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<p>Wait… your dog lets you go to the bathroom alone? </p>
<p>Busdriver, your dogs are adorable and I just spent a half hour browsing cavalier spaniel rescue websites. </p>
<p>You might want to try petfinder.com also. Many rescues post there.</p>
<p>Getting an older dog might present you with more difficult issues about travelling than if you were getting a new pup. Some older dogs, particularly rescues, can have abandonment issues and react badly if you suddenly go away. Whereas with a new pup, if you consistently board them or have a petsitter live in while you’re away, they get used to that routine. </p>
<p>We have always had dogs, multiples!, and have used both boarding facilities and house/petsitters. We have also had cats and there is a huge, and I do mean huge, difference between the two. Dogs are exponentially more work and demanding of your time. </p>
<p>Maybe offer to dogsit a friend’s dog to see how you like it? It’s unlikely that any organization would allow someone who has never had a dog to foster. Fostering also often takes more than a few weeks so you need to be able to make that commitment and not have to go away for a long weekend with your husband. If I were you, and wanted another pet, I’d get another cat. :)</p>
<p>For the thirty one years of our marriage, we’ve always had a dog until the last one passed away a couple of years ago. We were never big travelers and had neighbors who would help out when we did a week at the beach each year.</p>
<p>Now, everything has changed. Our kids are out on their own (not in a position to dog sit), DH is retiring and we are moving next month. We love dogs and had contemplated getting another one once we move. Then we start thinking of all the things we want to do in retirement and how having to make “dog arrangements” every time we wanted to take a road trip would turn into a major headache. Our new home doesn’t have a fenced in yard(we like it that way) so that’s a prob. Also the expense of boarding would be an issue. As much as we loved our dogs, we have enjoyed the freedom of just taking off on a whim w/out having to make dog arrangements. We might get another dog when we’re older and more sedate but for now we’re better off petless.</p>
<p>“Busdriver, your dogs are adorable and I just spent a half hour browsing cavalier spaniel rescue websites.”</p>
<p>Thanks for the compliment on the girls. Teriwtt also has a pretty Blenheim cavalier, and can attest to the sweetness of this breed. Not always so bright, but the most loving, cuddly dogs ever. Will do anything with you, especially if it involves laying on the couch with you for hours, squirrel chasing or hiking. Their job is to comfort you and they want to be in your lap or snuggled against a part of your body whenever possible. They will lay on your head, your back, your legs, your arms, anywhere they can find a spot on you. Forget banning them from your furniture, or you will spend your life on the floor with them.</p>
<p>I would be very careful about getting a rescue, though. If it’s that someone died and didn’t leave their dog to anyone, that could be fine. But it could be because the dog has serious health problems, incontinence, and it can be expensive and time consuming to get one. People don’t usually just give up these dogs, so definitely figure out the reason. You don’t want a dog that is defecating everywhere and needs expensive treatment, especially when you’re gone a lot. Otherwise, these dogs love everyone and it would be easy to find someone to watch them.</p>
<p>A good shelter or rescue organization doesn’t bother adopting out dogs with serious health and temperament issues because they just come right back anyway or they end up being mistreated. They either euthanize those dogs or say they will not accept them and they go someplace else to be rehabilitated or (more likely) euthanized. There are too many homeless dogs that are easier to get adopted for most shelters to have the resources to even bother with problem dogs. There is no good reason not to consider a rescue. People give up amazing wonderful dogs by the dozens every day. Divorce, allergies, financial problems, moving and not taking pets with you, owners moving into nursing homes, etc are all the most common reasons I see. Another very common one is not being a good “fit,” someone who doesn’t like to exercise got a dalmatian, someone without a yard brought home a border collie, someone who lives in apartment came home with a husky, someone with no experience brought home a rottweiler, etc. Or maybe someone who really needed a cat brought home a dog instead. Or maybe they didn’t realize dogs that haven’t yet been housebroken have accidents and they found that unacceptable. It happens ALL THE TIME. We get purebred, well trained $1600 dogs at my shelter sometimes. A lot of people sadly think pets are disposable. A lot of people pick up a dog they saw in the newspaper without so much as finding out what breed it is. All the awesome dogs don’t get snapped up and get held onto, it just doesn’t work that way.</p>
<p>Something to consider when adopting any dog is that sometimes there is separation anxiety in the beginning even if that is not going to be the normal temperament for the dog. Being left alone in an unfamiliar house without anyone there to reassure them can be difficult, MANY of the dogs at our shelter present with some separation anxiety those first few weeks until they get used to their new homes and outgrow it. It’s a huge adjustment for a dog. You get a better picture after a few weeks. At our shelter, in a lot of cases we are able to get some informaton about the dogs when people surrender them, and we observe them while they are with us so we have some information. We are frequently able to say details such as, “well in his last home he did great with cats but not so much with small kids, he’s fully housebroken, and he’s super friendly but he’s a little wary of men.” Sometimes we don’t have anything but what we’ve picked up on working with them, but sometimes even that’s a lot of info and even better if they spent time in a foster home in a real home setting since NO dog is at their best at the shelter. You might be surprised by how much background info you can get, it just depends. Some shelters are so strapped they just aren’t able to put that much detail and attention into it, and some dogs just turn up with no background info, but that’s not always the case. Any shelter I would consider adopting from is doing vet and temperament checks before they will even let their staff handle the dog much less adopt it out.</p>
<p>I think it’s a little different deal with cavalier rescues, ema. They generally end up with specific cavalier rescue organizations, not at a shelter. They are expensive if you were to buy one from a breeder, and even a dog with health problems will get adopted out and not abused, in general. If you look at some of the rescue sites, you will see that there are many with health problems, that they disclose fully.</p>
<p>In this part of the country a lot of breed rescues have arrangements with the shelters, and if a dog of that breed comes in the shelter will call them and the dog is quickly released to breed rescue. That is how we got our rescue dog.</p>
<p>I found the recommendations of the shelter workers worthless. They said that she should be an only dog, and that she should be taken to obedience class. In actual fact she was raised with an older dog, and she found having a stable companion reassuring. And she was so terrified of everything that she would have simply become hysterical if I attempted to take her to a public class. She needed training, but she got that at home with me. (And by imitating our other dog, who was beautifully behaved.) I don’t blame them, though: I can’t imagine how she must have been acting, since she was totally unsocialized and probably hysterical with fear in that environment.</p>
<p>I would cut off my right arm before I left my dog in a kennel with cages.</p>
<p>I have two friends with daughters who take in rescued dogs. The one girl wanted a papillon, but Dad refused to pay that kind of money for a dog and told her she could have as many papillons as she wanted when she could afford them herself Well, she discovered the papillon rescue league, and my friend had to step in and say enough after the third one joined them. Dad swore he’d never walk a dog that looked like that; though they were straight out of Dr Seuss cartoons, but he’s on board with them now. Though these were all problem dogs, they do quite well now. They take in up to two more on a short term basis as well, but these three ended up keepers. All vibrantly happy dogs. They seem to be happier in a pack. </p>
<p>Other friend’s DD has pugs. They are adorable, but housebreaking seems to be an issue with them. Still she has kept 2 and has a revolving door of them coming to stay until a permanent home is found. </p>
<p>According to all involved, the dogs, seem to calm down nicely, especially in a pack. Anyone getting those rescue dogs from those two girls/families would get a alot of info on the dogs, and they seem well adjusted after being there I understand from one, that only one dog was ever returned to her and that one did get returned several times because she just could not stay housebroken, though she’s pretty good about it at this girl’s house. So she’s become a permanent fixture.</p>
<p>I may go this route with my next dog. I don’t think I can take another one like my current sweetie. Lover him dearly, wouldn’t give him away for a million bucks (though I’d be sorely tempted) but wouldn’t take another like him for the same. (we-elll, maybe). I don’t think I want to have another puppy, cute as they are.</p>
<p>Ok, I have to ask. We have a dog we adore that we rescued 3 1/2 years ago. He is our first pet. We have never had to board himself. Most of our vacationing is at our cottage so he comes with us. I have NO idea what it is like when you board a pet. If they don’t have cages, how are they housed??? I’m Just curious cause I have no idea!!</p>
<p>Cpt–a friend of mine breeds papillons. Last time I saw her she had 12–all adorable! They look like a little undulating wave as they follow her around. Easy to fall in love with them.</p>
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<p>Why? And what exactly do you mean by “cages”? The kennel we use has attached indoor and outdoor areas for each dog. Each dog has a covered run about 16x4 feet. In addition, they will take the dog out for walks, and take them to a fenced play area where they throw a ball for them. The people who work there love dogs. In fact, the owner saved the life of one of my dogs when he was staying there while we were on a 2-week camping trip in Canada. He recognized subtle symptoms of bloat and acted immediately. I wouldn’t have realized what was going on if he were at home. (Nor do most owners, which is why so many dogs die of it.) The vet didn’t even think he had it, but x-ray revealed Mr. Murphy was right.</p>
<p>I certainly wouldn’t leave my dog in a place with stacked crate-like affairs.</p>
<p>“Ok, I have to ask. We have a dog we adore that we rescued 3 1/2 years ago. He is our first pet. We have never had to board himself. Most of our vacationing is at our cottage so he comes with us. I have NO idea what it is like when you board a pet. If they don’t have cages, how are they housed??? I’m Just curious cause I have no idea!!”</p>
<p>I don’t know about kennels or cages, but I think many people house dogs in their homes as if they were one of their own. Rover.com is a great place to find out all about the person who would watch your dog, how many people they have in the family, their other dogs, what they charge, and their personalities. The guy who watches our dogs has two pugs, and watches other dogs. They all hang out in a big pack, sleeping on top of each other (and him), and playing together. They have full access to the house, couch, bed and yard, there are no cages.</p>
<p>"Why? And what exactly do you mean by “cages”?</p>
<p>If you saw the humane society facility in my town which is also a kennel for dog owners, you would know what I mean. Dogs spend a considerable amount of time in small cages. My dog would have a heart attack if he had to spend more than a few minutes in this place.</p>
<p>@abasket Here is the website of a cage free doggy daycare/overnight care in our area. <a href=“http://www.theboneadventure.com/”>http://www.theboneadventure.com/</a> The dogs have access to indoor and outdoor areas. </p>
<p>@Goldenpooch, guess that is one of the things that goes into being a “good” kennel. 
Another thing, in addition to space, is when the dogs are checked on. I found out that at some kennels the dogs are last checked at 4:30 when they are shut up in their inner area for the night. No one sees them until 7 AM or whenever the day begins. The kennel I like has someone go round and check on them to make sure they are okay during the evening at least once, likely twice.</p>
<p>In my adult life, I’ve only had one dog. A shared dog, with an old friend and roommate. We were roomies for a year in our 20s. We both spent much time overseas as well as living in various places in this country, at that phase, and he’s go back and forth, a year here, a year there. Her dad, a private pilot was helpful with the transport. The dog was happy, and we were happy when he’d come home to where ever we landed. I’ve often thought dog sharing would still work well, with a friend or child, though I’ve never had the right person around who wanted to pursue this option. You’d have to have similar approaches to dog behavior. </p>
<p>At this point, I am happy with a pair of cats, who adore me, but survive without too much protest when I leave for a few weeks. </p>
<p>I have two small dogs & an arrangement with a dog sitter who boards in her own home – small breeds only. The dogs have always gone to the same boarder as long as I have owned them, so it is a familiar home to them, with familiar caretakers. It is not just one person and a lot of dogs – she runs a doggy daycare as well and hires staff to help out. She also fosters and works with rescue groups, so there will always be other dogs there. There is nice yard for the dogs to play in, a full basement when weather is bad – and at night the boarded dogs go upstairs and sleep in the bedrooms of the sitter & her daughters – in bed with a human if the dogs want. So it is definitely a home away from home - dogs are always happy to go there, and are always happy, well cared for, and tuckered out when they get home. Dog owners supply their own food.</p>
<p>This is not cheap – and this person offers a rate that is lower than most in the area. But I know the dogs are cared for.</p>
<p>Both of my dogs are pound dogs and they are terrier mixes – so fairly hardy & confident dogs. Both had been found as strays and were about a year old when I adopted them, so dog-personality was fairly clear. </p>
<p>The 2 dogs are bonded well, so when they are away from me, they still have each other. I think that is particularly helpful to them when they are staying with other dogs. Sometimes they make new doggy friends that they truly enjoy playing with, other times they simply stick together – depending on the mix of dogs.</p>
<p>So I say – definitely go ahead and get a dog – but figure out the boarding arrangements first, before getting the new dog. So as soon as you get the dog, you will also be introducing the dog to the dog sitter – and if it is boarding at a doggy daycare, then you can also have the dog spend some days there before the first overnight. </p>
<p>You definitely want to get an adult dog from a pound or rescue organization where you can have the opportunity to play with the dog and observe personality. Choose one that is confident and eager to engage with you from the start – that’s a good sign that the dog will be able to handle the transitions between home & boarder on a regular basis. </p>