Pet owners and traveling

How much traveling is to much to be a pet owner?
DH and I really want to adopt a dog. We have been to a few shelters looking but part of me is afraid to commit b/c I don't want to be unfair. I have a very flex. schedule which allows me to be home most days so that isn't a concern. It's just that we travel freq. and the thought of boarding our new pup worries me. What does everyone else do?

Re: Pet owners and traveling

I guess it depends on the person. I HATE leaving my dog...but if and when I do i either bring her to my parents house (she loves it there) or if its for a weekend or something DH's brother comes to stay at our house. We have never boarded our dog....Most people i know who get dogs think twice before traveling b/c they create such a bond with their dog they feel bad....

Re: Pet owners and traveling

DH and I travel often. When we go away, she stays with my MIL who has two yorkies of her own or with a close friend who has cats that my dog plays with thinking they are dogs as well!

Re: Pet owners and traveling

DH and I take 1-2 big trips a year. Thankfully, my parents watch him while we are away.

We have also taken our dog away on small overnight trips which is a lot of fun.

I don't know how I would feel if we had to board him though.

Re: Pet owners and traveling

We travel a lot. We take Scout with us when we can. When we can't, my cousin and her DH and 2 DCs watch him - they love him like crazy and their dog passed away a few years ago.

Re: Pet owners and traveling

My parents keep my dogs while we're away, if not my friend does.
If we had to board them I really couldn't say how often I'd be willing to go away.

Re: Pet owners and traveling

I am in a very similar situation. I really want to get a dog but we travel a lot. We usually spend the summer away plus a bunch of random trips throughout the year. I think my brother and sister in law and/or my parents would take it but I feel guilty putting that responsibility on someone else and for leaving the dog. Thus, no dog right now. But I think about it every day.

Re: Pet owners and traveling

My Dog is 2 1/2.. I have gone away once for 2 days.. I have to say it did put a damper on my traveling.. My mother will watch her but I feel sorry for her and my dog.. I know they cant play or walk her they are in there late 70's its not fair.. I do have a friend that would probably do it if I need her to but again I feel bad.. Its very very hard..

Re: Pet owners and traveling

DH and I go on one big trip and two small trips each year. My MIL watches Brutus and he loves it there ( she has a dog too ). However, we had to cancel our trip one year bc she was going away at the same time and we couldn't reschedule so some sacrfices have been made. We would never board him.

When we are away it is hard, we think about him a lot and I cried the last day of my HM LOL but it gives us something to look forward to!

In a few weeks we are taking him on his first big trip - a road trip to Key West. If it goes well we may only be taking road trips from now on!

It is seriously like having a kid. When we went to St Lucia we were like "oh Brutus would love this beach, he would love this dinner, he would love this park" it was so funny!

Re: Pet owners and traveling

Well, how often do you have to travel, and for how long each time, and do you have someone that you trust who would be willing to take your dog, or a good, reputable place in mind that you'd feel comfortable leaving the dog along with the extra funds to pay for the dog's stay?

DH and I go away for a week 2 or 3 times a year, and maybe spend one weekend away from home. Normally they're plane trips, so we can't bring the dogs. We don't have family in the area, and most of our friends can't dog-sit for numerous reasons, so we've found a place we're very comfortable boarding the dogs - we trust the owners, the dogs are not kenneled at all, they get played with and can sleep together, etc. - but it's a lot of money on top of whatever we're already spending for us to go away.

I'll be honest, having to leave them and make all the arrangements and pay for them is a giant pain. I really wouldn't want to do it more than once every 2-3 months, but that's just me.

Re: Pet owners and traveling

Thanks for all your input I'm still so torn b/c I know we have so much to offer a pup that needs a home. Unfortunately, I don't have family/friends that would be able to watch him/her so my only option would be to board.Something, I don't think I'm comfortable with I've decided to research local boarding facilities and if I find someplace I'm comfortable with,I'll move forward from there. Thanks again for all your input and if anyone has a rec. to a facility they use I'd love to have the name.........

Re: Pet owners and traveling

I think it depends -
When DH and I travel, my Yorkie gets a mini vaca @ my Parents' or my MIL's house -
At my MIL's she has another dog to play with and she loves it, and at my parents' she gets 24/7 attention .......

If I had to board her, I think I'd feel too guilty to travel frequently