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

I have a dilemma...my husband & I are going to be in Minneapolis next weekend (we live about 3 hours away), and will be going to the MN Twins baseball game on Friday night, then a wedding/wedding dance on Saturday. I am truly upset as to what I think my options are and would appreciate any help or suggestions!!

The hotel we are staying at allows dogs (for no extra charge!), but I am troubled as to whether or not we should bring our 2 yorkies with us or board them at a kennel near where we live. They are almost 8 months old, but very hyper and can be VERY loud. We'd need to be gone from the hotel on Friday evening/night for about 6 hours I'm guessing - from about 5PM-11PM, and I know that I would have to muzzle & crate my dogs if we were to keep them in our hotel room - they just get way too "barky" in their crate sometimes when they get bored. I just think that is way too long to #1 keep a muzzle on them (we use muzzles sometimes when they are barking excessively, but only for like 10-15 minutes), and #2: keep them in their crate. My husband thinks that they would be OK, but he wants me to make the decision on what we do with them (of course!). They usually stay in their crate 4 hours in the morning, 4 hours in the afternoon, and 8 hours at night (but that's about 10PM-6AM). Also, they'd have to eat supper early (they normally eat at 6:00) and then be cooped up for 6 hours (potty break after supper & before the crate of course). There is a big park right by the hotel, so I would give them plenty of exercise before, and would have a great place to hang out with them Saturday & Sunday, but I still am concerned about them being in a crate in a strange place for too long on Friday. I have searched & searched for a puppy sitter where I live (I checked with all of our prior puppy sitters, family, neighbors, and a few prospects) and cannot find anyone. I can board them at a kennel, which I swore I would never do (little human interaction at the place I can board them at, and I'd have to wait until 5-6PM on Sunday before I could pick them up). On the one hand, I think that if I board them, they will be safe & will get potty breaks, and they can stay in the same pen making it much less expensive for me...but on the other hand, if I can figure out a way to be OK with Friday, I don't have an issue with taking care of them myself on Saturday & Sunday. I have called a few places in Minneapolis about doggy care for just Friday, but since it would be a late night for us, I'd have to board them, at it would be like $75 for one night (if I boarded them for 3 days where I live it would cost $60 TOTAL for the 3 days & 2 nights). I just can't spend that much money on one night for my dogs (especially when we're spending a lot of money on our own hotel room!), and I know my husband would absolutely not allow that. Also, they have not had a kennel cough shot, so if I am going to board them, I have to take them to the vet very soon (liek tomorrow!) to get that since they have to get it 5 days in advance prior to boarding at the kennel. It is breaking my heart thinking I either have to lock & muzzle them up for 6 hours, or board them at a kennel for 3 days...I am upset and feel that these are really my only 2 options...which would you do? I am going to go to the kennel place tonight to check it out, but I'm guessing I'll still have the same feelings after I look at the place...Any other suggestions???

i really don't know if i would leave a muzzle on them for that long without someone right there..what if for some srange reason the muzzle got paret way off and strangled them..i know this sounds terrible but i would not do that..I have travled with my yorkies and i put them in a big pen and put the TV on ..I also have left the water running in the sink or tub to help muffle the barking..you could also give the hotel your cell phone number in case they got too loud...how wbout asking someone at th..e hotel if they know someone who would sit with them for a decent fee. also maybe someone you know wherre youare going might know a teenager that would love to doggie sit

I would definitely board them. You shouldnt leave them muzzled and unsupervised. Boarding isnt so bad Ive did it before and it worked for us

Thanks...I did call the hotel, and they were not helpful at all. They basically just said, yes, we allow dogs, no, we don't have any dog care or anyone here who could help you with that. I am very concerned about having to muzzle them, and I did not even think of a lot of the bad things that could happen...I just was thinking about the "cruel" part of it. Still searching for a solution...I'm going to the boarding kennel place tonight to look around and see if I'm comfortable with it...I'll keep my fingers crossed!! I have only left my dogs one other time, and we had them stay in a couple's home while we were gone. I am really struggling with what to do now that the in-home care option is not available.

Thanks, I'm going to the boarding kennel tonight to look around. I'm not expecting anything too great from what I've heard about it (most people just say "It's not so bad"), but I guess I'll find out!

Is there anyone you know that could dog sit for you? Thats what I do and I know my dogs are safe and in good hands.

No, that is the problem. I have contacted everyone I can think of (most of the people we know are busy with wedding festivities on Friday while we're at the baseball game), and I can't find anyone to sit for us. The problem is probably that there are very few people that I would trust to watch my furbabies. I'll keep trying though, because I would rather have someone watch them versus send them to a kennel or leave them in a hotel room for 6 hours.

Is there anyone (teenager etc.) that you know and could take along with you - maybe they could doggie-sit in the hotel room Friday evening? I know my daughter has done that for friends of ours (with their human kids!) She enjoys the hotel experience and they enjoy being able to go out without their children. I understand your concern; we went to Savannah, GA for a few days vacation and I was concerned about Olivia barking while we were gone from the room...

I think they well be ok in b. kennel for 3 days. Go and look and make sure its clean and the dogs can get in and out. Most that I have taking care in the kennel have done just find.

Do you have an xpen for them or could maybe borrow one for the weekend. If you put down a piece of vinyl or just set it up in the hotel bathroom with plenty of food and water and their snuggly little beds they might be ok.

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:D I would never consider muzzling a dog and leaving it alone, way to many things can go wrong.

I definately vote "no" on the muzzles no matter what other option you choose. :(

Muzzle them for six hours with no supervision???:eek:
Please board them at a reputable boarding facility or hire a petsitter to watch them at your house.

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

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...:thumbup:

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:)

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!

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!!

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!

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

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...

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!!

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

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