going on holiday, will miss Ollie :-(

[Nicky Vangalis]

Hi all, 

Dan and I are going to Athens for two weeks to visit my cousins, uncle and grandmother next week.  The cats and Ollie are being left behind and we are getting Dan's dad to house sit (very kind of him!).  Am just a bit anxious as it's the first time we have 'properly' left Ollie.  Got a little bit upset last night just thinking about it so lord knows what I'll be like when we leave for the airport!  Going to try to be as calm as possible for his sake and then will let it all out in the car....I so wish we could bring him with us but the quarantine laws here mean we can't :-( 

[Louise Perry]

Hello Nicky and please do try not to worry as Ollie will be absolutely fine and will be enjoying his holiday with your father in law.
We recently returned from Turkey after 10 nights and left Reuben at my in laws house and he didnt have his cage or anything, just some familiar toys etc. He was absolutely fine and probably enjoyed a rest from my bootcamp of training! He was so pleased to see us on our return and has settled back home in to his routine just fine.
I missed him whilst away and even dreamt about him not having any walks (really strange) but he was having great walks to new places and getting spoilt rotten. Tho my father in law insisted he didnt give him any titbits - emmm not so sure about this but hey ho it doesnt seem to have done any harm.
I also think it is good for our dogs to get use to change of routine and being cared for by others and in the long run is very beneficial when we need to leave them, whether pleasure or business.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder and when you come home I am sure Ollie will will lick you to death and show you just how much he loves you just like reuben did - that made the whole thing sooooo worthwhile. So enjoy Athens!!

[Vanessa Woodward]

Hello Nicky

I'm assuming that Ollie is still very young and therefore doesn't qualify for the Pet Passport scheme that enables you to take him in and out of the country. As you are only going for a short while and have someone you trust to take care of him he's better off at home. Irish love everyone and he will be quite happy with your father-in-law. For the future though, if you are ever in Greece for long periods: I have a small house on Ithaca and used to take my first Irish Setter, Holly, twice a year for two months at a time. A difficult journey for her, especially the long ferry trip when she would refuse to pee until we disembarked, but I refused to leave her for such a long time. Tara, came with us a couple of times few years ago, when she was young and fit. Now she's older and has IBD I don't take her. There is no vet on Ithaca so we just go for a couple of weeks and a friend ( ex English Setter breeder and judge) comes in to look after her. If there was a vet I would take her.

You probably know though, that if you should ever take Ollie, you need to take precautions against Leishmaniasis which is prevalent in Greece.