Puppy’s first sleep-over: She’ll be fine, but me?
By Gina Spadafori
August 5, 2009
Truly, I’m so lucky to have great friends who are also super knowledgeable about pets. Tomorrow starts my annual long weekend in San Diego — baseball and horse-racing — and it’s going to be quite the adventure for Faith.
Except she’s staying home to have her adventure!
While the rest of the pets will have a house-sitter and Judy across the street so they won’t be left alone and life will be pretty normal — Bob will even be running them on schedule — the puppy is going to stay with my friend Pam.
This is the first time Faith has been away from me since the day she was born four months ago. It’s good for her to be apart from everyone for a long weekend, from the other pets, from her mother McKenzie and from me.
And to be able to leave her with as good a dog-trainer as Pam? How lucky is that?
Still, it must also be said that this is the first time I’ve ever been apart from Faith since the day she was born.
It’s probably good for me, too!
***
I’ll have a laptop — hell, I always have ‘net access — so I may check in a little here. But I’m planning not to check in much, so it’s all about the Christie for the next few days, as she’ll be handling all the … everything here on the Web site.
I always have a hard time when I send my dog anywhere, especially when we go on vacation. I guess it is almost like having a child, but I think that some people would laugh about that.
Comment by Bethany — August 6, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
Good for you Gina! It is SO important for dogs to learn (preferably at an early age) that they can go to a strange place, be with people and other animals they don’t know well, and they will still be JUST FINE. When I have a puppy, once they have finished their shots I try to send them on a sleepover (or even just a day visit) with trusted friends once a month or so. More, if the dog tends to be clingy and at risk for developing separation anxiety. Later on, if the dog ever has to be separated from his owner by illness (staying at the vet’s) or disaster he will be able to cope with it SO much better.
Comment by Barb — August 6, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
Hope are you doing thus far with your temporary separation from your baby?
Comment by Anne T — August 8, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
Opps. Typo. The first word of above sentence should read “How”. I was thinking Faith, typed Hope. Forgot Charity. lol
Comment by Anne T — August 8, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
I was wondering the same thing, Anne… just how are Faith and her mom doing with their little vacations?
Comment by Kim — August 8, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
She’s doing just fine. So’s her mother. I’m doing OK, but could have done without the hate mail from the people who jump on a post like the as “proof” that “stupid dog-lovers” confuse pets with children.
I really don’t understand their insecurity in feeling that they have to comment on this. I don’t think dogs “are the same as children.
tt
I think dogs are better than children. :)
But then a couple nights in an expensive hotel with indulgent parents and their out of control spawn makes one wish for entire floors of “adult only” rooms — and no kids in the hotel pool after 9 p.m,
Seriously, my dogs — who I’ve left at home — are better behaved and better controlled than everry child I’ve seen in this hotel.
But just as with ill-mannered dogs, ill-mannered children are no to blame.
Doesn’t make the noisy, rude little twirps any easier to take.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 8, 2009 @ 9:33 pm
My girls have been staying with their breeder this week while we were in Seattle. Even though Joanne’s house is the next best thing to home as far as I’m concerned—better, probably, to the dogs since she has a yard—I completely understand your separation anxiety. We got to see them tonight and are picking them up in the morning to go home. Yay! We’ll probably pass each other on the 5 going in opposite directions.
Comment by Kim Thornton — August 8, 2009 @ 10:48 pm
Gina - I could NOT agree more.
We have a pet limit of two here in my city, and yet the couple down the road has NINE children.
Of course, none of them are as well behaved as my pups on their worst day.
Sadly, that’s not a joke… and yet *I’m* the one who has to worry about AC showing up on my door.
Comment by Kim — August 9, 2009 @ 8:01 am