I am in a very similar situation to you, anon. I just took this new job which involves quite a bit of out-of-town travel as well. Here is my advice:
- Find your primary person to watch your dog. If possible, leave some stuff at their house so you don’t have to stress the dog out with packing up their stuff.
- Find a reputable boarding kennel. There are good ones and there are bad ones, so read reviews and talk to people. Even if you have multiple people to watch your dog, find a kennel just in case.
- Prepare an emergency info package that you can send with your dog. It should have their up-to-date shot records, all their identifying info in case they get lost while you’re gone, and the contact info for you, your vet, and some other people who know your dog. This is mine, but it’s tailored for roadtrips so keep that in mind.
- Be aware of how much time and energy you actually have. Getting a puppy and then leaving town is really hard, because all your training will regress no matter how well you explain it to your friends or family. Do you have the patience to re-train things multiple times? I would personally recommend getting an adult dog for your situation, just because of the travel. You can absolutely still make it work with a puppy, but it’ll be much more difficult.
- Try not to feel bad. The first time will be the worst, but your dog will be so so so happy to see you and absolutely won’t hold it against you. I’m still working on this, and I feel bad every time I leave Marlo at the kennel.
I think just about anybody can get a dog if they are committed to making it work and thinking of their dog’s best interests. It sounds like you’re very responsible, thinking of all the logistics before getting the dog. Good luck with the decision! -C