A pet with separation anxiety: If your pet can't be left alone, then having a drop in sitter or using a traditional boarding kennel isn't going to work for you. You will need to find either a petsitter who can stay at your home full-time while you are away, or a boarding facility that has around-the-clock staff so your pet won't ever be completely alone. I realize that a full-time sitter or boarding option with 24-hour care is going to be more expensive, however, it will be worth it for peace of mind for both you and your pet. Don't get me wrong: It's still going to be anxiety-provoking for your pet that you are gone, but that 24-hour care ensures that your pet will be safe and well-cared for.
A geriatric pet: Older pets just need more care. It might mean slower, shorter walks for a senior dog. It might mean medications given at specific times of day. It could mean T-touch sessions for sore muscles and joints, or sessions on a t-PEMF mat for relief from pain and inflammation. It could mean dealing with middle of the night bathroom breaks, cleaning up toileting accidents, or washing pet incontinence items throughout the day. It might mean reassuring an older pet that they are safe and loved when they experience sundowner's in the evening hours. Because senior pets often don't see, hear, or move as confidently as they did when they were younger, keeping them in a familiar environment is often the best option when you are away on vacation. This could mean staying home with a petsitter in place, or staying at a friend or relative's house that is as familiar and comfortable for your pet as your home is.
A special needs pet: If you have a pet who is blind, deaf, missing a limb, has a medical condition like seizures, is seriously immune compromised, or on a very restricted diet, you will need to choose an option for them in your absence that ensures that they will be safe. If you are leaving your pet somewhere other than your home, look at that situation from their point of view. If they are blind or missing a limb, for example, then staying with a friend or caregiver who has stairs is likely not a great option. If your pet is on a heavily restricted diet, staying with someone who free-feeds their own pets, or isn't particularly careful about human food left out and around, isn't going to be the best choice for your pet. And if your pet has seizures, the stress of you being gone might trigger a seizure, so best to have them staying with someone who provides around the clock care, just in case.
Boarding facilities have come a long way since I was a kid. Back then, boarding facilities meant dogs kept in runs and cats kept in cages 24 hours a day that were hosed or cleaned out once to twice daily and into which food bowls were offered once to twice daily as well. That was it. Now, you can find boarding facilities where dogs are never caged or confined until bedtime at night. During the day, they are involved in daycare activities with friendly humans and other, well socialized dogs. Some of these facilities have actual rooms where dogs board that look nothing like a cage or dog run, but more like a little, doggie hotel room. And even where the boarding facilities use cages or kennels, many of them have spaces that are temperature controlled, use music and/or fans for comfort, and have cameras set up to keep an eye on it all in the absence of a human on site. Clearly, while these facilities can be a great option for some pets, they aren't for those listed above or for dogs who aren't well-socialized or who don't like other dogs (have issues in aggression or reactivity).
There are people who provide petsitting in their own homes for their clients, and others who will petsit for you in your home. If your pet will be staying at a petsitter's home, do a trial run before your actual vacation to make sure your pet is comfortable there. If your pet will be staying at home with a petsitter coming in to watch them, make sure your pet knows this person and has spent time with them before you leave for your vacation. You don't want any surprises! Funny little side story: When I first got out of college, I did a lot of housesitting to earn money to help with graduate school expenses. I was housesitting for a cat owner whom I knew really well. Her cat loved me at the vet hospital where we met, crawling across the counter of the hospital to sit in my lap or wanting to be held by me at their appointments. We thought this would be a great fit when she left for three weeks to Europe that summer. Well, lo and behold, that's not what her cat thought. While I cleaned the litter box twice a day, fed and provided fresh water, set out toys and treats, I never actually saw the cat the whole time the owner was gone. The cat hid in a closet or under the bed until I left the house for work and would wait until I went to bed at night to come out to eat, play, etc. It made me so sad as I thought this cat and I were buddies! Truth of the matter was this: We were buddies on my turf (the vet hospital) but on her home turf, I was an interloper and nothing more. Needless to say, the owner was as surprised as I was when she got back from her trip and found out that I never was able to brush her cat while she was gone. I never even got to pet the cat!
Finally, some people opt to bring their pets along on vacation, rather than leaving them behind. I've vacationed with my dogs many times over the years and we've always had a good time. I begin traveling with my dogs when they are puppies so that the concept of long car rides, staying in unfamiliar spaces, and being on leash more isn't stressful for them. The only dog we've ever had that didn't like to go on road trips was Desi. He was quite the homebody, preferring to stay home and leave the adventures to the other dogs. We did take him on a road trip one time and he enjoyed a few of the activities, but for the most part he made it clear he'd have rather stayed home. Now that Ozzie has gotten older, he's got some health issues that make long car rides uncomfortable for him. Because of that, I prefer to have a housesitter stay in my home to care for him while I'm gone. Henley is great on road trips and is always up for an adventure, but for now, I leave him home as well so Ozzie has company when the housesitter isn't there with them. And I never plan a vacation until I've secured a petsitter for my dogs. If I can't arrange for my daughter, one of her friends, or one of my friends to come stay at my house when I'm gone, then I simply don't leave. My dogs are my responsibility. I owe it to them to make sure that they are comfortable and well-cared for always.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
The kids and I took Ozzie and Desi on a summer road trip to southern Oregon. They both loved the cooler weather and exploring all of the smells along the coastline. Ozzie loved the airbnb where we stayed as he enjoyed running up and down the stairs. Desi hated the stairs so much that he stayed with the kids in the downstairs rooms, only venturing upstairs at mealtimes. They both loved the garden, which ended up being a good thing as Desi could stay at the airbnb and nap in the garden while we took Ozzie on the long hikes that he loved, but Desi hated. Two very different collies!
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