What do you do with your big down when you travel?

[Anonymous]

Thinking about getting a rottweiler but concerned about travel!

[Anonymous]

A good breeder is likely to offer boarding services. That's what we do with our Dane.

If not, find a kennel that is receptive to large breeds. Some are, so e aren't.

[Anonymous]

We board him at our vet. I don't trust anyone to come to our home to walk and let him out.

[Anonymous]

We send ours to cageless boarding.

[Anonymous]

We have two large German Shepherds. When we travel, our dogs go to a puppy resort type place. The one we use has miles of trails for long walks, two swimming pools (one for little dogs and one for big dogs), cameras in every room, play time several times a day. They even offer "turn down service" with a little treat on their beds every night. (Silly, I know) My dogs love it! It's not nearly as expensive as you might think. I think we pay $35 a night for the first dog and then $10 for the second assuming they share a "suite". And our dogs are considered extra-large for billing purposes.

Our vet is on-site. I usually get all their vet work done while they are there. They give them a bath and a blowout right before I pick them up. We don't live in D.C. right now, but I'll bet there is something similar close by.

[Anonymous]

Check with your homeowners insurance before getting a rottie. Our large insurance company will drop you for a rottweiler, GSD, etc.

[Anonymous]

Our dog doesn't kennel well (can climb tall chain link fences) and doesn't get along well with other dogs, so cageless boarding is not an option. When he was younger, we had someone stay at the house and house sit/walk him, usually a young colleague who lived in a group house and was excited to have an entire house to themselves and make some extra cash. Now that he's old and just lays around all day, we have someone come and give him a long walk once or twice a day and he has access to the dog door otherwise. If we'll be gone for more than a few days, we'll take him with us or have someone stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check with your homeowners insurance before getting a rottie. Our large insurance company will drop you for a rottweiler, GSD, etc.

Even with two German Shepherds, we've never had an issue with homeowners insurance. They've asked if we owned dogs. I said yes. They asked if they had ever bitten anyone. I said no. End of conversation.

[Anonymous]

We have a big mutt. He stays with friends or family, usually, when we go away.

There are some super schmancy boarding places I would also consider using - there's one out by Dulles that is freaking amazing: Olde Town Pet Resort. Your dog can get a massage while boarding there; they have a dog pool, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check with your homeowners insurance before getting a rottie. Our large insurance company will drop you for a rottweiler, GSD, etc.

Even with two German Shepherds, we've never had an issue with homeowners insurance. They've asked if we owned dogs. I said yes. They asked if they had ever bitten anyone. I said no. End of conversation.

That is the more progressive approach. All State asks about biting history, not breed - some insurers do still discriminate against dogs by breed, though. (Which is stupid.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have two large German Shepherds. When we travel, our dogs go to a puppy resort type place. The one we use has miles of trails for long walks, two swimming pools (one for little dogs and one for big dogs), cameras in every room, play time several times a day. They even offer "turn down service" with a little treat on their beds every night. (Silly, I know) My dogs love it! It's not nearly as expensive as you might think. I think we pay $35 a night for the first dog and then $10 for the second assuming they share a "suite". And our dogs are considered extra-large for billing purposes.

Our vet is on-site. I usually get all their vet work done while they are there. They give them a bath and a blowout right before I pick them up. We don't live in D.C. right now, but I'll bet there is something similar close by.

Would you mind giving the name of this place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We board him at our vet. I don't trust anyone to come to our home to walk and let him out.

We have a Rottweiler and a Golden Retriever. Our regular dogwalkers come and take care of them in our home when we travel. It works out great, but these are not some random neighborhood kids. They are experienced adults who know our dogs very well, including all their quirks and routines. The dogs barely seem to notice we are gone.

[Anonymous]

I assume you want this breed because of its protective instinct--I would get a house sitter to stay with him for a few hours a day and leave the dog in the house to do what he was bred to do: guard your home. I know our neighbor took they dog with them on vacation and their house was burglarized for the first time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We board him at our vet. I don't trust anyone to come to our home to walk and let him out.

We have a Rottweiler and a Golden Retriever. Our regular dogwalkers come and take care of them in our home when we travel. It works out great, but these are not some random neighborhood kids. They are experienced adults who know our dogs very well, including all their quirks and routines. The dogs barely seem to notice we are gone.

Hi. Your next door neighbor here. You THINK your dogs don't notice that you are gone, but the incessant howling and barking that I hear from my driveway tell me otherwise.

[Anonymous]

We have a big friendly dog that everyone loves, which is great, because during vacations friends literally love to take him. This Xmas our Bernese is staying with a dog trainer and her dog who live on the edge of a park. Honestly I don't think he wants to come home!

With our large german shepherd who was much more difficult we used on those "doggie heaven" places an above poster discussed. We were in CA and it was much more expensive than the poster described. More like $50/day/dog, but it put our mind at ease.