Dog Day Afternoons

With the summer holiday season upon us, we should think about the special requirements of our dogs. This is a time which brings out the best and worst in people and their treatment of dogs. While some owners spare no expense in sending their dogs to the best boarding establishments, others neglect or dump their pets. Kaye Hargreaves discusses some of the options for responsible dog owners.

    Kennels

Boarding kennels are the first choice of many dog owners. They vary in quality, in terms of the size and comfort of the accommodation and the amount of exercise the dogs get. I would always like to have some personal recommendation from a friend or from the vet, and visit the kennels before making a choice. If you have done this and are happy with your choice, you can stop reading and get on with your packing. If not, since most kennels are already booked out for the holiday period, you will have to find an alternative.

    Personal boarding

There are now services that offer to board your dog in a home environment. This is usually more expensive than boarding kennels, but your dog will have all the comforts of home, including personal attention, company, walks and if appropriate sleeping inside the house.  This can cost around $25 a day.

    Having your dog minded in your own home

Some professional services offer a combination of house sitting, plant watering and dog minding. This can be on a live-in or daily visit basis. You might also be able to find a trustworthy friend, neighbour or relative to do the same job, but please be careful that the person is reliable. If “Fido duty” is being shared by several people, it is a good idea to draw up a roster, so they can tick what they have done e.g. walk, feed, fill water bowl, play ball, administer TLC.

If you are thinking of leaving your dog at home, give some thought to how the dog will view the change in routine. Your dog may feel more comfortable in a familiar environment, but a very important part of that environment is missing - YOU! Your dog may feel your absence more keenly if you are not home compared to staying in kennels where the whole set up is different.

Will your friends or relatives stay in your house, and if not, how much time will they spend with the dog? Will your dog have access to the house during the day, for example through a dog door? If your dog normally sleeps inside and you are home a lot during the day, being kept outside day and night could cause stress, which will lead to problems such as nuisance barking or howling. The dog may be at greater risk of escaping or running away if left at home. Before you leave, put a temporary tag on your dog (as well as your Council registration) with the contact number of your “minder” and vet.

A dog needs company and some activity as well as the basic requirements of food, water, shelter and shade. Your dog minder should be willing to provide this - not just to throw some food over the fence. You should also consider whether your dog minder will be able to handle your dog - for example, will the dog pull on the lead or refuse to come when called for a stranger?

This option may work for you if your dog knows the minder and can be kept in a familiar routine, with enough human contact and attention.

    Taking your dog with you

This is not always possible, but more and more camping grounds and motels will allow dogs. Of course you will have to keep your dog on a lead or under control at all times, find suitable toilet areas for your dog and accept some restrictions on what you can do and where you can go. If you are travelling by car, a carry crate which can serve as a portable kennel can be indispensible. Your dog can sleep in the crate outside your motel room door - but only if there are no problems with nuisance barking.

    Staying home with your dog

If you are unable to get your dog into kennels, place the dog with someone, find a minder to come to your home or take your dog with you, you may just have to stay home. You and your dog can enjoy a walk together in the cool of a summer’s evening. During the day, make sure that your dog has plenty of shade and water.
Please be careful taking your dog out in the car. Dogs cannot get rid of heat very effectively, and can suffer from heat stress. Even being left for a short time in a parked car can be fatal.

    Christmas puppies

The holiday period can be a good time to bring a new puppy home, because you can spend time together settling in. However, choose wisely and please do not impulse buy - either for yourself or as a gift for your grandchildren. Too many of our “Christmas puppies” end up as “Easter dumpees”.

© Kaye Hargreaves 2008, may be reproduced with acknowledgement; www.kayehargeaves.com