How To Get Your Dog Ready When You Leave Town

Alivia Whitaker | July 30, 2018 @ 12:00 AM

It's never easy to leave a beloved pet - but we tell you how to get your dog ready when you leave town and can't take your precious pup with you.  We've provided you with the steps in an easy to follow, bullet-list format.  Follow the bullet lists before and check off that list so you can make sure your pup is take care of well while you're away!

How To Get Your Dog Ready When You Leave: Dog Care

There are multiple options for dog care when you leave out of town.  There are pros and cons to any avenue and we detail some of the options below:

  • Kennel
    • A traditional option for dog car is to place your dog in a kennel for extended boarding.  The pros of going with a kennel is having professional on-site staff present 24/7 and having trained employees taking care of your dog. Many kennels and dog boarders even have on-site vets and groomers. The cons are that your dog will likely spend a lot of time caged up and not have a lot of play time.  Kennels also often require a plethora of vaccinations in order for your dog to board.
  • In home dog care / house sitter
    • A popular option for many pet owners is hiring in-home dog care and/or a house sitter while they are away.  This is a great option for many reasons.  It provides your pet with one on one love and care and it keeps someone in your home to deter crime and keep an eye on things.  The downside of this type of dog care is that is can be extraordinarily expensive.  If you don't know the person it can also be a risk letting someone have access to your home.
  • Rover.com
    • A new dog care option that has come up lately is online sourcing of dog care with services like Rover.com.  Services such as these use apps and websites to match you with dog sitters who watch dogs in their home.  One of the benefits of this the ease of use, possible price cut versus the kennel and the fact that your dog will be staying with a family and in a home. The downside of this service is the risk of leaving your dog with someone you do not know, your dog being around other dogs that may or may not be caged and the fact that the dog sitter can be around or not around as much or as little as they like.

How To Get Your Dog Ready When You Leave: Vet Check Up and Vaccines

Before you leave, you'll want to go to the vet and have a check up on your dog.  You'll want to do this in order to:

  • Make sure your dog doesn't have any lingering issues that could manifest while you're away.
  • Make sure your dog is vaccinated to be able to be boarded and to avoid catching any diseases such as kennel cough

How To Get Your Dog Ready When You Leave: Have Dog Items Ready

Finally, before you leave you'll want to make sure your beloved pooch has all it's needed or wanted items.  A good checklist can be found below:

  • Food Your dog likes so they don't get sick
  • Toys
  • Bedding
  • Treats for care taker

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