Looking forward to our trip...dreading leaving the dogs

[Sarahleigh]

I always worry about leaving our dog too. Last year I cried for 20 minutes on the way to the airport. My mom compared it to sending her kid on the bus for their first day of school! I don't think Jax minds us being gone too much.. he gets to go to Grandma's where we gets some home cooked meals and sometimes special made cookies!

 

[shortchange1026]

I know how you feel. We love to travel but hate to leave our Bailey. My Mom and Dad loved to watch her, then after Dad passed, my Mom loved having her for company. We called it Camp Grandma! In the last year, my Mom has had some hip/knee problems so she hasn't been able to watch her for more than a day or overnight. In April when we went to Fort Lauderdale, we hired a good friend who dog sits on the side to come and stay in the house with her because we've never left her by herself over night before. I was anxious because she's never been with any one else besides my parents or my in laws. Plus, she has a few jobs and a dog of her own, so I knew she wouldn't have a lot of company. My husband has to constantly remind me she is a dog! She did well and actually ended up spending quite a bit of time with her. I'm happier for our October Disney trip, my in laws will be staying with her for the week. It's amazing how much we love our pets!

 

[bnf2]

Another sad doggy mamma here! We've just had our Roxie Doodle (a poodle ) for a year- adopted her at age 18 months from the Humane Society when her owners surrendered her due to going to a nursing home. We've never left her overnight w/o at least one of us at home- I think my twins & I will be crying all the way to the airport
Thankfully we have a friend that will be staying in our home for a week so she won't be alone! He has a weird work schedule so I have other friends & a pet sitter coming for breaks when he can't be here. I know some have to, but I didnt even look into a kennel- coulnd't bring myself to it.
By the way, what do most folks pay to have a friend stay a week in their home. He's a young single guy so I plan on leaving him food & easy to fix meals, but not sure what to pay him. Hope everyone has great trips!

 

[blestmom]

This happens every year...I had my first moment today of "OMG! I will be without my dogs for 2 weeks". They will be with my best friend, one the person I trust most in the world. She is the one they would go to if something ever happened to the both of us. She's responsible, treats them very well and loves them (and me) very much.

We will be dropping them off at her house next Saturday as our flight on Sunday morning means we have to be at the airport at 4 am.

I will miss them so much...I know we will have an incredible trip...we have awesome tours, incredible ADRs and hey...we will be at WDW.

I can't be the only one who feels this way, right?

I totally understand! I hate leaving my dogs. It's one thing that takes the sting away from leaving WDW at the end of our vacation...knowing that I am going home to my dogs.

 

[disneygal58]

We travel for 3 to 4 weeks twice per yeat. Leaving the dogs with someone who will love and nurture them similar to us is always the struggle. Our petsitter/housesitter just let us know that she is moving and now we are scrambling to find someone for our trip coming up in 43 days!

 

[jimmykitefan]

I understand!! We have a 2 year old Black Lab/Shepherd mix named Goofy and we take him to Camp Bow Wow. At this point, he's all about playing with other dogs, so there, he gets to play all day long and is ready to sleep all night when bedtime comes at 7:00.
He knows and loves everyone who works there. He goes there for the day about 2 times each month. He's so busy playing there, that I don't think he even notices that we're gone.
But leaving him is the only bad part of our trip next week!

 

[sydneysmom]

You're not alone for sure! We feel the same way. We've got 2 basset hounds and 1 dachsund. We're so lucky in that my DH's cousin's wife (got that? haha) runs a "Doggie Daycare". And she LOVES dogs. They live on a huge farm and the dogs sleep on couches and beds. it's hysterical. Fortunately, she posts pics all day on Facebook, so we were able to see our girls everyday. And you know, they were having SO much fun !

It sounds as though you totally trust the person taking care of your dog.... now you just need to concentrate on having FUN!!!!! you can always call for little puppy updates!!

 

[bitohoney]

I hate leaving my cats. I have 3 and just got my 3rd in Aug 2010 and we left in October. I had to board her when she was only 4 months old. I cried everyday at WDW and I called the boarding place to check on her. My other 2 cats I leave at home.
Next trip I will have to board the oldest since she is on medication now, and leave the other 2 at home. I have a neighbor feed them but it's not the same as me being there with them. I feel so bad. I don't have anyone close by that I really trust with them.

 

[onnawufei]

I always miss my cats, and last year I felt really strange in bed without one of them snuggling me. At one point I could have sworn I heard my kitty Tex's little meow/whine too. But we're pretty chill about leaving them as far as their safety and such since my mother in law comes over to check on them.

My biggest worry this year will be our lizards. Our crested gecko will be fine, the MIL is taking care of him too since he doesn't eat crickets or anything. We're bringing our panther gecko over to a friend's house though since he eats crickets (and MIL is so not going there) and I'm going to be really concerned about him. Hopefully he does okay, and he will then be rewarded with a much bigger tank to hide in. (Side note: Our lizards are named Perry and Ferb. )

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

I adore my dogs and I'm usually fine once I'm actually on vacation. But the day before they start acting weird because they KNOW I'm leaving and then I feel bad. I'm sure they're just fine and it's mostly me who is worrying.


Back when we just had one pooch, we tried to Board him. His name is Luke and he's a border collie...and he's sooo sensitive. We were gone for a long weekend and by the second day the Kennel called us and told us he wasn't eating and was very distressed. We felt awful! We've never been back to a Kennel and we're up to 3 dogs. Luke is one of the most intelligent creatures I've ever known, and he KNOWS how to make us feel bad! But they're usually fine with staying at the house and my friend comes and takes them for walks and feeds them(when she's out of town I take care of her dogs and horses, so it's a good trade off!).

Here's our boy Luke. I get a little more worried about him than I used to on vacation because as he's gotten older he's developed some health problems that can get out of control quickly if we aren't careful. But so far he's been fine.

And here's Oliver. He's a Papillon and he is BIZARRE. But we love him anyway.

And the latest addition to our family, Juno, a border collie/chow chow mix. She's such a lovebug but she does suffer from mild separation anxiety.

She's the silliest and most loving dog you'll ever meet, as shown in this picture. *Ahem* please excuse that she's...all over the place in this shot but we actually rescued her when she was pregnant and this was just after she had the pups so she still had a lot of milk to give!

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

It's hard for us to leave our 1st baby (he's 12 now) also! My in-laws take care of them and I trust them beyond belief, but still...

And it's getting harder now because of his age. He's a lab, so he's very senior at 12. He's getting slower and lumpier so my biggest fear is that something happens to him while we're gone. Our trip to the World was just last month and he made it just fine. Now I don't have to worry until next summer's trip! He goes with us everywhere else we go.

Have a great trip and just feel confident that your babies are in good hands. Remember, dogs supposedly don't have the same sense of time that we do, so to them, you won't be gone as long!

 

[mickeymyfavorite]

I feel the same way about my 110lb German Shep his name is Fred, he's a mama's boy. I love my dog so much, but I know he will be well taken care of by his grandpa and grandma (my mom and dad), they love him and talk about him as there GRANDOG!! LOL

 

[lovinwdw]

I know that feeling!!! We have never kenneled our dog, we have been lucky enough to be able to either have Jack (our min pin) stay at my mom's house for the week or my MIL comes for the week and stays at our house with him. Every time we go, I always tell her, Jack requires lots of cuddles at night! It's what's most important!

 

[jorybella]

I know just how you feel. My pups are getting up in years 14 and 10 so leaving them is harder cause I don't want something to happen while I am away. Our son wants to have video chat (not sure what he called it) with the dogs while we are gone. Too funny.

My neighbor lets them out and feeds them. But I asked my mom if she would come over a couple of the days and just be sit with them.

 

[disneysnowflake]

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[DizMagic]

try finding someone to stay with 8 (yes 8). thank god for parents - they have to do it! we have 4 yorkies, 2 westies, 1 shi-tsu and a terrier mix. they range in age from 1.5 to 21 (yes 21).

we always worry while gone, but with both of us having stressful jobs (and lets face it stressful home with 8 dogs) it is nice to get away some too.

we took some of them with us last december to disney's best friends resort - that was awesome, but expensive and we cant afford to do it every trip (we take 2-3 a year).

 

[cyb]

I'm taking my Boston Terrier to Best Friends, I plan on visiting him and walking him while we're there, hopefully it won't be too hard on him, the thing I worry with him is I don't want him to think I'm not coming back for him

 

[Lizboo]

Thanks for all the great replies...I loved the pictures of the sweet ones also...thanks for all the advice and good wishes...and lots of good ideas.

I got one picture when we went to Jamaica in February..I will ask for more.

And I also liked the comment about knowing you are coming home to the dogs takes the sting out of the sadness of leaving WDW. DH often tells me when I get bummed about leaving that we have two fluffs just waiting for us to come home!

I also reach down when we are sleeping at WDW to pet the fluffs only to discover that they are not there..sniff.

SO..tonight the suitcases came out...I am getting the "where are you going?" face from my Zoe. She will be on full alert for days. I have to go into the office tomorrow and I am sure she will be not so happy about me leaving tomorrow...

 

[nancycg56]

Well, for my trip in December, DH is staying home so no problems with the dogs there. Next June when my DD gets married, 3 are going to our favorite kennel and I don't know what I'm going to do with our newest dog.

I don't think the kennel is the best place for her (she came from a hoarder) so I am thinking of boarding her at the vet. It's only a couple of days but still I don't know what to do ~ she's still afraid of everything and they can handle her at the vet better than the kennel....I'm worried already and it isn't for months yet

 

[Lizboo]

Abbie and Zoe

Abbie sitting in the sun

They both sleep with toys are pillows (this is Abs)

Zoe in the snow

I figured since I am among pet lovers, I would share a couple of pics of the dogs.