What are the best options for my dog's care during a 5-6 day vacation?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Having someone come to the house is a great idea, it will keep Canela happy in her own environment. Consider having the friend bring Canela for walks if they can. Also, consider calling and 'skyping' Canela while you are gone. Another thing to prepare for your vacation is to discuss with your vet and your emergency clinic that you are going away, and what you wish to happen with Canela in the event of an emergency. Stress can bring on some conditions (but you are doing everything to minimize this already which is great!), so giving your vet/the emergency vet your contact information, and some people will leave their credit card information with financial limits and wishes, so that if something happens in the middle of the night and you cannot be contacted Canela is given the care you desire. Best of luck on your vacation, and it sounds like you are prepped and Canela will be well taken care of!

Congratulations on your new puppy! Yes, a boarding facility would not be ideal since Gunner is likely not completely vaccinated. That leaves with you a couple options; having a friend or family member house sit/ puppy sit or having a dog walking or dog sitting service stay with him or come in several times a day for walks, feeding, play etc.

She is really cute! I would see if any of your friends would be willing to take her if you would pay for her food, vet expenses, etc while they had her. I would make sure you put it in writing that you are to get her back after the 3 months of summer vacation just so there isn't any confusion. This is the best solution I can think of if a house sitter/vet clinic boarding aren't reasonable options. I hope this helps!

Whether or not it is safe to leave your dog at your sisters will depend on your dog. If he has never been around children before or has shown any aggression towards children, then it is less safe. No dog should be left unattended around children, so it is best if your dog hasn't been around the baby to keep it in an area separated from where the baby will be- either a separate area of the house or outdoors. Some dogs are fine with babies, others may be made anxious by the presence of a baby or they may view the baby as a prey due to small size and the funny noises the baby makes. Since your dog is so small, perhaps putting it in a pen inside your sister's house would work. He shouldn't be hard to contain due to his size. Whether you should bring him with you is going to depend on where you area going- do they allow dogs? will it be very hot outside? will you have to leave the dog in a car? It can get hot VERY quickly in a car in warm weather even with windows rolled down, so it is not recommended to leave a dog in a car in the summer with warm weather, so unless the places you are traveling allow pets it may be best to leave him behind. Keeping him cool will involve providing access to fresh water, shade, and not leaving him in a car or outdoors for extended periods of time in the warm weather. I am not sure what type of products you are looking for recommendations for? More information is needed from you for that type of recommendation.

It sounds as though you are quite worried about leaving Precious. Fortunately, dogs do not have the same sense of time that we do, nor the ability to anticipate scary occurrences. She may have some degree of anxiety, but many dogs enjoy their boarding experience and exposure to other people and change of scenery. I'm sure your vet will call if they have any concerns about Precious. Try to relax and enjoy your vacation! :-)

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Coco. If you have time prior to your vacation, I would recommend placing her in daycare at the boarding facility you plan to use. This will give you an idea to see how she adjusts to it. It will also prove to her that you are coming back for her. If she does well, then I would not worry about boarding her. If not, I would try to arrange for a pet sitter to care for her in your home. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think this is perfectly ok and she will be fine. I am sure she will not hate you. Dogs understand more than we think and I am sure she knows you are leaving because you have to and you are coming back. What I recommend in these cases is to leave something with your scent like perhaps a t-shirt or something like that so that she can smell you when you are gone. This will help bring her comfort. Good luck!