Travel with a dog?

[Ian S]

We've had good experiences with sitters at Dogvacay.com. Each sitter typically has a tremendous amount of detail in their blurbs on the dogvacay website. We look for sitters that let the dog have pretty much the run of their house with fenced and locked backyards. We found the kennels to be too much like warehouses.

 

[youbet]

We made the decision to be pet-free when our last one passed a decade or so ago. So far, so good. Avoiding the problems being discussed in this thread has more than made up for not having a fur ball sleeping between us at night. We knew we had done the right thing by the end of our first month-long pet-free trip.

Who knows what the future will bring? As soon as DW finishes dealing with some current health issues, we'll be resuming our travel schedule and will continue the pet-free lifestyle. When we eventually slow down, another pet might be in order. But, for us, a heavy travel schedule and pets don't work out well together.

Of course, not getting a replacement pet when a pet passes is completely different than "getting rid of" an existing pet. We couldn't have done that.

Edit: We confess that having our son and his DW + the three grandkids + their house full of pets nearby really kept us from having to go cold turkey with giving up pets. House sitting, baby sitting and pet sitting, in various combinations, more than fills the void.

 

[Choices]

Dogs went with us for 3 wk road trip last summer, from CO to VT to Ga and back. One of the darlings is 68 lbs, the other 93. Lotta dog, but we love them. They have stayed at home with a sitter for 5 days, but I get nightly telephone briefings ( from the sitter). La Quinta is where we stay.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

I have a friend I've known since 7th grade; she was maid of honor when DH and I married 38 years ago--tomorrow. Crikey!

She's as animal crazy as we are, so we have flown her to CA from GA so we can visit with her, and then she dog/housesits poolside while DH and I get away for a few days. It worked nicely once and we're trying again this fall.

Her "fee" is that we pay her petsitting and airplane ticket and then we have peace of mind that someone we trust will take care of our canine Americans and home. Our dogs don't get sick or stressed from being boarded, and someone keeps an eye on the hacienda.

Win-win so far.

She's our jetsetting animal nanny.

 

[Scuba]

I have a friend I've known since 7th grade; she was maid of honor when DH and I married 38 years ago--tomorrow. Crikey!

She's as animal crazy as we are, so we have flown her to CA from GA so we can visit with her, and then she dog/housesits poolside while DH and I get away for a few days. It worked nicely once and we're trying again this fall.

Her "fee" is that we pay her petsitting and airplane ticket and then we have peace of mind that someone we trust will take care of our canine Americans and home. Our dogs don't get sick or stressed from being boarded, and someone keeps an eye on the hacienda.

Win-win so far.

She's our jetsetting animal nanny.

We used to fly my MIL from GA to CA to take care of our dog, but now that she's in her 80's, she doesn't want to travel as much. We have an awesome pet sitter we use who lives near LAX. We drop our dog off with her, leave our car at her condo for free, and she takes us to the airport. She does a great job and our dog loves her. While she was willing to give us a longer term rate, I didn't want to be away from my dog for 3 months.

I've talked with a few dog owners and people who work in vet practices here. Apparently the adjustment to the USVI environment is pretty difficult for dogs from the mainland. We've taken him on trips within the US with no problems. I didn't realize the USVI environment was so different before we brought him here.

Luckily his recent minor injuries have healed now. Hopefully we can help him avoid additional issues as we still have 2 months on the island.

 

[Teacher Terry]

As our dogs die we plan to just have one small dog that we can take everywhere with us except for cruises. I hope your little guy does better the next 2 months. Like you I could never be away for 3 months without my babies.

 

[Lagniappe]

Thanks for the note. We've done this in the past, but sometimes the folks at the ticket desk won't allow it if they deem the dog too tall ("I'm sorry, sir, but she can't stand up fully, her head is touching the top of the carrier."
Me: "So? You don't have any problems jamming me in a seat where I can't stand up or straighten my legs, either!")

I talked to a lady who regularly flies with a little Yorkie under the seat, she says other passengers sometimes give her looks or even comment about objecting to having to ride with the dog in the cabin. I'm sure some folks are allergic to them, but as far as hygiene goes, I've flown next to plenty of people who were far more objectionable than a clean, well-groomed dog.

The other day, I was seated on a plane next to a woman who had a cat under her seat. I have a severe allergy to cat dander - I didn't see the cat but knew we had a problem when my throat started to close. At first the flight attendants said they couldn't help me, but when they saw welts breaking out on my face moved me to another seat. If someone has a peanut allergy, no peanuts are allowed on the plane, but I was very close to going for the epi-pen due to this situation, and we all know how expensive those are these days.

 

[NW-Reader]

Late to the party, but one option for those, like us, who are taking a break between dogs to allow for more long term or spontaneous travel, consider fostering an animal from a rescue or shelter. It's kind of like what I've heard about having grandkids, you get to enjoy them and then give them back. And you are saving a life! I know when we are eventually ready to have a dog again, we will probably adopt one of our fosters.

Oh, and if you're going to Hawaii, you can help by transporting a shelter dog to the mainland! http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/going-to-hawaii-on-vacation-save-a-shelter-dog-on-your-return-trip

 

[Car-Guy]

The DW could leave me in a kennel for weeks at a time but has a hard time leaving the dog overnight.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I know people that do rescue work and they agree to keep the animal forever or until it gets a home. Also when they go on vacation they face the same problems about having to find a doggy sitter. The small rescues don't have a facility and depend on volunteers.

 

[Totoro]

If you want a temp-foster dog here, or just plain volunteer at the shelter, one ends up on a waiting list.

Good for the dogs

 

[Scuba]

The DW could leave me in a kennel for weeks at a time but has a hard time leaving the dog overnight.

[emoji23]

 

[NW-Reader]

Ah, true, Teacher Terry, I guess there are many different rescues with different fostering programs. We are lucky in this area that there is a very high adoption rate. The shelter I volunteer with does have a physical facility, and actually takes in animals transported from high kill shelters in other parts of the country. Foster volunteers can choose assignments that fit their availability, from a few days for a kennel break up to a few months for nursing moms with a litter. Our last fosters, a small terrier-mix and her three pups, came from Merced, CA. We had them until the pups were old enough for their spay/neuter surgeries, and they were all adopted the day after they became available. And the mama was adopted by some friends of ours, so happily we will still get to see her from time to time!

 

[rayinpenn]

My old lady is sleeping just a few feet from me.. we were outside today ..me in my comfy rocker her sprawled out on the grass nearby.. it was a good day. Every time she has spent any time in doggie day care or a kennel she's gotten ill , very ill. Kennel cough, high fever - you name it. We just can't do it. If we go anywhere on vacation Dusty comes with us. I'm a softie when it comes to her..

 

[Scuba]

Yeah I agree! My doggie is doing a lot better now - guess it was just an adjustment to come to the islands. I could never leave him for long. Luckily our island landlord has fallen in love with our dog so when we've had to be away for a few days, our dog stays upstairs with the landlord. All is well. [emoji240][emoji177]

 

[Teacher Terry]

So very glad it worked out.

 

[Scuba]

Thanks Teacher Terry! We were very worried that we might have to send him home early with our pet sitter but fortunately he hasn't had any other issues. The key is not taking him on long walks through the ungroomed terrain here. He's not getting his usual exercise, but at least he's comfortable and no need for more vet visits!

 

[MikeD]

My dear dog/daughter passed away eight years ago. I can not get another as I can not go through the pain of loss like this again. I would treat my dog as she would treat me. I would spend my last dime to keep her alive. I always asked people What would your dog do in this situation?

We planned our vacations around her.

mike D.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Mike D: you honor a pet that has passed by adopting one from a shelter. Many shelter animals are killed every day for lack of a home. I know it is so painful to put a pet to sleep but the next pet appreciates the sacrifice.

 

[lemming]

Maybe save these for your next trip https://www.alldogboots.com/Dog-Hiking-Boots-s/87.htm