I'm going on holiday for 3 weeks over the festive period and want to find somewhere nice for Jack to stay. He's never been in kennels or away from home, so I'm trying to figure out the nicest option for him. It'll be a learning process for both me and him.

Jack is a medium sized neutered and fully vaccinated Doberman/Ridgeback cross age 4. He's great with kids and other dogs, loves to play, but equally loves to slob about. He's house trained, travels well and obeys the basic sit/stay/lie down commands. A great softy.

Suggestions, offers and ideas please?

Buffy

I'd love to butnot sure how mum would react haha

Hi - I have Pm'd you:)

I've had a few PMs from people who run businesses looking after dogs. Prices being quoted are almost the amount I've paid to go on holiday! I don't really want to go down the business route as it would be too expensive.

I'm hoping for someone who would just like to have a loveable dog around them at home during the holiday season.

Perhaps you're considering having a dog and aren't sure - this is the way to try it out.

Where abouts are you based? how about someone visiting your house to look after dog stop it stressing out about being ina new house?

Just off Herries Road.

Oh my Lord! Holidayhutch has just told me that he'll look after my dog for £800 which is more than my holiday cost!

£800!!!

I would have him as he is a gorgeous animal, dont think my cats would take too kindly to him though....

How cat-friendly is Jack? I'd consider taking him for you but I have to consider my existing furries and whatever foster kittens I may have at the time.

Jack is very curious with cats, he'll investigate and will probably want to play with them. Once a cat which he encountered on the street spat and lunged at Jack because he came up to greet it with a wagging tail. Jack jumped a mile and whimpered behind me!

He'd be fine with them but the question is whether or not they'd be fine with him! He's never lived with a cat before.

I would have him as he is a gorgeous animal, ....


So are you darling. :love:

Oh my Lord! Holidayhutch has just told me that he'll look after my dog for £800 which is more than my holiday cost!

£800!!!

Right - let me set this straight You wanted vists every 6 hours for 3 weeks that is £8 per visit (£32 per day) which would be 1 hour long, feeding, grooming, playing with and clearing up after your dog, plus a minimum 30 minute dog walk twice a day. An hours dog walk fee averages around £10 an hour in South Yorkshire on it's own, so we are actually charging below the average and you are getting more for your money. I charged double time between 24th - 26th December and on New Years Day, which anyone would get paid if they worked those days, especially usually in a pub.

We are also fully insured against loss, theft, control and custody of your pet which you will not find if you let someone just take them into their home. What would happen if your dog got out and they lost it, they would have no cover for this. We also have 24 hour veterinary access.

If you put your dog in a kennel based on the one we use for ours at £12 a day it would cost you £252 and your dog would merely be stuck ina tiny run, and probably not see a soul other than at meal times and get a walk if lucky over that period.

We are also enhanced CRB checked and do this every day as a business and hold keys to several clients houses,so your comment in the PM you sent is actually incorrect. Us having a key to the property is no different to a friend or family member also holding it with regard to your insurance.

If someone is willing to take in your dog for nothing over xmas then great, good on them, but personally I think it is a lot to ask of someone when you dont know them.

If you think the price is steep that is your right and you dont have to pay it, but we have many satisfied customers that come back to us regularly who actually use us because others are so much dearer and dont offer as much.

If you take on the responsibility of pet ownership you have to also be prepared to take on the cost and not rely on freebies.

We are going on holiday in June next year and while we are away we will have to put our dogs in kennels for a fortnight (first time ever as its our honeymoon) and the kennel cost is 3 quarters of the cost that our holiday is.

However I do expect this and knew how much kennel costs were before we got our dogs, just the same as vet bills.

The people who do it definately make a fair wak, but there isnt a safer solution really :)

If you take on the responsibility of pet ownership you have to also be prepared to take on the cost and not rely on freebies.

I really don't like the tone of this. You approached me. You gave me the extortionate price and then give me a huge lecture when I'm shocked by it.

Please don't preach to me about the responsibility of pet ownership, I'm an excellent pet owner. Not once on this thread have I intimated that I am looking for a freebie.

I'm looking for someone who actually would enjoy looking after a loveable dog and who would want to spend time with him. I'm not looking for someone who runs a regimental business where every second is calculated by money earned.

I've come onto this particular part of the Forum to find a like minded pet owner who would happily take and give him a home while I'm away - I didn't expect to have to defend myself in the process!

please keep this friendly please,

This was not an attack on your ability to be a responsible owner but nowhere did you say you would reimburse anyone for them taking your dog in over Xmas. I also have every right to defend our business if you simply post up an OMG comment about our fee and yet not make people aware of what you required and PM'd me to quote you for. Visiting someone every 6 hours for 3 weeks adds up but you did not make that clear on here when you slated our quote which could have put people off approaching us for their own requirements, when we run a competetively priced professional business based on years of experience. You also said that other people had quoted you almost the cost of your holiday, yet you not only singled our business out but also had the nerve to imply in your Pm that your insurance would not cover you - for what exactly?!!!!! We are Professionals who pride ourselves on a home from home professional service often working 14 - 16 hours a day to meet customer requirements.

I objected to you singling out our business amongst the quotes you had received without giving a true picture of what the quote broke down to.

Good luck in finding someone to look after your dog.

if anyone can help classic rock please pm them

Closing thread