[Dailydrool] does he shut down?

[R Groves]

It could be that because there's no change of scenery he thinks it should be business as usual, and then when you don't show, that sends him into a type of panic or worry "where is my master."

What you might try, before you're going to go away, is to find a good kennel that you can leave him in over night for a "play separation" like you would a play date, or other things.  Probably better to do on a Friday afternoon or saturday afternoon, so that he's there for dinner and breakfast ... thus getting the idea of "mommy left you here for a reason" and hope that he doesn't see it negatively, or that he regains a little bit of self sufficiency (mommy's not here, I'm ok).

If things go well at the kennel, then you'll know its the better option for you ...

I'm in a very lucky position ... working with my rescue (BROOD) I've gotten to know five kennels.. Two kennels are close enough or on my way to my normal destinations, that I have no problems or real concerns about leaving my boys at either of them.   One of those kennels is how I wish I could live .. hounds in home ... pack like atmosphere with a sort of "Step Mom & Dad" to watch over things.. 

Are they perfect? no.. even in my own home I know that something could happen when I'm at the store, or just outside cutting grass ... but I know that when I leave my boys at either one of those two kennels, that the people there know and care for all their animals as if they were their own, not just a "business" and that gives me more peace of mind than anything else.. 

anyway.. just a thought ... take Gus out of the normal situation, it will be more stressful on him, but at the same time, he won't create the stress from being in "his home" worried that Mommy's not coming back .. etc..  Also don't worry, given time, 99.999% of hounds will eventually eat and or drink.. even if your friends have to hand feed him, or entice him with special items (chicken & rice) he'd eventually cave.. 

-Robert
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  Subject: [Dailydrool] does he shut down?


  BUT now i'm leery of leaving him for fear he won't eat or drink.  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.dailydrool.org/pipermail/dailydrool-dailydrool.org/attachments/20110815/831e1591/attachment-0002.htm>