Does Your Dog Tie You down?

My dog really doesn't tie me down. If we are going to be away for a few days, we take him to the kennel. I would rather taske him with us but it is too much trouble. If I was you, I think I would try to take the god with me so everyone would be happy and no one would be lonely.

Why don't you take your dog with you? My mother hauled 4 kids all over the world with her. I spent a year traveling all over America looking for my 'dream town' with my children, 3 cats and a dog who hates cats. We lived in a van, then later a motor home. Now I'm 'caretaker' for a piece of property my brother has up in the mountains. My mother lives across the street. She has 8 chickens. I have 5 cats and a dog. The cats have their own cat door, so I could put out a few of those dry food feeders and not worry about them for a few days... longer than that they start tearing down the house and terrorizing the neighborhood. The chickens can't go to a kennel. The dog can't be left alone. He goes with me everywhere though, if he can't go inside where I'm going then he just wants to sit in the car all the time anyway. He happily spends as much time as he can get away with in the car. A few months ago my daughter prepared a prime rib that she slow roasted for 12 hours. The entire family was there, feasting and drinking, laughing and shouting... everyone including my mother and except for me... who was sitting up here in the mountain chicken-sitting. And if the animals didn't keep me here, the garden would. And all of that is ok with me right now. I'm not much in the mood for anything but introspective sorts of activities these days anyway.

I would put her in a kennel. We put Kai in a kennel when we go on vacation. We had to change kennels though as the owner called him a difficult dog. He's a husky, he's not difficult. We found another kennel and we are glad that we did. This new one, dogs are all she does. She takes him out for long walks, on the lead of course. She only takes in 7 dogs so that she can spend a lot of time with each one. Shop around and find a really good kennel. Ask your vet to recommend one.

I had a dog for about 6 months, but gave him away about a year ago now. I thought that my lifestyle would be ideal to have a dog, but it turns out, it wasn't. That is such a shame that your husband won't be traveling with you to visit family just because of the dog. :( I know you can bring pets over the border, and I think all that's needed is proof of recent shots and license. You should look into it and see, and that way all of your family could stay together. That is the first course of action I would take. Second choice would be finding someone I know and trust to look after the pet, but I understand that isn't an option for you. Third choice would then be a kennel. My last resort choice would be for my SO to stay behind with the dog.

Our pets do tie us down, but primarily because we have so many. We can't afford to board 7 dogs. We can't afford to board the 6 cats either. I could find someone to look after the dogs but there are still so many people in Alabama that believe cats carry deadly diseases and won't come near them that it's the cats that are the biggest issue. No, we can't go on long trips but we can go camping because it's close. We can leave early in the morning and put out enough food and water to get them through till we return the next evening. There is a local girl that offers house sitting but my hubby grew up with her and doesn't trust that she has suddenly become so responsible. His family has issues with the cats so they won't help. Day trips are fine with us. We love spending time with our critters. They are family.

sun2day: Hi catjane, in response to your problem. I too love animals but at my age, after raising all my kids, would not allow my dog to tie me down, apparently you love your dog dearly, just as we did.But there is a time for everything. Here is a solution you may want to try. Do you have friends who really love animals, maybe you can ask them if they do mind holding your dog for you until you return, they might enjoy that,especially if they have kids!! Nothing beats a trial but a failure. My daughter did that once with her two dogs and it worked out beautifully.Just food for thought.

Yes, we do plan around our dog. We haven't taken a long trip since we moved and haven't had to worry about it yet. Before we always had a kid at home to babysit while we were gone and it worked out so well. Now when we take a day trip, we usually scale it down so we don't leave the dog home for a long time. We just don't have anyone to check in and take care of him. If we go on a trip this summer, we'll put him in the kennel. I will really hate doing that, but taking him with us would be worse. A kennel owner once told me she thought dogs didn't have a good sense of time. For instance, if you leave and come home in a few hours, or leave and come home in a day, they greet you like you've been gone forever either way. I don't know, but thinking this way helps.

I do also get tied down a lot with my dog as he's extremely anxious when not getting enough company, but I do always have the option of letting my parents look after him when necessary. I would probably never send him off to a kennel as I know already he would not enjoy that one bit. I'd much rather leave him with someone both I and he knows very well.

When I had a guess dog she tied me down a lot. No matter how tired I was, I had to walk her, feed her, etc. I had to walk her twice a day and that took a lot of effort. I could never be gone too long from home because I was her main caregiver. Out of town trips were out of the question, she is huge and sheds madly. Dogs can be a welcome blessing and a burden at the same time but I still enjoy and love them.

I love my dogs with a passion, and no they don't tie me down. Try a pet sitter. Someone who can come in and feed and walk your dog, and yes, brush out the dog hairs. Frankly, there are some modern kennels that know how to keep a dog with separation anxiety very happy. You just have to check them out and get references. Good kennels are happy to share references from satified owners. I am concerned that it sounds like you are starting to resent your dog and that this will grow. If your husband has not met your family before now, then perhaps you married in the last 8 years? Is he not willing to put the dog in a kennel, in order to meet your family? If you find a pet sitter or a good kennel, there is no reason to believe your dog will be sad. She will have a vacation at the same time you do.

I love my dog but I love my hubby more, I would never want an animal to stop me doing what I enjoy and our's never has. I know we take them on as a responsibility but a kenel wont hurt will it really?

My dog does tie me down because he needs constant love and affection. But sometimes you have to do what you want to do even if it means your dog will be lonely