Hope Tommy and Tilly won't hate us for this

Off up to an old friend's 40th up North next week and stopping with family. We deliberated over the dogs for ages , we had someone coming in to stay with them (trial run for a future wedding weekend when we are stopping in a hotel overnight) . They let us down so next option kennels Both of us decided we couldn't settle with them in kennels so they will come with us now and we stop longer , only problem is they will both have to be crated and neither of them has been for ages (over 2 years for Tilly and about 4-5 months for Tommy) mainly just for my sister in laws house security , I would trust Tilly no problem but not sure about the Tomminator. I know loads of people crate but we got out of it and hope the dogs don't see it as some kind of prison now .

Still haven't worked out what we will do when we go out for the night to the wedding though, I may just find some super duper pet hotel for the night

we put ours in kennels if you do a search for a good one they should be fine. Ours are caged overnight but lets hope if you do decide to crate them they will be ok

This trip they will definitely be with us and definitely crated overnight , in balance though it is a little cruel to crate them when they have not been used to it for ages it's the best option for their well being .

Our next trip will be very short (evening reception at a hotel in Rotherham and stop in the hotel overnight ) and we will have to do kennels, just thinking about their faces leaving them without all their creature comforts really plays on my mind though

More room in a good kennel Dave than a crate, if they are kenneled together they will be fine and Staffs are people friendly so they should soon settle in Kennels, as long as you find a good kennel then i would go for it, the only thing i insist on when i have kenneled my dogs in the past is that i take the dogs food and my dog is fed on that , good luck Dave whatever decision you come to .

Like I say above this trip will be crate as we can have them with us and its only for a few hours while we are out and overnight sleeping , rest of the time is family time , walks etc so at least that bit will be good for them. When we go to the wedding it will have to be a Kennel. Just phoned the Kennel we used to have for our old BC X and they were reluctant to commit , when asked they said they had had some staffs in the past where they couldn't walk them due to aggression so it makes me doubt they are realists about the breed , this was not the kennel owner though so I wait for a call back however the doubt is in my mind.
I won't kennel them together as they do have spats on occasions so it's wise to keep them separate though the ideal would be to be kennelled next to each other without walls inbetween so they know they are there for each other. Spats have been over little titbits but it's enough to make me a little uneasy if they were not supervised overnight

Dave, I'm sure they both will be fine in their crate for the nightime. Lots of toys and a good walk before they are left in there. Good luck with finding with a good kennel, maybe someone can recommend somewhere for you.

Sorry Dave i read it wrong , yes they will be fine in their crates overnight, if that is the attitude of the Kennels then find another .

What about one of those dog sitters who could have them for an overnight stay? Then they could sleep in their crates. i think there is a website called Barkingmad which has approved dog sitters. They have them in all areas of country.

I have started getting Ledger used to kennels as I can't always rely on my parents he has only been for day care so far (I am building him up slowly) but atleast one of the staff there has staffies and he could have his toys with him so I left him with a peanut butter filled kong. I was worried as when I got Ledger from dogs trust they said he was really stressed with kennel life but the feedback I got was that he was fine, a bit vocal but no more so than any other staffy

http://summerhillpethotel.co.uk/dogs.html

jshrew wrote:I have started getting Ledger used to kennels as I can't always rely on my parents he has only been for day care so far (I am building him up slowly) but atleast one of the staff there has staffies and he could have his toys with him so I left him with a peanut butter filled kong. I was worried as when I got Ledger from dogs trust they said he was really stressed with kennel life but the feedback I got was that he was fine, a bit vocal but no more so than any other staffy

http://summerhillpethotel.co.uk/dogs.html

Thanks for that Jules , bit far out driving for the 1 overnight this time that we are planning but looks great so certainly 1 to think about if we were contemplating a longer holiday

They won't see it as a prison, just do what you did when you first used them, make it a safe, comfortable place for them, give them an extra-special treat for being inside it or something. It's only temporary.

I agree with a stay-in house sitter if it's an option and if they don't let you down again. At least they'll have their creature comforts.

Its only one night in the Crate and they will be with you so I'm sure they will 'forgive you'

Didn't go too badly for them in the end though Tommy got really stressed on the first night and his crate was rattling for 2 hours before he finally went to sleep, put 3 biscuits in there on the night and they were still there in the morning so he had properly got stressed. Tilly just looked at me sadly through the bars, like she did when she was a pup.
Did make me realise though how you can create yourself so many problems by not crating , sleeping in our bed, chilling on the couch. As the pair of them were constantly being told no , down and bless them they just wondered what was wrong . Back home now though and as soon as Jen gets back from their walk they will be back on their own bed (the big double one in our room , for cuddles with mum