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OK - feel free to bust on me!!! I have to leave my dogs behind while I'm gone for at least 2 weeks. It could possibly be as long as a month. They will be in excellent hands and I doubt they will miss me even a 10th as much as I will miss them. Has anyone here had to leave their dogs for an extended period of time? Did your dog remember you with enthusiasm or act like he had to get to know you all over again? They will be getting lots of attention & interaction with other dogs and kennel staff at my vets...lots of outdoor time, etc. I think I am the one with separation anxiety!
Oh, if you're going to be gone for up to a month, you bet they'll remember you! When you come back from being away for so long, they'll be exuberant at first sight.
People who were separated from their pets due to katrina were reunited with their dogs and those clips are exciting to watch.
Last Christmas I left my dog with my parents for two weeks. It's the longest we've been separated since I got her four years ago. She did fine - she actually learned how to be a dog while she was there playing with the other dogs. She was happy to see me, but nowhere near as frantic as she is when I leave her home for 20 minutes to go to the store.
Don't feel bad - I had terrible separation anxiety the entire time, too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blondie621
I am just wondering, is it that they really remember or they are just being people happy dogs?
I think they remember. My dog doesn't care about strangers, but is really happy to see people she knows, like my family or friends.
If you really love your dog and took good care oh him/her he/she will remember you infinty. Like mine when she was a puppy I took good care of her so much I gave her everything she wants, needs, loves. Even taught her a whistle like for example. I will whistle a tune everyday making her notice that I am calling her to come.Everyday so that she will get used to it. And I have to leave for like 9 months because we have really bad problem and I feel so bad leaving them. But I hope that she will remember me /:*-( . But when 9 months pasted I went home and called her name she just stared at me and I think she is trying to remember me. I remembered the tune that I used to call her with and whistled it infront of her. And suprizingly jumped over me and licked me on my face. But when she was doing that I saw her eyes twinkle with tears its like she was about to cry /:-D. Dogs are mans best friend and they have a heart to feel feelings like people do so remember what ever you do dog have feelings and brains to know how good can you be his/her owner.
I see this is an old thread...but I will throw in my .02
Once we left our dogs for 2 weeks, and they were super excited to see us when we got back. We leave them for 7-10 days twice a year for vacations and a few long weekends too and they always remember us. It just isn't feasible to travel with them because we end up flying. I think we (my BF and I) have a harder time with it than they do, because we have an awesome pet sitter who has a yard (and we don't) and a dog...so it's almost like they get to go on vacation too. They always freak out and get excited when they see her but they get all excited and happy when we return too--they never forget us!
Plus look at the solider reunion videos, some of them have been away for years and the dog always goes nuts when they are reunited. They remember!
Who loves him best, me or our dogs? The proof is in the pudding:
If he locked me and our dogs into the trunk of our car for an hour, he'd see who's happiest to see him when he opens it.
My mother battled cancer for seven years. My cairn terrier Sir Bobby over the course of those 7years split up his time, his nights between our bedrooms. I would jokingly say that Bobby knew who needed him the most. Bob treated mom and I differently, example when I walked Bob he pulled and pulled as if to say come on hurry up let's go see the world! With my mother in her frail condition, he would not pull on the leash, he was quite content walking slowly at mom's pace. Me and bob play rough, he bites me I bite him, he typical terrier terrorist. But with mom he was gentle and was content to stay at her feet, or lean up against her in some way. The last week of mom's life bobby never left her side. The morning mom called me to her room and she literally took her last breathe in front of me, Bobby was right next to her. When I started yelling to mom to please not leave me now, please don't go, bobby started getting nervous and started to creep out of the bedroom. The ambulance was on its way and I didn't want bob slipping out of the house when ems showed up so I quickly grabbed him and placed him in a different bedroom. So I go back to screaming crying ems shows up and ultimately mom passes away that morning. In all the commotion bob was left alone in that room for hours when ems transported mom to hospital, and me... When I finally got home that day I was still sobbing, I let bob out and he headed for mom's room immediately. He sniffed at the door scratched at the door for a minute. Turned around and stuck by my side the rest of the day... He didn't eat, he didn't want to go on a walk, he didn't sleep, he just stayed faithfully by my side. I mourned, still mourn and cry till this day... When I'm thinking about mom feeling sad, bobby goes into calm and quiet mode like he did when he spent time with mom. For this terriererist to calm at any point in his day is a miracle... He is all terrier and all gogogogo 100% energy. But he restrains himself when I cry for mom... It's truly amazing.
Yes I also know this is an old post. I haven't seen my 2 doxies in 7 weeks and this weekend when my husband brought them to my mom's they were over the moon to see me and cuddled with me the 2 days I spent with them. Maybe it is because I call them on the phone all the time. :
I've had dogs remember out of town relatives that only visit once a year, so I'm sure they'd remember their owner for many years, if not forever.
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I have to leave my dogs behind while I'm gone for at least 2 weeks. It could possibly be as long as a month. They will be in excellent hands and I doubt they will miss me even a 10th as much as I will miss them. Has anyone here had to leave their dogs for an extended period of time? Did your dog remember you with enthusiasm or act like he had to get to know you all over again? They will be getting lots of attention & interaction with other dogs and kennel staff at my vets...lots of outdoor time, etc. I think I am the one with separation anxiety!
playing with the other dogs. She was happy to see me, but nowhere near as frantic as she is when I leave her home for 20 minutes to go to the store. 
Dogs missing their "humans"
