Can't bring myself to leave him - anyone else have this problem?

[Sandy]

I cannot bring myself to go away overnight, and leave Toby with someone else, or heaven forbid, at a kennel.  I just can't do it.  I know - my husband and son tell me I "humanize" Toby too much,  but with no small children at home, it's easy to do.  :)  I worry that it will throw him off his routine, which is that he sleeps in his crate, in our room, and has never, ever made a sound in there or balked at going to bed.  He stays in until we wake up in the morning.  I would hate to ruin that.  I can't stand the thought of a kennel - I feel like he'd feel abandoned.  I'm probably being silly, but I'd rather stay home, or go somewhere that he could come than leave him.  Am I the only one?  :)

[Adina P]

The first time is always very hard and you worry endlessly. It's normal. He's a family member. But he will be totally okay! You'll worry more than he does. I've never boarded my dogs. Instead I've recruited friends to come by at various times during the day for letting them out for potty/play and feeding. Someone usually comes first thing in the morning, twice during the day and once at 'bedtime.' It works out great and they get to stay where they are most comfortable.

Early on my notes for the babysitters were probably two full pages of details. But each time they got shorter and shorter. However, early on I had the 'babysitting' spread out among about 3 different friends so nobody felt put upon. But the last few vacations it's been one couple friends of ours. Before our last vacation a couple weeks ago the only babysitter note we left was a note on their food containers to indicate who gets what and how much and when. That's it!

By the way, an overnight or weekend trip with him boarded will NOT mess up his habits. Dogs habits are very contextual. So in the context of your home, he'll VERY likely go back to doing exactly as he always has even if things were different at boarding. Think about it...even you will behave differently on vacation. But as soon as you get back home, you'll fall into the same old routine very easily.

[Lynda Kamrath]

You are definitely not the only one! My dogs have never been boarded, never even been to a groomer. Hondo was hospitalized for ten days with liver failure and I visited him every day (sometimes twice a day) and would go into his kennel with him and hold him. He would sob when we left, and so would we. We have been away from home overnight and our son would stay with the dogs. Otherwise, we don't go anywhere the dogs cannot go. They are great travelers, and two of our vehicles are set up for the dogs. They do everything that we do. I even cook for the dogs. Hondo has a special diet, and I can't see feeding them differently, so they both have the same food. House sitters (pet sitters) are great and I have a few young people in mind who love animals and could fill in for my son in the future. But, for now, it is one person at a time if we have to be away from home for any extended period.

[Julie B.]

I have recently decided that I am going to board my dogs. I never did, I always took them with or had a dog sitter. I agree with previous posts that they really don't mind it as much as we think they do and they don't really have a sense of time so it could be 1 day or 5 days to them. I just don't think its fair to my hubby who puts up with my fur fetish to always make excuses about going anywhere because of the dogs. People leave them everyday at kennels and daycares so I am joining the ranks. Frankly even though I love my dogs, I need a break from them every once in awhile. They can be a 2 year old who never grows up and that can be very demanding at times. Anyway for what its worth don't feel guilty about it.

[Carol and Banjo]

I do understand how you feel! We've only had Banjo since Saturday and we've already decided he goes where we go - or we don't go! My sister has a wonderful dog and has said she will take Banjo if we needed to leave him. I might consider that down the road but I know I could never do the kennel thing. We've done that with a dog had years ago but this little boy is different - probably because all the kids are grown and gone and he is our forever baby.

[Sandy]

That's my thinking too - I have two married kids and a 20 year old living at home but in college, so busy. Toby is the baby. :)

[Donna K & Quincy]

Where I go the doodle goes. If I ever have to leave Quincy I have lots of volunteers to take care of him but it would be really hard, he is my baby after all.

[Sue & Willy Babe]

Yes I have that same problem in fact we are going on vacation and I am worried already about Wilson But I Know and Hope my son will do an awesome job I just want to make sure somehow that he takes Wilson for walks

[Stella]

We kenneled Hartley when he was younger for a weekend that had beenplanned before we got him. We went to Country Paws in Breslau. If you get really stuck it is a good place, and if you book early enough you can get him a soundproofed room with a TV away from the other dogs. They walk them on trails, have a swimming pool for the dogs etc etc. It is quite a big facility though, so can get really busy. When I was at the B&B I took them to kennels during the day when I was at work. We found a great place up here, I would pull up, open the back of the car (no leashes) and they both ran to the kennel door to be let in!! I was really lucky to find thisp lace and it is small - only 10 runs. So, if we ever do have to go away and leave them, I know they will be well looked after there. But, I know exactly what you mean. I don't like leaving them anywhere, and wish they could be with me all the time. You'll just have to hunt for good places to go away to that accept dogs.... I can recommend a good B&B up here!!

[Sandy]

Actually, my son's girlfriend works at Country Paws, so I do know about that one. I am just a worrier, so I know I'd worry no matter how great the place was. I'm glad you found a good kennel up there. That must have made things much easier for you.

[Christy Sullivan]

Sandy,
My goldendoodle Riley is 2 years old and I just can't leave him. I fear I'm a Sicko, but I take him and his golden retriever sister with me in the car wherever I go. They are both happy to rest in the car when I go to the store for errands. Of course, I don't do this in summer when the car is too hot. We have a family reunion coming up in July in Illinois and I don't know what to do. I just can't leave them behind and not everyone at the reunion likes dogs. There is no kennel I know about that will treat him like the precious pup he is, without charging me a fortune. The family reunion is on my husband's side of the family. Really, I feel like, if they can't deal with dogs, they can't deal with me. Yikes, I feel like I'm trapped. You aren't the only one.

Christy, Riley and Zoe from Moorestown, NJ