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I spoil my dogs rotten. But I do not think it is emotionally healthy for owners to refuse to part with their dogs for even a day. Whether rescue or not, abused or not, they need to know how to deal with life's situations, and part of life involves occasional separations. And whining, scratching, crying, and destructiveness when we're separated from them is a sign of separation anxiety, not love. Coddling them more by never leaving them only makes the problem worse.
What if the owner becomes hospitalized or has to leave for some other reason? The dog should be able to cope with that separation. I have a disabled dog (deaf,) as well as an able bodied dog. We go on vacations twice a year for a week or ten days and a couple of weekend trips as well. They are used to it, love their dogsitter, and enjoy playing with her child and her dogs. We need a break from them, and they need a break from us.
I do refuse to part with my dog as opposed to the people who surrendered them, one which was literally dumped over the fence of a shelter after hours.
If I have to be away from them I understand that they will have to deal with it. My smaller guy will be fine, he is the friendliest dog I ever met and loves everyone, the other one will have a harder time.
If I had someone to leave them with it would be easier and I would even do an overnight trial, but I don't have anyone. I don't coddle them.
They have both been abandoned in a shelter. You can't explain to a dog that you are coming back in a week. If I move to a new place I stay with them at least a whole day so they know it's their new home. When I was moving and putting things into storage they realized something was going on and were worried that I would leave them. I would not go on vacation without them, maybe in the future if I find someone to love and care for them while I am gone I might. They come first. It's not coddling, it's love and it's my choice. One of my dogs was abused and is in heaven with me and would jump in front of a speeding bullet for me, the other one is just stubborn and spoiled before he got to me, but he also loves me.
There are people who put their children in boarding school or vacation without them. My pets are my family not just animals.
I spoil my dogs rotten. But I do not think it is emotionally healthy for owners to refuse to part with their dogs for even a day. Whether rescue or not, abused or not, they need to know how to deal with life's situations, and part of life involves occasional separations. And whining, scratching, crying, and destructiveness when we're separated from them is a sign of separation anxiety, not love. Coddling them more by never leaving them only makes the problem worse.
What if the owner becomes hospitalized or has to leave for some other reason? The dog should be able to cope with that separation. I have a disabled dog (deaf,) as well as an able bodied dog. We go on vacations twice a year for a week or ten days and a couple of weekend trips as well. They are used to it, love their dogsitter, and enjoy playing with her child and her dogs. We need a break from them, and they need a break from us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LifeIsGood01
I do refuse to part with my dog as opposed to the people who surrendered them, one which was literally dumped over the fence of a shelter after hours.
If I have to be away from them I understand that they will have to deal with it. My smaller guy will be fine, he is the friendliest dog I ever met and loves everyone, the other one will have a harder time.
If I had someone to leave them with it would be easier and I would even do an overnight trial, but I don't have anyone. I don't coddle them.
They have both been abandoned in a shelter. You can't explain to a dog that you are coming back in a week. If I move to a new place I stay with them at least a whole day so they know it's their new home. When I was moving and putting things into storage they realized something was going on and were worried that I would leave them. I would not go on vacation without them, maybe in the future if I find someone to love and care for them while I am gone I might. They come first. It's not coddling, it's love and it's my choice. One of my dogs was abused and is in heaven with me and would jump in front of a speeding bullet for me, the other one is just stubborn and spoiled before he got to me, but he also loves me.
There are people who put their children in boarding school or vacation without them. My pets are my family not just animals.
Comparing putting kids in boarding school for years on end to leaving dogs to go on vacation for a week is ridiculous and a false equivalency. And not going on vacation for a week because your dogs were abandoned in the past is indeed coddling. My dogs are my family as well. My younger Dane is a deaf girl, needs special training and care, but I don't assume that dogs are bone china who can't handle being away from us for awhile. Since you are good to them, they know you will return if you left. Sure, they will have anxiety for a while, but nothing helps them more than practicing by leaving a little while, then extending your absences. It is your choice how you care for them, but I like to get away from everything, including my dogs.
They didn't start out magically knowing Mommy would return; I had to teach them by going on my first vacation, but they can be trained to handle that like many other things. And it was fine. BTW, I found a good in home petsitter on Rover. I tried her out for a day, then three, then for a full vacation. Not only is she experienced with deaf dogs, she owns one herself. My deaf Dane has a blast playing with her dog
Comparing putting kids in boarding school for years on end to leaving dogs to go on vacation for a week is ridiculous and a false equivalency. And not going on vacation for a week because your dogs were abandoned in the past is indeed coddling. My dogs are my family as well. My younger Dane is a deaf girl, needs special training and care, but I don't assume that dogs are bone china who can't handle being away from us for awhile. Since you are good to them, they know you will return if you left. Sure, they will have anxiety for a while, but nothing helps them more than practicing by leaving a little while, then extending your absences. It is your choice how you care for them, but I like to get away from everything, including my dogs.
They didn't start out magically knowing Mommy would return; I had to teach them by going on my first vacation, but they can be trained to handle that like many other things. And it was fine. BTW, I found a good in home petsitter on Rover. I tried her out for a day, then three, then for a full vacation. Not only is she experienced with deaf dogs, she owns one herself. My deaf Dane has a blast playing with her dog
You seem defensive. You don't have to apologize for going on vacation, nothing wrong with it.
I chose '2 weeks' but actually it was only 12 days. My 10yr old Golden Retriever, who looks and acts several years younger, pouts when I'm packing to go anywhere. But he always stays with his grandparents (my mom and step-dad) and one of them picks him up before I leave. As soon as he knows he's going to their house, he could care less that I'm leaving! I have to coax him into the car to come home whenever I pick him up from their house.
They've tried to keep him before. Saying things like, "If he doesn't want to go home tonight, he can just stay with us...go home, unpack and rest and we'll bring him home tomorrow." If he ever goes missing, I know exactly where to send the cops.....to Mimi and Pop's house!
I've been very fortunate that I always had my parents or my sister so none of my dogs have ever had to spend a night in a kennel. When I had cats (one who died in 2012 and lost the other one about four months ago), they would stay at home but a member of my family would check on them daily and feed them fresh food (and they had a water fountain). As long as someone would feed and pet them (and clean out their litter box) they were happy...
My parents adored my first dog and she was an easy dog so I was lucky enough to leave her with them a few times for a couple of weeks at most. My second dog was challenging for the average pet parent so I had to leave him with a pet sitter --- I only went away twice, once for 3 weeks and once for 4 days. Unfortunately he escaped from the pet sitter's yard during the 4 day trip and was lost for a few weeks, so I'd probably only board at an indoor place from now on. I haven't gone out of town yet while I've had my third dog.
When my mom was diagnosed with cancer I went home to live to care for her and my step dad. I was gone for 6 months. I took my "favorite" dog with me. The rest stayed home with my husband and son. I was so glad I took my Bug with me she was a great comfort during those moments when life was unbearable.
When my mom was diagnosed with cancer I went home to live to care for her and my step dad. I was gone for 6 months. I took my "favorite" dog with me. The rest stayed home with my husband and son. I was so glad I took my Bug with me she was a great comfort during those moments when life was unbearable.
They can be an amazing comfort. My grandmother died last year (2015) on Mother's Day. She fell three months earlier and hit her head. Her mild dementia became severe dementia (and she was physically combative). I lived with her for those last three months and Buddy (my Golden) was the only thing that kept me sane!
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