Tag: Paige Johnson

Dogs and holidays

What are the options for taking a vacation with your pet dog.

Regular visitors to this place will recall that exactly one month ago I published a guest post from Paige Johnson. It was called Divorcing One’s Vet and was well-received. I am delighted, therefore, to present the second guest post from Paige.

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Rover-Friendly Vacations: What are Your Options?

The love Westerners have for their pets is known across the globe. We dress them, take them everywhere, feed them special foods, and refer to them as our kids. When considering a vacation, it can be difficult to contemplate leaving your fur baby at home or, even worse, trapped in a boarding kennel. The stress of worrying about your pet easily can cut into the relaxation a vacation will offer. Fortunately, there are several options for the doting pet parent. Here are a few ways you can handle vacationing and being a good parent to your pets.

Take Them Along

man-1181873_1280Pet-friendly vacations may be a little more restrictive than vacationing without your furry family member. However, if you are a pet owner who cannot bear the thought of being separated from your pet while on vacation, it may be worth the extra effort to plan a trip to a pet-friendly city like Austin. Traveling within the U.S. is easiest and cheapest for pet parents, particularly if the destination is within driving distance. Although, if you want to travel abroad, it is possible to take your pets with you.

To travel internationally with a pet, you must thoroughly check the country’s guidelines for bringing domesticated animals across the borders. Typically, you will need recent proof of vaccinations along with a pet passport. While certifiably healthy animals can sometimes pass borders unimpeded, many countries will require a quarantine period of 24 hours to several months. It is important to plan well and far in advance for international pet travel. Keep in mind that this option is bound to be more expensive than leaving your pet behind while you vacation.

Find a Pet Boarder or Sitter

A freelance pet walker, sitter, or boarder is far more preferable than boarding your pet in a kennel. Dog sitters give you the option of leaving your pet in the comfort of your own home with personalized attention, or dog boarders give you the option of leaving your pet in their home and ensuring they receive 24-hour care.

Research a Quality Kennel

Basic kennels will sequester your pet in their own small space with little interaction from caretakers or other pets. On the other hand, a quality kennel will be well-staffed, friendly, and ensure that your pet spends more time playing with other dogs than alone in a kennel. While a sitter is preferable, a good kennel certainly is an option, especially if they are centered around social interaction and quality care. Online reviews can be a helpful way to research a suitable boarding facility. It’s important to note that good boarders often will charge a little more than a sitter.

When your child is a dog or a cat, vacationing can become a more difficult and stressful activity than you originally thought. The guilt of leaving a pet at home can impede your ability to enjoy your vacation, particularly if you have to leave him in a kennel. Fortunately, there are better options to put your mind at ease. Whether you decide to plan a pet-friendly vacation or get a freelance pet sitter, you can rest assured that a relaxing, guilt-free vacation is in your future.

Image via Pixabay by msandersmusic

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An informative guest post from Paige. Mind you, when one has nine dogs at home I’m not sure realistically just what the options are!

Divorcing one’s Vet!

A practical and informative guest post.

Back in September, I received an email from a Paige Johnson. He offered to write a guest post for Learning from Dogs. Now I love guest posts simply because I think that different perspectives are always valuable, and let’s face it you get enough of me ‘rabbiting on’ most days.

This is what Paige’s email said:

I reached out to your recently with a guest article offer and just wanted to send a quick note to follow up.

I’ve had my dog, GG, since my early 20s, and though it wasn’t easy — in fact, it was quite the trial and error process for both of us! — I’m happy to report that she has become a well-trained pup, great with kids, adults, and other animals.

That said, GG and I are about to face another challenge together. Moving. I know that uprooting her from the only home she’s ever known won’t be easy for her so I’ve been doing some research on how to make the process go as smoothly as possible for both of us.

I run LearnFit.org with some friends, and collectively, we love helping readers find balance in their life. Adding a dog to the mix definitely brings happiness, but it can be a tough adjustment, especially when you face another big life event, like moving or having a child.

Who wouldn’t warm to that approach!

So here is Paige’s guest post.

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4 Tips for New Dog Owners Who Need to Break Up with Your Vet

dog-91765_1280When you become a new dog owner, you worry about what to feed him, how often to bathe him, the best type of flea and tick treatment to use to protect him, and a litany of other things involved in caring for him. You also need to make sure that your veterinarian is on the same page with you so that you are comfortable with relying on him to deliver the best quality care for him and advice for you. Sometimes, however, you need to break up with your vet for one reason or another. If you are a new dog owner who needs to break up with your vet, we offer four tips to help you do it as quickly and painlessly as possible.

1. Consider all of the interactions you have had with your veterinarian

If you are having a difficult time deciding whether to leave your veterinarian, think about how you have been treated by the vet and his office staff and how your new dog has been cared for at the office. If your vet has been pushing you to purchase pet food and care products from him, or he has a policy that you must board your dog only at his office when you go out of town, you most likely are justified in thinking that it is time to break up with him. Vets who try to monopolize services unfortunately are in the business more for making money than for providing quality animal care.

As a new dog owner, you need to be aware of your right to feed your dog whatever food you feel is best for his nutrition and health and not just what your vet sells. You also have the right to choose a dog boarding provider who will provide one-to-one care for your dog while you are out of town, rather than put your dog in an impersonal kennel at the vet’s office. When you leave the vet, you should consider all of the interactions you have had with him, and if you feel that you are being pushed into choosing products and services that he offers without having a freedom of choice, you should break up with him.

2. Break up sooner, rather than later

As soon as you feel that you need to break up with your vet, you should take action. Breaking up with your vet sooner rather than later will make the process much easier on you. Prolonging your relationship with your vet when you are considering cutting ties with him will increase your uneasiness and make an awkward situation even more uncomfortable.

You especially need to break up with your vet as soon as your instincts tell you to do so if you are concerned that he is not providing adequate care for your dog. The last thing you want is to put your dog’s health in jeopardy because you are afraid to break up with your vet. As a new dog owner, it is your responsibility to put your dog’s health above everything else when you deal with your veterinarian and make decisions regarding his treatment and care.

3. Ask office personnel to transfer your records to a new veterinarian

You want to be sure you have a new veterinarian on board with your new dog before you leave your old vet’s office, so that your dog’s health is never at risk during the transition. Call your current veterinarian’s office and politely ask office personnel to transfer your records to your new vet. Even if you have had issues with office staff before, it is well within your rights as a pet owner to switch vets and have your records sent to the vet of your choice. The staff should treat you with professional courtesy as long as you are straightforward and polite as well during the interaction.

4. Explain the situation to your veterinarian if you are leaving because of extenuating circumstances

Sometimes, even people who love their veterinarians need to break up with them because of extenuating circumstances. For example, you may be moving to a new town and cannot take the time to drive to your current vet’s office from your new home. If you have been happy with the care from your veterinarian and are sad to leave his care, explain the situation to him and ask for some recommendations for your new area. Your vet may be able to refer you to a new office that shares his level of care and commitment to your new dog. Your vet also may be able to refer you to other services for your dog in your new area, such as reputable dog walkers or accommodating dog parks.

Breaking up with your veterinarian is not a fun thing to do for new dog owners, especially if you love your vet and don’t want to leave his care. However, you need to put your dog’s health first, and if your current veterinarian cannot meet your dog’s needs, it is time to break up and go elsewhere. Our four tips will make the process easier for you.

Image via Pixabay by tpsdave

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 Yes, we always “need to put your dog’s health first” and Paige offers some valuable advice for ensuring that is always our top priority.

Thank you, Paige!