I got married in March and due to being a teacher we went on our belated honeymoon this summer. This involved leaving Dylan and Theo behind - which I find particularly difficult, especially given how sensitive Dylan is. Theo tends to be happy left with most people as he is a confident dog, but Dylan understandably finds it hard to trust.
Our family cannot have the dogs due to work/ family commitments, so this meant we would need to hire a professional. Kennels wouldn't work for our boys as Theo craves human interaction, and we also worry kennels may cause Dylan to shut down given his background.
1. Pick the right person for your beloved pooches. Someone you trust, someone who is experienced, and someone who can meet the needs of your dog. You could have someone stay in your house, but this can prove more expensive. We chose a home boarder who boards from their own home. This meant the boys had the comfort of a home environment, but would also prove more cost-effective for us.
2. Write a list of you dog's routine. It might sound over the top but there might be things that will help your dog settle. Dylan is very wary of men, so we wanted to make sure that their boarder was aware of this. He also needs to be fed on his own as he is a bit of a wimp with his food and he lets other dogs steal it. Things like this that are second nature to you are not to your boarder, so make sure you pass on this information to make the period away from your easier for your dogs.
3. Visit with them before hand. Spend a little time with them at the boarders house so that they can get used to the environment with you there as their safety net.
4. Do a mock overnight if you can. We went to London for a night and left the boys then, this way they knew we would come back and it would help when we left them for a longer period.
5. Take something that smells of you with you for their trip. This will help them to settle and provide a little comfort if they are feeling homesick.
6. Make sure your dogs are microchipped and also have a dog tag with your details on. If you are going to be out of the country it may be useful to put the contact of your boarder or of a local family member, just in case the unthinkable does happen.
7. Ask for some photos to be sent of your dogs having fun while you are away - for your peace of mind!
8. Enjoy your trip, and know that your dogs are most likely enjoying theirs too! Dylan and Theo had the time of their life; multiple walks a day, lots of other dogs to play with, and our boarder lets them sleep in her bedroom so they are in heaven!
Our family cannot have the dogs due to work/ family commitments, so this meant we would need to hire a professional. Kennels wouldn't work for our boys as Theo craves human interaction, and we also worry kennels may cause Dylan to shut down given his background.
1. Pick the right person for your beloved pooches. Someone you trust, someone who is experienced, and someone who can meet the needs of your dog. You could have someone stay in your house, but this can prove more expensive. We chose a home boarder who boards from their own home. This meant the boys had the comfort of a home environment, but would also prove more cost-effective for us.
2. Write a list of you dog's routine. It might sound over the top but there might be things that will help your dog settle. Dylan is very wary of men, so we wanted to make sure that their boarder was aware of this. He also needs to be fed on his own as he is a bit of a wimp with his food and he lets other dogs steal it. Things like this that are second nature to you are not to your boarder, so make sure you pass on this information to make the period away from your easier for your dogs.
3. Visit with them before hand. Spend a little time with them at the boarders house so that they can get used to the environment with you there as their safety net.
4. Do a mock overnight if you can. We went to London for a night and left the boys then, this way they knew we would come back and it would help when we left them for a longer period.
5. Take something that smells of you with you for their trip. This will help them to settle and provide a little comfort if they are feeling homesick.
6. Make sure your dogs are microchipped and also have a dog tag with your details on. If you are going to be out of the country it may be useful to put the contact of your boarder or of a local family member, just in case the unthinkable does happen.
7. Ask for some photos to be sent of your dogs having fun while you are away - for your peace of mind!
8. Enjoy your trip, and know that your dogs are most likely enjoying theirs too! Dylan and Theo had the time of their life; multiple walks a day, lots of other dogs to play with, and our boarder lets them sleep in her bedroom so they are in heaven!