Do you take your pets on vacation with you? The reason I ask is because we do. We usually take several trips to the Florida Keys throughout the year. I insist on bringing my American Eskimo, Jack, and my Sun Conure parrot, Bailey. Now, if my husband had his way, the animals would be boarded. But, he gets his way when he goes down there and scuba dives every day.

My animals are what keep me company while he's off diving. I go down there to relax. I can't relax if I know my pets are some strange place wondering where I am.

So, do you vacation with your pets?

Good girl and pet mommy Vicki....I always take my girls with me because I feel more stress leaving them behind that taking them. If I need to, I'll rent a small motorhome because I refuse to put them in the belly of a plane, too many horror stories there. The car works but when staying at someones home, say a relative, the motorhome works great, I don't rent a huge one but the girls are comfortable. Oh and let me clarify something in order not to have every boarding establishment on the dam planet posting like the groomers did (Oops and where did they all go?) There are some great places now to board pets, they have minature apartments with TV and little sofas, expensive but worth every penny. They also supply someone to sit, play and visit with your baby while they are there. It's a matter of choice, whatever makes you and them feel comfortable...

Chatty, yes, I've heard of those boarding places, but I haven't found any around here where I live. I'm sure they must exist, Tampa is a pretty big city. But, again, that doesn't relieve my stress of leaving them and not having them around me.

Plus, my Jack isn't socialized as well as he should be and he's very protective of me. I think he would truly suffer if I wasn't around. He needs to be near me all day as it is.

Maybe this is just my guilt talking, but I don't think so. I've seen how he behaves when I go to the grocery store or run errands. He loves it when I come home. And, my husband says he just mopes the whole time I'm gone.

Besides, why should both of us suffer, when we have the perfect solution? Take them with us. Even deep down inside, I think my husband likes that I insist on bringing the pets. Because he doesn't put up a big enough argument against it. He gives in way too easy.

You're right. It's a matter of choice. And I choose to have them with me.

We have a dog and we leave her behind. We have done acombination of leaving her and home and having several friends and family members check on her, and we have also left her at a kennel. However, the kennel has a run, she isn't in a cage, and she gets two walks a day. It still sickens me to leave her. But, when we leave her home, every time someone comes in she thinks it might be us, and then she gets sad and hides under the bed. Leaving pets is the hardest part of going on vacation!

Since we have five dogs and a cat now, it's hard to take them all! LOL!!

But we have taken two dogs at a time. (They get their turn eventually) BUT, we often leave them all home. They are not inside dogs and we have lots of fenced-in land for them to roam.

We have self-feeders and -waterers. Our neighbors look over the fence as they have five as well so they understand our emotions about leaving them.

We also give the neighbors some rawhide sticks to give over the fence. Each day they do a "head count" to be sure all five are still here. Then we call in daily.

I know how hard it is to leave them, but sometimes we just have to. I hate seeing their sad faces once we close the gate behind us. I'm the one who cries like a baby. DH is tougher, but he still hate leaving them.

Di, I don't want to sound like a know-it-all BUT I would 86 those rawhide sticks, they are so bad for the animals. Maybe a nice big cookie like those large Milk Bone ones and it would make them just as happy. I know you may not have had a propblem yet but it only takes once....just a thought!

I've heard of dogs choking to death on rawhide.

Our traveling is usually business so can't take the critters. We have an elderly couple in our building that love to watch the dog and bird. Spoil them rotten. Diz (the dog) sleeps with them. They love to hear Sammie talking in the mornings. It works out well for us. I'd never board my animals.

Thanks chatty. they only get them when we leave. But now i'll make my homemade doggie biscuits for the neighbors. I appreciate you!

My pleasure Di, to be of help to anyone caring enough to safeguard their animals....
Dianne how cute that Sammie and Diz have Grandparents who pet sit them....

They actually look forward to it! They love to hear Sammie yelling in the mornings, "Dianne, Dianne, where are you!" And, when they leave their flat she always says, see you later! I know they are taken care of and loved, just like I would do it at home. Takes a lot of pressure off when traveling.