I messed up our retirement and my wife front let me forget it

[911 Rod]

My experience was that kennels are a terrible place. I took my lab to one place and she was visibly traumatized and stunk when I picked her up. I dropped her off at their reception and didn't realize they would just lock her up for 2 days.
Then I used a game farm that also had a kennel. Looked much nicer and the family that owned it were very receptive to her when I took her there for a visit to check it out. When I picked her up the owner told me she spent the weekend in the house with his family because the kennel was no place for such a beautiful friendly family dog.
Then I had a neighbourhood teenager come in twice a day at $25 a pop.
That worked until one day I found a condom package on the floor of my bedroom.

[Eric Hahl]

I've used the Rover app a few times. Rates are better.

[Steve Carlton]

I have a woman and a young lady come by my house to let my dogs out into the back year midway during the day, as I'm gone 11 hours/day due to my commute. If I need to go out of town, I pay the young lady to stay at my house so the dogs stay in familiar surroundings. But, I rarely spend the night away, mostly because of the dogs.

[gregpark]

Putting a dog in a kennel is cruel. They are pack animals and every minute of being separated from their family is torture

[aschen]

Dogs are a huge comitment but the juice is worth the squeeze.

I love and admire with great Pyrenees. Loyal, stubborn, and Fearless but somehow gentle.


I'd have one in a microsecond if I didn't live in a hot residential area that is overrun with squirrels

[masraum]

Originally Posted by aschen

Dogs are a huge comitment but the juice is worth the squeeze.

I love and admire with great Pyrenees. Loyal, stubborn, and Fearless but somehow gentle.


I'd have one in a microsecond if I didn't live in a hot residential area that is overrun with squirrels

Presumably gentle so they don't kill/hurt the critters that they are meant to guard. There's a farmer with livestock of various sorts that has 3 livestock guardian dogs (maybe GP, can't remember for sure) that posts videos of the dogs from their security cameras. They have the 3 dogs and a black cat that they call "recon cat". Many of their videos show the dogs and cat at night. It'll show the dogs chilling and then the cat will walk up and the dogs will jump up and appear to be on high alerts. It's cool to watch the 3 dogs work, apparently, in cooperation to protect their charges. And "recon cat" cracks me up.

[rfuerst911sc]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

My experience was that kennels are a terrible place. I took my lab to one place and she was visibly traumatized and stunk when I picked her up. I dropped her off at their reception and didn't realize they would just lock her up for 2 days.
Then I used a game farm that also had a kennel. Looked much nicer and the family that owned it were very receptive to her when I took her there for a visit to check it out. When I picked her up the owner told me she spent the weekend in the house with his family because the kennel was no place for such a beautiful friendly family dog.
Then I had a neighbourhood teenager come in twice a day at $25 a pop.
That worked until one day I found a condom package on the floor of my bedroom.

Do you suspect the teen or your dog regarding the condom

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

My experience was that kennels are a terrible place. I took my lab to one place and she was visibly traumatized and stunk when I picked her up. I dropped her off at their reception and didn't realize they would just lock her up for 2 days.

We had a place that we used to buy dog food and really liked all of the people. I think we'd also used them for shots or something too. The explanation of how the kenneling worked, time playing outside, etc... was great. We tried using them to kennel our dogs once, and never again.

That worked until one day I found a condom package on the floor of my bedroom.

Ew, gross!

[bob deluke]

Wife and I opted out of the kid program, had dogs for 45 of our 46 year marriage. When she passed away in 2024, I have the two dogs she picked out as puppies. She always picked out the dogs, I just went along for the ride. When we traveled we boarded our dogs at a local kennel that is cleaner than my house! In floor heating, soft mats to lay on, music, huge exercise yard. Husband and wife still run it after 30+years. We usually went on vacation for no more than a week and when we came home the dogs were glad to see us, but hung back getting in the car because they enjoyed the kennel so much. You gotta find the right kennel for sure.

[Alan A]

VRBO and AirBnB both have options. Condos are the king of size limit, but small houses are easy.
A bunch of hotels also allow dogs for an extra 25 a night or so.

Ours is 85# and cones everywhere.

[jhynesrockmtn]

We take the dogs pretty much everywhere. They take up the whole back seat of the truck. When we can't, we are lucky to have our two oldest kids in town and we all dog sit for each other. Also, the oldest grandchild is now 16 and has started house sitting. I like that best because the cat gets more attention that way. A house sitter should be cheaper than a kennel. Are their kids or friends, kids of friends or someone at work that might be a candidate?