Holiday travel and dogsitting--Help!

[pyr4me]

Hello All,

As some of you may be aware I recently adopted my Pyr from a rescue group last month. We have had travel plans for the holiday in December for several months. We will be gone for 9 days. Jenny will have been with us for only 2 months when we leave. I am struggling with guilty feelings about this, it just seems like horrible timing! Jenny is very dependent on me. I feel terrible leaving her for those 9 days.

I am making sure she will be cared for at our house, so she isn't staying elsewhere, which I think would be confusing and scary for her. The petsitter, who I know well, will walk them every day and I have asked her to "hangout" at the house so that Jenny isn't too lonely. Does anyone have any words of wisdom or suggestions about how I can help Jenny (or me!) with our separation?   

Thanks!
Jennifer

[People Whisperer]

I was always scared of having a dog with a separation anxiety.
(at my home at least!)Pyrs are very independent and as long as they have a property to guard they are happy. They don't need you all the time.
With Lily...I come home and peak though the window and see her sleeping all the time inside. If I leave her outside she knows my car and waiting by the sliding dog.

I left her overnight with friends a couple of times and I was hoping to get some kind of comment that she missed me BUT no. She was happy.
These dogs are used to be in the mountain by themselfs. They love people but can do well without us for a period of time.

Don't worry, if Jenny adjusted so well with you in such a short period she will do great while you are gone 

Have fun on holidays!!! 

[maxsmom]

One of the things we do, when we are gone and my kids and neighbors are coming to the house to take care of the dogs is to make sure they use a different door from what we do.  My husband and I usually come in through the garage, so when we are gone, everyone uses the front door, so the dogs are not constantly getting excited thinking that we are home and then being dissappointed.  Another thing you can do is make sure the dogs look forward to the other person coming over.  Maybe they have special treats they really like.  Have the other person give them small pieces of treats each time they come so the dogs associate their arrival with good things, just like they look forward to you.  Try to keep their routines the same.  i.e., putting out their food in the same way, having them wait to follow the person out or vice versa, however you do it, keeping the same light on at night that you do, leaving a TV or radio on if you do, feeding before they go outside, if you do, wiping front feet first before back if you do.  Anything that you can keep consistent is good and gives them a sense of security.  The more things that change, the more their sense of confusion will grow.  Just my 2 cents worth.  And remember, dogs are like children, 9 days are a very short period of time overall.
Kathy

[People Whisperer]

One of the things we do, when we are gone and my kids and neighbors are coming to the house to take care of the dogs is to make sure they use a different door from what we do.  My husband and I usually come in through the garage, so when we are gone, everyone uses the front door, so the dogs are not constantly getting excited thinking that we are home and then being dissappointed.  Another thing you can do is make sure the dogs look forward to the other person coming over.  Maybe they have special treats they really like.  Have the other person give them small pieces of treats each time they come so the dogs associate their arrival with good things, just like they look forward to you.  Try to keep their routines the same.  i.e., putting out their food in the same way, having them wait to follow the person out or vice versa, however you do it, keeping the same light on at night that you do, leaving a TV or radio on if you do, feeding before they go outside, if you do, wiping front feet first before back if you do.  Anything that you can keep consistent is good and gives them a sense of security.  The more things that change, the more their sense of confusion will grow.  Just my 2 cents worth.  And remember, dogs are like children, 9 days are a very short period of time overall.
Kathy

Yep, dog are indeed like children! Most of the children enjoy time away from parents at some point! 

[pyr4me]

Thanks for your comments. I have heard that Pyrs are independent and in my research of the breed, it was emphasized, but I have not seen that so much in Jenny. I don't know if that's just her temperament or if it's part of her adjustment or history, but it's one of the reasons I feel worried abotu leaving her. But I do think that if I keep her routine as suggested, the time will fly, and (hopefully) all will be well when I return...

[mynameislola]

Are you leaving anything in the house to keep the sitter happy?  A stack of movies the sitter hasn't seen and lots of snacks will make it more likely that the sitter hangs around for a longer time.

Got a laptop and a webcam?  You could set that up at home and watch the dog from a remote computer.  Yahoo! has webcam support.

[lorim2]

I am a petsitter too and I always tell my clients if they are worried about their babies being lonely to wear a tshirt to bed every night for awhile and leave that shirt where their baby sleeps.  That really helps alot I think...Also when I have a baby that appears really lonely, I usually pop in a movie and throw a pillow on the floor and hang out for a couple of hours on their level.  This works well too...I have one client who is usually gone for a week at a time...what she does is have me stay like twice overnight during the week..that really breaks it up for her little weimie....I am sure your sitter is good and will be able to pinpoint what your baby needs...You just need to have fun during your break because I just bet Jenny will too....Good Luck!