when you are on vacation, or any other emergency times when you have to rely on others to look after your dog who do you turn to? generally with reluctance and anticipation?
Tell me would you turn to a kennel or a host family? Both would come with good references!

My parents look after mine when the time comes, don't know what will happen when they are not around, suppose really I just won't go anywhere where the dogs can't come with me!

Family :)
Either my mum or dad or sister (or 'shift work' between them all), will stay at my house so there is somebody at home 24 hrs. That way I know the dogs aren't unsettled and also all of the other pets can be taken care of at the same time.

We're fortunate in that we have family members who would help look after the dogs in an emergency, and next weekend the most recent addition is due to return to his breeder for a few days while we are away. I doubt we would ever leave either dog in kennels. If we absolutely had no choice we would prefer a suitable host family to kennels but would be very fussy!!

Ive used kennels, but now I have 7 dogs Ive found it better for them and lest costly to have a guardian Angel come and stay at my house  and look after them, she was good they were fine when we returned home, but my house was very dusty,think I'd have trouble finding a host to take on 7 of them..... But best was my sister as she kept the house lovely and clean too......as well as walked them twice a day....and did lots of little things that others wouldnt.....

Family mainly.  My mom or my sister.

I have used kennels, when there couldnt be family to watch the dogs.  We went to a wedding, and had to put Joy in a kennel.  They were very good, trusted business, and GSD breeders who have made a name for themselves.  They followed feeding instructions to a "t".  But it does get costly.  But when you have no other choice, kennels are ok, but they need to have references, and I do like to look at the place where they are keeping my dogs. 

family stay at ours as we have have other fury's, so they are all looked after, it's very rare though as they always come with us.

It's always been kennels for us...but no more.  We went to Crete for a fortnight last year and put them both in Kennels, Dicksy came back without a bark, he had barked continously for two weeks I was told!  I have never felt so guilty.  Dicksy does have his problems bless him with a retinal disease limiting his sight, but he is more than happy in his own environment, he absolutely hates going out and it's very stressful for him to do so.  No holiday abroad for me this year, a few days away, son is looking after them both too so as not to affect his routine again.

Kennels always for us.  And find a good one.  I spent huge amounts of money on private kennels which I don't think was any more value for money than the charity one we use now.  We use the cat and dog home which finance their rescue side with their private boarding.  It's always the same staff, they know my dog and his foibles and ways and the dog LOVES them.  When we take him in he runs off to the staff and doesn't look back.  To me that's a happy dog :)  And only £6 per day, food, walks, everything included. 

CG

We had great neighbours who would look after ours. They had dogs and also horses so they knew how to look after our unruly two! Their 18 year old twin sons would stay in our house. Sadly they have now moved about 15 miles away, but their sons are coming to stay on 15th May when we go away :-) If we didn't have them, I would use a dog sitter who comes to stay in the house, recommended by my friend who has three dogs.

Edited to add: They are responsible 18 year olds, the pets have always been very well looked after, and the house has always been in one piece on our return! :-D

Kennels every time for mine.  For the past year and a bit it's been necessity - I live 200 miles from the nearest family member and until last month, also from my nearest friends.

Having said that, I wouldn't trust that family member as far as I could spit him to look after any dog - he won't look after his own (note "won't", not "can't") - and my friend who now lives with me has said she would only walk mine one at a time round the block twice a day, and she works full time.  So I prefer that they go into kennels, where I know they have free running in a decent paddock 3 times a day and someone always around who's experienced with large breeds (they have utonagans and BSDs I think).

I get a friend to live in with them. She still lives at home so she appreciates the break from living 'with the olds'! She loves the dogs and we leave the cupboards well stocked and £30 for her time. Everyones happy!
I would only leave them in kennels at a push and they would have to be pretty special and be fully aware of a brachycephalic breeds needs and to watch for scratches to the eyes (yes as you can tell I'm paranoid! :-))
They are my 'babies' after all! :-D

When I only had a couple I used to put them in kennels. Now we have the 5 my Mum comes and stays and looks after them at my house!:-)

im very fortunate to have a pair of good freinds who have been in my breed for a number of years but do not have any of there own anymore and they look after all 3 when needed.
they evan looked after an untrained pupp at 9 1/2 weeks while we went off to crufts for the day.
thats good freinds for you.!!!!!!!

when we go away my dad takes kia in his lorry with him! lol.he is the only person i trust will look after her like i do,she gets loads of walks and he is with her all the time, he even takes her to the pubs with him! the only problem he has is with her getting in and out of the lorry she hates it when he lifts her so he has to put a harness on her and let her climb in and out without it having such an impact on her joints.
tiger goes to my nain and taid (welsh for gran and grandad)he loves it with them and gets spoiled rotten! they even let him sleep in their bed! lol i get a friend to come round to feed the cat and see to her.
i wouldnt put my two in kennels,ive worked in kennels for 6years now and i just couldnt do that to them,some dogs cope really well in kennels but i know that my dogs wouldnt.:-)

Since buying Mitch, ive only been to Wales in a nice cottage so we could take him with us although my mum says she would have him if needed but i dont fancy leaving him.

the breeder of my dogs and I have an arrangement...she takes mine if I am away and I take hers if she is. My family are unable to help out as my parents are too frail for my dogs.

I am now lucky to have my family to look after mine as we are in our own house now and close enough for them to stay in our house .. but before that, in the army life .. i had a very good friend who helped for emergencies and weekenders ... But both our respective parents would accommadate our dogs for us on visits ..I did the kennels bit twice .. and one of my girls (welfare dog ) hated it that much she shook and took a nip at the owner ..( the owner was very good and understood her fear) so decided not to put her through it again...I felt awful seeing her scared , even though the owner told me she was great after.... but i always worry that the kennel owners would let them off lead ..even though i told them they had not to be let off...it niggled me all the time they were there ...

My 'thuglets' have to go into kennels as they are quite a handful (especially around small furry things).
I have found a brilliant kennel (also rescue on the side) who know them by name and personality. When collecting I always get an update on how they have been, eaten etc and if they have had any problems.
A good kennel is worth its weight in gold as you are not reliant on family being available.

There is no way I could afford to board my dogs, so I don't go away, unless it is for a show with the dogs.

When I took Lexi for a week to Finland one of the two remaining was with Friends and the oldest stayed home with my doggy neighbour looking in on her through the day, walking and feeding her, and my teen/adult kids were home too.

Its rare we need anyone to look after the canine gang as they are usually with us, but if we are stuck we have my MIL who will do it for us as she comes to see to the cats & Chinchilla :) If we had a holiday booked away (Without the dogs which doesnt happen lol) , the dogs would go to Mum & Dads as they have kennels etc too & the dogs love them & being there :) & if we were really really stuck we have a local kennels that looks after rescue dogs so we know they are more than capable of looking after ours & our guys love them too :) I consider us to be very lucky really as we have alot of family support, MIL used to have Danes & a Lab so she is used to large dogs & my folks have BMD's, a lab & a newf too so I think its great :)

When we went away last autumn, Barney stayed with a dog sitter and he loved it.  Both sets of our parents work full time.  We used Home from Home boarding.  I didn't want him to go into kennels because they mostly insist on the kennel cough vaccine which I didn't want him to have.  We will definitely use this service again.

We used to have a good friend look after them but since we've moved here we have not been away.  Have not visited any of the local kennels but believe there are a few good ones in the area, but I always worry that they will not understand that they cannot be let off the lead - ever.  Other than that I think the girls would cope very well. 

However, we have now bought a caravan just so that we can take them with us and not have to worry.  We are going on our first trip this weekend and I have told them all about the big metal kennel on wheels that not only Misty and Foxy stay in, but also mummy and daddy!  I think Misty understands but Foxy just ignores me.  :D

Usually my mother, but any of my brothers would do, we all do this for each other, we always have.  The best thing is all our dogs know us all very well, so we don't get the homesickness or the sulking from our dogs.

If I didn't have family, I guess I would just look for a really good kennel. :-)

I've just realised i've had my dog for a year and have only spent one night away from him!!! That time i left him with my folks. If not them i have friends who would be willing to have him. Kennels are an option that need to be carefully looked into. Not all are that good.
Think pugnut has a great suggestion. Or, if you have a sensible niece/nepwhew/godaughter etc who would enjoy a bit of time away from the parents and could be trusted. That way its win win all round. Your dog gets loked after and company and the person in charge gets to escape the parents for a while (plus your house is getting house sitted-less chance of burglary etc)

I don't go away for more then 2 or three days and I have a pet sitter who comes two times a day and stays with them for about 2 hours each time

I very rarely go away but since my mate who used to look after them at her house with her 9 or so dogs movbed 200 miles away, my two go into kennels together. I have tried 4 kennels in the area, But one stands out as a women close to my own heart in the way they treat dogs, and shows and breeds Dobermans and PBV(?), so stick with them :)
When Gemma was alive for the last year, mum looked after her at her house as she was too slow and artheritic to go into kennels.
But, the only time I go away is for races that are not close to home, and thats only twice a year for dogs over night :)
If I am out for too long in the day, my mum or dad drop in and let them out :)
Lea :)

He is a hansome chap in your avatar  Jazz2004 ....