What kind of vacation would it be without the dogs?
Not much if you ask me.

What I find more difficult is I am (happily) unmarried and when I have to take business trips, it must be all by road. Which is OK with me. I don't like asking people to pet sit.
Some times I ask myself "Self, what do you think is more stressful for the dogs, riding in a car all day or hanging out in a petshotel?" And of course the same question could be applied to air travel. I'm not really much of a fan of air travel even if dogs were not in the picture. I'd be travelling by road anyway. What would make that more comfortable is some kind of van with some creature comforts but maybe in another life.

We have petsitters who we also pet sit for. They take our dogs, and we take their dog, when needed, for however long it's needed.

My cousin takes care of the cats, if we're ever gone long enough for them to need care. Usually we're gone for a weekend, max. But occasionally a little longer.

We take our dogs camping, to the boyfriends dads, as well as to my aunt an uncles, and those are generally the only places we go often. Except my sisters, in that case we get our friends.

So far, we've only once had to stay home because of the animals, and our petsitters were out of town.

So as long as our friends are around and willing to take the animals, we won't have to stay home because of them all that often.

I don't like traveling that much anyway. :)

I agree w/ Harriet, I am such a home-body. I would much rather be in my own bed, w/ the comforts of my own home, and my dogs, around me than in a hotel somewhere.

However, when my fiance & I first got together, I did go on a road trip w/ him & my Mom kept my dog for me. Also, I had a lot of company one weekend (not my fave thing either) and was afraid that would aggitate my dogs too much, so my Mom also kept them then & they love her so they were fine.

So the answer to the question is yes & no, I don't really want to go anywhere anyway, but when I have to I try to limit it so my dog isn't constantly left alone. However, if it's a must, I always have a loving place to leave him.

If Companion Air ever gets off the ground, we'll talk about flying.

Leave my dog at home???!?!?!? What a novel idea...No, seriously, my dog goes absolutely everywhere with us, we make extra effort to look into hotels and restaurants which allow dogs, we bring the blankets he is use to sleeping on and all his traveling items. He has been to beaches, kayaking, to the high mountains and everywhere in between. When we would make an unscheduled stop we would always ask if we could bring our dog in with us, and assure the owners of his good behavior (he is alwaya an angel) I have actually had restaurant owners get down on their hands and knees and crawl over to give him a treat while he hid under the table.

I just wish there was some pill that you could give dogs so that they temporarily deflate into a convenient size that you could discreetly carry in a bag.

Dogs do not remember the bad times before being rescued. They do remember bad things that happen to them---like someone beating them, but not the bad living conditions.

My family always has someone come in daily and check on/feed/exercise the dogs when the family is gone.

Wife and I once went on a 14 day vacation to South Dakota. We left the two dogs at home---with our oldest son and his family staying in our place---with their dogs---it was like a vacation for our dogs as well.

Hmm, I've been doing the Harriet thing
"I don't like traveling that much anyway" because it's easier to be content!
Unfortunately my dogs are not angels and I can't imagine taking them on a trip. They would want to sit in my lap continually licking my face and I would worry about something happening to them. Like if we had an accident and they got loose. That kind of horror story.
And they would never come off the leash so they couldn't run. And, and...it goes on.
But I love them so much!!
The big trips we can do, we went to Colombia last year for 10 days and I had three people stay at the house during the course. I had to plan it for months. But quick getaways are difficult.

We have three rescue dogs. Our youngest spent her first 4 or 5 years in a rural kennel. We are not sure she even went outside when there. She was rescued in January of this year. We worried about sending her to the kennel where we board our dogs when we go away. It is a small place with about two dozen runs. They have enough staff to give special attention. Knowing her story, they were careful with her. Plus, she shared a run with Casey, so she would not feel alone. It worked out great. They were there four or five days and she was fine when she came home, more outgoing, even.

That's one of the reasons I don't want to have a dog. Too much responsibility, and they tie you down too much (incidentally, that's why I don't have kids, either!) Cats are easy -- if you're going away for just the weekend, you can dump enough food in the bowl, and they'll be fine. Anything longer, and you can just hire a sitter to come in once a day to feed them.

Not so far. We have a traveling cat. We check for pet friendly motels and they are very accommodating. Realize ther may be events we may not be able to take our cat so in that event we'd probably stay home or have a house sitter. This would be hard as Shadow is not friendly to all, very selective and untrusting. I want to go on another cruise but haven't figured out how to handle it with this kitty.

I'm lucky to have a few friends who will keep my dog. If I ever need to board him, I will do it at his day care. He loves the day care "teacher" and is comfortable in the facility. Overnight would be new and a little scary, but this would be the easiest possible way to board him.

Melissa

Great question Bumblebeez!

Yes,our cat keeps us home for sure. Most people think cats are ok a few days alone,but our poor boy gets very sad when we leave him.
If we are even gone for night,the next day he is meowing non stop and wont leave our side!
One year we went to the beach for only 3 days.We figured he'd be fine as he had tons of food and water.When we came home,his meow was hoarse like he'd been meowing a lot while we were gone,and he didnt stop purring for a week!
Our plants were all wilted too,like they didnt like us being gone.
So now we hardly ever leave.I dont know anyone who can really come over to take care of him while we are gone (that I'd trust anyways) and putting him in a kennel would be much too stressful.

Honestly I probably use my dogs as an excuse. "I can't go and leave the dogs." "I need to get home and feed the dogs."

When I really want to or need to go I have boarded them at my vet and feel they are well cared for.

". Too much responsibility, and they tie you down too much "

Well where are you going with all this freedom?

I think this is a big misconception. Owning a dog is an ultimate expression of freedom. Even though it is a big reponsibility, it is worth it for every other non-travel day of the year. Even on travel days, we have a system for that. There's always the petshotel. Or I can have one of the neigbhors come and let the dogs out in the yard and feed and play with them for a while. I can pay the neighbor to ensure they are doing a good job and watching them on a web cam. If I didn't trust said neighbor with keys to the house, then I would put in one of those partitions like they use at mailbox rental stores except modified so there is a doggie door so the dogs could go in and out but not the human. But they'd still be safe and sound inside the house.

Bumblebeez,

If you work on this every day this winter and spring, by summer you will be ready to go on a trip with your dogs. They may seem untrainable but if you work on loose leash walking, walking in public and in crowds, also walking in other settings like trails etc, and basic obedience and reinforcing when it is time for a.)play b.)affection c.) chill out d.)sleep e.) work you will have perfect angels that you can take anywhere. Consulting with a trainer is the best first step and discuss with them your goals.., that you want to take your dogs on a trip, walk on public sidewalks in busy town centers or entertainment districts or you want to go hiking on trails or go to the beach.

You get the idea.

You can also begin setting up your automobile for safe transportation of your dogs and putting together a supply kit and a list of things you need to take with you for stress-free day trips or short getaways.

We do a lot of day trips and 2-3 night weekend trips and aside from figuring out how to get away from work, it is easy to get away.

Camp. That is the best way to travel with dogs.

Although be aware that some (not many) private campgrounds may not allow them, so call ahead. And some (PA) state parks do not allow dogs either. So check your travel plans accordingly.

We took our dachsies everywhere with us. We are big hikers, and they loved to hike along with us. Dogs LOVE to go different places and smell all those new smells.

The main problem we encountered was when we wanted to stop somewhere while traveling - in the summertime - cause it is too hot to leave them in the car, and stores do not allow you to bring them in with you. Which stinks, because we could have carried our dogs into most places as they were small.

So no stops, except rest stops, while travelling. But once you're there, you're fine.

Oh Q, that sounds like too much work! But seriously, isn't there a saying about teaching an old dog new tricks? Is it too late? Both dogs are about 7-8 and they are runners. Because I work at home (as in a real job out of the house) and we do most all our walks around here on trails, they don't get to interact with other people much.
When we do our walks here, they are off the leash. One of the dogs goes flying through the woods disappearing but periodically checking in with me on the trail. I know the area he is in and he knows his surroundings. My other dog stays fairly close, sort of. When we go on walks in other places, they are always on the leash, as the runner dog would take off.

Well where are you going with all this freedom?

Well, I just got back from a two-week trip to Scotland. Before that it was a week's hiking and camping trip. Right now I'm planning a week long trip to New Zealand. For some people, a dog fits in their life. For me and my husband, not so much.

Having dogs does not have to restrict one's travel plans (however, rivkadr, I completely respect your choice to not have dogs). We spent three weeks in Australia last winter. We have traveled to Scotland, England, mainland Europe, Hawaii, and many many places within the US. None of those out-of-country trips are pet-friendly vacations, but I would not give up the opportunity to take these trips.

When it fits our plans, we take the dogs with us and either camp or stay at pet-friendly hotels or homes (although the recent addition of a third dog makes this more difficult).

However, both business and pleasure travel takes us away from home often when it is not possible to take dogs. We have quite a few reliable friends and neighbors that stay at the house and care for the dogs (and plants and house). We pay them, it is not a gift from them. Our dogs are so accustomed to people coming and going that they are not stressed in the least by having a housesitter stay with them. Their routine stays more or less the same, they are at home, and they are well loved. As someone said above, it is a bit of a vacation for them as well, they ofen get more play time with housesitters than they do with us! The only time there has been any sign of stress was the three week trip to Australia. That's the longest we have ever left them and I think it was a bit difficult. Other than that, they love their house sitters and it has never been an issue.

Sometimes one has to leave home unexpectedly and in a way that dogs cannot go too. For example, last month there was a sudden death in our family and we had to go to the funeral in Texas (we live in North Dakota). Good friends stepped in and took care of the dogs, with very little advance planning.

I think it's important for dogs (and cats, I just have no experience with cats) to be comfortable with different situations so that if an emergency arises, they can be left (whether at home or in a kennel) without worrying about them.

P.S. rivkdar, enjoy your trip to NZ! Our Australia trip was unbelievably wonderful!

I have to agree with handymac, too. I think a lot of the times my dogs prefer going to the sitters, than coming with us somewhere that they'd probably be much more restricted than at home.

Once they realise who's house they're at when we get out of the vehicle, we can hardly contain them, they get SO excited. And when we take em home, they sleep for like a full day. I never feel bad leaving them there, I know they're happy and well taken care of.

If animals couldn't remember environment, how could they find the water & the good hunting or grazing areas?

My cat Mandy had been in a very little cage before I got her, & now she hates & fears cages.

When she had to spend 2 nights at the vet's last summer, it was traumatic.

Although she's normally very independent, she slept on my pillow for at least a week when she came home.

My dogs tied me down a lot more than my cats. I had a greyhound with separation anxiety and I made the mistake of taking her everywhere with us which she grew to expect. Obviously in very hot or cold weather she couldn't be left in a car for long but she still wanted to go. She began being destructive when we'd go w/o her. I can leave the cats for two days and nights but they aren't happy campers. Longer than that someone needs to come to the house. Once I left my Siamese cat with 19 year old son while DD accompanied us to the shore. When we returned, Simon's beautiful black face had turned mostly white. I have no idea what he suffered..mostly neglect as son fed him and kept in him indoors, but his black face returned in a week .But I miss them so much that I don't go far anymore.

Our cats keep my DH at home....We do travel, but he worries too much about the furbabies and would rather stay home...We have 4 inside and 3 semi ferals that we care for and we have had someone come in to feed etc., different times, but DH feels they just don't get the care and love as when we're home...Maybe our's are "spoiled" but we're not for just putting out food and water and off we go..Our babies get 3 meals plus a bedtime snack and to ask someone to come and do this, gets a bit much...So, it's usually me off to Florida for a month or so while DH stays home with the "kids". One of these days, we'll have that place of our own in the south and the furbabies will be able to travel with us.....

SC Gardener....

Some ideas for you. 1.)Take out. 2.) Room service 3.) Pizza delivery 4.) dogfriendly.com and check out the list of restaurants that allow dogs or that have outdoor seating.

Bumblebeez, Yes it is hard work. It's a big accomplishment to correct this after that many years of letting the dogs get away with behavior that you don't like. Having a trainer come over and lots of practice and then field trips to public pet friendly establishments is the only way to get past this.

And as for dogs not remembering things......
I have a dog that I adopted from the county shelter. One day I decided to let the groomer at teh vets office bathe him because I was feeling lazy and they don't charge that much. When they finished him they put him in their boarding facility which has every bit the look and feel of the county shelter. When I went there to get him I could hear him freaking out all the way from the reception area and he went haywire. He was terrified, shaking and crying and from that day on I realized that this dog would not be happy in just any kennel. I know that he would be happier on the trip or at home. He must have felt like he was being abandoned again.

Yes they do, more than I would like.

My dog has issues so only me or my BF can watch her. She was like this when I adopted her, and it was either I adopt her or she would be euthanized. She is old now and probably has another year or two at the most.

Our babies get 3 meals plus a bedtime snack and to ask someone to come and do this, gets a bit much... my cats are seniors and only on canned food so they also get 3 meals a day and a bedtime snack. My oldest cat has hyperthyroidism and gets meds twice a day. A friend watched her for me when I took an short vacation recently, but its alot to ask.

I live in an amazing place and have no problems finding a good friend or family member to come and stay when we are gone.
I did board one of my dogs while on a short trip, but only because she needed steroids and cremes for a bad rash. Too much to ask someone else to do. When we picked her up, she was clean and had her elbow calouses trimmed, like she'd just been to the spa!

yes, our dogs hav ekept us at home the last year. prior to that my grandmother would go watch them for us, but she passed about 18 months ago. we tried to go on vacation shortly after and boarded the dogs. Hooch, my choc lab, had panic attacks the whole time and the vet had to keep him sedated. so with no one to watch them, we had no vacation this year. if my wife and i wanted to go for a night, my mom would come check on them, and if we went for more than 1 night it was usually to my inlaws house anyway so we would take them. but vacations are always us and my parents so no one to watch them.

Hooch was overweight due to glandular issues and stayed inteh house all the time. he came close to heat stroke a few times just being out palying, no way we could leave him out. so if we went out of town and he could not go, someone had to come to the house to let him out several times a day. we tried getting a friend to do this for us, but he would not go outside for her. she had to drag him and then he turned and ran right back to the door and sat shaking. the poor thing stayed inside without relieving himself for 18 hours that day. i swear i heard him sign with relief as he peed when i got home to take him out!

Hooch was hit and killed by a car Tuesday night, so now we have only Beau and 3 fish. we can put him in the big pen, it is the size of a normal city lot sized back yard, and have a friend come by to feed him and the fish twice a day. i don't mean that to sound the way it does, i would much rather have Hooch still here. i jsut don't know how to type it out.

Well, dogs don't scuba dive that well. So I end up traveling without them sometimes. They'd just be stuck alone in a hotel room anyway. But I do take them on other trips, like in a couple of weekends we're going to the mountains, and the dogs will be with us. It just depends on where I'm going and what I'm doing.

Dogs absolutely tie you down. Before my DH and I married, he had a dog and a cat. Whenever he wanted to go out after work (such as softball league), his mother had to come over to let the dog out. Whenever he traveled for work or pleasure, his mother had to come stay at the house (dog was huge and her condo would not have allowed it there). When the dog finally died, she said don't count on me if you get another one (we didn't).

It seems to me you almost always need the help of neighbors, friends or relatives if you have a dog. With my cat, I can go away the whole day without worrying.

However, we probably travel a total of 3-4 weeks a year and dog or cat -- it does tie you down.

I know someone who goes away for a week without having anyone come in to scoop the litterbox or check on her cat. She just leaves a ton of food and water out. Personally, I think that is just horrible.

terrapots -- I'd love to hear more about how you travel (by car or plane) with your cat.

Odd that this question came up now.I'm spending my first night alone in 27 years tonight without my husband.I would say it is because of the dogs.He's going up to north Ga for a tennis tournament and I chose to stay home.My daughter would watch them as in come to our home to stay but she has two puppies(6 and 7 months old)and my dogs don't care a lot for their puppy behavior especially my youngest basset which by the way needs to eat at least 3 small meals plus a snack at intervals.She has a schedule and I don't trust anyone to carry it out as I would.If only my daughter hadn't went out and got dogs herself we could have shared these two.......Debbie

A few days at home with my dogs and cats and gardens is the best vacation there is :)

I had a three day business trip this week, and the most time in prep was creating the instructions for dog and cat care. Two dogs stayed in the vet's boarding area because they have medical issues, one dog stayed with a friend. The cats stayed home and were visited twice a day by neighbors. It is a lot of work just to pack and prepare the meals ahead of time (raw), and chart out all of the meds. I'd rather not travel at all, but someone has to pay the vet bills :)

I found it much easier to travel when my cats were young. Now that I have two geriatric cats approaching 16 and 19, I don't like leaving them for more than a few days. Almost three years ago I told DD I couldn't go to the Jersey shore because my Louie was too old, but I went then and the following two years and he's still here.