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  1. #1
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Yay! Great dog sitter!

    Just returned from a trip to France and Iceland. My mom stayed at my house with the dogs the first week and the second week a new house/pet sitter stayed. My experience last year with a house/pet sitter was awful, so I was feeling a little nervous. She was successfully hired by a couple co-workers and she is on Rover.com which I found helpful because she relies on good reviews for new business.

    She was awesome! Updated me with photos daily. Exercised the boys in the yard every day. When I got home my house was in good shape and the dogs seemed really happy and the cat wasn't needy at all. Also, the cat did NOT pee on the bed this time, so that is an excellent sign! So excited to have found someone I can trust and her price was reasonable, too. When my mom watched them my niece came over every day and cleaned the litter box and threw the ball for the dogs in the yard.

    Didn't see a lot of dogs in Iceland but Paris is full of them. Lots of yellow Labs -- only saw a couple blacks and no chocolates -- and no field Labs since they are an American thing. Many Frenchies in Paris! I'm always amazed when I go to Europe how well trained the dogs are walking down busy city streets in flat-buckle collars. Also, the tails on all the dogs (that come with them) -- I love them!

    Missed my boys while I was away! Was nice having three full days with them when I got back before going back to work. Training class was a little awkward on Monday; we were both rusty. Agility was good though and Linus did the big dog walk! He's so brave. <3

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  3. #2
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    That's a long trip away from the boys! Glad the dog sitter turned out to be so great

    IT would be interesting to see more research to confirm and explain why dogs in some european countries have fewer issues than those in north america. Though because of the cutlure, not sure we could do anything to change that even if we knew!

  4. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanya View Post
    That's a long trip away from the boys! Glad the dog sitter turned out to be so great

    IT would be interesting to see more research to confirm and explain why dogs in some european countries have fewer issues than those in north america. Though because of the cutlure, not sure we could do anything to change that even if we knew!
    It was a long time away and I missed them! I know so many people who refuse to go away because of their dogs -- and some people can't even go away even with their dogs! -- and while I get it to some extent (it's hard!), I really cannot imagine never doing anything else, unless of course, because my dog had a health problem or something like that. There is a big world out there! In a perfect world, I can bring my dogs with me (they would have loved looking for rats in Paris and probably getting themselves killed in Iceland!).

    I've seen discussions about European dogs vs. N. American dogs and you're right, there is a huge culture aspect to it. However, if you go to a big city where people live a little more like Europeans, you see a little bit of what you see in Europe. When I did Lab rescue in Boston, our best adopters lived downtown in apartments, no yards. They were active and were forced to purposefully exercise, socialize and train their dogs every day. The majority of our owner surrenders were in the suburbs with fenced backyards (and kids).

  5. #4
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    It was a long time away and I missed them! I know so many people who refuse to go away because of their dogs -- and some people can't even go away even with their dogs! -- and while I get it to some extent (it's hard!), I really cannot imagine never doing anything else, unless of course, because my dog had a health problem or something like that. There is a big world out there! In a perfect world, I can bring my dogs with me (they would have loved looking for rats in Paris and probably getting themselves killed in Iceland!).

    I've seen discussions about European dogs vs. N. American dogs and you're right, there is a huge culture aspect to it. However, if you go to a big city where people live a little more like Europeans, you see a little bit of what you see in Europe. When I did Lab rescue in Boston, our best adopters lived downtown in apartments, no yards. They were active and were forced to purposefully exercise, socialize and train their dogs every day. The majority of our owner surrenders were in the suburbs with fenced backyards (and kids).
    I think we need to balance. I wouldn't travel monthly but going for a trip without the dogs every year or two seems legit! having said that, in the two and a half years I had penny, she never spent a night elsewhere :P It just sorta happened I took trips with my dogs during that phase but I did take some trip without Rocky.

    The bulk of when I fostered was when I lived in a downtown apartment and for sure, my dogs had tons more activity and stimulation then VS now. But it meant you needed a certain type of dog, it was must harder with an active dog that couldn't do small dog parks (though I had a few fosters like that and we managed). But I was always very critical of applications from people with yards who pretty much put "fenced yard" as their exercise plan (or worse, UNFENCED yard).

  6. #5
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Sounds like a great trip made even better knowing the furkids were well cared for.
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