Where to Leave Your Dog While on Vacation
Originally Published: April 17, 2013 Last Updated On: April 18, 2022 by Kia Chambers
Sometimes you have to figure out where to leave your dog when on vacation. Here’s a short video on places to leave your dog while you’re on vacation or anywhere else your dog can’t go, but read the details in full below. Click HERE to subscribe to our YouTube channel. We also have a FREE dog packing checklist that you can grab HERE. Sign up to access our FREE printables library HERE.
Home vs. Caregiver:Â
Because you want someone to look after your pup every hour of the day, its tempting to consider recruiting a friend or family member to keep him or her in their home while youre gone â or even to board with a kennel. You might feel most at ease knowing your dog is safe, even if that means an unfamiliar environment. Your dog will likely be just fine staying in your home while youre gone, so depending on how much of the two days you will spend away from home, you can always ask a friend, neighbor or family member to stay over or stop by a few times to spend time with, feed, and check on your dog.
What Type of Care is Best for Your Dog?
Of course you want to make sure your dog receives the best care possible while you’re away, and there are several options available to you, depending on where you live.
The important thing is to find the situation that will work best for your dog — one that closely resembles their home environment.
A nervous dog who is the only household pet will probably not feel secure in a highly social environment with lots of other dogs.
On the other hand, your dog’s happiness should not be your first priority.
When you’re weighing your options, the most important considerations are keeping your dog safe and well cared for. Happiness, while important, isn’t critical.
Let’s discuss your boarding options and the pros and cons of each one:
Leaving Dog Home Alone: 8, 12, 24 Hours
Wondering what to do with your dog while on vacation? As much as I like to take our dogs with us everywhere we go, sometimes it’s just not possible. So as responsible dog owners, we need to decide who is going to take care of our dogs when we plan on taking a vacation.
Yes, your dog will be okay when you go on vacation. Dogs are resilient, and if you take the right steps to make sure he is well taken care of, then he will be just fine.
If you’re lucky, you have family or friends that are willing to dog-sit for you. I personally try to avoid boarding when at all possible. That’s not to say that boarding facilities are bad, but I do think it’s hard to find a great one.