Dear Brid,
When I lived in the city, I spoiled my dogs rotten. When they are puppies (Merry & Pippin), I hated to leave them at home, so I dropped them off a doggy day care, while I am at work. The doggy day care would even take them home to their house at night, if I had to go out of town. That all ended in April 2005.
I bought my parents home & my sister, me and my parents all live in the same house out in the country. Since my parents are retired, they are home with the dogs during the day. If I go on vacation, the dogs are with my family. The 3 dogs are all adults and are little trouble and lots of love and companionship for our family.
Now I am looking at getting a puppy in September and I didn't want my parents to do the puppy training. They are retired and they didn't choose to have all these dogs, I did and it is my responsibility. So I asked my dog groomer out here in the country if she would watch the puppy while I am at work. She said yes. She breeds Yorkies and has 7 dogs of her own, so she said it would be little trouble to take the puppy while I am at work. That way my parents can enjoy their retirement and just love the puppy, not train it. Then when I am not working, I will be home with the puppy and working on his education.
Well, vacation now sounds just absolutely crazy now that I will have 4 dogs. I hated to burden my family with the responsibility. Then just last weekend, my best friend called me and told me that she is going to pet sit to make extra income. I trust her with my pets and it is a perfect solution for me for my future vacations. I don't want my dogs to be something that my family dreads and they say that the dogs really miss me and are not as good when I am not home. So my friend, who has a Corgi named Babe, will pet sit at her own house, when I am out of town.
Everything fell into place. Perfect! And the dogs are loved and with people almost all the time.