Please help! Would you board them at a kennel or muzzle & crate them in a hotel room?

[msjagg]

I agree with Oopsmyhalofello. I'b board them somewhere close to the hotel and then pick them up the next day and you'll have most of the weekend with them. We were just in Arkansas with 3 dogs. Whenever we went out to eat we put the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door so that the maids wouldn't go to clean up the room. Baron was in a crate and Sophie Kennedy and Sammy had free run of the room. Sammy and Baron had on belly bands though. It was so much fun traveling with them. I hope you and your Husband and your 2 have alot of fun that weekend...

[paulalowe6]

I personally could never put a muzzle on my babies and they do get" yappie" at times, we just deal with it. I hope you find a solution 'cause I think you truly love your babies

[Buster Bailey]

Originally Posted by dagibbie

I would board them. Is the boarding place at your vets? We went to Georgia for 6 days and had considered taking General Lee with us. However, it would be very unfair to him if we left him in a hotel room most of the day. I knew we would be gone a lot. I have been taking him to the vets who he loves and they are very good with boarding. He is so spoiled there that it takes me a day or so to get him back into reality I would never consider muzzling a dog and leaving it alone, way to many things can go wrong.

I did call the vet a few days ago & they do not board. I asked if they knew of anyone who did in-home care, and they gave me one name, but that person won't work because she only comes TO a house 3 times a day - that is just not enough for my 2 little ones! I went out the the boarding kennel tonight to see it and it's not that bad...not great though. There were actually 2 yorkies together in a pen there. They can't go in & outside freely - the doggy door to the private outside runway is controlled & they open it 4 times per day (I asked about the number of times, and they will open it a couple more for Buster & Bailey though since they are so small & can't hold their bladder that long). I have made the decision that it's just not fair if we bring them with us. I'd be so worried about them, I would almost for sure not have a good time. My father-in-law suggested one person I hadn't thought of, so I am going to call her tomorrow & see if she can take them. If not, then I will be boarding them at the kennel for 3 days. I know they will be safe, as the place is clean & I know other people that have taken their pets there. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Buster Bailey]

Originally Posted by oopsmyhalofello

Boarding them sounds like a much better option. Is there a way you can get them in a boarding kennel near where you will be, then they can stay there for that Friday night and you can still have the rest of the weekend with them to have fun

The only way I have found that option to work is if I pay $75 for Friday day/night. I didn't know that Petsmart boarded though, so I may look into that option. $75 is just too much for me to spend, so I can't do that. I have never left them with a muzzle on without supervision, and that is mostly why I am so concerned about what to do if leaving them in a hotel room. I've used the muzzles before, but mostly just for a couple of minutes while they calm down. I was thinking that leaving them in a crate with muzzles was a horrible idea & now I can see from the responses that it is. I'm still new at puppy parenting, and I thank you for your post!!

[Buster Bailey]

Originally Posted by cj125

I'm sure they have a Petsmart in Minneapolis - how about boarding them there for the first day that you'll be so busy - then you can go get them for the remainder of your stay. My friend brings her Lab there all the time. He loves it. Just make sure you do a walk through before you leave them.

Thanks - I didn't know that Petsmart boarded (I've never been in one & we don't have one where I live). I have made the decision definitely NOT to leave them in the hotel room all alone Friday. I will most likely be boarding them, or I may have a last minute hope that a family friend can watch them in their home. I think that so long as they are someplace safe & can be watched after for the weekend, they can handle it..I am probably the one that needs the most convincing to leave them! Thank you for your response & taking the time to read my thread!

[Breezeaway]

All I have to say is your dogs are in a crate 16 hrs a day out of 24. Shakes head no wonder they bark. And I am not trying to be mean but that to me is too much time in a crate, they would bark less if they got out more

[Buster Bailey]

Originally Posted by msjagg

I agree with Oopsmyhalofello. I'b board them somewhere close to the hotel and then pick them up the next day and you'll have most of the weekend with them. We were just in Arkansas with 3 dogs. Whenever we went out to eat we put the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door so that the maids wouldn't go to clean up the room. Baron was in a crate and Sophie Kennedy and Sammy had free run of the room. Sammy and Baron had on belly bands though. It was so much fun traveling with them. I hope you and your Husband and your 2 have alot of fun that weekend...

What are belly bands? Thanks for the suggestion...I have gotten a few great tips about pets & hotels...placing the "do not disturb" sign on the door, running water in the bathroom if needed to help drown out noise, keeping the TV on, etc...

[Buster Bailey]

Originally Posted by Breezeaway

All I have to say is your dogs are in a crate 16 hrs a day out of 24. Shakes head no wonder they bark. And I am not trying to be mean but that to me is too much time in a crate, they would bark less if they got out more

Well, I am in a cubicle & in a bed at those times (depressing that it's 16 hours a day now that I think about it!), and I think it's fairly normal if you are crate training to have them on that schedule - isn't it? They are potty trained now, and my husband & I are going to be working on the puppy "play room" soon in our basement - which I am SO excited for. We get them out exercising quite a bit, and I had a lot of questions when I got them about the confinement with the crate. My vet assured me that my schedule was great for them...so I am hoping that I'm doing the right thing. I would have them out more if I could, but I have to work.

[littlelady]

Can't you just give them some anxiety drops and leave them in the bathroom? with the soft blanket they always have in the closet of the rooms. The hotel Hyatt Regency we stayed at recently had no tub in the bathroom it had a walk in shower so the bathroom was a perfect place for a couple hours or so? I put a box up against the door so the dogs didn't claw the door and I could easily push it open when we got back.

[Breezeaway]

Originally Posted by Buster Bailey

Well, I am in a cubicle & in a bed at those times (depressing that it's 16 hours a day now that I think about it!), and I think it's fairly normal if you are crate training to have them on that schedule - isn't it? They are potty trained now, and my husband & I are going to be working on the puppy "play room" soon in our basement - which I am SO excited for. We get them out exercising quite a bit, and I had a lot of questions when I got them about the confinement with the crate. My vet assured me that my schedule was great for them...so I am hoping that I'm doing the right thing. I would have them out more if I could, but I have to work.

Well you do what you gotta do, but how would you like being confined to a 8x8 room for 16 hours a day,OH and a great idea for a play room. How long have you had them? Please dont get me wrong, I know you love your dogs, but its just me, I have a prob with people crating them so much , its my own personal pet peeve.

[greyacresmom]

Are your dogs used to using a muzzle? I would never muzzle a dog that was not used to it for any length of time.

I have greyhounds and they are muzzled all the time and they start at a very early age. So when I leave they are muzzled, but the littles are crated with no muzzle. (they are crated for about 3 hours until the kids get home from work)

How long will they be crated? More than a few hours and I think I would board or have someone pet sit.

I didn't read all the responses, but why would you muzzle a "little" anyway? A good muzzle they can eat, drink and bark with it on!

[Buster Bailey]

Originally Posted by greyacresmom

Are your dogs used to using a muzzle? I would never muzzle a dog that was not used to it for any length of time.

I have greyhounds and they are muzzled all the time and they start at a very early age. So when I leave they are muzzled, but the littles are crated with no muzzle. (they are crated for about 3 hours until the kids get home from work)

How long will they be crated? More than a few hours and I think I would board or have someone pet sit.

I didn't read all the responses, but why would you muzzle a "little" anyway? A good muzzle they can eat, drink and bark with it on!

We got the muzzles to help with barking - they can drink with it on, but they really don't bark to much with them. I use the muzzles when I need to quiet them down - sometimes they are just too embarrassing when they bark ballisticaly. I did go out to the boarding kennel, and I will probably board them. I'd rather not, because there is very little human interaction there, but they would be taken care of & safe. I was thinking the muzzles in a crate were a bad idea, which is why I posted - thanks!

[Buster Bailey]

Originally Posted by Breezeaway

Well you do what you gotta do, but how would you like being confined to a 8x8 room for 16 hours a day,OH and a great idea for a play room. How long have you had them? Please dont get me wrong, I know you love your dogs, but its just me, I have a prob with people crating them so much , its my own personal pet peeve.

I've had them for almost 5 months now and only want the best for them. My husband's baseball game got cancelled this Saturday and he said we'll work on the play room then - I can't wait!!

[viviansnickers]

Hi there!!

Wow, I feel your pain. In case you have not done this yet...have you tried craigslist classifieds: jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, events, forums in your area? I found the most loving, nurturing, and reasonable doggy sitter for my Snickers there and she lives 3 miles away from me. Check it out...it's perfect. She treats Snick like her 2 dogs, part of the family, never crated, and loved to bits. Check it out for sure, you might find something similar in your area, times are tough and people need cash so many are doing this for extra money...click on "pets" at the top and search "sitter" or "boarding" or "border."

Good luck babes...boarding at a public facility makes me sad as well!!

Snick & Viv

[sugarmamma]

What about a white noise machine? I use one for Sugar to block out "outside" noises that she would generally be barking at.