So, you've added a canine child to your family and you are planning a trip out of town. How do you decide who will take care of Rover while you're gone? There are a variety of options to choose from, and the best decision may well depend on the size, health and temperament of your furry companion. Outlined below are the questions you should ask - of yourself and others - before you make a very important choice.
Do you want to take Rover with you? With the proliferation of pet-friendly accommodations cropping up around the country, this may be a good option. The main concern with traveling with your best buddy is how he or she will get there. If you are traveling by air, smaller pets may be able to ride in the plane with you, as long as they are comfortable in a travel carrier under the seat. Larger dogs, however, may need to ride in the baggage compartments, always a concern in extreme hot or cold weather. Out-of-state or out-of-country travel will also require any of a number of veterinarian health checks and certificates. The requirements will vary, and you will need to check with your airline and perhaps with the country you are visiting to make sure that everything is in order.
You will also want to confirm with the airline that they know your dog will be on board so that the baggage compartment is pressurized and temperature controlled. Several airlines have instituted special pet travel programs to ensure that Rover arrives safely and receives proper care along the way. If you are driving, Rover may be very content to travel with you, as long as you are prepared to make frequent stops along the way for stretch and potty breaks.
Any time you travel with your pet, you should make sure that he or she is current on vaccinations and has up-to-date identification tags including, if possible, your travel destination and cell phone number in case Rover gets lost. A microchip registered to you is also a good idea - a chip the size of a grain of rice, a microchip is implanted underneath your dog's skin in between the shoulder blades, and most veterinarians and animal shelters can scan a lost pet to check for this important identification (which, unlike collars and tags, can never fall off or get lost!)
If traveling with your fur-kid(s) is not an option, there are several alternatives: you can leave Rover at home with friends, family members or a professional pet-sitter, or you can locate boarding accommodations at either a pet resort or veterinarian. Whether you choose the stay-at-home or the home-away-from-home option will depend on factors such as your pet's temperament and health. It will also depend on whether you can find a sitter that you trust!
While friends and family members may seem like the best alternative, you should always make sure you know how often they will be there and how much instruction they will need to take care of your best friend properly. Written instructions as far as feeding, medications, exercise and sleeping arrangements should be provided, along with emergency contact information such as your veterinarian. Always have a backup plan! If something should happen and your friend is not able to take care of your pet at the last minute, who will take over?
Professional pet-sitters may also care for your pet in a home environment, and may be a good choice if your pet is not used to boarding or does not adapt well to new people or new situations. You should evaluate a pet-sitter the same way you would a baby-sitter. Ideally, they will be affiliated with an organization such as the National Association of Pet Sitters and will be bonded and insured.
A reputable pet-sitter will want to meet your pet(s) before agreeing to care for them, to make sure that Rover is comfortable with them and they feel they can safely handle Rover. If it is an agency, you will want to know if the same person will care for your pet every day or if your canine friend will be exposed to a number of people. Understand how many times your sitter will visit each day, what they will do for your pet while at your home and how long they will stay during each visit. Some pet-sitting agencies offer overnight stays as part of their services while others do not - so if this is important to you, make sure that your sitter is available for overnight care. Similar to having friends or family members stay with Rover, you will need to provide written instructions and emergency contact information. Always check references before hiring a pet-sitter!
Pet resorts and boarding facilities offer an away-from-home alternative for your furry children. Pets who do well in this environment tend to be better socialized with both people and other dogs, and some facilities are better able to cater to special needs than others. Tour the facility to make sure you are comfortable with what they offer - any reputable pet resort should be willing to show you the facility at almost any time during regular business hours. Ask questions as far as staffing (Are staff levels adequate to care for the number of pets staying there? During what hours is the facility manned?), feeding (Do they allow your food from home, what brand do they feed), medications (Are they able to give any needed medications and is there an extra fee for doing so?), potty arrangements (How often do pets go out during the day, and for how long?), climate control and type and size of the enclosure your pet will inhabit. You will also want to know about options for extra activities such as play time or doggie daycare and bathing/grooming services. You should find out what procedures they have in place in case of a veterinary emergency and how they will communicate with you and care for your pet should he or she require medical attention.
Finally, particularly for very young puppies, senior and fragile dogs or furry kids with serious health problems that require monitoring, you may consider boarding with your veterinarian. He or she will be better equipped to spot potential medical concerns before they become serious, and will be better able to provide immediate care in case of a crisis.
All of the options listed in this article provide alternatives for caring for your pet while you are away from home. There are pros and cons to each choice, and you should carefully evaluate your own canine companion(s)' personality, temperament and general health as well as the various facilities and services in your area before selecting the right environment for your dog.
Joy Lee is co-owner and general manager of Rover Oaks Pet Resort in Katy, Texas. She is also passionate about animal rescue, and has authored a book, "Rover's Rescues...True Stories of Shelter Dogs and Second Chances", for which a portion of each book sale will be donated to Citizens for Animal Protection in Houston. Visit her website, http://www.joyleebooks.com, for more information.
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