Holidays or Hospitalizations – What’s A Granddog To Do! Part 2

Thank you for sharing...

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post, which is at no additional cost to you. :)

Caring for elderly parents OR grandkids can lead to granddog or grandcat caregiving needs as well. This is particularly true at holiday time or when they are facing a hospitalization. Friends, relatives, and neighbors are often available to help care for a pet, as are local kennels. But another good option, particularly for special needs or desires can be on of the excellent doggy daycare and hotels available such as the Pet Smart Dog Hotel. I started telling you about these options yesterday, and here’s more…

One very important fact, and it’s for the safety of your own granddog and others –  vaccinations are a strict requirement at all pet hotels – and there is a Bordetella vaccination that may be required more often than your vet normally administers, because of being around other dogs. Be sure to check on that in advance, so you don’t end up with no options in the middle of a family crisis. And, if you think this may be an upcoming need, due to worsening health issues, it would be wise to talk to your vet about having this done more often, just in case.

As Petsmart explains on their website:

“QUESTION: “Why do you require a six month Bordetella vaccination? My dog usually gets this yearly or not at all.

ANSWER: The boarding and veterinary industry believe that a dog who is exposed to one-on-one contact with another dog such as boarding, day camp, and dog parks needs to receive a Bordetella shot every six months. We follow the recommendations of the AVMA’s Drug Task Force which highly recommends the Bordetella vaccination for all dogs in boarding, camping, grooming, training, ect. –  dog to dog contact. This shot reduces the likelihood of Tracheobronchitis, also commonly referred to as canine cough.”

I have been intrigued to discover, whether it’s a luxury pet hotel or not, they generally seem to have a “menu” of items to select from. You can, of course, arrange for the ‘bare bones” stay (pun intended 🙂 ). However, if your senior parent prefers, they can select from such things as special treats, extra playtime with other dogs (especially nice for those granddogs who don’t normally get to play with other dogs and do it well), a manicure, a bath, and more. Some even offer special dog training classes – a chance to help your granddog learn a new skill or practice an old one. That could be a big help for your senior parent when they get home.

If your senior parent will be needing some long-term care for their beloved pet – whether due to hospitalization or holiday travel, and is looking for dog kennel alternatives (or you are), take a peek at a pet hotel near you. They might be just the right thing for your Sandwich Generation family, enabling you to help your aging parent with a bit less stress! You can find local ones by typing in pet hotel AND your city and state. If you’d like to find the PetSmart PetsHotel locations near you, just click here . Another option near us is the Wag Hotel in Sacramento CA. And yes, we’d love to hear what suggestions YOU have. 🙂

P.S. Enjoy another of my doggy coloring pages 😉

P.P.S. Can you tell I have fun sharing photos of my granddogs, grandkids, and more with you as well as Pink Saturday, Sweet Shot Tuesday and Rednesday. I love taking them with my iPhone or my Canon point and shoot easy digital camera.