Diliema, what to do?

We are going for 2 weeks hols in August and I have a diliema on what to do with Marius while we are away. If it were up to me i would have waited to go away but poor Sid is completely exhausted (works over 70hr weeks and often late at night too) - he really needs this holiday.

Sids parents are fab and they come over and let Marius out for me when I'm at work (2 days a week), let him out feed and walk him etc. They adore him and volunteered to look after him while we go away.

The problem is that he won't be staying in their house, they have a parrot which is left free and he would probably chase it being a pup. I cannot expect them to keep it caged either as that wouldn't be fair on the bird as it is used to being out. He would be kept next door (his brothers house) in his utility room. (his brother works full-time).

The idea being they take him out for walks, feed him etc and weather permitting let out on a long line in the garden (tied up) but only when they are at home to keep an eye on him. I am a bit worried about this too as he is such a grass-eater I can imagine him doing nothing but chomp on it and being sick. The rest of the time he would be in the utility. It isn't ideal but I do like the idea of him having people around him he knows as he will only be 8mths old when we go away and I don't want him too traumatized.

The only other alternative is kennels, we have been recommended a very good one who have a 'come anytime' during opening hours without an appointment to see for yourself how they run things, which I think is great as they have nothing to hide. Even our local veterinary nurse uses them so they must be good! The advantage of this is that he will see other dogs and have more stimulus but am still worried about leaving him in kennels at this age Especially as Ozzy had an awful time in kennels as a youngster and it completely ruined him, was never the same dog after (not THIS kennels I hasten to add! )

I have provisionally booked the kennels as it is a busy time and I don't want them to get fully-booked, but am torn on what to do!

I am interested in your honest opinions on what you would do please?

mmnnnee difficult one, I don't know what to advise you to do, me personally, I wouldn't put my dog in a kennel, but had a bad experiance many many years ago, so now wont go near one, I'm sure you'll do what is best for your dog!

i would let them look after him.
1 you know hes well cared for.
2 if he steps out of line the parrot will tell him which will teach him the bounderies when hes older.
3 he knows them and happy with them
4 no matter when you visit if he learns what the parrot is and grows up with it flying around he wont bother it when hes older.

i have a parrot although the leos will jump and chase she told tob and he backed off.
i leave buddie out with her so he can get used to her from being a pup, if he tried it on believe me he would lose.

or take him round and see how he re acts he may not bother it at all.

[QUOTE=leo;1004793.
2 if he steps out of line the parrot will tell him which will teach him the bounderies when hes older.
3 he knows them and happy with them
4 no matter when you visit if he learns what the parrot is and grows up with it flying around he wont bother it when hes older.

.[/QUOTE]

Ahh but he won't actually be stopping in their house you see, he will be next door (they have a semi and his brothers house is next door to theirs). So although they will be in and out to watch over him he won't be having company all day.

His brother leaves for work at 6.00am and will let him out for his business, then Sids Mum and Dad will feed him, walk him etc during the day. The in-between periods Marius will be on his own either on the long-line in the garden or in the utility when weather poor or when they are not able to keep an eye on him.

Sids brother will be home at 5.00ish and will feed him and let him out again, but of an evening Marius won't have much company as his brother often goes to his girlfriends of an evening. Of course his parents will make sure he is walked and 'emptied' but pups need stimulus and I think he is going to be very bored of an evening. That said his current routine is 2hours company, 2 hours sleep during the day - night time we usually go to bed either 10.00 or 11.00 and get up at 6.00ish! He literally needs that amount of kip!!! Perhaps I am over-thinking this and once he has his walks and play he will just be sleeping anyway!

hm unless the stimulation is going to be given .....toys etc.
but in a kennel he will be left as well to some degree.
honestly unless the kennel will give him the walks etc that he will get and the attention will still be more than kennelled i would still go with it.

Thanks Leo, great to have the input - it is not an easy decision I guess (especially over-protective mum too!)

The kennelsdo walk them and also have an enclosure they allow each dog free run with toys etc, but I am edging towards still leaving him with Sids Mum & Dad.

Love to hear more opinions on this please fellow Dogsey members!!:smt102 :smt100

I'd leave him with Sids parent any time over kennels. I'm sure he'll be well looked after.

If those were my choices I would definitely go for Sid's parents. I don't think I could ever leave my dogs in kennels.

Have you considered the company Barking Mad? Dog loving, experienced people take your dog into their home for the time you are away and treat the dog as though he were their own? A bit more expensive than kennels, but well worth it for peace of mind I think.

http://www.barkingmad.uk.com/index.htm

I would imagine a Utility room would get baking hot in August, how much time will the pup be left alone for?. The kennels sound lovely why dont you just go along and see if you like it.

The kennels we left our old dog in were amazing. they had a swimming pool for the dogs, and even had tvs in the kennels. They also walked the dogs twice a day in the surrounding fields. We were more than happy to let him stay there, in fact he didnt want to come home. However, a few months afterwards he developed a cancerous lump on his throat which sadly caused him to lose his life. We later found that the surrounding areas to the kennels were predominately farm land and the pesticides used to spray the crop were probably the cause of his cancer. He did used to sniff and foredge quite a lot being a spaniel. Not meaning to worry you but id advise to check out not just the actually kennels but where he would be walked too