I’m going to Rolex for the first time…yay totally a lifetime dream.When I got my tickets I saw there was doggy daycare and thought maybe I should bring my dog. I have a welsh corgi who is very well trained and is good around horses. My hotel is ok with pet too. I know he would enjoy cross country day but just wondering of it would be more trouble than it’s worth.
I take my dog (small portable dog) but would not take one with the idea of putting it in the dog day care. Many people do tho. Whenever I’ve passed the day care there is much loud barking going on. If I wanted to sit in the stands and watch dressage and stadium I wouldn’t take the dog. JMO.
What will you do if it’s pouring down rain? What will you do if it’s baking hot?
I adore dogs, and I’m one who doesn’t even mind (well behaved) dogs at boarding barns and shows. But at Rolex I am frankly tired of tripping over dogs not under control (or on the hated flexi-leads!), listening to dogs bark at the daycare place and at riders galloping by, and generally feeling bad for them in the trade fair. Really, I don’t think the dogs have all that much fun at Rolex, especially if you’re going to be there multiple days and plan on doing a lot of shopping. The trade fair is crowded and loud, and full of people not paying attention to what’s around them. If it’s really rainy (and it always rains) the mud can be incredible - do you want to deal with a muddy dog in a hotel room? There is also a LOT of walking to do on XC day.
As a longtime Rolex attendee, I’d love it if you left your dog at home.
I took my dog to Rolex last year. She’s not the outdoorsy type at all but she does like to go for a ride in the car with me.
I left her at the kennel. She was fine. Other dogs barked. She doesn’t care about other dogs. She slept in her cage, probably relieved that she didn’t have to tromp around XC.
The kennel does require vaccine records, however, so don’t forget them if there’s any chance you might leave your dog at the kennel.
I wouldn’t. MAYBE for xc day, maybe. But even my dog, who is spectacularly chill and LOVES being a spectator (she has gone to Fair Hill almost every year of her 10 years and LOVES it) would probably find the crush of the crowds overwhelming. This is a dog who is extremely adaptable and is just as happy to walk around crowded Chicago streets as she is to babysit Toby on hacks. But I wouldn’t take her to Rolex.
Part of the fun for me is taking my dog. She loves it. I do now have to leave her in day care for dressage and sj. She isn’t crazy about it. But there is plenty of time to have her out and the xc day. Depending on the weather she can stay in the car. I wish they still had a dog seating area. But if I go, she will go.
Every year I go there are issues with dogs left in cars…I saw a lovely elderly lady face plant when she tripped over a leashed dog…and the barking coming from the Doggie Day care…I love my dogs…and they stay home! They don t need to be under foot traipsing thru the vendor booths and the risk of one getting loose XC just isn t worth it. I am a big huge dog lover but they don t need to be at a Venue like Rolex…
Is Rolex a horse show or a dog show?
Is Rolex a dog park?
Is your dog a horse?
Leave your dog at home.
[QUOTE=Kristinm445;7517759]
I’m going to Rolex for the first time…yay totally a lifetime dream.When I got my tickets I saw there was doggy daycare and thought maybe I should bring my dog. I have a welsh corgi who is very well trained and is good around horses. My hotel is ok with pet too. I know he would enjoy cross country day but just wondering of it would be more trouble than it’s worth.[/QUOTE]
Your hotel’s probably not fine with pets left unattended. That means when I travel with my dog, I end up eating a lot of fast food (or pre-packed food) instead of yummy restaurants. Also think about if you want to do anything other than the horse show, like museums or wine tours (OK, wrong state, whisky distilleries?).
I love having my dog with me but I tend to leave her behind for any of these crowded events. I don’t like it when people step on her paws or children run up and grab her neck. She’s a sweetie-pie but I like to protect her from the humans run amok.
I bring my dogs every year, it is part of the fun for me to travel with them. We stay in the campground so they can rest there comfortably on dressage and stadium days. They have fun on XC, don’t pay any attention to horses, and we have crates and x-pens set up by our tailgate spot.
That being said, I probably would not bring a dog if I had to drive into the park each day. And I hate flexi-leads.
Some hotels are ok with them unattended. Mine are always crated when we stay in hotels and most places are understanding. I just leave the do not disturb sign out, and call and ask ahead of time.
I go to Rolex every year and I will tell you - there are SO many dogs there - sometimes I wonder if it IS a dog show too! Seriously - if you are the type of person who likes to take your dog places and your dog is good around people and other dogs - this is a great event for dogs. So far it has never been too hot for a dog but it does RAIN - and what I thought it SO funny and almost weird - the MOMENT it starts to sprinkle - EVERY dog appears to have a rain coat on. Its like BAM - where did they all come from? XC day - seems like every 3rd person has their dogs with them. Pick up after your dog though - come prepared with portable water and all that.
I wasn’t impressed by the doggie daycare: It’s a tent with little crates in it and a couple of small fans. Hot when it’s hot, damp and muddy when it rains, and limited capacity. Most of the rest of Rolex is crowds of people, golf carts, vehicles, galloping horses… And every year people get car windows broken out by police to remove the dog they left in the car.
I love dogs. I love MY dogs. They’re much happier at home, and it’s much easier for me enjoy Rolex and not to have them along.
I will say, as a spectator, its no fun when your dog
- is walking in crowded trade fair tents–there are already too many people there I don’t really like giving up the extra space to dogs. I wish they would ban dogs from the vendor tents.
- is sitting at the rope of the galloping lane when I (or someone else) would like to stand there. I paid for a ticket, I’d rather not have to give up a better viewing point to a dog.
- Your dog barks. Sorry, not everyone finds it cute or just “tune it out.”
- Your dog marks everything, everywhere.
- Your dog runs after a rider (I know, its just a few bad apples, but its really unacceptable when it happens) .
If your dog is well-behaved and doesn’t get into fights or bark, and you can find someone to hold it when you are at the trade fair or wanting to get that great picture at the rope, then bring it! Otherwise, please have some consideration to the people that are there for the horses and not for the dogs.
I personally leave my dog at home, because I don’t want that extra responsibility.
I’m going to bring my pocket knife this year and anybody who has a dog on a flexi leash is going to have a loose dog off a flexi leash. It might be nice to go on a course walk without having to jump your dog’s flexi leash before it slices my legs open.
Do not bring your dog that you need to carry after the first 1/4 mile.
Do not bring your dog that hates other dogs.
Do not bring your dog if you plan on doing serious shopping.
[QUOTE=enjoytheride;7518179]
Do not bring your dog that you need to carry after the first 1/4 mile. [/QUOTE]
Just curious why it bothers you if people are carrying small dogs?
I agree - I think this is mainly why dogs aren’t allowed in stands anymore and partially why the dog seating stands went byebye.
Why would you want to bring an unfit dog or a dog that wasn’t capable of doing all that walking all day long? Especially if it’s hot.
I don’t see the point in bringing a dog just to leave it in the day care.
When we go to Richland to watch the event there are a lot of dogs. One got loose across the SJ and XC course. The tent for seating for PEOPLE is overrun with dogs. And people are more rude than their dogs and let them jump on you or get in your face. I like dogs, but I don’t like stinky dogs and I don’t always want to pet them or have them in my face. Especially in August in the heat when I am at a horse show. And I hate getting tangled in those flexi leashes.
No.
No.
