Leaving my dog when I travel

[BrownieNJoyce]

I just bought a private phone consult with Neil and am excited about it. In the meantime I thought I'd solicit advice from you all about one of my questions for him. That is...how to ensure the best situation for my dog when leaving him with a dog/house sitter since he won't be getting any NDT while we're away and it will be the first time we've both left him at the same time since we adopted him 7 months ago. He's changed tremendously since them, including today's newest breakthrough in that he came over to the shower looking for me while I was in it vs. how he was when we got him: running out of the room when the faucet was turned on. I just noticed a shadow moving outside the curtain and I thought..can't be Brownie but...wow, it's Brownie.
So...any thoughts about being away would be appreciated. We are pretty bonded now and I just don't know what to think about how it will affect him if my husband and I are BOTH away for a whole week. He won't be with a stranger. It's someone who has walked him periodically for us during the day if we were both out all day.

[Heather]

Just thought I'd let you know that I am also leaving my dog Happy with an in-home pet sitter next week for 3 days, and I am nervous about it. When she first met Happy she started making that "shh" "shh" noise that the Dog Whisperer makes. Not the best philosophical fit! But I am visiting family, and don't have many options. In my case I'm just hoping the pet sitter follows my instructions and does only the bare minimum; I just want her to make sure he gets food and water and goes outside several times a day to meander around and go to the bathroom, and to make sure he's safe. I am taking comfort in the fact that dogs don't have a sense of time to be able to count the days that we are gone. Happy will default to sleeping if nothing is going on, so I imagine he will mostly sleep.

[Heather]

I forgot to add that my husband just joined us after being back home for 2 weeks. Happy looked up and wagged his tail when he saw my husband, and that was it, they went out and did their usual playtime. So I am wondering if it will be like that when we are all gone for a few days. I bet it won't be a big deal to the dogs.

[Margot]

I find it helps to do some energy work with my animals before I leave. Spend some meditative moments imagining yourselves leaving and saying a happy farewell to your dog, imagine the sitter coming and staying with your dog and all the fun things they will do together, imagine yourself at your destination, and returning and having a joyful reunion with him.

While you are away, think about him often and send good feelings to him.

If nothing else this will change the way you feel about leaving your dog which your dog will pick up on, but I think there is more to it than that.

Its most notable with Stan the Girl Cat who has separation issues.

First time she stayed home and the neighbour fed her. I thought to her that she should stay home because I would not be there to let her in in the evenings. My neighbour reported she had indeed refused to go outside, and this is a serious outdoor hunter type cat.

[Rudysmom]

I have checked the site and can’t find any reference to this but if I missed it I apologize.
My question concerns kenneling my GSD at a commercial boarding kennel while I attend tofamily illness in another part of the country. He will likely need to be there two or three weeks or maybe longer. My concern is that all the time, and effort put into his training with NDT methods may be undone by poor management by the kennel staff. He was a rescue I got at 8months. He was fear aggressive to dogs and people especially men. When I first got him I took him to dominance training, he became worse and could barely be managed as we walked by dog or person. After his Vermont 'vacation', he is a joy in a wild- thing sort of way. He is still a pup and we have spent the past six months just letting him be a dog. He only shows fear when strangers come to the house or near him when he is crated. Out in public he is fine and has no problem with strangers approaching to talk or to pet him.
I wonder how other owners manage and what is recommended.What do I look for in the boarding kennel to prevent a set back?

[rudy]

Where do you live?

I'm not sure how to think this though completely on a NDT level, but I can tell you what I would do.

There are vet offices that specialize in doggy physical therapy and conditioning. There doesn't have to be anything medically wrong with the dog to board at most of them. Lots of "pro" and working dogs go to these clinics sort of like a pre-season sport camp. The dogs are given really good workouts every day, sometimes 2x a day.

If there is one nearby you, you could board there. It's a little more expensive but these people usually REALLY like dogs. Your dog will get some personal attention and if you tell them that playing rough tug is part of his normal workout they will likely oblige and do the same. And your dog will get on a treadmill/watertreadmill 6 days a week. I think that getting on a treadmill could help keep him "in the flow".

Just a thought.

[rudy]

LOL I just read Kevin's answer on his site.

I was 100% wrong.

Indoor/outdoor runs are hard to come by where I live. I hope you find The Perfect place for your pup so you can concentrate on your family without worry.

[neilsattin]

Hi Rudysmom,

I have two general recommendations concerning what to do with your dog when you have to be gone for an extended period.

1. The best option, in my opinion, is to allow your dog to stay in your home, and to have a trusted caregiver dogsit for you. If that person can have some instruction for simple things to do (and not do) with your dog, so much the better. Tug-of-war can be a great way for that person to keep your dog engaged (and relatively stress-free) - without having to get too technical about the training. Generally this setup also minimizes the stress to your dog (i.e. no need to deal with the kennel environment).
2. Next best - what Kevin said. Advise the kennel that less is more - i.e. no special attention, no extra "socialization". If there are some grounds where they can take your dog for a walk (and you think your dog could handle that), then that would probably be fine. But the less they try to do to keep your pup "happy" - the better, probably.

In both situations, I'd think of it as downtime for your pup. Quite a lot of learning can often happen in those rest periods, actually.

And as for you - no matter what you end up doing - don't stress about it! In most cases you'll be able to simply pick up where you left off when you return, and any anxiety that you have simply stirs the pot. No need to stir the pot - soup is fine as is.

Hope that helps!

[Rudysmom]

Thanks for all your advice. My husband has decided he will try to manage and keep Rudy at home. He will be boarded only if absolutely necessary and then only for one or two days.

[Mel]

Hi Rudysmom

I'm in the same situation, and my husband (bless him!) decided he will take care of my dog while I'm away for 3.5 weeks in May. He's not a dog person in that he's never grown up with dogs, and is afraid of them, but he is fond of Bindi.

Today he tried pushing with her for the first time. I don't know if she was mirroring his fear of her or not, because when we were done, she crawled under him and got into a belly-up 'submissive' posture, then started spinning!

Well, we have 2.5 months to practice together, and she'll be almost 1 by then. So hopefully their connection will have grown some so that they can just do the daily casual walks while I'm gone.

Neil's advice is definitely something I'll have to remember!
"Any anxiety that you have simply stirs the pot. No need to stir the pot - soup is fine as is."

Hope it works out ok for you!