Booking somewhere for family pets to stay is almost as important as booking accommodation for the humans when planning a holiday! Sometimes it can cost just as much also…
This blog post explains what our family pet, Geoffrey gets up to when we are off on our travels!
As we like to travel a fair bit, and we like to keep the costs down, we use different options depending on the length of time we plan to be away from home…
Family
My parents live pretty close by, so if we are only going for a short overnight break Geoffrey gets the house to himself. My dad loves walking and loves dogs, so he pops round several times a day. He takes Geoffrey for several big long walks. Their favourite place to go to is the beach! He also makes sure Geoffrey has food/water, and toys to play with, and that he doesn’t wreck the house (anymore than he already has).
Dog Walker
There are plenty of dog walkers in our area. We have used them on occasion if we are off out somewhere non dog friendly for the day, and when my parents aren’t available. They are reasonably priced around £10 a hour, and they feed and make sure Geoffrey gets a nice long run.
Dog Kennels
Since Geoffrey was about six months old, we have relied on Whinney Hill Kennels to look after him when we are away for weekends, or longer breaks.
They always help us out, squeezing Geoffrey in at the last minute, even if the place is full. They are also very flexible with pick up and drop off times. It’s like a home from home for Geoffrey, he loves it there, and all the staff know and love him.
It can be expensive, a dog Geoffrey’s size costs £17.50 per day, but that includes food, exercise and plenty of love and attention. They also charge extra for bank holidays, so the price can very quickly mount up. We like to pay before we go, so we aren’t coming home from holiday to a big bill!
Lastly, our favourite option…
Bring Him With Us!
We don’t get to do this as much as we’d like to. Sometimes it can be just as expensive to rent houses in the UK/ Ireland as it is to fly over somewhere, and easy jet haven’t started offering dog seats just yet… But when we can we take him camping, or for day trips.
Top Tips
1. Research, research, research. Before deciding on a kennel make sure you pop in and have a look around. A good kennel owner will not mind you requesting a visit, it shows they have nothing to hide. So don’t be afraid to ask, you’re wanting your family pets to be as comfortable and have just as good of a holiday as you will.
2. Build a relationship with your kennels. When Geoffrey walks in to Whinney Hill, everyone knows who he is and his traits (Crazy, full of energy, who loves to run). We are comfortable driving away knowing that he is happy.
3. Bring some toys, something to remind them off home.
4. Book well in advance, kennels book up very very quickly.
5. Bring them home a present! You will get the cold shoulder for a few days, but treats will bribe them around!