leaving your dogs..

[carrbowl]

so help me out....if you were leaving town, you have two dogs and one is a "puppy". What is the longest number of days you would leave them with someone just coming in once or twice a day to let them out? My common sense says 2 or 3 days....someone else I know said 10 days. So I'm taking a poll!!! What is your common sense????

[auddii]

If you kennel your dogs, I think it would drastically reduce the number. I've dog sat for several friends, and really anything over two days (dogs not kenneled) it's just easier to stay with the dogs and socialize them - even just for weekends I'd end up staying during the afternoon/evenings and watch tv with them.

I also just dog sat for dogs that were kenneled, and they need someone there all the time or else they are just in a kennel all day, which is no fun.

[groovyone]

I have never left a dog alone for very long. Mine is pretty easy going so I usually have friend that are more than happy to dogsit at their house. I don't like leaving him for more than 12 hours.

[ChrisTX]

Some dogs can get serious separation anxiety. If you have someone coming over, I'd make sure they stay for a while to interact with the dogs. Before I had to put my beagles to sleep, we used to go on vacation and we would leave them in the backyard with a friend checking on them. I did that for up to nine days.

[mmuhlenkamp]

I don't know if I'd trust a dog indoors for very long (2-3 days max if even that), if they can be in the backyard (with adequate shade/shelter and food and water) then an extended trip (up to 2 weeks) with someone checking on them at least once a day. Longer than that find someone to house sit as well or have the dogs stay with someone.

This is why I have smaller cageable pets (2 rabbits and a bird), they get a little cooped up if I'm gone too long, but it's very easy to have someone come and feed and water them everyday with maybe some tray emptying if I'm gone more than 3 days.

[revjvegas]

I'm not so sure the number of days of the time away is so much the matter as how often someone comes in to interact with the puppy/dog.

I would think a puppy will need a min two times a day ... their little bladder just can hold on like an adult canine.

[cajunautoxer]

I pay for someone to stay at my house and watch my dogs when we leave out of town

[tikaldogos]

i would say have you thought about taking the dogs with you?? there are many places to stay that are pet friendly..

[snidow]

I have two dogs, one is 11 and the other is 2.The 2 year old is very active and needs lots of energy reducing activities like running or going for walks. So really I need someone to stay with them and don't leave them alone in the house for longer this 6 or 7 hours. Don't want any kidney infections or bladder issues. They are large dogs too, smaller ones need to go out more often.

[ggeen]

I kennel mine. I try to keep it under two weeks, with 10 days being my maximum comfort level.

I've used several kennels, but the one I use now is my favorite. Mostly because when I come to pick up the dog, he is like, "oh, it's you. I thought it was play time again." That is how I know he is well treated.

[carrbowl]

Originally Posted by tikaldogos

i would say have you thought about taking the dogs with you?? there are many places to stay that are pet friendly..

I would never leave my dog alone for more than 2 maybe 3 days. Dogs are not made to be alone...I think it just doesn't make sense. So I was just wondering what others thought.

[Hanky]

Puppys will chew.

[BethG]

We have a college student that comes to stay with our dogs. He lives at home so it's a win-win for both him and us. He's at the house so it doesn't look like we're out of town, he waters my gardens for me and plays with our dogs- and he gets away from his parents house for however long we're out of town. The dogs like not having to go to the kennel (we have three) and it only costs us about $5 per day more than sending them to the kennel.

[kenw]

having them together is a big benefit, they will have each other which is huge. 2-3 days would be fine if checked on a couple of times each day, 5-7 might be my upper limit, but the dogs are probably more resilient than most owners! We've left ours (single) over a week at home with no ill effects other than a lot of face licking when we returned....

[Mosephus]

Ditto, our two labs are crate trained but when we leave they either have a permanent house sitter (some "lucky" member of our family) or we board them at an active kennel. Last time we left Jackson here and he had a friggin blast - Dallas Dog Boarding : Plano Doggie Daycare : Frisco Dog Kennels