If you are traveling for
business or for pleasure, you can choose to take your dog with
you. There are some hotels/motels that will allow pets.
Driving with the dog is no problem, as long as you bring food
and water, and make the requisite exercise stops. Flying with
a dog is an issue, and can cause quite a lot of stress, if the
dog has to be crated and have to go in the hold or cargo area.
A small dog can be your cabin baggage. No matter what, you
should first check with the airlines for the costs and the
policies. International travel poses a whole different set of
issues, and thus is ill-advised. Animals frequently have to
quarantined for months, so unless you are planning to make a
major life-move, it is best to leave your friend behind for a
while.
Dog-boarding is a huge business. There are the
smaller kennels and the more professionally-run ones that will
take care of grooming, dispense medications, and, for a small
fee, take the animal out for personal TLC and playtime. You
would be advised to check out the dog runs and the kennels,
and take a sniff. Is it clean? Does it check on vaccinations?
Do the people seem knowledgeable? If possible, ask around, ask
at your vet, and ask friends or friends of friends for
references.
I have found that dogs on returning from
the kennel are absolutely exhausted. They are happier, in the
end, to stay home, in a familiar environment. Who knows the
noise levels at the kennels, and whether or not they get
enough rest?
If you are not fortunate enough to know
people who are willing to stay and look after the dog, there
are petsitting services. Again, you should check the
references very carefully, and make sure you meet the person
designated to look after your furry friend. For dogs, the
stayover service is best, given the daily schedule. Perhaps
you will already have subscribed to a dogwalking service that
you trust, that can also provide petcare while you are away.
These are all avenues to explore, and once you have that
relationship with the dog caregiver, nurture it for all you
are worth!!!!
If, however, you are gone just
overnight, or have to be away for one long day, and you may
have set up a system with a doggy door that leads into a safe
fenced area, you can resort to an automated pet-feeder. Cat
Mate makes a simple one that can be set to open in a certain
no. of hours. The simplest one of these is, in fact, the
safest. The round swivelling one can be figured out by any
semi-intelligent pet with a facile paw. The simple rectangular
cat mate feeder can in fact have its bowls TAPED to the base
for extra security. It works on a single AA battery, and is
very reliable.
If you wish, you could even set the
feeder to open up with a treat when you are at work, so that
your pet can feel loved in your absence! The product is an
English one, but available in many pet stores. Check: http://www.pet-mate.com/Cat_Mate/Feeders/Petfeeders_UK.htm
to get an idea of how they look.
Fencing:
A quick word about electronic fencing, the premise of which is
that the dog wears something on its collar whereby it gets a
small shock if it goes too close to the perimeter of the
property. Whether or not this works depends largely on the
sort of dog and the sort of property. It is a good alternative
to installing hundreds of feet of proper fencing, but
certainly has its pros and cons. For an excellent view on the
pros and cons of electronic fencing, check this: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/are-electronic-fences-right-for-your-dog/page1.aspx
http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/fence.htm
gives an interesting perspective on what happens if the
dog bypasses the fence, and the owner's liability thereof.
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