It is truly a difficult situation to try and be away from home when you have pets, or even farm animals that you care for every day.
I think that it is actually easier to find a farmhand that can properly feed and water livestock, than it is to find someone to take care of your pets.
I don't want to leave my dogs at a vet or other kennel situation, so that only leaves the choice of having someone come into the house and take care of them, and let them in and out to go to the bathroom.
It is not easy to find someone trustworthy enough to just give them free access to your house, and also hard to be sure that they are taking proper care of your pets.
Pretty much, we have either traveled with the little dogs, or one of goes somewhere at a time, and the other stays home to look after the house and the dogs.
We would love to go on a train trip, or even a short cruise, but deciding what to do with the dogs is always a big issue.