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The other part of the equation is, would you allow someone you've known for only six months to live in and have access to everything in your home?
We don't know what you have in your house. Definitely remove valuables (sensitive personal information, credit cards, cash, jewelry, weapons, sensitive electronics you don't want someone else using) out of reach. Ground rules in place: no parties/guests, etc. Ask a mutual acquaintance about her reputation, do a bit of sleuthing on background, etc.
The other part of the equation is, would you allow someone you've known for only six months to live in and have access to everything in your home?
That's a tricky one. We've always had neighbors come into our home to care for our dog and worked fine for the most part. One neighbor had her husband who we knew (now ex-husband) come to our home to feed our dog when we were away for a couple of days. I noticed a stain on our living room carpet next to a chair when we returned. I realized he helped himself to our liquor cabinet. Not a huge big deal but nothing I would ever think of doing if I was in someone's home. Also, if he became inebriated and fell, we could have had some liability.
seems like the risk is not worth whatever would be "saved" over either paying an actual pet sitter, or paying to board at a kennel. this is a random person from a dating app. plus you already have worries and concerns at some level, otherwise you wouldn't be posting the thread to begin with. plus if you are going on "vacation" then the worry or concern could be eating away and eroding and preventing enjoyment of vacation (if that is your reason for going.)
what is preventing you from using any of these?
your brother
an actual pet sitter
a neighbor other other pet owner you may know from say the dog park.
kennel
if it is purely a financial savings, then the risks you are undertaking (unlimited access to your home) far outweigh the benefits. that is my view.
She has been around the dog previously. The other part of the equation is, would you allow someone you've known for only six months to live in and have access to everything in your home?
NO
a resounding no.
under no circumstances whatsoever.
especially if they are some random person from a dating app
It's a family trip so brother and other close family members will all be away.
Dog is spoiled and would rather be at home than in a cage.
Kennels vary a great deal. The sort of kennel that, say, vets often run are literally just a cage, they will be safe and fed and probably walked once or twice a day but our dogs would find it traumatic, I'm sure. Such places tend to be noisy, with other dogs in post-surgery distress and such like. Cheap, no-frills, but I would only use it in a pinch and only for a day or two (preferably not a weekend).
On the other hand there are kennels where each dog has its own outdoor run, plenty of toys, if you have 2 dogs they will keep them together in the same sleeping area (and it's not just a little crate), and/or there's a huge fenced meadow where the larger and smaller dogs are separately released to romp and play, etc. I have found our dogs are happy to see us when we return after a week or two but they seem to have had the time of their lives, too. Of course -- such accommodations cost a lot more; your dogs are essentially getting a vacation too. I'm just saying that if you can afford it (and you're not doing this last minute so they are unavailable, too), I would not be so sure that your dog would hate it or be traumatized.
I would feel my dog was safer at a kennel, particularly if the sitter didn't have a dog of their own.
This is exactly what I've been thinking as I was reading through this thread. We've always had dogs and we've traveled quite a bit too. There are excellent kennels that provide a safe environment and fun for the dogs! We've watched our dogs on webcams while vacationing and it was comforting to see them playing either in their "suite" or with other dogs during playtime.
This is exactly what I've been thinking as I was reading through this thread. We've always had dogs and we've traveled quite a bit too. There are excellent kennels that provide a safe environment and fun for the dogs! We've watched our dogs on webcams while vacationing and it was comforting to see them playing either in their "suite" or with other dogs during playtime.
Yes the webcams are a nice touch, too.
I would not leave a pet with someone who was not either invested in the pet (as in, loved them as much as us, part of their life in some way -- for example my stepson lives with us and one of our dogs is nominally his anyway -- he is extremely responsible with animals and we trust him to care for them) or who can be hired to "care" to certain standards.
If the real concern of the OP is cost, then they are talking themselves into improperly caring for their pets.
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