Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Should I take my dog to Disney Florida? -

We (family of 4) are planning to drive down from Ohio to WDW next week and spend 7 days there. I also have a small Maltese dog. I initially thought of leaving back home in a kennel, but the last time we left him there for 3 days, he was in absolute terrible condition. We have no family members nearby who can help, nor do I trust our neighbors. So now we booked a nice Marriott hotel near WDW that is pet friendly. Is it okay to take our dog with us to the hotel, and leave him in the room with his food, toys, and a radio turned on while we are out for the day? Sure he may be upset for the day, but the advantage is he will get to see us every night. In the local kennel, he will not see us for 7+ days, and I will be very worried for him. I ve heard mixed opinions, but my case is a little different, what do you think?

Your dog might not behave as well as you think he will in this situation. He will be in a new place away from home and be left alone for large parts of the day. Since you are going to be going to Disney World, why not board him in one of the Disney World kennels? There is a kennel for each park, and although I have never used them, I can pretty much assure you that they would take very great care of your dog (come on, this is Disney we re talking about here). Disney recommends making reservations in advance. Here is the link to their kennel page:http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-s��

Pet friendly probably doesn t mean that they would tolerate a dog who is left along all day barking in the room. If he is barking, you might be called in the middle of the day, or you might be asked to leave early, hardly worth it when you re planning such an extensive trip!Unless you re pretty confident that the dog would hang out pretty calmly on his own, I think the kennel is a better option.

Although leaving your dog in the hotel may sound like a good idea i wouldn t do it. Every major Theme Park and Attraction in Florida has a Kennel which is very nice. Leaving the dog during the day at one of these places assures that he will be fed and water won t run out. Also the Kennels at WDW are very nice and so are the Cast Members who work them!

I always hire a pet sitter to come into my home when we go on vacation. Any animal is going to do better in their own environment, even if they are alone. The dog is going to be in a strange hotel room for 8+ hours. He is better off at home. I heard that Marriott charges a lot extra for a dog to stay there. My sister just checked into it for an overnight stay.

I would not take my dog, they have to stay in a kennel while you are there. We usually leave our dogs at home with a dog sitter.

Unless you are going on a vacation that allows you spend the day with your dog, like going to a state park to hike or just lounge around, I suggest leaving them at home.You can not be sure that your dog will be quiet while you are gone. Travelling and foreign places are stressful to a dog. What if he destroys the furniture? What if he barks everytime someone walks past the door, or someone bangs on the wall, or is walking in a room above you? My lab did that day and night and it was annoying for us and the others around us, I m sure. When he is at home he NEVER barks, but he wasn t used to all of the other noises. Are you going to plan for frequent trips off of Disney property to go to the hotel to walk him so he can go potty or burn off energy? Even if a dog can physically hold it s bladder for 10 hours, it isn t good to make him do so. Combine that with being in a foreign place and you might have an accident. Do you want to pay for a carpet cleaning?One other concern is housekeeping. What if they don t see or just ignore the sign on the door saying no service ? Your dog could get out, or feel threatened and bite the maid.My suggestion is to find a trusted friend or family member to watch your dog. Call your vet and ask for recommended boarding facilities and the names of pet sitters. You can always pay a pet sitter to go to your house a few times a day and exercise, feed, play with and let out to potty your dog.

It is likely that you will be away from your room for longer than just a few hours at a time; will you return to your room to walk your dog? What would happen if a maid entered your room to clean? Will your dog bark, bite, run off?What do you think would happen if your dog started barking while you were in the theme parks? Even good, quiet dogs may be noisier than normal if left alone in a strange place. You could try finding a different kennel back home; one that your dog might tolerate better. You could try contacting your local Humane Society or ASPCA for referrals to doggy sitters or foster homes.Another alternative might be to make reservations for your dog at one of the Walt Disney World kennels. That way, the dog would not be left unattended during the day and you could still have your dog with you at night.Walt Disney World Pet Care Kennelshttp://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/com��