Dog parents...

[RoxMonster]

Do you ever get sad when you have to leave them to go on vacation? Like so sad you cry?

I'm sitting here with Roxie snoring next to me, quietly weeping because we're going to be leaving her for four days to go on a vacation. The longest we've been away from her is just overnight twice, and I'm sad that I'm going to miss her and worried that she's going to think we're not coming back.

I know this is silly--my parents are staying here with her and she LOVES them and they will spoil her and play with her constantly. But it's the first time we'll be gone from her for awhile and I don't want her to be sad. I feel ridiculous because we haven't taken any sort of trip in a long while, and I am very excited for vacation, but here I sit, crying. LOL. Tell me this is not totally abnormal (or tell me I'm a weirdo; I can take it).

[pixelpassion]

My dog would whine and cry when he'd see me leaving the house with a suitcase or a duffle bag and it would break my heart. So yeah, I wouldn't consider this abnormal. I'm sure he'll have a good time being spoiled by your parents!

[Jalapeñomel]

Yes

[Deleted]

Hah yes - We tried it once and I will never vacation again without her. Hell sometimes I feel guilty just being at school for more than 12 hours and cry about it. You are not alone.

[RoxMonster]

Yeah, I am also dreading going back to work on the 15th after being home with her for the past 2 months on summer break. She is going to be so sad

[joshlyman]

Yep. I hate it.

[TrickyBob]

Yup. I'm a giant weenie and miss her a few hours after leaving her. I have a giant emotional attachment to my dog and panic about all the things that could happen to her while we are away and have to reassure myself that the vets, with also kennels her, know what they are doing.

[polka]

I haven't been on a real vacation (more than overnight) since we got our pup six years ago. That makes me cry! Haha

But yes, I would definitely miss her.

[Deleted]

I also panic at least twice a week that there might be a fire in the house and that she wouldn't be able to get out. I have nightmares about it constantly.

[BunnyMacDougal]

Yes. And I try not to pack in front of her. The little look on her face when she sees the bags is heartbreaking....and then she roams around and I attach all kinds of human emotion to it. Like she knows what's coming and can't do a thing about it and might be told to jump in the car to go to the boarding place at *any*moment*.

But the place we take her is wonderful and she always seems well cared for and calm when I pick her up. Your doggie will be fine.

[margotmacomber]

I can't tell you how many times I cried for our dog when we were in the military.  DH's parents kept him when we couldn't, and just thinking about him would conjure tears.  So you aren't the only one, no.

[audry80]

Aug 4, 2013 0:58:49 GMT -5 hungrycaterpillar said:

I also panic at least twice a week that there might be a fire in the house and that she wouldn't be able to get out. I have nightmares about it constantly.

This is my worst fear. We got an alarm system and paid extra for fire monitoring just for this reason. I also have stickers on my front window indicating I have a dog to alert fire fighters so they can save him.

[birdistheword]

When I dropped my dogs off at the kennel before vacation last October, I cried while finalizing the paperwork at the front desk. I had to finish up and hightail it out of there quick before I totally lost it. I cried the whole way home. It was the first time they had ever been kenneled, plus I was nervous about my flight the next day. I was a ball of emotions, lol.

[mrsukyankee]

I miss my dog but I don't cry. He stays with his dog walker who is amazing and who Barney LURVES, so I feel good about leaving him. He gets to play with a ton of other dogs all day long which is like a vacation for him.

[christy082]

Aug 4, 2013 0:58:49 GMT -5 hungrycaterpillar said:

I also panic at least twice a week that there might be a fire in the house and that she wouldn't be able to get out. I have nightmares about it constantly.

I'm so glad to know I"m not the only one that does this.

I get sad to leave my dog, who stays with my ILs when we vacation. I make H take her and drop her off- because I'd probably cry leaving her there!

One time we took her with us to my parents' house, and then we left her at their house to walk up the street to the fair, and I could her my dog crying/whining inside the house! That broke my heart. 

[snickers]

Yes-last time we went on vacation Puggles was sick and even though she stayed with my parents and I had constant updates I felt horrible.

[janegold]

Yes. The longest we have been away from her is a week but we are going on a two-week vacation at the end of the month and I am dreading leaving her that long. But she will stay at the kennel and ILs' house, both of which she loooovves, so I'm not worried about her.

My parents can't go anywhere without their dog because she falls into a deep depression and won't eat the entire time they are gone. They're afraid she will make herself sick.

[Doggy Mommy]

Yes. We get so sad when we leave her. Dh works from home so she is never without one of us for more than a few hours. Going on trips is hard but we always have fun once we're gone, and the in laws spoil her rotten.

[RoxMonster]

It makes me feel a bit better to know I'm not the only one. I felt the same way about her when we were packing last night-I kept saying "she knows. She is so upset." You are right about attaching human emotions to them.

I did pretty well leaving this morning. She was so excited to see my parents that it made me feel better.

[Deleted]

You guys are crazy. When I am on vacation from my dog, it's heaven, because I don't have to wake up at 6am to take a dog out.

[christy082]

Don't get me wrong- we def. enjoy our vacations and having a dog doesn't stop us from traveling (for a week or more at a time). I'm sad to leave her, but also happy to be dog-free on vacation. 

[mirandahobbes]

I hate leaving them. My dogs are my shadow. They sleep in until I get up and just keep me company all day. I would take them everywhere if I could. I do get sad leaving them because I can't explain when I'll be back. So you are not alone.

[isabel]

Yes. I cried when we went on our honeymoon because we were going to be gone for two weeks. I missed them so much! I cried when we got back too because of how excited they were to see us.

It does get easier after you've left them a few times.

[BlackCanary]

Definitely. Hell, I get a little sad when we leave her in the house when we're running errands! I see her when we close the door and she's giving us the "why aren't you guys taking me with you" sad puppy eyes.

The most time we've been away was one night. Though we're leaving her at a petshotel for a week in October. I have a feeling I'm going to be calling them a few times to see if she's ok. 

[bania]

Yes. We haven't left them in 3 years now.

[Deleted]

I cried the first time, before I found out that my mutt liked it better at my cleaning lady's house than mine. She has 3 kids and a dog who play with him all the time. Plus she lets him on her couch and bed which I do not allow. He loves her youngest son and follows him around every where, and sits at the door waiting for him to get home from school. She won't even take money from me for watching him because my dog makes her son so happy. Now I feel guilty when I get back from my trips and have to go over to bring him home.

[Deleted]

I feel sad, but don't cry. The only time I cried was the first time I boarded my golden at a kennel, because she'd never been there before and didn't know why I was leaving her. Plus I was just going to my parents' house, where she was not allowed, so I think that added to my guilt (like I shouldn't have had to leave her, so I felt awful doing it).

I'm going on a 16 day trip in September and I'm nervous because that's a REALLY long time to leave them. The most I've done in the past is 8 or 9 days.