We just recently went on vacation for a week and left the nub butt with the sister-in-law (and her *insert-word-here* boyfriend). As soon as we get him back, he's scared of everything -- again -- and we're not told anything is up. He even up and pees on the bed even though I attempted to take him out earlier, with no sign of wanting to go to the bathroom. 

 

He's just having some really off behavior, but was doing so well before we went away. Can going away for a week do this to him? We've left him with other family before with no issues at all when he came back.

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I know that Lilly gets really really pissed if I leave her for any length of time, especially if she knows I am not working.  When I come home from work, and change and then go out type of leave. 

I think he may just not have trusted who you left him with.  You may have to just make sure he knows you are the pack leader and at home he doesnt have to worry about that sort of thing.  My cats peed on my bed when we went on vacation cause they were a little upset that we were gone.  Thankfully we went to a place that allowed dogs,the corgis had a  blast.  If you want to go to table rock lake, right outside Branson, MO,  Lighthouse lodge allows dogs!

I know some people say that dogs don't feel emotion, but I believe corgis do.  He may have thought that you left him and not trusted the people he was with.  Maybe with a step back into "your" routine will work that fear right out of him.
Would the boyfriend have yelled or "disciplined" her????? I would find a different doggie sitter next time!

I've always been super nervous to leave my dogs at boarding places. Even with relatives I  worry. Especially since my dog is still a puppy and eats things and isn't always 100% reliable when told to come. My relatives are a lot more lenient than I am with allowing their dog off leash and also with supervision of their dog. I don't like my dog around other dogs when I am not there to supervise. He tends to get bullied and be super-submissive and I find other people don't often stop the interaction when they should. Right now he loves other dogs even though he's had several bad experiences. I don't want that to change because of a situation that I am not there to monitor.

My solution has been to take him with me on vacation and find a boarding place near where I am staying or a doggie daycare if he can stay in the hotel at night. That way I can check on him every day (sometimes several times per day) and make sure he's doing okay.

I think if I dropped him off and left for a long period of time, he would probably also be fearful or upset when he got home. He's a sensitive dog. Much more so than other breeds I've had.

I am the same way, NO ONE can take care of them like you can. He might be a sensitive dog but you are a sensitive mom. It is good that you are that way.

Hi Cynthia, it happens when there's changes in routine + stress. Go back on a well structured routine and he'll be back to his old self in no time.
It is possible he got reprimanded by the boyfriend or yelled at. I know Franklin is VERY sensitive when it comes to discipline. Even one day with one of my "friends" and he was very clingy and nervous when I got home. I realized after that she YELLS at her dogs  A LOT. It only took a day for him to act scared, I can't imagine what a week with her would do to him.
I just returned from being away for 10 days. Gendry stayed with a friend who has no pets. He sent daily pictures to show how he was doing, but puppy looked scared in all of the pictures. I was worried so we did a FaceTime 3 days into the trip. He didn't look himself, a bit nervous I think. I thought after a few days he would settle in. This friend had come over several times to walk and play with him before so he wasn't a complete stranger.

When I picked him up at my friends house he was soaked in water/pee?! And he had clumps of vomit in his fur. He looked completely scared and stressed. He didn't seem like himself even when he saw me. It took a whole day at home and an immediate bath before he would give me puppy kisses and act like himself. I feel like I can't go away now. Who would I trust to take care him as I would? Who would he possibly feel comfortable with?! I wish my parents didn't live 12 hours away! I don't know what to do. I travel for work every couple of months. I'll be due for another trip in a bit.

We went on vacation in May and it was the first time we had left Foxy she was only 6 months old so I was really worried.  Unfortunately we had no family that could take her, so she went to a kennel that was great and I really think she had a great time. They even sent pictures home with her of her playing with her new friends.  But.....I think she was really mad when we came home because the first night she peed in my bed with no indication she had to go out.  She hadn't done that since we first brought her home.  I think it was out of spite but she surely wasn't nervous or scared of anything. 

I doubt it was due to spite, she probably was feeling stressed. Just try going back to square one with house training and keeping an eye on her in the house for a few days. For a sensitive breed like a corgi changing their living situation can be very stressful. My son used to take care of mine but even though they were used to him and his house one of them still returned home with stress induced colitis. Now I have a person that comes to my house and stays when I am gone. With two dogs and two cats it actually is cheaper for me.

I think you answered your own question.

Question: "Can going away for a week do this to him? We've left him with other family before with no issues at all when he came back."

Probable answer: " We...... left the nub butt with the sister-in-law (and her *insert-word-here* boyfriend)"

The short answer to your question is a definite no, specifically because you've left him before with no problems.  The behavior the dog is showing is extreme and shows that he felt severely threatened ( whether rightfully or not). It will not serve you well to try and figure out what went on, all you need to know is that the dog's PERCEPTION of whatever was happening was that he felt he was endangered. 

The longer answer is that It could have involved him directly (such as harsh discipline) or not. A sensitive dog in an environment where there is fighting between the people, for example, will feel scared even if nothing happens to him directly.  Even play can cause this.  Some people love to rough-house with dogs and it can do a job on a submissive dog.  Other forms of "play" can also be perceived as threatening by a dog.    One of the members on this forum had issues with her dog displaying fear/anxiety after roofers worked on her building.... There could be umpteen reasons.

So what to do? Treat the dog gently, no scolding.  Try to stick to your normal routine as you were doing before you left ( a familiar routine will help  the dog feel safe again sooner ).  Do what is needed to help the dog be successful, so you may want to revert to less freedom until things have improved.  Try to play things down, not up, as the dog will pick up on your feelings and, if you are angry, or worried, he'll connect it all to what he already feels and it will compound it.  Exercise ( like long walks on leash ) if the dog like this, can also be very helpful in eliminating stress hormones that will continue to accumulate until he's calm again.

In the future, your dog may feel safer left where there is another friendly dog.  Someone you trust where you have left the dog before, or a professional pet sitter who understands dog behavior, may be a good option.  Hindsight is 20/20.

Well, this was 2 years ago ... we leave him now regularly with them and have no issues. So not sure what it really was.

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