How traumatic is it for your dog when you leave them?

[Blurryeyedbeast]

I go see my long distance partner for 2-3 days about once every 3 weeks. I go elsewhere a few times a year.
Dog makes me feel SO guilty! I leave her with the woman I live with who's perfectly happy to have her for me but she's so clingy in her nature. I feel absolutely terrible esch time like I am putting her through something major.
What's your dog like when you leave them?

my dogs sleep on my bed and have to be on whatever sofa I'm on. Devoted little darlings. I went away for a long weekend leaving one of DDs friends and her partner house/dog sitting. The dogs had never met him before.

I got photo after photo of dogs lying on top of him on the sofa, snuggling up to him in bed, lying adoringly at his feet asking for tummy rubs... of course when I came back they claimed they'd had a terrible time and really missed me - yeah right.

She will be fine.

Mine misses me and looks out the window for me at the time he'd normally expect me home if I've been away.
I don't go away much at all, so in a sense, that could be why iyswim.

I had to leave my Labrador at the vet for the day yesterday day, as he was having blood work done.

He didn't even greet me when I fetched him! He is still not really speaking to me today either. So I think he is mighty upset about me leaving him there.

I really thought he would be all excited like all the other dogs that I saw being collected before I was called. Nope. He walked to me, then past me. 🙈

And I have to do it again it 6 weeks!

So, yes I do think it is quite upsetting. My dogs have quite a solid routine, so I think it's a combination of you not being there the routine being broken.

I am really mean and never say goodbye to my dog when I leave or hello when I come in. He is not at all clingy (except if the family are on a walk - he wants to be with me). I do love him! But i don’t indulge. I also Do Not Look at his spaniel eyes when he’s pleading!

We have a camera to watch him when we are out. He sits at the door looking out waiting for us. He doesnt move. He hasnt been alone for a working day in almost a year due to a mixture of furlough and wfh. Im not looking forward to us both going back to working out of the home and dog walker again.

Mine goes utterly nuts when I've been out. Even for half an hour!

One of my dogs who has since passed on would tell me off if i was late home. So if I went shopping after the school run and got back later than the usual time, he would stand at the door of the car before I got out and talk to me, but in a talk howl.. He would say his piece until I got out and said 'sorry we are late, we missed you' and then he would be OK. Until the next time. He was such a funny dog, such a personality.

My other dog just loves my home helper. She comes 3 times a week about 8.30am. From around 8am ddog will stand up at the gate at wait for her to arrive. She only does this on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday though. On Tuesday and Thursday she doesn't even go to the gate. She is a really bright dog generally. Opens the food cupboard, and closes it again too

I think it depends on the dog and where you're leaving them.

My in-laws look after our beagle while we work - he scratches at the back gate to get in and fucks off inside without a backwards glance

However I once left him to go for a walk with my mum while I had a riding lesson and he howled his way down the road for about ten minutes apparently

My last dog was fine to be left when he was young. He was extremely adaptable and loved people. So when we had a dog-sitter, he just viewed it as someone else to play with him. He was happy to see us when we returned, but he didn't seem to suffer due to our absence. However, as he grew older it definitely became much harder for him when we weren't there. One thing that I am very grateful for is that in the last months of his life we were with him 24/7 (due to Covid). It was the final gift we were able to give him.

I don't know how the current pup will react if we have to leave him for an extended period. I guess we'll find out if/when that happens.

We use home boarder who also does day care if out all day and very fortunately also dog walkers ( there are two of them )
My boy gets there and so excited to see them shoots of but known them since 12 weeks and he is 7 now .

If leave him at home he gives me the big lab eyes when go out but then happily snoozes away .When back is all wiggles and wants to help unpack the food shopping etc
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