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I would feel very nervous about leaving the dogs alone in a hotel... Any chance the grandparents who live close by would mind if the dogs stayed in their home while all of you went to dinner?

Could you board the dogs and just not take them with you?

@simplyfelicity: that's what I was going to suggest.

Has your husband offered a solution for the dogs?

To answer your original question, I am not opposed to spending holidays alone. Two years ago my husband didn't make it to my mom's house for Christmas dinner. While she was annoyed, I didn't offer up any excuses except the truth he had too much work to do.

@alohaorchid: I am so raging mad for you! That's just so outrageous.

Are your dogs crate-trained? I had to leave my dog at a hotel while taking a family member to the emergency room once, and while it wasn't ideal, she was able to withstand the ~4 hours I was away. Although if she hadn't been in the crate, I suspect the hotel room would have suffered for it.

@alohaorchid: I'm in the camp don't impose your pets on other people ie the homeowners. The best, I'd offer up is my garage to leave dogs in there if I didn't want them in my house. Any chance you can reach out to the family that's hosting to see if the dogs can safely roam their garage? Your SIL & her kids don't even have to see your dog's unless you both arrive & leave at the same time or if they open the garage.

Do your parents have neighbors that could come by and check on the dogs, maybe play for an hour? I know my teenage cousin would totally do that.

Maybe try dogvacay.com to find your own dog walker/pet sitter that can come to the hotel?

Another suggestion like @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: said - Can they stay in your parent's garage for a few hours?

that's a tough situation. i'm sorry. fwe have traveled with our dogs on occasion and left them in hotel rooms for a few hours while we were out at non-dog-friendly places, and they were fine. if the bathroom is large enough we put them in there (they are small) with a bed, water bowl, and turn on a radio or white noise machine.

it sucks that the plans changed on you at the last minute! if you do go without your dogs, maybe you and your husband could agree that if the hotel calls, you both head back ASAP?

if you're not comfortable leaving the dogs, i would totally order in a fabulous dinner with a bottle of wine.

@alohaorchid: Honestly? then tough shit, THEY can not come to Christmas, lol. I would rather us all (dh+me) not go than just not me go because your SIL is a big baby

@alohaorchid: This is a frustrating situation. I wouldn't be happy with spending Christmas dinner alone at all, and it seems unfair that you'd even be asked to. I don't think you're being difficult at all - you booked a hotel and made arrangements to attend this dinner, then they changed the plans on you. Wouldn't they feel bad making you spend the evening alone in a hotel room while they celebrated with DH?

Honestly, I'd probably put the decision making on DH for this one, since it's his family. You shouldn't have to be the one stressing about it.

Can you safely give them some benadryl so they'd at least be very sleepy for most of the night? Maybe you can find a local park and exercise them for all they've got right before too? I would also def keep looking for available dog sitters in the mean time. I'm sorry this is such a sucky situation!

@kiddosc: I missed that part. The dinner hosts are bending to your SIL. The dilemma is even worse.

I didn't read all of the responses, but what about leaving them at home, and having a neighbor come over to walk them? Or, paying a housesitter.

Also, check with vet offices (by the hotel, etc.) ... Our vet doesn't advertise boarding on Google, but they have a great facility, and always remind me of it when we're in there.

It's so hard!! I hope you find a solution!