There are a few different options regarding what to do with your dog if your family cannot stay at home to take care of your pet and it cannot be taken with you. These options include the following:
This is the most simple and probably the safest option. Getting a close family member or family friend to take in your pet reduced the risk of abuse and neglect, as well as the large cost that many other forms of dog sitting entail. If the vacation is longer than a couple of days, it is best that the dog live in the house of the dog sitter, or that the dog sitter move into your home. It is no a good idea for the dog to be left alone and have somebody come over periodically to take it outside and to feed it.
Doggy Hotels, businesses run, normally out of a person's home, that house pets when families need to leave them unattended for a period of time. This can be a very good idea if the person running the business is known and trusted, because your pet will more likely than not have other dogs to play with. These people, if respectable, are also very experienced with pets, and your dog will be in good hands. The problem is that sometimes they can be pricey.
Unless it is a very "high-class" kennel, it is not recommended to leave your pet in one. Kennels are very well known for taking in too many pets than they can fit, and many times the animals are not treated as well as they should be. They can also be breeding grounds for germs, and dogs very often catch "kennel cough" after a stay in one of these. Vaccines for kennel cough can be provided at your vet if you have no choice but to place your dog in a kennel, but it is best if it can be avoided.
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More puppy mill information
Some basic information
Exercising your pet
Grooming information
The proper diet for your dog
Training your dog