Leaving puppy home??

K

Kjs

Guest
Our family has a cottage about 200 miles away. The first week in August is "family week". We are going earlier in the week so we will be staying at my sisters house and taking difficult child to some events in town before heading to the cottage. We have tossed around the idea of bringing the puppy with us, or leaving her behind. Chloe doesn't need a leash, doesn't leave our side, would never wander away. Chloe is very laid back, easy going dog. Kenzie, (will be 6 months by then) is hyper. Full of energy, a jumper. As much as we push her down, she tends to jump up on people. Recently had an incident at a park where a little boy came to pet her and she jumped up..scratching his face. Now, Kenzie loves to be touched. She reminds me of a cat. lays, sleeps on her back. Lays across your feet, or against your body when ever she can. She seems much calmer if she is with you and can be touched. Here's my issue. My sister's house does not have a fenced in yard. We could tie her up, but she would bark and cry. I am afraid we could not leave her there alone, she would probably find something to chew up or wreck. So, going to the event's we would like to do, one of us would have to stay with puppy. Other issue is at the cottage there will be several little kids ranging from 11 months to 4 years old. I am afraid she will jump on them, scratch them or knock them down. It is a wooded area and I am afraid she will run away in the woods. There will also be two yorkies, (toy yorkies??? very tiny) and a :censored2: (sp?) who is not very nice.
So..do we leave puppy home? Neighbor said she will feed her and let her out, even take her home for a few hours. But I am feeling awfully guilty about leaving her. She always has to be by you. Even follows you into the bathroom. Will she be ok if we go away and leave her home for a week alone? Will we come home to new issues of her being left alone? We will have everything removed from our kitchen and gated off. However she just may be able to jump over the gate or half wall we have.
Any advice will be appreciated.
 

AllStressedOut

New Member
Do your kids have any friends that you know the parents of? Maybe you could pay their friend a small fee to come play with the dog while the parents supervise?

Have you heard of foster families for pets? There may be some in your area, but basically they take your dog to their house and take care of them as if it were their own while you're away. Your local shelter or SPCA should have info on some, your vet may too.
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
I would definitely look into finding a foster family for pup while you're gone. In a pet friendly environment, she will be able to run around, play and be loved like she were part of the family.

When we leave for a few days, we pay a local kid to play and walk and feed our pups, but if it's for more than a few days, we take them to a nearby kennel that we love. They love our pups and give them preferential treatment and let them roam freely for some hours a day. My biggest worry is that we'll have severe thunder and lightening storms and the pups will be alone in the house - they get so scared and literall climb into bed with us when this happens. Without us there they'd be really scared and I'd feel awful.

In a perfect world, all pups would get along and be allowed to go everwhere with their families. I do have to admit, however, I am deathly allergic to most dogs, so if someone with a shepard was in the room prior to me, I would likely wind up in the hospital. So we generally stay where no pets are allowed.

Would a portable pen work at your sister's home? Or if your pup were on a long enough lead to be with family members, say on the patio, yet still tied, would she still whine and bark? As long as she is with family, she should be okay, don't you think?

Good luck!
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
We don't leave Bubba home alone. We have found a neighbor who trades us dog sitting time. Bubba is too obsessive and hyperactive to go to a kennel or be alone. He stops eating and chews himself raw if he isn't in a home/family situation with people. It's a worry every year when we go out of town for vacation.

I hope you will find someone to watch the puppy. I know it will put your minds at ease.
 
K

Kjs

Guest
Well, Kenzie is Sooooo full of energy, she never stops. She chews and if there isn't anything in site..she finds it. She jumps on everyone. We are working on that, but it wouldn't help with so many little toddlers around. She could scratch them and knock them over so easy. Even if she were near us and tied up, she would cry and whin and bark.

I just took care of the neighbors two dogs for a week. husband and I and difficult child would take turns going over, feeding dogs, cat and fish. Taking dogs out, in. husband and I would take one of them home (we have fenced in yard, they do not)The other one has a hard time walking and barely makes it out the door. It takes him 20 minutes to get out the door and 20 minutes to get in. If I made him cross the street it would be an hour!

But, we take the dogs bones, I walk the one dog, we play with them, and bring our dogs over (they know us very well) I stay in their house for a while when I bring them home.
I wish she would do the same. But they work. She is more flexible in the summer. She said she will take her home after work for a few hours. Her kids will be home during the day.
I just feel so guilty. The thought of her all alone is scary. She loves everyone. Even the VET. lol, because Chloe starts shaking the minute we pull in the parking lot of the vet.

I don't know. Maybe I'll check the humane society for a family.
My neighbor always says, It's a dog. But, she is such a part of the family. I don't want her to be scared.
 
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