I was in the same boat, but one big issue in our situation was it wasn’t ideal to have our parents watch the dogs since they wanted to support us at the hospital. Luckily we had other friends that were able to help out in this situation. It’s tough to be proactive, but try to think of scenarios where your primary pet sitters cannot watch your dogs and then think of what the next best alternative would be.

Thanks! She’s been a joy. A little different then raising a puppy though.

I have the luck to be able to bring my JRT with me to work so I don’t have to think about doggy day care, but when in a pinch I can always relly on my friends and family. They adore her, especially my parents. Nevertheless, I agree that you should check out all possible options in your area so that you know in advance what to do if the need arises.

Thank you! I thought I was being forward by starting the process of getting pet sitters 4 weeks out. I remember talking to one of my friends asking if she could watch Raven from April 8th to the 15th (Emma was due on the 11th). A few days later (March 23rd) we were in the hospital, I was rushing around to find pet sitters, and out came Emma late that evening! It’s always good to be proactive, but I feel like I rarely am…at least I’m lucky to have good friends 🙂

This definitely gives me something to think about! My sis & her hubby have always traded dog-sitting with us – and they’ve taken Rita in emergency situations before. BUT… darn them! They just recently bought a second home 2 states away and they spend about 1/2 the year there – so I really do need to come up with a back up plan in case something would happen while they’re not here! I do know a gal who works as a dog trainer/dog sitter, so I could always call her – but I probably need one other backup in case she would be booked up! Thanks for the helpful post.

Thank you, Elaine! Emma and mom are doing great! Linus and Raven are very curious about her and worry when she’s crying, but Stetson and Bear don’t really care too much.

I’m lucky to have been a part of a community of guide dog puppy raisers for the past 10 years. It really gives me a lot of options not to mention my other friends and family members. My biggest concern is always Linus. He was rescued from the shelter and has separation anxiety. We only have a couple different places that he’s comfortable staying and I think it helps when he stays with Stetson.

Thanks for stopping by!

Luckily, I have family close and we all take turns watching each other’s dogs when needed. We did have to put Haley in our vet’s kennel once and it wasn’t a good experience. I would hate to have to do that again, so it’s good to have a plan and people ready to help.

It’s so important to find someone or a place you really trust, so these are great tips that will bring peace of mind!

Yep! Unfortunately, I and probably most other people are usually reactive to situations. After researching and writing this blog post I think it’s a good idea for me to do some foot work and contact people on Rover, DogVacay, Petsmart Hotels, etc. just so I know what is available in case we ever have need of another emergency pet sitter.