You can trust your neighbors to water the flowers and feed the fish while you’re away. But what to do with a pet? There are three main scenarios: take your pet with you, find a pet sitter, or leave it under supervision at a dog or cat hotel. Alexander Alyasov, veterinarian and scientific support expert at Royal Canin, talks about the pros and cons of each approach.
Why can't a dog be left alone at home even for a day?
It’s not for nothing that four-legged pets are called man’s best friends. Unlike cats, they become attached to their owner, not their home. Because of this, any separation becomes a real test for them. If the owners go to work, then time seems to stop. Even such hours of waiting are painful, let alone a long absence during vacation.
Despite this, dogs have to be left alone during workdays. For this reason, dog experts recommend instilling good manners from early childhood. A puppy left at home should not disturb the peace of neighbors by barking or howling. Leave the house for shopping or to the nearest park, gradually increasing the walking time. This way the pet will get used to the absence of the owner during working hours. Remember that up to six months, the time of solitude should not exceed 2 hours.
Don’t forget about regular walking. As animals age, it becomes more difficult to control their bladder. They need to be walked more often than usual - or taught to use a litter box.
But the main reason for the unacceptable loneliness of an animal is the stress that it can endure while locked up and without people. Particularly sensitive pets may not fully recover from such a shock. This will greatly affect their health - both mental and physical.
Dog accommodation options
The ideal option is to take your four-legged friend with you, but not all dogs can handle long trips. Another possible problem is the need to find hotels that allow pets. If the outcome is successful, you will have to pay for the dog’s accommodation, not forgetting to buy plane tickets or another type of transport. The described method is not suitable for everyone, so you have to look for more profitable and reliable options.
Relatives or friends will live in your apartment
It is better to leave animals with chronic diseases or over 8 years old in familiar territory, finding them company during your absence. A similar solution will be required for dogs living in an outdoor enclosure.
Choose from the closest relatives and friends known to your pet. If a dog knows people who will take care of him, then he will cope with separation more easily. It will be easier for you too, since the keys to the apartment and money can be handed over without fear.
You need to visit your four-legged pet twice a day (morning and evening) for:
- feeding and changing water;
- walking outside;
- bathing when heavily soiled.
If the dog is miniature and is used to being in a diaper or in a litter box, then you will have to take care of the cleanliness of its toilet. Despite this, we must not forget about walking outside. They are important for maintaining good physical shape and a positive attitude.
The dog will live with relatives or friends
Another budget option is staying at the home of a relative or friend. If the dog is familiar with the chosen people, then it is easier for it to adapt to a new place. It will be easier for your assistants too, since they won’t have to waste time traveling to your home.
The only disadvantage of this option is the living conditions. If they are very different from yours, the dog will feel uncomfortable.
A great option: regularly visit relatives or friends with your dog. She will get used to the other house in advance and will calmly stay there for a week or two.
Dogsitter: who is this?
A dogsitter is a person who cares for pets in his own apartment for a fee. Dog nanny services are provided by large companies, but most dog sitters prefer to work through private advertisements. This reduces their area of responsibility, increasing the number of possible disadvantages:
- cramped conditions;
- neglect to check the veterinary passport of incoming animals;
- lack of knowledge necessary for emergency medical care.
Despite possible disadvantages, many dog sitters love animals and respect their profession. If the candidate found through an ad has good reviews, and you and your pet liked him at the first meeting, do not be afraid to use his services. The price depends on the length of stay, the required number of walks and the characteristics of the pet.
Hotel for animals
If the dog has a veterinary passport, then place it in a pet hotel. Its advantages include:
- professionalism of the staff (team of veterinarians and zoopsychologists);
- thorough disinfection of premises;
- the possibility of online video surveillance;
- keeping guests in spacious enclosures and regular walking as recommended by the owners;
- possibility of placing several pets from one owner in one room.
A good pet hotel is an expensive pleasure. Don't try to save money by finding an offer that's too good. Low prices are explained by crowded conditions and poor hygiene of the premises.
Before handing over your pet to the pet hotel staff, carefully inspect the future enclosure and walking area. Responsible organizations must enter into a holding agreement containing the rights and obligations of both parties.
Help from the nursery
Purebred pets can be transferred to the temporary care of a breeder by prior arrangement. Familiar smells and familiar surroundings, as well as a unique opportunity to communicate with the mother or other four-legged relatives, will help you cope more calmly with the owner’s departure.
Volunteer help
As a last resort, you can turn to volunteers who place homeless and abandoned animals in good hands. This option is suitable in case of force majeure, which requires emergency hospitalization of the owner.
The contents in nurseries are crowded. Residents often get sick with “enclosure cough.” Try to return for your four-legged friend as soon as possible, without allowing him to become infected.
Zoological hotel for exotic animals in Moscow
Rabbit Hotel
However, the doors are also open for exotic animals in Moscow. The only hotel in the capital, the Rabbit Hotel, specializes exclusively in rabbits. The guests live in spacious cages in a large brick house, specially designated for their maintenance. Both in summer and winter they are taken for a walk several times a day.
The owners of the Rabbit Hotel recommend giving your rabbit a comprehensive vaccination against VGBV and myxomatosis two weeks before arrival.
Cost: from 500 to 700 rubles (for an animal weighing up to two kilograms). Accommodation includes litter and feeding (water, hay, grain-free food, ice seeds, vegetables and fruits). Also included is nail trimming and hygiene trimming as needed. During the period from December 25 to January 15, prices for overexposure are doubled.
What to cook
Before leaving, be sure to prepare all the things your pet may need while you are away. Pay special attention to an item from your home.
Food and medicine if needed
Make sure you have enough dry food or fresh food. Be sure to explain to the person who is ready to stay with the dog all the nuances of feeding.
Advice:
Always keep a bag of dry food in your house in reserve - enough to last for about a week. If you need to leave urgently, you won’t have to worry about the essentials.
Separately note down the required dosages and time of administration of the medication if the pet is under treatment. For ease of tablet delivery, leave the introducer in place. Leave your phone number in case of doubt or emergency.
Leash, muzzle, clothes
For daily walking you will need a leash and muzzle. Ask not to take off your equipment while walking. This will eliminate the possibility of escape or poisoning. During the cold season, do not forget to leave warm overalls. Dog boots will help protect against aggressive reagents.
Toys and treats
Don't skimp on balls, rubber bones, ropes and interactive toys. Additionally, bring your dog’s favorite treats. You will need them in moments of sadness or as a reward for good behavior in a new place.
Item from home
The familiar smell calms and relaxes. Be sure to take your pet’s favorite toy, bedding or your own sweater, which the dog adores more than anything in the world. It is also better to take a tray and bowls from home.
Petvillehotel
This establishment has only 12 rooms, which guarantees attentive attention to every four-legged guest. Everything in the rooms is made of environmentally friendly materials: walls, furniture, toys. And, of course, no cages or glass partitions! On the downside: this is a hotel for both dogs and cats, and only small and medium breeds are accepted here. Of the variety of rooms, dogs can only be accommodated in the suite (cost from 850 rubles per day) and deluxe (from 1,200 rubles). The price includes feeding, games, photo reports, nanny supervision, and in the deluxe package there is also 24-hour supervision by a veterinarian.
Address – Nizhegorodskaya street, building 29-33. Nearest metro stations: Nizhegorodskaya, Novokhokhlovskaya (MCC), Aviamotornaya
What to do to prevent a dog from moping without its owner?
It is impossible to completely exclude longing for your beloved owner. It can only be smoothed out. To do this, introduce your pet in advance to its future place of residence and the people who will take care of it.
Ask to walk with the animal longer and be sure to play active games. Thanks to prolonged and regular physical activity, the dog will sleep without hind legs after each walk, without having time to think about pressing problems.
Try calling by phone or video - the pet, having heard the owner’s voice, will be sure that he has not been forgotten.
Please note that there are no correct options among those listed - the final choice depends on the specific situation and your capabilities. Despite this, never let your pets go outside in the hope that they will be better off there. Such a decision is made only by irresponsible people who are ready to send their four-legged friend to certain death.
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Private dog sitters
As an alternative to hotels, you can consider the services of private dog sitters. Their main advantage is that the animal is at home, in its familiar environment. Your dog will be supervised, it will be walked, fed, and played. If necessary, dog sitters can spend the whole day with the animal so that the dog does not have to endure separation from its owner so painfully. Here the owner dictates the conditions: when and where to walk, what and how to feed - the dogsitter will fulfill all requests and listen to your wishes. The disadvantage of contacting a private person is the absence of any guarantees.
But these are not all pitfalls. Where are the guarantees that this person will get along with your pet? Will he be able to find the right approach and establish contact with the animal? And cases of fraud in Moscow are not uncommon these days. Under the guise of a dog sitter walking animals, a complete stranger will gain access to the apartment, and who knows how it all might end.
