Leaving dog for long period of time

moving_home

I have to go abroad with work for 6 months in 2 months time, my partner is coming with me. We are planning on leaving our dog with my sister (who has a dog and both dogs get on brilliantly and are best pals). My dog loves my sister’s house and is comfortable there, we rent so we have moved around a bit since we got her and my sister’s house has been the constant and where she stays when we go away for weekends etc.
Do you think leaving her for 6 months will have an effect on her? will she be pining while we are gone? Has anyone had an experience with leaving their dog for this long and coming home?
I am looking forward to going in some ways but this is the one thing that is bothering me about going….

I would love to know if dog’s have a concept of time or how their brains work….i amn’t worried about leaving family etc as they know we are coming back but it kills me to think that my doggie might think we have abandoned her…

Bubblefett

My sister had a collie for 7 years and when she moved away for work she came to live with my parents.
She really took to the new home- it was a big change for her, she had been a farm dog who was used to living outdoors. Now she was moving to a suburb house with only a decent garden.
We made her a kennel in our garage but she really took to being allowed stay indoors and eventually just came to sleeping in the kitchen. She was always a happy dog and adjusted really well.
But even still any time my sister would come and visit (every 6-9 months) she'd get so excited and happy. She never forgot her.

That said I don't know if every dog is different? Just my experience

barbiegirl

Check out on Youtube all the videos of soldiers returning home to their dogs after long tours away. They never forget

tk123

barbiegirl wrote: »

Check out on Youtube all the videos of soldiers returning home to their dogs after long tours away. They never forget

GAH they always make me cry lol!! But the dog will be fine OP - she won't miss you until you come back and she recognises you if that makes sense?

Autosport

When I go abroad for a few months my dog stays with my parents, I phone and speak with him * on loud speaker or skype* and he wags his tail when he hears me and when I return he gives me a warm welcome and he doesnt leave my side for a week. Dogs never forget you

Zapperzy

Longest I'v left mine is 15 or 16 days, he always sulks when I return to pick him up as he knows his little holiday with all his doggy friends is over. :rolleyes: Couldn't have an odder pair, when he comes to pick up the cat and dog, the cat howls from her carrier in the back of the jeep and the dog sits up front with a grin on his face from ear to ear and drives off without even a backward glance!

I know all dogs are different but mines a rescue too, found as a stray, stayed in one home for a year before coming to me, so he's been passed from pillar to post too, but definitely abandonment doesn't even come into his mind when we go away, he just toddles off happy as larry.

anniehoo

tk123 wrote: »

GAH they always make me cry lol!! But the dog will be fine OP - she won't miss you until you come back and she recognises you if that makes sense?

If his general routine doesnt drastically change (walks,peeing, feeding etc) then he'll be absolutely grand.Most dogs adapt pretty quickly, but never forget who their main buddy/owner is

As long as your sis doesnt expect him to adapt straightaway i.e. expect a few peeing accidents etc

Watched Hachi the other night.....(need a bawling my head off smilie) for that one!!!If ye havent watched it....dont..until you come back

moving_home

tk123 wrote: »

But the dog will be fine OP - she won't miss you until you come back and she recognises you if that makes sense?

This is really what I was wondering about – would hate to think of her sitting there after a week or two waiting for us to come back to her. I don’t mind if she sulks with us when we get back (we will deserve it!) but as long as she isn’t going to be missing us while we are gone I will be happy.

Thanks for all the replies guys – I know she won’t forget me but just afraid that she will be traumatised we have a very close bond and I love her so much so it's going to break my heart leaving her

Mr. Manager

I recently moved and had to board my dogs for 5 weeks. I know it's not 6 months but it was still the longest they had been away from us.

They were absolutely delighted to see us and have readjusted to living in a new house abroad.

Every day when I come home they hear the gate open and are straight out to meet me at the door

westies4ever

He wont forget you and will be delighted to see you when you get back. He'll be fine especially given that he is going to be cared for in familiar surroundings and by a familiar person.

well done by the way, in making sure he's cared for while you're away.

bfocusd

When my brother was away our dog used to run up the stairs and try push his door open, but he locked his door and forgot to leave his keys, so I couldn't let her in to see that he was gone. She sat wining at his door for about two weeks, it wasn't constant, but she'd smell his jumper or shoes or something about the house and that was it, up the stair and pawing away at his door and sniffing at the bottom of it, she did mope around, but I distracted her, when he came back she was fine. Tore up the stairs onto his bed and was his shadow for a week after.

You dog is going into a different known environment, if it's stayed there before, it knows it's where it goes while you away and you always come back, it will be fine, mine was upset because it was our home and she got his scent, so kept thinking about him. But your dog is in a new environment, im sure it will spend maybe a day or two at the door or Windows looking out for you, but it will be distracted with the other dog and the new scents etc.

moving_home

I know she will be well taken care of except she just won’t be getting the same cuddles that she would get with me. Going to be so worried about her when I am gone no matter what anyone says. As long as she isn’t pining through the whole time I will be a little happier. My sister’s house is a home away from home and she loves it there. It’s very familiar to her and she does love it there. She has stayed regularly and there is loads to do and loads of stimulation, walks etc. the only thing she will be really lacking is the cuddles!! Thanks for all the replies, you have made me feel slightly better