Vacation Prep for Dog Safety

[MauiGirl]

Hope you all will help me make a list of things to remember to keep my 4 dogs safe while I go on a vacation without them. I worry so much about it, that I almost don't want to go.

I will be away 2 weeks, and have responsible close friends/dog lovers staying in my home to dog sit. They did it last summer with no problems, but I'm getting anxiety again. They know the basics of what and what not to feed, potty habits, etc.. I feel I want to better prepare in case of an emergency, illness or escape. Please chime in and help me add to my list:

Vet name & number
A backup petsitter in case main ones have their own emergency leave
Reminders to check gates after gardener and pool man come.
Actions to take if one gets loose/lost. (I need to have photos and info ready to make posters, etc. but what else?)
Pet ID: they are microchipped, but I think I want collar ID on them also.
Instructions for evacuation (there have been 3 tsunami evacs in last 2 yrs).

Argggg, I'm getting sick just thinking of this, but feel preparation is important. I appreciate your help, so maybe I can go have a nice relaxing vacation.

[gemy]

Directions to the Vet - their hours of operation
Closest emergency 24 hr hospital/clinic

Where do you keep extra collars and leads?
Where are their harnesses kept?
Medical File for the dogs?

Where are their toys kept?

Rules for the swimming pool - Are they allowed in for example

Do you use lifejackets on them?

Sunscreen for the pups? Do you use.

Emergency at home kit - Where is it

Crates for them?

Dogs to watch out for in your neighbourhood

Duration of walks - exercise needs etc

Do you have a webcam you can set up in their sleeping room - so that you can check in on them?

Oh yes your vet should know who is babysitting your dogs - in case they need to come in.

[Maximo]

I think Gemy covered everything I would add.

[MauiGirl]

Thank you gemy, you brought up several things I had not thought of.

They sleep in my bed, where petsitters will be sleeping with them, so I don't think I'll put a webcam in there

I'm also afraid if I saw my pups on a webcam I'd miss them too much and come home early.

I suppose I should also leave a letter of permission for treatment, and assuming financial responsibility in case emergency vet treatment is needed.

My biggest fear is that they will get loose, and they could be on a busy street in about 2 minutes. It's why I have them cared for in my home, so hopefully they won't miss me and try to go looking for me.

[Maximo]

Sandy, do you have gates or anything blocking access to doors to the outside? My boys listen to me and won't go out the door, but when anyone else opens the door, they bolt.

[Patti]

Great timing. I leave for vegas in 10 days and my sister is driving up from Tennessee to stay with my girls. I know she will take good care of them but she isn't use to taking care of 3 small neurotic yorkies! lol I will use the info from this thread as well. Thanks and have a great time.

[MauiGirl]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Sandy, do you have gates or anything blocking access to doors to the outside? My boys listen to me and won't go out the door, but when anyone else opens the door, they bolt.

The front door is my problem, so I have a dog "gate" inside the house, and tell everybody to make sure dogs are secure behind it before opening the front door. Tiki is my sneaky little "fast as a rabbit" one, and has darted past my daughter when she knew I was in the front yard.

I am so OCD about things to do with my doggies, that it is very hard to get anyone to pet sit for me. I'm lucky some of my friends who know me & the dogs very well are willing. But, still I want to be as safe as possible.

[MauiGirl]

Originally Posted by Patti

Great timing. I leave for vegas in 10 days and my sister is driving up from Tennessee to stay with my girls. I know she will take good care of them but she isn't use to taking care of 3 small neurotic yorkies! lol I will use the info from this thread as well. Thanks and have a great time.

Have a good time, Vegas is fun. I'm not going until July, but want to be as prepared as possible early so I won't worry at the last minute.

[MauiGirl]

I don't have an at home emergency doggie first aid kit. What all goes in one?

I do have a printout of how to do canine CPR and Heimlich maneuver.

I guess I am more concerned this time as I will be in areas with limited or no cell phone coverage for a while (not that a phone call could help). Also my vet is an hour away from my home, and there is no 24 hr. ER vet, although mine will come in supposedly if I call and pay extra after hours.

[Lisa and Pic]

I certainly understand your anxiety, Sandy. My husband and friends laugh because I write a "dissertation" everytime we leave the pups with a dog/house sitter. I think I called everyday, when we went to Key West in March, to make sure things were well and Buster did not escape.

A couple of extra things I put on my list:
-neighbors phone numbers and if they have a key to my house (we had a dogsitter get locked out once)

-Address and number of the emergency vet hospital (However, I see you do not have this near you)

-Pet poison control number

-Friends and their numbers that would help search, if a pup got out accidently

I am sure I go way over the top with this. Lol. Guess I am in the OCD club.

[Shelby&Seymour]

If the front door is a problem.... maybe suggest the front door to be "off limits" & kept locked.

You may want to make tags with the sitters cellphone number on them along with your phone number... because if one gets lost, they will be out looking and not near the phone.

[bobohyde]

Lisa and Pic's post reminded me that our neighbors were pet sitting for different neighbors and they also locked themselves out. It's a good idea to leave an extra key with a neighbor or hide one somewhere the sitter knows to look in an emergency if this happens.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by MauiGirl

The front door is my problem, so I have a dog "gate" inside the house, and tell everybody to make sure dogs are secure behind it before opening the front door. Tiki is my sneaky little "fast as a rabbit" one, and has darted past my daughter when she knew I was in the front yard.

I am so OCD about things to do with my doggies, that it is very hard to get anyone to pet sit for me. I'm lucky some of my friends who know me & the dogs very well are willing. But, still I want to be as safe as possible.

My neighbor offered to take care of my boys, as if I could leave them in the house and have someone check on them a few times a day like normal dogs, lol. I thought to myself, "You have NO idea."

Originally Posted by Patti

Great timing. I leave for vegas in 10 days and my sister is driving up from Tennessee to stay with my girls. I know she will take good care of them but she isn't use to taking care of 3 small neurotic yorkies! lol I will use the info from this thread as well. Thanks and have a great time.

Neurotic, lol! Have a great trip, Patti.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by MauiGirl

I don't have an at home emergency doggie first aid kit. What all goes in one?

I do have a printout of how to do canine CPR and Heimlich maneuver.

I guess I am more concerned this time as I will be in areas with limited or no cell phone coverage for a while (not that a phone call could help). Also my vet is an hour away from my home, and there is no 24 hr. ER vet, although mine will come in supposedly if I call and pay extra after hours.

Good idea about CPR and Heimlich. I had to Heimlich our Airedale when she choked on bread.

Here is the sticky post on first aid kits: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...g-dosages.html