Going Away For A Month... Will It Hurt Their Psyches?

[Guest lynne893]

DH and I have a 4 week trip planned this summer (has been in the works for 2 years) and we'll be putting our 2 greys up in the kennels at a greyhound rescue group in SoCal.

 

We trust the owners of the rescue implicitly, and know that if anything were to come up, they'd handle it in the right way.

 

I'm anxious to leave our dogs for so long... our last grey had cancer and was dying just before a big international trip we were to take so we cancelled the trip and she passed the same week we would have been gone.

 

They're both healthy so it's not a health issue that's a concern, but one is older...

 

Anyway, I just feel terrible to leave them for so long. Have you taken a long vacation away from your hounds before? Did they remember you when you got back? Did it change their relationship with you?

 

We've had them for 2 years when we'll be taking this trip.

 

Thank you for weighing in.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

I would never do it in a million years, but I don't have fun if my dogs aren't involved.

[Guest jbbuzby]

They'll certainly remember you, don't worry about that.

 

If you're leaving them with a greyhound savy kennel that specializes in the breed, yeah, they'll be fine. Dogs live in the moment and while they'll miss you, they won't sit and ponder the way people do like, "How much longer until they come back? Maybe they forgot about me..." etc.

 

IMO, greyhounds, if yours are retired racers, feel quite at home in a kennel environment since that is how they were raised and what is familiar to them. As long as you trust the kennel, I'm sure they'll be just fine while you are gone and will be glad to see you when you come back .

[buddibear]

No flames, but would you leave young children fo a month?

[Guest wmlcml6]

If you are set on boarding them for a month, can you take them for a weekend before you are supposed to leave as a test run to see how they handle it? That might help ease your mind.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

To be fair, I don't think they'll be harmed. And they sure will NOT forget you! I just would be miserable without my dogs. I wouldn't have any fun.

[KahluasMagic]

The longest I've been gone is around 10 days. My greys were fine, happy to see me. My mutt wouldn't even look at me for a week ! She is worse than a human. I never kenneled them again, now we have a petsitter come to the house.

[vjgrey]

It would hurt MY psyche, for sure.

 

The longest I've left them was for two weeks to house hunt, and I was miserable every day of it. They were with their grandparents, who they ADORE, so I knew they'd be happy and spoiled, but I'm not happy without my pups.

 

My hounds would really, really not do well in a kennel, but your mileage may vary.

[Guest jbbuzby]

No flames, but would you leave young children fo a month?

 

Dogs mean something different to everyone; for some people, they really are their children. For others, like myself, who DO really love their dogs and try to give them the very best care possible, still know and treat them as dogs.

 

I don't think it is a fair comparison to make. Children have complex attachment to their parents and can in severe cases have attachment issues if they are away from both of their parents for extended periods of time. Dogs live in the moment and have entirely different mentalities than young children.

 

Even so, some children have a parent in the military and they ARE left for several weeks/months at a time when it is necessary. For the OP, this trip has been planned for years and obviously had some serious thought put into it. They didn't go when their older dog was sick, and they might not go if they have very young children as well. But adult dogs already raised in a kennel environment that will have each other, IMO, should be okay. I wouldn't want to leave my dogs for a month either and might avoid scheduling a trip for that reason, but life is short and sometimes you do what you have to do.

[Time4ANap]

No flames, but would you leave young children fo a month?

 

Sounds like a flame to me......and a ridiculous comparison. (Personally, i would leave kids faster than my hound...)

 

We often board Rocket at a place that only boards greyhounds. It is setup with crates similar to the racing kenels, and has a massive turnout area. The hounds are so well cared fo and have so much fun, that he pulls us into the building when we drop him off, and could care less that we are leaving. He runs into building, goes crate to crate and says Hi to every hound there, and then jumps into his assigned crate when told to"kennel up."

 

We usually let him take something of his from the house like a stuffy or one of his own blankets or pillows since he likes to nest. Don't know if it helps anything, but I know that I always like having "my pillow" when we are on the road.

 

We have left him for up to 15-20 days at a time. When we come back, he is happy to see us, but I swear it's only because he wants to go home and get some sleep. He is so busy playing ith the other hounds while there, and comes home with all of his "racing muscles." He looks fantastic when he comes back. We love the fact that we don't have to check on him constantly, because we know they will handle whatever happens, and keep us informed if something does.

 

Your pups will not forget you. They will be excited to see you, and ready to go home. If they were racers, they were used to being moved around from place to place anyway. Sounds like you have a great boarding place for them. Enjoy your trip.

[Guest Angelique]

I left my boy and girl for 3 weeks with a housesitter (a good, trustworthy friend of mine who adores them) and they had a great time. They were spoiled rotten when i got back and it took about two weeks to get their manners back. I missed them sooooo much, they didn't miss me half as much. They had a great time and no adverse effects afterwards. (Boy were they happy to see me when i got home)

If a house sitter is not an option, i'm sure they will be fine at a kennel, they are greys after all. (Make sure you can take a bed, blanket, favorite stuffie or something that they are familiar with that they can keep in their kennel. I'd go for a test run like someone mentioned above, only i would do it in advance in case it was *terrible* you would have time to find another option.

I have found that its much more distressing for me to be without my dog, than it is for him to be away from me for a few days.

[DesiRayMom]

My first knee-jerk reaction was.....OMG, a MONTH? NEVER, EVER, EVER.

 

Then I thought about it, and I agree with most others. I'd miss Des more than he would miss me.

Especially if he were in a kennel setting with a bunch of other hounds. He's spent over half his

life in a kennel setting (didn't retire til he was 5) and I'm sure would just think he'd gone back

to his original "home."

 

Hope your trip is grand!!

[BootsyCollins]

Have fun, your pups will be fine. They have no sense of time.

[Yamaha_gurl]

How long are they crated for currently and how long will they be crated at the boarding kennel? I know it would cost a bit, but is there not a greyhound only home care in your area?

[Kestrel]

We boarded ours for three weeks about a year after we had adopted them, and it worked out fine. I think they were more active at the boarding facility than they are at home, so they both lost a little bit of weight. Kenzie, who is more stand-off-ish than Badger, took about a week to really settle back in. I'd say no long term negative effects at all!

 

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[TheFullHouse]

Dogs are tough mentally and can cope with just about anything. They'll remember you for sure. They may be a little more clingy when you get back home and in your routine but that will subside after a time. Just make sure that the kennel people can reach you at any time if necessary. Be aware they may quit eating for a few days but should resume once they're used to being there.

[tydyelady]

Someone in our Sunday morning greyhound group boarded their hound for 5 weeks I think. Husband had a job overseas for the entire summer, and company was paying for wife and children to come for a month. Like the OP, I think that there are times when you can and perhaps should leave them, if a great opportunity to travel comes up. This person left their girlie with the same person I board at - a woman who has 5 greyhounds, and boards greyhounds. She was fine there. We even had our Opie there for 5 days during that same time period, so the girlie houndie had a friend there. I would not hesitate to leave Opie there if i had an opportunity for a long trip. Would I miss him? OMG yes! But I know he would do better than I would. so to the OP, if its a trusted place you are leaving your hound it, the dog will be fine, and love you just as much when you get back. Go and enjoy your trip!

[greysandmollie]

I am sure they will be fine.....I would see if you could take a few of their toys and beds with them.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

No flames, but would you leave young children fo a month?

 

And this is not helpful....

[macoduck]

While I'll never have an occasion to travel for a month, I think I'd feel safer with my dogs at the gh kennel than in a friend's home, even if they have greyhounds. I'd be worried about escapes.

[seeh2o]

I am sure they will be fine.....I would see if you could take a few of their toys and beds with them.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

They will be just fine. When I've boarded Carl, I take his bed, a toy and a t-shirt that I've slept in a few nights so my smell will be around. He also comes back looking really fit as they have 4 acres of land that the dogs play in several times a day.

 

Where are you boarding them?!

 

And I completely agree that this quote:

No flames, but would you leave young children fo a month?

was not helpful in any way. "No flames", huh? Call it what you will (or won't), but it sure is baiting the OP.

Edited March 17, 2012 by seeh2o

[GeorgeofNE]

They will be fine!

 

I couldn't do it, but they WILL be fine. They'll be together, right? It won't be so bad. And as someone else said, they're NOT children. I thought that was a strange comment myself. And even so, children would survive just fine too!

[BootsyCollins]

When I was 10, my parents went to Africa for a month to visit my uncle. My siblings and I were fine. So were the dogs.

[o_rooly]

They will be just fine. When I've boarded Carl, I take his bed, a toy and a t-shirt that I've slept in a few nights so my smell will be around. He also comes back looking really fit as they have 4 acres of land that the dogs play in several times a day.

 

Is this Liebe Aire? Aston will have a short stint there soon. Our first time away from him!

Smelly shirt is a great idea!!

[tuff]

I have a live in pet sitter who loves my dogs. I think the next best thing would be a grey adoption kennel. I would feel safe with mine at one. They will be fine and ecstatic to see you when you get back. Maybe for a donation someone at the kennel could give them some extra attention/ turnout time since they are used to a home? Just a thought.

[seeh2o]

They will be just fine. When I've boarded Carl, I take his bed, a toy and a t-shirt that I've slept in a few nights so my smell will be around. He also comes back looking really fit as they have 4 acres of land that the dogs play in several times a day.

 

Is this Liebe Aire? Aston will have a short stint there soon. Our first time away from him!

Smelly shirt is a great idea!!

Yes, Michael and Priscilla are great and so good to the dogs. The times I've taken Carl there, he looks so great and is so happy there. He gets all excited when I drive up and once inside the fence, I'm forgotten as he runs around the property!