Dogs and your travel

I'd love to hear from those of you who have a couple dogs AND who travel a lot but without talking the wet-nosers with you; that's just not an option here. From time to time we toy with the idea of getting two mutts--a couple labs or a lab and a husky--but always are stopped short because of the fairly extensive amount of travel I and to a lesser extent we do. How do you deal with it? Kennel? Live-in temporary sitter? Friend/neighbor/family member who comes by daily? What does all that extra care cost? And for context, how often do you travel, and for how long at at time?

Thanks.

Given a choice we prefer dogs but due to travel and long work days cats work best for us.

They can be left for several days and they will carefully feed and potty themselves while a dog will eat all the food you leave out in an hour.

If you get a rescue cat that is a little older you can find one whose personality fits yours (they are all not standoffish; although you do have to accept that at times that they don't feel like hanging around people)

We are current owners of 2 dogs and 2 cats (the kids forgot their dogs when they moved out). We live in the middle of corn fields so the cats are happy to be thrown outside for however long we are gone, with just a bag of food ripped open and put out in their barn. The dogs are outside dogs and we have the teenage neighbor girl check on them. She is usually pretty happy with a few dollars a day to watch them. We kennels the dogs once and it didn't go well. Our sweet sweet inside german shepard/husky mix got very nasty with the lady running the kennel (my husband had now her his entire life and she was a great person). Our dog almost killed our puppy we also had at the time. We were ask not to bring her back. She also got nasty with our neighbor who was at our house everyday when he tried to watch her when we left. The only one who could take care of her was my brother. All pets are different on who they will let take of them.

for context--hubby leaves for work for at least 24 hrs ever 3 days (not vacation, but hes gone), and multiple conferences a year. We travel to Vegas 2-3 X a year for around 10-12 days. My inside baby (7 yr. old cat) gets in my suitcase and pouts if I get it out.

Oh and I was informed a couple of weeks ago that I get the honor of babysitting for our new grandpuppy while the kids go on spring break.

I'm on the road about sixty to eighty days a year, generally about a week at a time. I have a dog walker that comes in twice a day for a long walk and some playtime. She is $20 a day plus a small year end bonus.
My neighbor also has a key and will bring his dog over and sit in my fenced in yard while the two dogs play. This cost me a box of cigars a year.
About twice a year, I have to board him as the walker is unavailable, but we have a nice cageless "resort" that is $35 a night if you pay for ten nites upfront. I pay $350 and I can drop him off for ten one night stays or one ten night stay or any combination in between.
It adds up, but is worth it. Like advertising, having a dog doesn't cost. It pays.

We have an older husky-border collie mix. My husband is away on business trips (M - F) 2-3 weeks per month and we travel (as a couple) out of town approximately 2 weekends per month and one long trip during the summer as a family when the kids are home from college.

Our neighbor has 2 german shepherds and our dog goes to their house whenever we both are away. We reciprocate and watch their dogs whenever they leave town. Not often during the school year since they are teachers, but they normally leave for 6 weeks during summer.

We've never boarded our dog in 12 years, it's always worked out the neighbors were home whenever we needed them to watch her. But our dog is really attached to my husband and really really misses him when he's away.

We have 2 Shelties (my avatar). We go to Vegas a couple times a year for anywhere from 4 nights to 2 weeks. Luckily for us, my daughter lives very close to us and also has 2 dogs. We always watch each others dogs while the others are away. It works out great since my 2 "babies" are shy around anyone they don't know well and they LOVE going over for an extended play date with my daughter's Schipperkes. I can rest easy knowing they are cared for by family who loves them, but I still miss them like crazy and usually can't wait to get home to them again

Our dog passed away, and I haven't had the heart to get another one since we travel so much.
We didn't have much luck with dog sitting situations, and it seemed a major hassle, so
we remain Dog-less in Seattle............or Calif.........

we have five dogs and twelve cats.

pick yourselves up and let me explain. we have several cats that are indoor/outdoor, one solely indoor (dumb as a stump but lovable) and more outdoors that are feral. we live close to a creek and figured out many years ago that if we'd let the creek cats live and eat in our back garden, we don't have a rodent problem. simple enough. they get spayed/neutered, shots, two meals daily and shelter. i don't open my garage door and see a river rat! very agreeable arrangement.

we currently have five dogs. i used to foster but after enough foster failures, i had to stop bringing 'em in! of course our 'failures' were hard to adopt out for various reasons that i won't go into -- but it does and did make them challenges for training etc. two are #30 and three are around #50 - not bitty dogs but not huge either. four are herding mixes....a challenge in itself.

our current house is on an acre - fenced completely around. that sound nice - but we live across from a school and have much foot traffic and bike traffic so the dogs are not allowed out if someone isn't here ---- that means no doggie door. if you had a dog door, then an overnight sitter would work great for you.

we have, for probably 20 years or so, had housesitters that stay here when we leave town. kenneling this many dogs (besides that i hate the idea of kenneling dogs that weren't trained early to love the kennel or dogs that come from a shelter) would be really cost prohibitive. we pay $100 a night in texas to have either of the two current friends come stay here. if the dogs are with us, then it's $50 a night to stay here and deal with the cats. the problem with this is that we've had sitters that get married, move off, have kids etc so every couple of years, we're looking to add a new one to our list. we have had two recommendations recently and will be doing a couple of trial runs with them soon. we've never had someone 'fire' us. they all love the big tv, big bed, full fridge and lovable animals.

we normally are gone (both at the same time) an average of three nights each month or 12 - 14 times a year. that adds up very quickly!

i will say that we also travel with all five --- but that's a different post!

i'd post a picture but have not a clue how to!

ken -- we've chatted about this before. i think you'd make a great owner -- but i think you'd go nuts with your travel. you'd become more attached than you think! i will add that when traveling with dogs, you see things you wouldn't if you didn't have them. we love walking them on college campuses, capital buildings, sport arenas, parks..... places you wouldn't see on a 'normal' trip.

thanks for giving me a topic to write another dissertation on --

it's been awhile.

terri

Daughter purchased a Black Lab (Max) when she was in high school. Of course, when she left for college Max stayed with us. He went to work with me darn near everyday. I am a contractor so lots of my work was outside. He was fine with just laying in the back of the pickup.
We also travel often, mostly to Lincoln to see the kids ( 3 hour trip). Max often stayed home, he was mature enough that we just left the garage side door open for him to come as he pleased. He maybe would wander a block or so but never far. When he did travel we tried to schedule a bath for him at PetSmart. That would take up a good 1/2 day. Otherwise he just layed out in the kids yard. When they are young they are "very busy" and need lots of entertainment!

Labs are great dogs. He never was aggressive with anyone and was quite content with a good pat and rub. They are a "hassle" to travel with. He was 100 lbs so you just did not sneak him in without people noticing him. We had to put him down earlier this summer as he suffered from cancer. (hardest thing that I have had to do) He went everywhere with me!

We have decided with our travel we just don't want another dog! Love him as much as we did, it is a hassle to take them or leave them for a weekend or so.

We have a friend who boards dogs in his home. Cleo is treated like one of his own, she loves them, they love her,she has a lot of room to run, and companionship with his dogs. He only takes in a maximum of two at a time, so it works out good for everyone involved. I would never board my dog in a kennel, there tends to be to many diseases and infections picked up , and not enough human interaction.

Brian