We Now Have A Dog (Miniature Schnauzer) Changes In Our Timeshare Lifestyle.

[tennisWalt]

We knew going into buying a dog that it would change our way of using our timeshares. We own at The Beach Club at St. Augustine which doesn't allow Pets. We had plan to use all 6 weeks in our retirement years before getting Maddie. I am still working, but the time is near for retirement.

So for this year we found a Condo that allows pets and we will be renting it for a month during the last 2 weeks in March and 1st 2 weeks in April. I will either rent or spacebank these weeks with RCI and/or II within the next 2 weeks.

We will be driving from Wisconsin to Florida with our Schnauzer (Maddie) in March and April 2013. She is 13 weeks old this week. And she will weight 14lbs max, as an adult dog.

I have several questions for you.

1) How many miles should we plan on driving with Maddie per day on our way to Florida? In the past we have made the 1200 mile trip in 1 1/2 days.

2) What are the best pet friendly Motels to stay at on the way down to Florida?

3) Do you know of any Florida Timeshare Resorts that are Pet Friendly?

Is Maddie worth this Lifestyle Change? The answer Is YES!

Walt

This is Maddie


[IMG]www.http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e83/tennisWalt/IMG_0748a.jpg?t=1346593252[/IMG]

[Laurie]

We've been staying at Red Roof Inn when traveling with our dog - cheap, no extra pet fee, and so far so good as far as clean and hassle-free. Not the swankiest, but serves the purpose when we need it.
http://www.redroof.com/local_events_.../pet_friendly/

We would *love* there to be more pet-friendly timeshares which would offer designated rooms for pet-families. There's one in St. Augustine that trades thru II, Townhouses at St. Augustine, you could look into that one...

edited to add: Caribe Beach resort on Sanibel allows small pets too.

[SOS8260456]

Oh, she is adorable!

We currently don't travel with our dogs. We have two, a 13 year old 40 lb sheltie and we just recently adopted a 10 lb jack russel mutt (was told it was a pure bred but she is pure black and the vet said there is no such thing as a pure bred black jack russel). My plan is that once the older dog is no longer with us, I would like to be able to take the younger dog. She is pretty good, although when startled she will bark up a storm, so I have to figure out how to deal with that. She is used to the crate though I don't use it often. I won't bring her now because I would rather the two be boarded together rather than leaving one all by themselves.

I look forward to reading all the advise.

Lisa from PA

[PHILL12]

We also have a Sheltie about nine years old and we never would try and take him to a timeshare. He is happy staying home knowing we will return! Every time we go I get ticked off because we have to pay house sitter or dog feeder to take care of him. This last week in Lake Tahoe and we had to spend $150 just for the dog. Our trip to Dallas for dd's wedding cost us $350 while we sent the honeymooners to Maui we baby sit their dog and cat and house free.

People that love to traval should think twice about timesharing. I have seen couple resorts over the years that take dogs and we wouldn't stay in one. This wouldn't be a vacation because like at home we would spend time taking care of the dog.

[jackio]

She is beautiful! We don't take our 10 lb Havanee/poodle with us when we travel, but then again we don't go for a month at a time either.

[tonyg]

Schnauzers are nice dogs. Our relatively new rescued cat has kept us from going more than a week at a time for the past couple of years, but I don't think she would be happy anywhere but home (she's now an indoor cat--by choice).

[lawren2]

Congratulations on the new addition! She's a pretty girl.

I love all animals but my job and then my choice to travel often limits me to cats. They have a large on demand water fountain and dry food dispenser which can go for up to a week. Yes they like their wet food but they won't die without it. My friend checks up on them a couple of times while I'm gone. In return I dog-sit when she goes away.

Walt, I'd plan on stopping every 4 hours for a stretch and a potty break.

Your new pet reminds me that we haven't seen vintner around lately. Where'd he get to?

[shaggy]

Congrats, she's so cute!! Ever since I've got my two dogs, it has cost me a fortune in either boarding or house sitting fees. That's one reason I don't travel as much but I love my Monkey & Mater.!!! shaggy

[chriskre]

There are a few pet friendly TS's in Orlando.
Some of the westgate units are and there is another resort in Orlando.
I think it's Celebration world.

[Presley]

I'm starting to feel like I don't want to go anywhere without at least one of my animals. There are times when I have to, though.

As far as places which are driving distance, I've been looking for boarding places near the timeshares. I'm probably better off just using the pet sitter, but I really miss my pets.