Obsessive Dog Owners

Well the parentals are too old for such an active dog, and the sibs unreliable. One sib treats their dog so atrociously I can't even begin (border collie they leave crated like all-the-time) to think about it, it makes me so crazy.

It's one of those things where I vascillate between the "stop anthropamorphizing my dog" people do this all the time, to worrying will he disown me when I get back after 3-4 weeks.

When my dog was alive I travelled a lot, but only up to 2 weeks away at a time ...

I hired a live-in dog-sitter ... she moved into my house and took care of the dog and the cat - trusted her completely and I knew this was easiest on my dog as he was still at home and in his routine. I just rolled the expense into the trip budget.

I board my dog at the kennel where he lived off and on anyway for the 4 years he was with a rescue group.  He is fine there, but is also INSANELY glad to see me when I pick him up --- even if I'm just gone for two or three days.

Since I adopted the dog, I've never left for more than 10 days, but FWIW we left my childhood dogs at a kennel for a month one time and it was like Day 1 when we got back.

He will not disown you.  Dogs are big on forgiveness.

We've left our Taz at our neighbor's for a week - he gets along with his two dogs really, really well, and our neighbor's just LOF him.  Our Taz is probably more spoiled when over there.

We've taken in one relative's dogs (2 of them) for 7 weeks while they went on holiday in Europe.  The dogs were no problem for us, and didn't seem to have any issues when their humans got back. 

I think if we were going for that long, we wouldn't go the professional boarding option, rather find some friends or get someone to come live in our house and look after them.

If part of this 4 weeks means you'll come see me in Bali, then ... He'll be FIIIINE! Board him for 5 weeks, 6 even!

However, if I am not part of these plans, then I think it's an irrelevant question

If you trust the facility or people you are leaving him with, AND he's a laid-back pooch, seriously--he'll actually have a grand time while you're gone. Well-adjusted dogs like different experiences too. It'll probably be like camp. If you mean to make him a therapy dog, the more variety he gets, in fact, the better.

Also, there's really no difference between 3 or 4 weeks.

I'm actually seeing this situation as win-win ... good idea for the dog, good idea for you to have the physical and mental freedom to vacation as you like.

I thought I replied to this last night but I don't see my post...

I've left my dogs twice for deployments.  One was six months the other almost nine.  They still remember me when I get back and seem no worse off for wear.  I am convinced that they don't have a concept of time.  Because they are just as excited to see me after 9 months as they are to see me after 9 hours. Really.  My one dog got a little stressed out when I actually LEFT but was fine after a few days.  And that was probably just her feeling the high level of stress that I was under trying to tie up all the loose ends of my life.

As long as they are with people that will love them and fill the magic food bowl they will be fine!

I can notice a visible change in my pup when I board him so I only do it in emergencies when there is no other option. The longest he's been boarded has been 4 or so days.

If I were going to be gone for 3 or 4 weeks I'd hire a dog nanny - it could even be a friend who would double as a house sitter. Knowing what it cost to board my dog ($$$$) I could probably pay a friend the same amount and my dog would be 1000x happier.

That's what I want to know! I can't even imagine a vacation that long, what are you doing, an around the world trip! 

I've never boarded a dog that long, but we'd only had our current dog for about a month when we had to board him over Christmas.  We were gone like 10-14 days, and he was still remembered us and was happy to see us when we picked him up.  He was only about 12 months old at the time, and he's a very happy energetic dog (likes everyone and assumes everyone wants to play with him).  I think dogs like yours (and ours) actually do well boarding because, let's be realistic, the people at the boarding place like to interact with friendly, happy dogs.  So, the bouncy, wiggly, lovey, dogs get lots of love and attention, but are happy to come back to their own homes with their favorite toys and people when the time comes. 

We are having a pet-sitter come to our house when we're gone next month, which is preferable, but she wasn't available when we were recently gone, and Dex did fine boarding at the vet.  He came home his "normal" crazy self. 

X2 we have friends that we do this as a reciprocal agreement, We watch the dog and birds, and they watch our little princesses. My girls just adore Aunt Debie and Aunt Lynda.

4 weeks is a non issue provided you have a good facility with good people.  bouncing him around from friend to friend would not be something i'd recommend as it will stress the dog out beyond belief.  remember dogs are pack animals and as such, will be most comfortable amongst a pack.  it's hard to provide that when the dog is sitting at home alone and some "dog sitter" stops in twice a day for 10 minutes each time to let him out.  if you have a family member your dog can stay with then that's another story and is probably the best route.  i was away for 3 months but thankfully was able to leave my dog with my parents the entire time. 

one other thing, if you go the kennel route remember you'll need current vaccs.   Rabies, DHLPP, Bordatella (most likely internasal within the last 6 months but at least 2 weeks prior to boarding).

LOL yes still part of the plan, will keep you posted :-)

Well, admission against interest, i work for the feds :-)  Actually I work for the most wonderful federal judge and the hubster (realtor) and I usually plan s/thing over xmas  time, usually a time when the courts slow down.  Not to mention I'm sort of an interchangeable cog, so if my position needs to be covered, there are folks who can back me up.

The feds have one of the most generous leave schemes.  After 15 years you get 2 days per month!  Adds up quick....