Im worried... - Page 1

hi all....i havent posted in a while, things have been hetic around here...plus ive been sitting around worring myself sick, .....my problem right now is...this weekend we are leaving for our first vacation...i cant take boss with me!! i wanted to take him so badly, had been planning to take him...but now its not possiable....we have one little compact car right now, and there is no way we can drive from louisiana to virginia with 2 kids and a GSD in the back seat....the plan HAD been, that we were going to buy a larger vehicle, suv or a truck before the trip, so i thought i would be able to take the dogs....but my hubby decide to wait untill after the holidays to buy one......so now boss will be staying with my mother-in-law..(who owns sadie, boss's sister) while we are gone....

now i have a million worries about that....for one, i don't know how he and sadie will get along, when he was younger we use to bring him over to play with her, but we havent brought him in months, now im regretting not doing that !....one of the reasons i stopped bringing him is that she also has a toy poodle...the poodle , last we went, kept jumping all over boss, biting and snapping at him, and just did not know when to quit...boss was getting to the age where he was biting back, or atleast giving some very serious warning growls, and i was worried he would hurt the poodle....now he is much older and im worried he will kill the poodle!....she promises to keep them seperated, but accidents do happen.....also, she now has a new pup, a beautiful little aussy shepherd female...but i have a feeling he will get along with her, well, im hoping he will...

also she works alll day, boss is not use to being left alone for to long...im almost always here....her entire yard is fenced in, about an acre, but the back fence is not as high as id like it, the square wire fencing only goes up about 4 1/2 feet, and the next 2 feet is barb wire...im scared to death that with him being in a new place, with me not there, that he will try to get out and get caught in that barb wire....i tried to talk my hubby into taking boss's kennel down and bring it over there for him,m but he refuses to do that....im considering askin her, as much as i hate to, to put boss on a chain while she is gone during the day...i hate to have him chained, but im thinking it will be safer for him to be chained for a few hours than to risk him getting caught in the fence...

also...i know these next one are silly worries, but i cant help it.....how will it effect his relationship with me, being gone that long(a full week) will he think i abandoned him? will it stress him to much? im hoping the company of the other dogs, as long as he gets along with them, will keep him happy...

ugh...im about ready to cancel whole trip! sorry for posting a whiny post, just had to get this stuff off my chest...will let everyone know what i decide to do...

I think you have very good reason to be worried, although I hope you don't cancel your trip.  Since you are not going to purchase a vehicle yet, have you considered renting a van, or SUV for your trip?  If this is not possible, what if you could locate a reputable boarding kennel, preferably one that would exercise young Boss in a large yard?

All it would take for tragedy to happen would be for someone to leave a door open, letting that poodle in to challenge your pup.

Micky

Aye! welcome t' dog ownership me lassey! if a dog be truly part o' ye family they be an anchor that weighs ye down. Tis all about priorities. this not be what ye want t' hear, but once ye leave, ye can't come aft whinin if somtin happened. me not tryin t' be unkind me lassy, but thins be t' way they be.

I worry a lot about my dogs when I have to be gone also. Rather than put the responsibility on friends or family, I board my dogs. The vet is use is very professional, has super nice facilities, and is used to dealing with police dogs and the like, so even if one is aggressive, he doesn't have a problem with them. I know it's not the ideal situation, but it seems to me to be the safest situation. I always felt that I'd hate for something to happen to one of my dogs when they were with friends and family, and then I might have hard feelings towards them, especially if it was an unnecessary accident. Rather than be put in that position, I board my dogs anytime I can't take them with me. Good luck!

Don't feel too bad, I worry when my husband takes my dog somewhere without me!  He takes chances I never would and if I say anything he gets mad.  As an example, he was taking him somewhere on garbage day once when Drake was just a puppy, maybe 12 weeks.  I thought he had already left when hubby came in to tell me never to let a window in the car open when Drake is with me to which I replied "I never would, you don't have to tell me that!  It's common sense"  Then he goes on to tell me he put Drake in the car (window was down) and went to take the garbage down (our driveway is a small road) and when he came back "the knucklehead" greeted him at the top of the driveway!!  He was just amazed that he would jump out the window...HELLO! I was absolutely livid, freaked out on him, BIG argument ensued but I do believe he thinks now before doing anything with my boy.

Anyway IluvmyGSD, I'd be thinking exactly the same things, all scenarios would be running through my head and I wouldn't be able to relax on vacation.  Can you take a large crate and insist that she at least crate him while she's at work?  I'd be worried sick knowing my boy was running loose in an acre with only a 4 1/2' fence.  Dig in your heels and find way to allay your fears and keep Boss safe.  Usually gut reactions are good omens, heed your own misgivings.  Good luck!

This is when you find out that crate or wire kennel training is of utmost importance    if you  had been putting him a crate for up to 6 hours a day for imprinting him   as all people have need to be away from their pets in an emergency or an occasion like this....\]Your mother in law will do fine...

Take his crate and she can crate him while she is at work  and he will find out in one short 24 hour day how she operates and he will adjust....he will be safe....after all ,,,,,she is family.....

A vet is not where I would ever leave my german shepherd.dog....i can fill this whole site with stories or what has happened and what did happen to many many many german shepherds left at many different vets.....Some of you work for vets and you only see one side of who you work for....Ive been all over Texas and listened to the tales from one schutzhund club to the emails i get now and people who are looking for a boarding place to leaave their loved pet....

It takes a month or so to find a boarding place, because just like buying a pup,,,you need to check health dept for any complaints, check 5 or more references...make visits to the boarding place at different times...and make sure your pet can stay in a kennel....they dont run loose at a boarding place either.....but they do take them out and have access to outdoor play periods  , if they are not too busy.......if    if     if.....no quarantees....

She Im sure knows to put a leash on him , if she takes him out where no fence and to lock all gates and do the child proof test and if she knows you have certain rules   she will do them....she can keep  Miss ffoo foo in another place of the house while you boy is there......or     rent a bigger car for your trip     much more economical than a boarding   fee for a week.....

I would definitely board him.  And, it's only a week.  By the time you return, he'll be so glad to see you, he'll forget about it in not time.

I wouldn't leave that responsibilty on anyone.  The vet or boarding facility is set up for this and used to doing it all the time.  They would be more prepared also in the event something unthinkable were to happen.  And, I believe the cost would be worth the piece of mind in the end.

Good Luck and enjoy your vacation!  Virginia is great!  (my home)

oops, meant "no" time.

Also, another option, you could "rent" a large enough vehicle (suv)  for your trip if your lodging allowed you to have him with you.

Aye! lassey do ye not remember when Sponge Bob was too busy playin paddleball, and Gary ran off? Arrrrr me hates t' think me would come here in a week and see a post titled Where's Boss Arrrrrrr!

You are better off boarding the dog at a reputable kennel or vet.  Don't fall for those "doggy day care" types who let all the dogs play together & romp all over the property.  Your dog is better off in a seperate kennel, preferably with a top to it.  If they offer to take your dog out for walks, decline that too - dogs have been known to break free & run away.

During the recent fires here in So Cal,  there was a home that burned to the ground & unfortunately some of the animals were lost - the owners were on vacation and had hired pet sitters who were unable to get the animals out.

Your dog will be better off & you will have one less worry.