Added: Hadn’t thought of having them keep the pups at their place, but I don’t think they can have pets at their apartment, so it’s likely not an option anyway.
2 Likes
You know what? We could take them with us and take them to somewhere like PetSmart for a bath on our trip; we could go to the museum while they were getting the spa treatment. Looks like PetSmart says to plan on it taking 3-4 hours; that’s about what we need.
We may have to do a trial trip to a groomer shortly to make sure they handle it OK (all previous baths have been at home).
Do you know any reason I shouldn’t consider this? I have never taken a dog to get groomed/ don’t know if PetSmart is somehow terrible, etc.
Edit or PetCo - both exist in College Town (for a trial run) and our potential destination.
5 Likes
Petsmart might have rules about needing to have the appointment be booked in advance or rules about the owners being present, but for 3-4 hours I would think they’d be okay with you leaving. They will want to confirm that your pups have all their vaccines, I don’t know if the computers at one store talk to the computers at another store.
I think I’ve heard PetSmart is not great in how they treat their employees. They seem to have a profits-before-people model, for what it’s worth. No idea how PetCo compares.
Thanks. They do want you to leave, it seems like from reading the FAQ - there’s an observation area but no seating, etc. I’d book an appointment online. Not thrilled to hear about employee treatment.
If we travel with the pups, we’ll have immunization records with us anyway because of hotels and etc, so that’s not an issue.
2 Likes
Find some local doggy daycares around there too. Maybe they will have vacancies that can free you up.
2 Likes
PetSmart treats their employees about the same way all retail employees are treated. I’d put them closer to a Target than a Walmart.
The groomers absolutely do not want you there. They are also used to people having to drop off on their lunch break and pick up after work so shouldn’t be a big problem to leave the dogs there for a few hours. Bonus: nice clean pups!
5 Likes
Yeah, but I’ve called around that area, and they have waiting lists. There are just too many pandemic puppies, I think. 
3 Likes
Would you consider using Rover to find a dogsitter at destination town? I’ve found a whole range of experience and rates, from low-key pet lovers to professional trainers. Most can do a video or phone chat ahead of time. And it might be less stressful to plan on leaving them for a half-day during your trip vs 3 whole days.
2 Likes
I’m really curious because this was inspired by a random conversation I had with a friend: When do you consider the start of being “middle aged”?
- Early Thirties
- Mid Thirties
- Late Thirties
- Early Forties
- Mid Forties
- Late Forties
- Early Fifties
- Mid Fifties
- Late Fifties
- Sixties or later
0 voters
1 Like
Also a good possibility - I hadn’t thought of Rover (even though @Bracken_Joy mentioned it!)
I think I’m leaning toward taking them with. We want to travel with them - that was part of the point of getting small dogs. But he wants to show me a museum shig similar to the one he served on - those are not only not dog- friendly, they aren’t safe either with all the open metal stairs. So we need a few hours of care - three would probably do it.
5 Likes
Whoever said mid-30s… I’m keeping an eye on you 
14 Likes
HOW have so many people said that? 
7 Likes
The framing I’ve heard is, how long do you think you’ll live for? Then divide that by 3. I love to be a middle-aged 33-year-old.
3 Likes
I think that discounts infancy, childhood, and adolescence though, so early adulthood gets short shrift by only being 18-33 (fifteen years) then middle age is 34-66.
Yeah, I don’t think of it as a perfect mathematical model of human life.
I feel like middle age used to be 40s/50s. But people are living way longer and are a lot more active later in life. 40 is the new 30. So middle age must be 50s/60s now. Also, I am mid 40s and I am not middle aged, you jerks. ( I’m joking about the jerks part. But not about the rest.)
Signed,
Gen X
12 Likes
Yes, I agree that early adulthood is a short phase of life.
2 Likes
I heard:
Take the age and double it:
- if that equals old, then the starting age is middle-age;
- if that equals dead, then the starting age is old
10 Likes
I’m in this picture, and I don’t like it.
8 Likes
Petsmart could be a good option! They might even have a doggy daycare or playgroup that you could drop them off with if you don’t want to do the grooming – the only thing that I would request is that they either air dry or our hand blown dry – those heat drying crates have proven unsafe in the past (don’t google this) and although I’m sure they are updated by now I wouldn’t risk it.
Rover or Wag could be great too!
Have a fun pups in tow trip!
1 Like
I’m 38 and refer to myself as middle aged. Possibly because my kids are almost adults and I don’t feel like a young adult at all.
8 Likes