There must be something in human nature that causes people with 3 week vacations to forget about the dog until the last minute, whereas those people only going away for an overnight will call 6 months in advance.
I just turned away a 3 week stay at my kennel because the middle week of a cruise is Thanksgiving week. Not the best advanced planning that I have witnessed.
Having to say 'Sorry, no room at the inn.' to people has led me to some very important lessons.
Don't Travel For Holiday's
I have tried to follow this rule all my life, and now I have the perfect excuse,"I just can't. The kennel is full and I have to stay home."
Move Your Holiday's
My mother invented this rule. We once had Christmas - tree, stocking, gifts and all - at Thanksgiving because my older sister was pregnant and due just before the actual Christmas. It was fun to roll the two holidays together, turkey on Thursday and a Christmas ham on Saturday. This also created the longest, most restful Christmas break that I ever experienced. I resurrected this rule to have Thanksgiving the Saturday before with my parents and the REAL Thanksgiving with my husband's family. Try this yourself, it could save a marriage.
Know When to Go
This is something I didn't know until I started my kennel. These are the empty weekends at my kennel. The ONLY empty weekends my kennel. And if my place is empty, everyone is staying home. So, GO, Travel! Get while the getting is good! You should have the roads, airports, hotels...everything all to yourself.
Mark your calendars...
The last 3 weeks of January
Everyone is fat, tired, broke and holed up at home.
All but the Valentine's Weekend in February
Too cold, still broke, still holed up at home.
March or April, the middle two weeks of which ever month does not have Easter
Caution, some people have already gotten their tax refunds back, so some vacations due occur at this time.
May, feel free to travel anytime except for Memorial Day
Everyone is too busy with end of the school year programs, graduations, and packing for their June trips. I especially recommend Las Vegas for Mother's Day. The weather is perfect and the town is just empty. I guess taking mom to Sin City to celebrate has not really caught on.
Stay home June, July and August, if humanly possible
The entire country piles in the car and goes to another part of the country. No one is home, they are all on the road.
September, skip Labor Day
But the rest of the month is good. Everyone is either recovering from an August trip or the kids are back in school.
October
Excellent for travel, since the kids are stuck at home plus the weather usually cooperates in October.
November, the week and weekend prior to Thanksgiving
I have had 3 days straight with no dogs and only 3 bookings for this weekend.
December the weekend after Thanksgiving up to Christmas week
The weather is better, the airports are not mob scenes and the cities look their absolute best already dressed up for Christmas.
And best of all, when you call for dog reservations at these times, I will be able to say, "no problem!"
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