw it in a cage. It would probably just be better if you get a TRUSTED friend to come around a few times a day to take it out than cause the stress of a kennel if it isn't necessary.

As with anything, just use your best judgment and make an educated decision.

Answer 2

I have a rott/choc lab mix that was TERRIFIED to be left alone. He has seperation anxiety and would do the whole thing-going on the floor, tearing things up, etc. It was because his prior owners left him locked up 24/7 and only fed him when they thought about it-which was about every 2-3 days. He's much better now, but we've had him for 3 years and he's just now understanding that we WILL come back. I could never imagine leaving him alone for more than a day, not only because of his insecurities, but because he's my baby. I personally think that a kennel is the best option. Not saying that you don't have trustworthy friends, but you never know what could come up-them getting sick or a family emergency and they wouldn't be able to make it. Take a tour of your local kennels. The ones in my area offer a choice of indoor/outdoor kennels, as well as temperture controlled ones. A lot of places will let your dog out daily for exercise/play in a fenced area. Make sure the place is clean, and look at the food and water of the boarded dogs. They should also have papers showing their ratings and any violations. Since your dog is not very social, you will probably have to pay extra. (that's common) And of course his shots have to be up to date. (If they don't mention that from the start, they probably aren't very dilligent with checking-that's NOT the place you want to keep your dog.) I would be more at ease if my dogs were at a kennel while I was away. He's going to wonder about you being gone either way, but if you choose a good kennel, you won't have to worry about what's going on and if whoever did whatever with him at your house. Plus, since he probably can't hold his pee and poop all the times in between being let out, when he goes in the kennel it's a lot bigger than a crate where he would be right there by it. Probably save a few baths! Plus, some dogs will get skin irritations and can get sick from being left in a small area with their urine and feces and it gets on them-and it probably will-and there's noone there to wash him off as soon as there would be in a kennel. Good luck with whatever you choose, and have fun on vacation!

Answer 3

Separation anxiety could set in if left alone. With you gone, he'll know something is not quite right and he'll worry about you. On top of that he'll be even more scared of all the strange noises outside the house and the freak more than usual.

Your dog might actually surprise you if you left him at the kennel. His misbehaving might actually be territorial behavior with his immediate pack.

I have a Jack Russell/Aussie Mix. She too has some social issues. However, when we take her to the kennel we always get a good report on her stay. They always comment on sweet and loving she is which surprises the heck out of us.

If you do leave him home, consider that your small dog has a small bladder and might not be able to hold it as there may not be someone there as often as you would be.

Answer 4

The only way is to leave him with someone really close to you and ask them to care for him like their own till you get back , the next best option would be a kennel and even if he isnt very good with other dogs and people , I would suggest its high time to have him socialized properly , its your fault that the dog isnt socialized and now he has to face the brunt of separation , pls let the professionals handle the situation and leave him at a kennel, believe me the next time around you will not face this kind of a problem

Answer 5

If you have close friends and family willing to stop by and let him out daily, why not see if they could just pack him and his crate up and take him home with them for the week. He would have someone to watch him and it wouldn't interfere with your friends or family member's schedule. Another option is to invite someone to stay at your house while you are gone. Then your dog wouldn't have to move from his environment while he is missing you. I don't quite understand what you plan to do with your chihuahua. A week is a long time to leave him when someone just stops by once a day. It could be done, but the person stopping by will have to do alot of crate cleaning as there is no way your puppy will be able to "hold it" while only being let out once a day. He may get angry and start messing up with house training too as he will miss you so much. Are you going to let him loose in the house all day and let him out at night only? He needs someone to let him out twice a day at least even if he has the run of the house. Even if he is good all day in the house, being alone will encourage him to act out. Once a dog regresses itis hard to retrain them the way you wanted them to be initially. I would only follow through with your plan if their are no other options. Good Luck and have a great vacation!

Answer 6

I had the same issue before... I was going on vacation and sadly, could not bring my dog along. I just had someone come over and walk her, change her water and food, and play with her everyday. It worked out okay. My dog was kind of hoarse when I returned because she had been barking a lot. I think she was scared at night by herself, and that made me really sad. I also noticed they she seemed more anxious after my return. I would only do this again if I had absolutely no other choice.

Answer 7

Couldn't a friend or family member take your dog to their home or stay at your house? Even if they come 3x's a day dogs need more attention than that and you can't keep him in the crate all that time between visits. That's hard I have 2 dogs myself and haven't taken a real vacation just for this reason.

Answer 8

I think that your dog would probably be more comfortable at home if that is the case. I would recommend trying out the situation before you go. Let your friend come over and take the dog out a couple times so the dog adjusts. I DO NOT reccomend leaving the dog with another person unless you have done so frequently in the past.

Answer 9

I would limit the responsibility of someone coming by to feed and play with him to one or maybe two people. I would insure that each one know when they need to go by. If you spread the responsibility among several, nobody seems to take any direct responsibility and sometimes things don't get done.

Answer 10

Why don't you ask someone (reliable) to house-sit for you? This is a great option for uni students living with their parents, and means that your house and pets are being looked after for you! I've been housesitting for three years and love it :)