# Advice for going on vacation without the dog



## Janna1080 (Jan 25, 2008)

In a few weeks I'm going to be on vacation for a week, and I cannot bring my dog. I have a friend staying at the house for the week, my dog is very familiar with him and she likes him alot. I also plan to ask my neighbor to check on her during the day because she works from home. 
Is there anything I should do to prepare my dog for my time away from home? We've never been away from her for more than 2 days and she was pretty upset the whole 2 days that we were gone(according to our friend the dog-sitter). She sleeps in bed with me, should I allow the babysitter to let her sleep there if she wants to?
Should I make emergency arrangements with a kennel? I know it sounds nuts but I'm very anxious about leaving for this long, she is a very sensitive dog and I'm afraid she won't be able to trust that we're coming back anymore. I don't want her to develop seperation anxiety. Any advice is appreciated.
By the way, my dog is a 13 month old basset hound named Ruby.


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## sheplovr (Aug 27, 2006)

Your dog might feel better in your bed, but it sure is going to wonder where u went for a long week for your dog?

I would make arrangements for a kennel but then it would need all the shots, etc also? I would have your vets number written down, family member to call for emergency to help out, etc.

Best if play a radio, burn a small light for her in your bedroom maybe she it is not in the dark. I hope you enjoy yourself and do call n check on your dog, hope all goes well....


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## Janna1080 (Jan 25, 2008)

Thanks, I think I am going to let her sleep in the bed. She's at her most comfortable in the bed, matter of fact, I am typing this from my laptop in bed and she just farted and rolled over. haha!


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## Aussiefan (Jan 21, 2007)

Going on a vacation that doesn't include your animals is always stressful, im leaving in two weeks myself, and will be gone for 7 days. (going on a cruise to Mexico, can't freaking wait!!) Anyway its a tough call, personally i prefer having someone stay at the house, not only are they dog sitting, but house sitting as well so your place isn't sitting empty. Also it might be good for your dog to be seperated from you for a week since it sounds like there is a little anxiety with the dog and being seperated from you. The dog might figure out after a few days that it will be safe and ok even though you are not there all the time. (just a thought?) 
I hate boarding my dogs, my current 4 dogs have never been boarded, but my last dog (that has since passed away) to be boarded seemed really stressed after i got back and picked him up. 
When i go on my trip in a few weeks, my dad is going to be staying at my house, all my dogs know him very well and he usually comes over almost daily and takes them for a walk and plays with them when i am at work, he will be taking care of my two Aussies and my cat. My new BC on the other hand is still a handfull and i don't want to put my dad through the stress of his very high energy level, so he is going to stay with a friend who is a vet tech, and has a BC of her own so she knows her stuff and can manage his high energy. My sheltie is staying at my sisters, he is over there a lot anyway so it won't be any big deal for him or my sister. 

If your friend stays at the house with the dog, just let him know your routine, feeding schedule, and all of that. Also make sure he has all the phone # of where you will be so he can easily get a hold of you.


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## Matte (Jan 21, 2008)

Definitely let her sleep in the bed because its the place in your house that smells most like you! Make sure that its easy for her to get in and out of the bed herself if you would usually lift her in and out.

In addition to everything else, leave your friend the dog's insurance information since you don't want her to have to think twice if she needs to lay out money for the dog's care. Make sure you leave enough food and really, really good toys. I would also remind my friend to check on the toys every day to make sure that they are still safe.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

I was told by a friend (who's a kennel operator) that a dog's sense of time passage is nothing like ours - that 7 days is not all that different from 7 hours.

I don't know if I buy that, but it WOULD explain why, when we come back in from taking the garbage out to the curb, our dogs act like they haven't seen us in a month.

The first time I had to leave a dog with a friend (I think it was two nights) I typed up a six-page instructional manual - with illustrations. 

My dog had so much fun with the two dogs that lived there that he really wasn't all that thrilled to see me when I came home.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

My parents forced me to go to California when I was a teenager 17 I think. I had to leave my sweet dog with one of my dads friends. He was kind of an idiot. As I was leaving my dog came bursting through the door after me. It scared the heck out of me because he lived along a railroad track. I thought if he couldn't control my dog for 30 seconds what was the 9 days going to bring. I cried like a baby, my brother who had come with me to drop her off cried too. He wasn't even that much of a dog lover. I got an ulcer from worry and insisted on calling every single day to see that she was doing all right. When I finally got back I rushed over to pick her up. She was laying on the couch with the guy watching TV. She really enjoyed her stay there also. Every time he would come over after that she was so excited to see him. That helped me relax slightly. I never did leave her again though. LOL I had to board my dogs (3 of them) when I had to go to the hospital for surgery. I think I was more scared of leaving them then I was about the surgery. I was in the hospital for 13 days and they did seem to miss me, but they were always happy to walk back into that place. It is owned by a friend of mine that the dogs knew and other friends of mine went out daily to give them extra love. I guess, I just don't do well on vacations away from my dogs. Though I do dream about getting to a warmer climate for a week or two and just laying on the beach. LOL


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## Janna1080 (Jan 25, 2008)

Haha, yea I think I may be more upset about leaving her than she is going to be about me being gone. People don't believe me when I say it but she is really sensitive, she gets her feelings hurt! I've had dogs that you could punch in the head and they kept coming back for more(not that we did, just an example for the story) but Ruby is different. Sometimes we accidentally step on her foot and she crys and hops on the couch and sulks for atleast 20 minutes, or until she hears the fridge door open, whichever comes first.


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## Max'sHuman (Oct 6, 2007)

I had to leave Max for two weeks and I was so unhappy about it. I knew he would be fine, but I also knew I'd miss him like crazy. Anyway, when I left him with my aunt I made sure that she had a copy of his "routine" so she knew when he's used to eating and going potty. I also left her copies of his vet records in case something happened and phone numbers and directions to his vet, the emergency vet and doggie poison control. I also gave my cell number, my boyfriends cell number and where we would be during the two weeks. Finally, I wore the same shirt to bed for 5 days before I left and I put that in his dog bed so he could smell me while I was gone. From all accounts he and my aunt had a great time together and he was sad to leave her (but happy to see me too). So everything was OK. I also managed to resist the urge to call everyday and ask how he was doing although it was hard.


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## AkiraleShiba (Dec 9, 2007)

Janna1080 said:


> IShe sleeps in bed with me, should I allow the babysitter to let her sleep there if she wants to?


Believe me your dog will whine until it get in the babysitter's bed  I boarded a few dogs and I think that the sleeping pattern is the most important thing for dogs to preserve. 

I bet that your dog will be pretty happy with her sitter and the neighbour checking in during the day. I think dogs prefer someone at their house or an "home away from home" boarding arrangement than kennel boarding.

Have a great trip


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