dog boarding

[Pages]

would you be willing to pay to have your dogs boarded for six months in order to hike the trail, if it meant that not boarding your dogs meant you would not be able to hike?

how much would you be willing to pay for your trail experience?

thanks

- pages

[Chaco Taco]

would you be willing to pay to have your dogs boarded for six months in order to hike the trail, if it meant that not boarding your dogs meant you would not be able to hike?

how much would you be willing to pay for your trail experience?

thanks

- pages
IMO, not fair to the dog

[Pages]

point taken chaco.

[Pages]

but there are many fine kennels and the one we are considering love their dogs as much as we love them

[Chaco Taco]

Well think about it. Placing a dog in kennel when all he/she wants to do is be with you and play is just unfair. Im sure their would be some sort of abandonment issue after the hike. I think it would do a number on the dog psychologically. Either hike with the dog, or find him a good home. If you have a friend with a big yard and willing to take the responsibility, Id go with that. Sometimes, and even here, you will find awesome people that will take your friend for you for a few months. It is rare but it does happen. I think that with some careful planning, someone wishing to hike the trail could figure it out.

[Chaco Taco]

but there are many fine kennels and the one we are considering love their dogs as much as we love them
See that, I would consider. Some kennels are like shelters. The keep them crated all day, then let them out to play for a little while. I would just worry about the dog losing his/her human for that amount of time and what would happen to the dog when you get back. 6 months is a long time. May see if you guys could spilt up some of the hike and take him with you for parts of it. I think with careful planning you could swing something that would be good for both the dog and you.

[DeerPath]

[QUOTE=Chaco Taco;1455524]Well think about it. Placing a dog in kennel when all he/she wants to do is be with you and play is just unfair. Im sure their would be some sort of abandonment issue after the hike. I think it would do a number on the dog psychologically.

Reminds me of a thought - Lock your wife and dog in the trunk of a car for two hours and see who is happiest to see you.:-?

[Ewok11]

There are great facilities out there that aren't kennels. My husband is in the Army and I travel often for work. The place I board my dog is a "pet resort", which made me laugh at first....well to be honest it still does because his accommodations are much better than any hotel I've ever stayed in. Even their smallest rooms have doggy doors, covered patios and individual fenced in, grassy areas. He gets three walks a day while there, a full groom after a three night stay, community play time, each room has at minimum a metal day bed type dog bed, area rug and flat screen tv (yeah, I know). Some of the higher end rooms even have furniture and are set up like a family room or living room.

With that said: would I board him for six months or more to go hike? Don't know. I doubt I could afford it.

I will say, there are A LOT of long term boarders at my dog's resort (their pet parents are deployed) and they seem to have no problems remembering their humans or adjusting when they return. At least not the ones I've been around.

[Hot Flash]

The longest I ever boarded my dog was two months, while I was overseas visiting my military boyfriend for the summer. I chose a pet resort, where the dogs are carefully vetted in order to make sure they're personable to other dogs. During the day, all the dogs roam free in a large 2-acre grassy fenced yard that has toys to play with, a shallow pool to play in, and plenty of shade. During the night, the dogs each get their own large kennel, some of which have tvs if you wish to pay extra for that. You bring your dog's own bed and their own dish/toys which stay in their kennel. Dogs from the same family can be kenneled together for sibling companionship if that's what you want.

I didn't feel bad leaving my dog there for two months, because I had used it before and I knew my dog loved it there. In fact, any time she was with me in the car and we drove anywhere near it, she would go ballistic, barking and wagging and whining to get out and go go go see the other dogs. There were no problems with her readjusting when we got home, though she did have to very carefully inspect "her" yard and pee all over the place.

The key is just to find someplace that your dog loves to go.

[RED-DOG]

I would just Hike with them and Kennel them when i had to.

[Ladytrekker]

I'm not leaving my dog for 6 months I would hike with them before abandoning them

[Pages]

I'm not leaving my dog for 6 months I would hike with them before abandoning them

that's a pretty harsh word lady trekker. guess you don't agree.

[Hot Flash]

I'm not leaving my dog for 6 months I would hike with them before abandoning them

Abandoning them would be putting them out of the car at the side of the road, or leaving them at the local pound. Finding a good home for your pet while you're gone, making sure they're loved and cared for and are having a good time is not "abandoning" them. It's being a responsible pet owner.

[Tree Nerd]

I would never do that to my dog, even if it was a good facility.....In my situation, my parents offered (I didn't ask) to take care of Maggie during my thru hike this year.....I would find someone you trust to take care of her. Possibly a friend or family member that has a dog that your dog gets along with. If you cant pull that off I would do like RED-DOG said and hike with him/her till you needed to kennel for certain parts.

Good luck!

[Ladytrekker]

Lol sorry did not mean to sound so harsh but my dog is my baby

[Ewok11]

Not all of us have dogs that can hike with us. My dog is older now. He does well on day hikes and could maybe still pull an overnighter but anything beyond that and he's lagging and limping. I don't know if I would or wouldn't leave my dog for that long since it's not a decision I'm likely to have to make anytime soon but I certainly don't see how leaving your dog with a reputable caretaker is a bad thing.

Those who are fortunate enough to have family or close friends who can and will keep their dogs - kudos. To play Devil's Advocate though; is that really better? Assuming you aren't paying the family member/friend a daily or weekly upkeep fee, are they really doing a better job than someone who has a boarding facility? My dog leaves the pet resort happier than when he went in and whines to go back. I often joke that he likes them better than he likes me and why wouldn't he? There he gets walked AT LEAST three times a day, has the undivided attention during those walks of different people, has his own personal kingdom (room), gets gourmet treats, has the option to play with other dogs or take an extra long walk, etc. I can also call at any time to check on him and they send text or email updates on a weekly basis for long term boarders. They also have dedicated medical personnel, 24 staff and the name and number of my dog's vet. I love my family and would trust them implicitly with my dog but they also have jobs and lives and cannot guarantee the same level of service/interaction.

YMMV.

[Pages]

thanks all for your replies

- pages

[prain4u]

I am a dog owner (105 lb. Chocolate Lab)--and I have had other dogs prior to this current Lab. I have had to board my dog for up to 3-4 weeks when we have had out-of-town family health issues that would keep us from being home with our dog(s). However, I would probably not consider boarding my dog for 4-7 months. Three or four weeks at a kennel was stressful enough for my dog.

I say, find a friend or family member who will take the dog and love the heck out of it while you are gone. Try to spend considerable time transitioning the dog to the new location with you present and participating in the process. Maybe have the dog stay there without you for increasingly longer periods of time. Try to avoid just abruptly dropping off the dog at some strange place and with people who are unknown to the dog. (You may have to transition the dog back to your home--once you return home)

I am not (usually) a fan of people hiking with their dogs (especially long hikes). I don't think that is good for the dog--or "fair" to the dog either. In some instances, long hikes can be hard on the dog. (Vets are split over whether long hikes are good for dogs). There are significant sections of the AT where dogs are absolutely prohibited. What will you do with the dog then? What about hotels and hostels, stores and restaurants where dogs are not permitted? What will you do with the dog? Legally speaking, on roughly half of the AT, dogs are SUPPOSED to be on a leash at all times. What if the dog runs off in the woods after animals--or tangles with another animal? What about the rugged or challenging spots of the trail? You expect a long distance hike to take it's toll on your own body (and you will be using things like boots, rain gear, warm clothing etc). Why wouldn't the hike toll a toll on your dog too (and the dog has little--or no--protective gear)?

[Swordpen]

I read your blog, Pages, but had issues with just spelling editing, so I am replying here.

If you are retired at 55, that is 10 years earlier than most. Count your blessings.
Something I would heavily consider tho, can you get a job again at 56? (Besides walmart, for minimum wage). Altho illegal, Ageism exists, especially in the IT field. If you are a doctor or lawyer, or accountant, where age & experience, brings wisdom, that is valuable, & probably, less difficult to find a job.

As far as your dogs, I have boarded 1 of mine (I have 4), at rover.com or dogvacay.com. It was a fun experience for my 8 year old dog, it was only a weekend. A young guy 22ish, had him, & was athletic enough to keep up with my dog (in fact, he had fun with my dog, as my dog is very well obedience trained,& trained him)!

These places are people who keep your dog at their house, so very homelike. They charge usually $20 a day per dog (so $600/ month). Ask, if there could be a package deal for several dogs!

Last year, according to your blog, you had knee issues. I dont know your entire medical history on what happened, but you might not go "thru" on the AT this year either. Something to keep in mind, & something to ask these people, you may or may not be gone for 6 months, so are they flexible? Consider asking them for 2 months with an option to extend another month at a time.

The best option, is family. But since this is such a long time, I would offer to pay them.

One of my dogs, is a little Jack Russell who is 16 years old, & very attached to me (& me to him, I love him, & he is my most special dog - one of a kind & perfect, perfect obedience, God couldnt have blelssed me with a better dog & I've had dogs since I was 6, & I am 55 now too).

With him, to tell you the truth, I would carry him, slackpack, something rather than leave him. I want to be there for him if he passes, as he is so old. He has been my best friend & has NEVER NEVER left my side - on or off leash, for any distraction (I am not joking here, we are joined at the hip).

You may not be that attached to your dogs, so maybe rover.com or dogvacay.com could work for you.

just my thoughts, HTH.

[Northern Lights]

I couldn't kennel my dogs for 6 months. It would be too hard on them. I'd take them with me or leave them with family.

[pelenaka]

1) No for a variety of reasons; bears, personal security, and I'm just a much happier person when I get that morning dog kiss on my sleeping puss.

2) If I kenneled I wouldn't be able to afford my trail experiences.

3) We have an expression in my circle - " I would let'em him walk my dog ", which is to say that not everyone is worthy. I have f & f who I'd let watch my children, but not my dog. I personally wouldn't enjoy my hike if I wasn't 100% certain of who was caring for my dog. Even then my imagination would run wild.
Personally I'd like to know how hikers who kennel their dogs for those no dogs allowed portions of the AT, handle their feelings of abandonment ? Drink or just howl themselves to sleep ?

DeerPath, lol so true.