Nervous about taking a trip without Orwell

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I currently am wanting to go to southern California for 6 days some time in May because I am sick and tired of the rain here in Washington. I used to go to southern California a lot prior to me getting Orwell because my family is originally from there and we still have a lot of family and friends down there.

Orwell turns 3 in July, and I have never been away for more than 8 hours without him let alone a night without him (except for when he was neutered and had his obstruction surgery when he was super drugged up both times). 

I'm not going to say I do well without him either... I can be gone for an hour and I'll think about him and how I just want to pat him and be with him. We sleep together every night, and it will be tough to go 6 nights without him if I decide to go.

What I'm worried about is him waiting for me to come back. I don't want him to be anxious while I'm away. He is good when I have to go to school and do other things, but I'm worried that he'll think I abandoned him. Though, I would leave him at home with my parents. When I'm gone in the evening sometimes he normally does okay, but my mom says sometimes he stares at my door and then lays down in front of it until I get home. I never knew that because when I come home everyone is asleep and Orwell is right at the door to greet me.

Is there any way to lessen his anxiety while I'm away? I just want to make things easy for him and I don't want to feel too guilty about leaving him. I'll have enough trouble myself being away from him, even though I know he would be taken good care of.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wouldn't worry, Kaitee. When JD was almost 9 years old, I went to visit Jane in CT for a few days. Prior to that, I had never spent one single night apart from him except once when he was hospitalized overnight. I had the same worries when I went to CT, and my worries were completely unnecessary. Jack was at home with my DD and he was perfectly fine. In fact, when I got home, he didn't even act all that excited to see me, lol. It was no different than the way he acts when I go to the store for an hour. I left him again the following year for a weekend, and same thing. I am sure Orwell will look for you the first night and then settle back to normal. 

Leave him an unwashed T-shirt that you've slept in, that will comfort him in your absence. (Unless he's the type that will try to eat it, lol.) Then go enjoy yourself and don't worry!  

[Stacy]

I hate to go anywhere without my girls. I even moan and groan about having to leave them home to go to work. I don't know why they can't just hang out in the break room and wait for me. But I've been on vacation without them, and for the most part after the first day or so I settle down and am able to enjoy myself - knowing that they are safe and loved and being well cared for until I get back. Orwell knows your parents. They're part of his routine. It's not like you're sending him to a shelter for the week. He will do okay even if he spends some time waiting for you.

I think that our dogs spend a lot of time waiting for us. And I think sometimes it's good for your relationship to go away for just a little bit. Once you get back you see them again with new eyes and at least for me, I appreciate them so much more once I'm with them again. Even human parents leave their little ones once in a while. It's not always easy, but I think it's healthy.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Kaitee, he will be fine.  He'll miss you but it will be okay, especially because he will be in his own home.  We dog sit for my kids dogs when they go away.  The dogs know us and our house but it still isn't home.  I find that at first the dogs might whine or stay near the door, but as the time continues, they bounce back and do what they always do when the family is together. Leaving an article of clothing you wear for Orwell to sleep with at night is a very good idea. 

I hope you have a great trip down here.  It is sunny and hot right now and as green as its going to get.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Annabelle is a couple of months younger than Orwell. My husband and I are retired and at least one of us is always with her unless we go out for dinner or somewhere she can't go. She even sleeps with us. Last summer we went out of state to a family reunion and the resort we stayed didn't allow dogs. We boarded her about an hour drive from the resort. Which isn't the same as if a trusted friend or relative watched her. I think in your situation where he will be with your parents in familiar surroundings he will be just fine. We were without Annabelle for 5 days. We missed her like crazy and she missed us. I don't think she pooped the whole time she was boarded. She was a pooping machine for 2 days. I think within the first 2 hours of picking her up she pooped a dozen times. I was afraid she was going to be a different dog than she was before. But after a couple of days everything was back to normal. She was so happy to see her back yard. We did say we would never do that to her again. But if our daughter watched her we would be more comfortable leaving her. But they were going on the same trip we were, so that wasn't an option at the time. Enjoy your trip and have fun knowing he will be well taken care of by people that know him and love him. 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Katie ~ try to enjoy your trip.  Orwell is a lucky boy to have grandma & grampa babysit him!  We have a dog nanny stay at our house if we are unable to take the boys on travel.  She brings her cockapoo and that keeps them occupied.  They both eat well, when we are gone, but when we return and come through the door, they are beside themselves and almost turn cartwheels.  Charlie cries like a baby and it breaks my heart.  But in 10 minutes after our return normality returns and it is like we never left! 

[DonMarie and Picco]

He'll make it through, he's in good hands.  I don't know of anything you can do except to tell your parents or whoever is watching him, to stop telling you that he is moping around!

Picco is very attached to me and I had to go away for work for 2 weeks and he stayed home with my husband.  Whenever we talked he would tell me how Picco lays next to my side of the bed and mopes around waiting for me.  I had to tell him to stop talking about it because it made me feel bad! 

Enjoy your trip and remember Orwell is in capable hands and bring him home a new toy!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree. Maybe JD really was moping around missing me terribly when I was gone, but if so, I'm glad my DD didn't tell me that. 

[Kaitee and Orwell]

That's a good idea. I don't want to hear about him moping around when I am gone for an extended period of time. My mom already tells me stories of how if I'm gone for 2 hours he mopes around. Heck, I could be gone for 5 minutes getting the mail and he acts like I've been gone forever when I get back. My mom even says he knows when she is talking to me on the phone versus other people and he goes nuts. :/ 

I just won't make any phone calls to the house while I'm away. 

[Kaitee and Orwell]

Thank you all for the responses.

I will go at the end of the month or the beginning of June depending on other people's schedules. I will try my best to have fun. :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Have fun Kaitee!