Going Out of Town What to Do with Dog?

my dogs stayed for a week at LakePointe Pet Resort. It's in Rowlett off Dalrock. We had a good experience there. :)

Call Toothacres - they are wonderful - I have been using them for over 15 years - they have a website - they are on fm544
J.

We have a wonderful dog sitter named Sara Sheppard. She is great with all dogs. We have 2 pitt bulls who are very sweet and well behaved. She is great with them. She takes them into her home, which I prefer over boarding them in cages. She has a great house with a big back yard. She works at Operation Kindness placing dogs in homes so she is very experienced with all types of dogs. He number is ###-###-####. Good luck. - J.

Debi Alford owns a business called All Critter Sitter. She has expeience as a vet tech and she cares for your pet in his home. Her website is www.allcrittersitter.com, and her # is ###-###-####.

Hi M.!

I use a wonderful pet sitting service (affordable pet and people services). Her name is Chris and she is very good. I have two dogs and a cat and she is wonderful with all three. When we go out of town she will visit the house or stay overnight depending on what you request. She always leaves a report card to let me know how they did each day and she also leaves a picture or two. On one trip we came home early and I caught her vacuuming.

She is really nice and great with Bailey, Jax, and Cash. Her website is http://www.affordablepetandpeopleservices.net/index.html.

Good Luck,
C.

Hi! DFW Pet Sitting is a GREAT rersource. they are insured, bonded and reasonable and they do other things like check your mail, water your plants - whatever you'd like! AND your baby gets to stay at home where he/she is most comfortable!

http://dfwpetsitting.com/

They respond to you within two hours day OR night.

I am not sure where you live, but we have a great deal of excellent boarding facilities in & around Houston. I own a facility in Kemah and we recommend daycare a few times for any new boarders. This allows the dogs to get a feel of our place & we can evaluate & see how they will do on a longer stay. You can go to www.abka.com & put in your zip code to find a place near you. You can also call and ask me any questions. Good luck!
Trisha Murphy, happily married, mother of a 15 month old wonderful baby boy
Bayside bed & Biscuit
www.bayside-bb.com
281-334-woof (9663)

I have an older dog too (much older - 16 yrs) and a 6 yr old dog. On my trips out of town, I use a service; Dog Tired Valet, Laura Jacobs ###-###-#### for the older dog. Sometimes, I'll take the younger dog to Camp Bow Wow on Irving Blvd off Industrial. I really like them for boarding and for day care. Lauras service includes picking up mail, watering plants and she will even stay the night. As for the not eating, well it usually takes a couple of days. Eventually they will eat. Good luck!

I take my dog to Pet Paradise in Burleson. She is an 80 giant schnauzer and is very active. Dixie (our dog) loves it there. They are used to big dogs, one of the owners has doberman pinchers (sp?), so she is used to big dogs. I have seen her with an older boxer a lot that gets borded there, and she will keep it in her office, with her just because she likes the dog. She has told me if they don't have anyother dogs she has even taken a dog or two home with her on the weekends so the dog won't have to be alone. I would give them an call and let them know about your concerns. They are really sweet. The owners are Mandy and Nikki, their number is ###-###-####
Hope this helps!
T. Wood

We have boarded our 2 dogs before with no problems, but usually I hire my neighbor's daughter to come by twice a day while we're gone. She feeds them both times, and plays with them. During the day they stay outside (inside if it's bad weather). At night they sleep in their bed. It works out, and it's a lot cheaper than boarding!

The first day or so one of my dogs won't eat, either. She just misses us and is confused... but take this as fact - your baby puppy will not let himself starve. He will start eating again soon afterward. Shanna (our fox terrier) would start eating again the night of the second day.

I have a friend that is a pet sitter. She will come to your home as many times durring the day that you would like. She is very reliable and honest and is bonded and insured. She has been pet sitting for 6 years. Her contact info. is:
Shelley Jewell
###-###-####
###-###-####
FYI She also makes homemade dog treats!

You need to teach your dog that every time you leave the house that YOU WILL BE BACK. Talk to him. Then when you return, tell him, I AM BACK. We did this with our Siberian Husky and our Beagle. Once they know that you will be back, they accept that. Also have your Mom come by more often so that the dog recognizes her as part of the family. She needs to talk to him also. Many pets do this. I usually look for someone in the neighborhood that is trustworthy and have them come in. Of course, you are trusting that person to be in your house......so you have to make up your mind as to what you want to do. Your Mom will do, but you have to carry on a conversation with the dog to make him feel more comfortabel. What would the Dog Whisperer do? Mr. Milan. Watch the National Geographic Channel when he is on. He has many good tips on what to do with dogs, incorrigible or not. He also had a book out. Ask your Vet for any suggestions.

I use Petsmart Hotel in Plano, they are great. I have an 11 year old Akita and he is not people friendly, but they do a great job with him while he's there.

Good luck and have a great vacation!

I don't know where you are located, but we use a kennel facility in Flower Mound and LOVE it! You can view their website at http://homepage.mac.com/haustin01/cmcdogs/. Hope that helps you!

M.

I have had great results with leaving my dog at home and hiring a neighbor to come over 3 times per day to feed/walk, etc. The dog can stay in its own environment and still get regualar attention. The only drawback is finding a reliable source to do this. I'm fortunate to have great teenagers next door. You could also consider having a family friend or relative stay at the house. The going rate in my area is $25/day for a housesitter or a person who will come over 3 times. the rate drops a bit if you can get by with 2 times a day. hope this helps.

There is a great organization called Pets Are Inn. They have been in this area about 15 years. They board pets in private homes rather than kenneling. After an in office visit and interview they determine which caregiver home would be best for him. He is picked up and delivered back to you at the assigned time. There are some requirements that must be met but that is discussed at the interview. First...he must play well with others because all the care givers have dogs of their own. I have 2! I highly recommend this company because I have been a caregiver for them since about the time they came to the area. Their phone number is ###-###-#### I think the website is petsareinn.com.
Good Luck!

If you have a local petsitting service we had an excellent experience with that. The one we found was a certified petsitter. She and her daughter came to our house met our pit bull (the reason why we needed special care as even though he was our baby, many were afraid to deal with him just because of his breed). Explained their practice and asked us what we desired of them in our abscence. It turned out to be a lasting relationship and our dog loved them. They came daily walked him, fed him, made sure he had enough water, and spent time playing with him. He was able to sleep indoors in our room (where he loved, which he could never survive the kennels offered by other "doggie daycares". We even recieved christmas cards every year! I hope that you can find someone you trust and that your dos loves before your trip! Best wishes!

Flying is very stressful of dogs. My in-laws flew with their Doberman and it took two weeks to get him back to normal. When they got the dog at the airport, it was obvious that he was not treated good. I would never fly with my dog unless there was no other option.

I completely understand your concern for your pet/four-legged family member! I had a precious dog for 17 years and when I traveled he would stay at Bark-N-Purr pet retreat, which is in Colleyville near DFW Airport. I would drop him off on the way sometimes or the night before. My precious dog passed away 6 years ago, so during the times I had to travel, Pet Sitters weren't heard of or as known. I think a Pet Sitter might be the way to go now, but if not affordable, please look into Bark-N-Purr Retreat. I haven't used in over 7 years, but they treated every pet like their own and were very affordable and convenient to the airport. Many Blessings - L.

Find a petsitter in your area. My experience with them has been great. They will come by once or twice a day (or however many times a day you want and are willing to pay for) and take the time to befriend and play with your dog, so that the dog is happy to see them when they some. The first couple of days might be rough on your dog, but he will get used to the petsitter soon. It's probably a good idea to have the petsitter over while you are still home, so you can facilitate the "getting to know you" process. This would be much less traumatic than trying to take you dog with you!

M.,

Do you have anyone you trust to housesit for you? We always use a trustworthy college student we know or close friend. If we can't find anyone for the time we need them, our neighbor does a great job of letting her out a 2 - 3 times a day. Our dog is 52lbs and 10 1/2 yrs old. We have had her since she was born so I understand your feelings. She does miss us when we are gone and doesn't eat very much. She eats when she gets hungry enough, as will your dog.

There is a new business in Colleyville called the Pet Mansion. The married couple who own it are unbelievable people and truly compassionate. You might check them out. J. D

First of all where are you located? Most cities have a dog hotel...I found myself in the same boat at christmas time...there are pet sitters but you have to be careful because they will go on their schedule not the dogs...been there done that...

What i found is there are lots of places that have doggy daycare, and overnight care...the one in Cedar Park actually has individual rooms and their own personal yards with camera's that you can watch and see your dog live! Its very cool...anyway google doggy daycare's in your area and you should be able to find something in your location...good luck..

Hi M.,
Take your pooch to a doggie daycare. I don't know where you live but we take our Great Dane, Graci, to The Velvet Snout in Richardson on Beltline Road. They have webcams where you can watch your dog while you're on vacation. They board, groom, and exercise the dogs. Our dane loves to go there. The kennels are made of plexiglass so the dogs cannot harm their pads by clawing on metal. The staff is exemplary in their treatment of the dogs and cats that they board and daycare.

Bev

We used to go through that problem too. We moved to our current neighborhood and our wonderful neighbors now come over twice a day when we are gone and feed and love on our Schnauzers for us, only twice a day because we have a dog door, so they just come over for feeding and lovin. We try to repay them with gift cards and gifts. I would try to meet people around you that might not mind helping out. My female Schnauzer tends to go off food while we are gone also, but, it never hurts them, they will eat if they get hungry enough, I promise. Not to mention our dogs these days have enough in reserve in order to cope, honestly. So check out your neighbors and boarding facilities, I worked in vet offices for many many years and some boarding facilities are great, and see whats out there. I have no advice on flying him because I never put mine through that, although I would think that might be a little bit more stressful, just my opinion.

We also have a petsitter come to our house twice a day when we travel. I live in Flower Mound and we use Alan Brown (Alot of Love Petsitters: http://www.alotoflovepetsitters.com/ ) He's very good about doing things exactly as you need them done and he'll pick up your mail, roll out the trash can, etc., so he covers some basic housesitting, as well. Our previous dog had to have eye drops daily and he was excellent about learning the technique to do that. Our dog and cats never seemed stressed when we returned home (and he scooped the litter box daily!)

He will adjust to your mother and eventually eat. He will not starve to death if there is food available. That would be the least stressful, in my opinion, compared to a kennel or to a service that would come to your home and care for him. We have 2 dogs of our own and we either leave them with my mother in law or board them. One of them doesn't eat very well while we are gone, but she manages. Hope this helps!

hello, i have two small older dogs and my new husband has one small younger dog. when you have a pet you are responsible for that pet just like you are with your children. your dog doesn't eat because he feels abandoned, my yorkie does the same. at christmas time I had to sacrifice going to family in houston because I couldn't leave the dogs and I didn't feel right taking three dogs to intrude on them. If your mom will take the dog at your house or hers, that is the most perfect scenerio you will find even though he may opt out on eating for a day or two. a kennel would be torture and complete abandonment! and flying just isn't good for a dog. I flew two dogs and two cats to texas when i moved here from massachusetts. they got ill on the plane! there isn't any heat or ac down where they keep them, they are scared to death and boxes and luggage get tossed around their cages it's a nightmare! we even left an older doberman behind because we knew she wouldn't make it. we bought this huge kennel for her and could not get her to go in it! even with us crawling in to encourage her! good luck in this situation, I would say "thanks mom!"

We have left our dog at PetsMart. Very inexpensive. It is awesome, it is like a little hotel. They have t.v.s in the rooms for the dogs and they take them out for playtime. They have a few different kinds of rooms. You can call and check on them. They will even bring them to the phone if you want. (We did not do that) When you pick them up, they will give you a little report of what they did each day.

HI Michelle~
If you live in the Katy area try phoning The Dogfather. They are a wonderfully sweet couple who come to your home, (as many times a day as you set), to feed, walk and even doggy massage or just keep him company while you're away. They imitate your own schedule and leave daily logs of how each visit went. ###-###-#### You can tell them the Dobson's - Leia's parents - recommended them, when you call for a consultation. Enjoy your vacation.

In the past I have found someone to come stay at the house. A responsible teen in the neighborhood, single friend, just someone to stay at the house with our animals. We have 3 dogs and 1 cat so boarding is cost prohibitive. We have one dog... our old lady, who usually protests by not eating for the first few days...but will start again. Also, I had someone add some garlic to her food to entice her back to eating. It is hard to leave them...good luck. A.

Are you in Austin? If so, a friend of mine owns a pet sitting business & he is WONDERFUL with all kinds of animals. Go to www.allanimalsconsidered.com to check it out! His name is Michael and you can tell him that M. Friend referred you! Good luck!

Hi M.-

Ditto to the responses regarding a pet-sitter. Not sure where you are located but I am a pet-sitter in NE Tarrant County. I would highly reccomend using a sitter in lieu of a boarding facility (much less stress for your dog etc) My website is www.petsitterpro.org.

Good luck!
-K.

I use pet sitters for my 1 dog and 3 cats. Works great! I love it!
J.

Hi M., I breed cotons in Allen, TX. I know that Delta and Continental both have good ways to take a dog on a plane. You can get a light sedative from your vet that will help put the dog at ease when travelling. I do this when I take puppies on the plane to their new home. I have never had a problem and if you knew me would trust my decision as I treat my dogs like my own children. I have also used Houn' House Kennel for our dogs. Their # is ###-###-#### and they take excellent care of the dogs. They have an indoor outdoor pen so they can go outside when they want. I have never had a problem with them going here and sometimes have to board my male coton when I don't want him to breed with my females. He does great. They even do grooming before you pick your dog up if you want.
Hope this helps. R.

See if a neighbor could take care of him for you at your house. Have them come and play with him, spend time, feed and even walk him. My daughter does that for our neighbors when they go out of town and it helps a lot. When he's hungry he will eat, so don't worry about that.

We have 3 dogs. 7 yr old American Cocker, 3 yr old English Cocker and 2 yr old mini poodle.

We have never left them in a boarding kennel. We have a house/pet sitter for 15 yrs. She is no longer in business because she started her family but she does still come to our home to sit for us when we leave. She omes to our home 2-3 times a day for about 1/2 hr ($15/visit) at a time then she would be back around 7pm and sleepover ($40/night) at our house. My dogs end up in my bed 1/2 and she loves our dogs so much she allowed them to snuggle with her in bed too.

This works out great because you have a house sitter as well. She took care of mail, etc and it was obvious our house was "lived in" while we were gone.

Good luck!
Susan

I agree with the pet sitter advice. I do not know one locally, but my mom and stepdad have used pet sitters before. It seems to be cheaper and much easier (for the dog especially, but for the "parents" too) than boarding. Plus, most likely they won't turn you away simply because of his breed, as some boarding kennels may.

I think flying with him would be too stressful, on you guys and him too. He may not eat as much while you are gone because he misses you, but he will come around, especially if he is in familiar surroundings, as he would be at home with a pet sitter. You aren't humanizing him too much, dogs can have severe separation anxiety, just like people. But being at home where he's comfortable would be less stressful on him than a boarding kennel. If your mom can take care of him for you, instead of a pet sitter, that would be even better, because it's someone he knows and is used to.

There is a company called Pets Are Inn ###-###-#### that serves Plano and surrounding areas. The company employs caregivers who care for the animals in their homes. The owners and pet are "interviewed" in the office to be sure all will work for both the owner and caregiver - to be sure not to put a "quiet" dog with a busy household or visa versa. My husband and I have been caregivers for about 7 years. We're an older couple (I'm retired). The dogs are walked, loved and pretty much have run of the house. I have found that most dogs, when away from home, will not eat for the first few days. They, of course, miss their family but usually soon become adjusted. The owner does not meet the caregiver nor the caregiver the owner. This protects the company. The caregivers are insured, in case something may happen. The company verifies that all shots are up to date with the owners' vet. The owners are also invited to call/email about their pet when away and the company will talk with the caregiver and get back to them. The charge is by the size of the dog and can be expensive but the dog is not "kenneled." They also advertise in the Plano Profile.

M.,

There is a dog day camp in Keller called Dogs Unleashed. One of the owner's name is Lea - she's also the president of Great Dane Rescue of North Texas and has a very open mind about different breed stereotypes. Call them. They are fantastic and your baby will have a ball!!!

Another option is to find a dog sitter. We were lucky enough to find an excellent one through sittercity.com after a number of interviews.

Best of luck to you!
E.

I too have a 9 year old dog. When we must leave him we choose to board him with the vet that treats him. Then if he has any problems, he does get anxious and have diarreah, the vet and his staff are right there to treat him. Our dog is a minature poodle with no thyroid and weight problems but he loves his vet. He scratches on the door to be let into the clinic. It is comforting to know if there is a problem professionals are there to handle it.

When our 20+ yr cat was alive, we couldn't leave her at a kennel (she was too vulnerable to catch kennel cough, etc.) So we hired a professional pet sitter to come by the house twice a day. I believe most pet sitters will take dogs out for walks. It was a bit pricey (at least more than leaving her at a kennel) but at least she got to stay in her familiar surroundings.

Dear M.,

I have a friend from church who homeschools her two kids and they watch animals for people. Her name is Brigette and this is her e-mail. ____@____.com

R. L

Have you tried a petsitting service? We have two cats and a dog, and we have left them for two weeks in the past. Our service comes over twice a day to feed, water, walk the dog, and clean the cats litter box, and then spend about an hour with them. That way you don't have to worry about the stress and possible diseases of a kennel, and although it costs more, it's worth the peace of mind.

M.,
Your right to think the stress of a flight could be too much. Many dogs can't handle flying, but a kennel is a good choice. Find a good kennel either with your vet(fees are usually a bit higher) or from referals of friends and neighbors. I have three dogs and they go to a kennel when we travel. Like our's, he will probably pout a couple of days and then begin to think of it as a vacation. Dogs adapt very well. The "cage"/kennel will become his area and he will begin to see it more like his personal den than a place to be confined. All of my dogs have "cages" that are left open and they treat them as their bedrooms. When things get too tough or they get tired they go and curl up in them. As for eating....when he gets hungry enough he will go back to it. Plus seeing and hearing others eating will help push him along faster. No dog will totally starve itself, their animal instict of self-protection is too strong.

I hope this helps a bit. I have three, two outside and one inside. When I found my kennel I asked for a tour and all the information on feeding times,treats and exercise times. They usually will not even hesitate to give you any info you want and more. It is very much like looking for a daycare or sitter....lol. Since they are like having other children and I worry about them just like I do my son.

Good luck!
S.

do u have a friend that knows ur dog well if so ask that friend to take care of him.

Hi M.:

I would say that if your mother is willing to take care of the dog, then let her. It is COMPLETELY normal for an animal not to eat for the first few days, bc they are out of their routine and they feel abandoned. If he has never been boarded or caged up, hes better off at your mothers, maybe take him over there to visit a week before you go out of town so he can get used to the environment.

Good luck!

If I didn't have 5 dogs already I would volunteer to watch him :) I AM AN AVID ANIMAL LOVER!!!!

Hire a pet sitter. I have been a pet sitter for 10 years and belong to a pet sitting group of about 50 members. To find one in your area google 'pet sitters" and add your city. Or ask your vet, kennel or pet shop if they know any. Interview them in person beforehand and ask for references. You might call 2 or 3 to check out rates and how they sound on the phone first. Hopefully you'll find someone you'll trust with your fur-baby!
Good luck! - C.

Have you considered an in home pet service? They are all over, and will come to your house as many times as you want, so your dog doesn't have to leave home. I used them in a pinch for my 2 terriers, but also have a college kid come and stay at the house for that period of time. Hope that helps.

There is a fantastic place in Denton called Bed, Biscuit and Beyond. Our Great Dane, standing 5 feet high and weighing in at over 100 pounds, loved staying there. She got doggie cookies every day. They have indoor and outdoor play areas even for the big dogs.

I empathize b/c I have a dog, albeit a toy poodle (10 lbs.) but have never put her in a kennel either. She is almost 9 years old. Honestly though, at this point, if I had to, I would feel comfortable doing so. They now have kennels that are practically pet resorts! Maybe research and find one of those kind! Good luck.

My recommendation would be to try a good pet sitter, and have them come twice a day. Also, leave special treats or his favorite food for the sitter (or your mom) to feed him daily, and maybe treats-only the first day or two. You could also try the sitter option for a short weekend and see how he does.

I have cats, one of whom had extremely negative reactions to being boarded, and it kept getting worse. A friend at work recommended using a pet sitter. I found a great one, and it's helped a lot. The cats are much more comfortable in their home environment. For cats, the cost is comparable to boarding. I'm not sure for dogs, though.

My sensitive cat has sometimes still refused to eat when I've been gone. So I leave him kitten food (his comfort food--he only gets it when we're gone) and this last trip he did much better. My sitter usually feeds them treats when she visits.

In the past my sitter has said that cats deal with absences (either recurring or long trips) better than do dogs, because dogs feel the absense of their "pack" (you) more. That's why she usually visits dogs twice a day--they need more socialization.

I would give you my sitter's contact info., but she isn't taking new business now and only works a certain part of town. I found her in the phone book, and had her meet me and the cats in person. Many sitters are bonded, insured, and have experience with older pets or pets with medical conditions. Most of them are totally fine with you calling them while you're gone to check on your pet.

Good luck!

Hello,
I am a veterinarian, and in my experience most dogs do great at the kennel or vets office even for a few weeks. It is often much harder on you than it is on them. Most pets will start eating in few days when they get hungry enough, although some you have to tempt with a little canned food. There are also pet sitting services that come to the house and take care of pets if you are interested, that is a great situation as long as he does well with new people. I would recommend that you request extra layers of blankets if he goes to the kennel. The hard cage surfaces are h*** o* the older guys.
Good Luck!

Check the phone book & online. I have seen petsitters as a business where I live. They come to your house so the pet is not in a strange environment. I talked to them but have never done that. I do believe they are bonded/certified.

We always use Camp Bow Wow because they are indoor/outdoor and have more room to run around. I highly recommend them for sure.

Hi!
I haven't used this service myself, but I met a lady that was so nice that has a pet sitting service. Her name is Debi Alford and she has a website www.AllCritterSitter.com and her phone # is ###-###-####. She does in home pet sitting and overnight stays and was a vet tech for 7 years. I hope this helps!

M. -

I have two suggestions. The first is City Vet, in Dallas. The link is http://cityvet.com/locations.php. They have three locations. I have taken mine in several times, and have always been happy with everyone there. They have doggie day care, so your dog can play with others during the day if that's appropriate. If not, they can keep them separate. The people there are very attentive and kind.
The other suggestion is Your Pet's Choice. They are an in-home pet sitting service, and will come however many times during the day that you need. I've used them a time or two, when my dog was too old and frail to take to the kennel. They come out to the house to meet you and the dog first, and to get any special information.
Both options are a little pricier than the traditional kennel, but worth it for the extra care you want for your dog.

I don't know where you are going, but it seems to me that keeping him at home, even without you, might be less stressful for him than him being with you, in a strange place for two weeks. Good luck! I know the stress of leaving a dog.

Get a house/pet sitter. Have that person come by very frequently before you go on vacation and really get to know the dog and family. I have house sitters that actually stay at the house and some that just come by. It does need to be someone you can trust and that the dog really likes. Before you leave have the house sitter do all the feeding and watering of the pet to assure there is a total trust between the dog and the person. With this arrangement someone is either at your house or coming and going and may discourage theives as well.
Good luck and enjoy your vacation.
M

CHeck to see if there is a Petsmart PetsHotel in your area. Before I had my daughter, my pug was my BABY. THe thought of bringing him to a kennel for even the after broke my heart. He's now been there multiple times and they LOVE him. The new one in Mesquite is fantastic. They have all sorts of perks (even doggie ice cream!)

Not eating is normal. My pug is more of a pig and on his "pawgress report" (yes...pawgress report) it said he didn't eat a lot.

Check into it. I think it's $26/day (we always got the suite = $35...sad, I know...) plus if you want doggie day Camp its a little extra. Good luck! He'll have a blast!

M.,

We have used a pet sitter several times for our golden retriever and basset hound. They were both older dogs (our basset recently passed away), and while it was not the same as if we were there, Beth with BirdDogCatFish was wonderful with them! She would come over twice a day, morning and evening, and she spent time with them. They sleep in our room at night, and so she would go upstairs with them, turn on the TV, and sit and pet them for awhile before leaving for the night. We trusted her completely, and our dogs didn't grieve like they would have in other circumstances. It really helps when they can stay in their home environment, but I know some of the dog care places are also very good.

Best wishes! It is so hard to leave our pets behind, but I think it will be much easier on all of you not to travel with him. He will probably grieve a little but make an adjustment.

I use Barking Hound Village down off Lamar and Barton Springs. It assumes your dog is good with other dogs - they have multiple group dog sessions and come home tired after your trip. I highly recommend them. GOod luck

M.,
I completely understand your concerns. I have a 13 year old Blue Heeler and I had to leave her for 2 weeks once and when I returned she was uninterested in food for a few days and just wasn't herself. If you have the time, you may want to try boarding your dog for a few days at a time and seeing how he does with that. You may also consider hiring a dog sitter (someone that comes to your house 2-3 times a day and cares for your dog). I have also used a high school student from our church, kids of friends, or a neighborhood kid and hired them to live at our house while we are gone. Worst case scenario is that you'll have to board your dog. I would suggest boarding him at your vet so at least it's a little familiar and he is with people you know and trust. Plus they know and love animals, so you know he will be well taken care of. Good Luck. I hope this helps!

use a pet sitting service, they come to your house and walk him and everythiing. about the eating, well he will eat eventually when he is hungry enough

Hi M.! We have a daughter and two "dogters," so I understand having dogs as members of the family! We're gone for two weeks every Christmas and we've used reputable pet sitting services (GK Pet Love)where they come into our home and dogsit for us. This is also nice because it keeps your home "lived in" while you're gone. In recent years, we've been blessed to have a responsible next door neighbor care for them. They are 12 & 8 years old and prefer to stay home (& we prefer for them to stay at home). They ARE both crate trained and that's where they sleep at night. The older one flew several times years ago and did fine with it. She always flew in a crate in the cargo area and arrived safely between Texas and North Carolina. As for the not eating, our older dog pretty much always stages a hunger strike for 2-3 days and then she starts eating again. She was my dog before I married and she would even do that when I was gone on a business trip and my husband was still here. Check with your vet, but generally I think that's nothing to worry too much about.

I can highly reccomend the Barkington Inn, they have 2 locations. I believe one is in Webster, the other in Fresno. I don't know how far that is from you, but they do have a web site:
http://www.barkington.com/

They are reasonably priced and offer a lot of services. One thing I particularly like is they have their own vet in case of emergencies, it makes me feel safer leaving my fur baby! We've used them a few times and the staff is always great.

Your local vet may have a suggestion.

Good luck!

If your mother is comfortable taking care of him for two weeks, then I would leave him with her. He won't starve himself. He will be sad and a bit depressed for a while, but I think he will be fine. Just make sure that your mother really spends time with him. Your vet would be a great resource to contact for advice.