Leaving a dog home alone during vacation is always an ordeal for everyone involved. You need to find a trusted friend who has enough time to come over and care for your dog, make sure that said friend can cater to your dog’s specific dietary and playtime needs, you need to convince the kids that the pet will be fine on his own, and you constantly worry in the back of your head about what the house will look like when you get home. Did the dog get out enough, or are there mystery puddles somewhere in the house? Did the dog get too bored and decide that your sofa could use some "antiquing"? All this and more contributes to the desire to just bring the dog with you on vacation, which can easily present an entire new host of problems, especially if you had been planning on staying in a hotel, most of which do not allow pets.

That being said, a middle ground is easier to find nowadays than ever. While you could put your dog in a kennel which are generally run by capable, compassionate people, there are places where you can ensure your dog is getting as much of a vacation as you: the aptly named dog hotel. A dog hotel function a lot like kennels in that they provide room and board to your pooch while you’re out of town, and cater to your specific instructions as to dietary and medical needs. The difference is that these hotels do so in a rigorously dedicated fashion. Not only do they provide all of the above listed services, they also go so far as to offer things like fitness programs, training, and grooming. Furthermore, the problem I mentioned earlier about assuring the kids that your pup would be fine while you were out of town? Many of them take care of that too, offering live-streaming webcam footage of your dog whenever you want to check in on him or her. The amenities your dog are provided are also generally much more cheery and conducive to a happy dog than the stacked wire crates of a kennel. Dogs are often provided their own pillows and blankets, a carpeted floor, and much more room to move around than the tiny enclosures you’re used to seeing for pet boarding.

Does it really count as a vacation if you have to spend the whole time stressing about whether or not one of your loved ones is safe and happy? Granted it’s not (for most people) like leaving the kids behind, but these dog hotels offer such a host of great services for your pup, it’s hard not to be impressed. Of course this level of care does come at something of a premium, but search around for some coupons and you might find yourself seriously considering putting your doggy up in this lap of luxury at a dog hotel.

That being said, a middle ground is easier to find nowadays than ever. While you could put your dog in a kennel which are generally run by capable, compassionate people, there are places where you can ensure your dog is getting as much of a vacation as you: the aptly named dog hotels. Dog hotels function a lot like kennels in that they provide room and board to your pooch while you’re out of town, and cater to your specific instructions as to dietary and medical needs. The difference is that these hotels do so in a rigorously dedicated fashion. Not only do they provide all of the above listed services, they also go so far as to offer things like fitness programs, training, and grooming. Furthermore, the problem I mentioned earlier about assuring the kids that your pup would be fine while you were out of town? Many of them take care of that too, offering live-streaming webcam footage of your dog whenever you want to check in on him or her. The amenities your dog are provided are also generally much more cheery and conducive to a happy dog than the stacked wire crates of a kennel. Dogs are often provided their own pillows and blankets, a carpeted floor, and much more room to move around than the tiny enclosures you’re used to seeing for pet boarding.

Does it really count as a vacation if you have to spend the whole time stressing about whether or not one of your loved ones is safe and happy? Granted it’s not (for most people) like leaving the kids behind, but these dog hotels offer such a host of great services for your pup, it’s hard not to be impressed. Of course this level of care does come at something of a premium, but search around for some coupons and you might find yourself seriously considering putting your doggy up in this lap of luxury.