Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 3:15 pm Post subject: Non-dog person vs Outlaws vs Kennel (LONG)
Hubby and I are going to Australia for a month in February.
We're pondering our options for care of Ozzie at the moment.
Which do you think would be best?
1. Possibility of having a friend house-sit the house for the month, she'd care for Ozzie in our home. Trouble with this is, she's not so keen on dogs and has never had a puppy. She's quite happy to feed/walk him etc but not so sure how she'd go with keeping up his toilet training/general training. I think she'd be really soft on him, but I'm sure he'd come to no physical harm.
2. If #1 falls through and we can't convince Jen to come stay, DH wants us to take Ozzie to his parents house. Trouble with that is his father doesn't like puppies and has been quite rude about Ozzie this week (so much so that I'm not even speaking to him anymore). His parents think Ozzie's crate is cruel and refuse to use it, even after we've explained it's only for bedtime or when we can't be with him for a couple of hours. They will just keep him in the kitchen. I worry that while they're at work Ozzie will hurt himself, chew their skirting boards and doors, eat their kitchen table, get into their food cupboard (or worse, their poisons cupboard) etc. They rub his nose in it when he pees in the house. They want to give him boiled chicken bones. They want to walk him around the neighbourhood now even though he's not finished his injections!!! They just think that their dog survived it all so our dog will too. I know it's only for a month but I dread coming back to a dog who's a completely different creature to the one we left behind. Or worse
3. I think I would prefer to put him into a kennel or find out about a home care service (where someone boards Ozzie in their own home). Not sure on costs of this but quite frankly, I don't care about the cost. Trouble is, I'm not sure how I feel about sending him to a kennel at this age (he'd be 5 months old) for such a long time. Has anyone else boarded a pup for a month? I've no idea what it'd cost in the UK but I'm assuming it'd be getting quite expensive for a month?
We're starting to get to loggerheads on this issue so I wanted some outside opinions. Which of the above options would you do?
Option 1 sounds best or would be if it was me. Ask your friend to keep up the training etc explaining how important it is. Tell her its good fun and ask her to teach Oz a trick for when you return from your trip. That way they can both show off to you how well they have done.
Sara & Bessie Boo
If your friend hasn't got a clue and isn't keen on dogs either, that isn't a good combination for a whole month......Forget your DH's parents too....You don't want FIL giving pup a kick up the bum, as they would so often have done in the "good old days" do you.
I definitely wouldn't even consider putting an adult, let alone a pup, in kennels for 4 weeks either......I know I'm probably too soft though.
I know some people on here Lab Sit too....it maybe worth your while asking around.
Can you get your frend to spend some time with you and Ozzie before you go away?, let her get used to him and see how you care for/train him etc, she may well build up an interest and be more than happy to carry on with reminder trasining, maybe even think of new things to teach him for when you get home
I certainly wouldn`t leave him with the in laws, they are into the old fashioned way of training by the sound of it and Ozzie will be a hand shy possibly nervous dog when you get home.
Not sure about leaving a dog for 4 weeks in a kennel, they of course won`t keep up the training either, he`ll get exercise (if they do walk them) and fed, basic care really.
I would rule out option 2 - OH's parents are different with their dog too, although not as bad as your outlaws. If they can't go with the way you're bringing up your dog, then I would look at the other options. I'd just be stressing about what they were feeding him, if he'd chewed anything etc.
As Mary says above, can you get your friend to spend a day or two with Ozzie to see how they get on? I know he will be older by Feb, but at least she could see if she could cope?
A doggy sitter would be a good option. My parents stopped putting their dogs in kennels and used pet sitters a few times. They had a great time and were spoilt lol They would go to the pet sitter beforehand so they could all meet and take the dogs too. Apparently the dogs made themselves quite at home where they stayed and the pet sitter never wanted them to go home lol
In my opinion that is a good option. I know ours genuinley volunteered when we picked Kippa up.
Failing that option 1 sounds the better with the suggestion of your friend and pup getting to know each other fairly well
Definately his breeder would be the best option. I'm a little taken aback she considered him coming to you considering you had a months holiday booked whilst he was still so young. Is this a holiday that has been given to you as a suprise since you got the pup. Hondsight is a wonderful thing but horrible auntie Di says it might have been best waiting till after your holiday to get a puppy really seen as its QUITE such a huge one.... ;-(
Not helpful now he is here of course so onto more positive things
He would be absolutely, stonkingly perfectly fine in a good kennels. A house sitter would be fine but a month, for one puppy? Its a hell of a lot to pay, but certainly is the deluxe-money-is-no-option choice.
I would absolutely, like others rule ourt the bolshy father in law and the 'crate is prison' mother in laws place.
Afriend sitting is fine, BUT its a LOT to ask her and remember, for every person who decided to have a puppy of their own, a month of puppy growing, exercising, behaviour quirks, play biting, crate training, chewing up things and so on can be stressful, but to someone just sitting with no puppy experience and no access to help other than a long distance phone call, might be much to much to handle. Then if she can't handle it, or finds it a drag or a tie the pup will end up in kennels picked in haste anyway chances are or with the fieresome in laws.
I would say:
1) Breeder
2) Housesitter with a real grilling and knowing it will cost you a second mortgage
3) Good kennels, visit several and bargain for a good rate for so long
4) ..... don't go to Oz, put it off a year
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