LisaRN's recent posts prompted me to think about the accommodations people provide for their bullies when they cannot take them along on vacations.
Because I do not have any family in Arizona, the first couple times I went out of town, I left Bentley at a kennel. It was a nice kennel, very expensive but I agonized leaving him, felt horrible the entire time I was away, and picked him up with a bad, bad case of the poops from stress. Never again.
After that, I put Bentley in a "Critter Camp" which took a limit of 6 dogs in a house setting - basically your dog lives with another family. Bentley got to stay in a beautiful million dollar home in Scottsdale and I felt much more at ease leaving him. He did great but did pick up a few bad habits from other dogs, including jumping!
When Linus came in the picture, I could not afford the "Critter Camp" so I begged friends or hired graduate students at the university I teach at to come babysit the boys. That has been working out very well since it keeps them in their own home AND avoids the dreaded kennel.
What does everyone else do with their bullies (and other pets) when they travel? I think finding the right solution can make the difference between an enjoyable and unbearable vacation and I am always looking for new options since I don't think I'll ever use a kennel ever again.
Because I do not have any family in Arizona, the first couple times I went out of town, I left Bentley at a kennel. It was a nice kennel, very expensive but I agonized leaving him, felt horrible the entire time I was away, and picked him up with a bad, bad case of the poops from stress. Never again.
After that, I put Bentley in a "Critter Camp" which took a limit of 6 dogs in a house setting - basically your dog lives with another family. Bentley got to stay in a beautiful million dollar home in Scottsdale and I felt much more at ease leaving him. He did great but did pick up a few bad habits from other dogs, including jumping!
When Linus came in the picture, I could not afford the "Critter Camp" so I begged friends or hired graduate students at the university I teach at to come babysit the boys. That has been working out very well since it keeps them in their own home AND avoids the dreaded kennel.
What does everyone else do with their bullies (and other pets) when they travel? I think finding the right solution can make the difference between an enjoyable and unbearable vacation and I am always looking for new options since I don't think I'll ever use a kennel ever again.