Leaving Pup for 1st time?????

[brodix's mommy]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 5 months old fawn boxer and I think I am more attached than he is!!! I am leaving this weekend for a short road trip and I will be gone half of Fri-thru-Sun. I have never left him before and I am having panic attacks!! HELP!!!

While I am gone my brother is going to watch him at my house so that makes me feel a little bit better (And he is a BIG dog person). I would hate to take him out of his environment. But I am still feeling GUILT, and separation anxiety ALREADY!!!

HELP!!! Any advice??

 

[Austin's Mom]

Jenifer back in November we went to Florida. We left Thursday morning and came back Monday night. I was a complete mess. Austin's "Grandpa" came to stay here with him-there's no way I would board him, I'd rather stay home-and after the first day he was fine. I think he did better than I did! I had hub call his dad every day to check on Aus, and there were no problems. It was the first time I left him, and I felt better knowing he was in his own home. It will be easier to do it again, although I would never go for more than a few days! Don't worry, Brodix will be fine. I know it's easy for me to say but I've been there. Just think of all the beaning you will get when you get back!

 

[KELLY W]

I totally know how you feel. Hubby and I are going to Mexico October 10th for a week. Muggsey is 5mths old and we have never left him either. We are worrying about this every day. He will be staying with a co-worker who has 2 dogs and a 4yr old son. He will have plenty of distractions and someone will be home with him at all times, but we are still sooo worried :( . My husband thinks that he will not be the same when we come back and that he will think we left him and dont love him anymore. My heart is broken, but I am a travel agent and we go away at least 2 times a year so i figure it is best to get him used to it when he is young. In my heart, I know he will be fine. It is just such a hard thing to do.

 

[bustermom]

Last weekend we left our 4 month old boxer baby alone for the first time - we did the same thing you're doing. My dad came and stayed at our house to take care of the "muttley crew". Apparently, they were overjoyed at the excitement of having a new person visiting... :rolleyes:

My dad tells me that they paid extra attention to noises outside, and kept looking at the door, but aside from that they were fine.

I'm sure Brodix will be fine as well - of course he'll miss you - but he'll probably be having too much fun "teaching" your brother how to play with all his toys ("...and here's my rawhide, and my bone, and my ball, and throw this, and here look at this, and can we go out, and can I have a treat, and when's dinner, and make a lap so I can relax...")

 

[brodix's mommy]

Thanks everyone!!! You really helped sharing all of your stories. And I know that my brother will take good care of him...And Brodix loves him and he will defintely be excited to have new people in the house that give him extra attention while were gone!

Also, I think I need to focus on enjoying a mini (really Mini) vacation so i can be refreshed to give him lots of lovin when I get back!

And YES, I can't wait to get tons of beaning when I return And YEs, I am sure that i will call everyday to just make sure..hehehe!

Thanks again for the advice it really helped!

 

[mygirlmollie]

We have a 3 night trip coming up in October and I find myself not wanting to leave Hannah as I haven't yet, she is 9 months old.

I am just going to go 2 nights and my cousin will be staying at our house to mind them........The absolute worst part about going away without my puppies is the mornings!!!!!!

I hate waking up somewhere strange with out my wiggly greeters.

 

[penny&seth]

Last year, I left my little Seth 2 months after I got him.:( He was only 4 months old then. I braved a whole month in Europe without him. Luckily my boyfriend took good care of him. According to my boyfriend he cried every night for about 2 weeks wondering where I was at bedtime. I really missed him and was brought to tears everytime I heard him bark over the phone. When I got back he gained about 10 pounds (didn't even look like the same dog). I was so upset because he didn't seem to be too interested in seeing me. (I think it was because of all the commotion at the airport). He's back to his kidney beaning everytime I come home. Don't worry if I can last a month during the puppy years, you can last too!

 

[kassa]

If you have a cam corder, ask your brother to film the dog playing while you're away. Once you're back, this may go a long way to reassure you that he does just fine.

I'd also encourage you to travel fairly often while he's young. People who wait and then have to go away for the first time when a dog is 6 or 7 really do have it tougher.

A well socialized boxer (especially one staying in his own home) may miss you, but he won't be miserable and pine by the door.

You may be snubbed when you come back -- some dogs do that for some reason, just as some toddlers will pretend to be engrossed in a book if their parents return from an evening or weekend away. That usually passes within a half hour.

 

[brodix's mommy]

Well, I made it back...and Brodix did just fine!! As for my house...that is another story. My brother threw a party :( And well at least Brodix had fun playing with all the people

Once we returned Brodix only Kidney-Beaned for about 1 minute and then went and layed down.. usually when I come home from work i receive more excitement than that!?! But, come to find out it was because of the party the night before...so Brodix didnt get much sleep. I think it was partially that & the fact that he might have been mad at us. But within the hour he was back to his old self.

Of course I spoiled him once we got home..to make up for leaving hehehe!