Monday, January 16, 2017

Mischief Monday - How We Kind Of Broke Him

This post contains a lot of human guilt.

Being a suck
We left the dogs in the kennel for 19 days while we were in Asia. This is the longest we ever left them in jail. I always feel tremendously guilty leaving them, but I have decided that I can't be the person who doesn't go anywhere because of my dogs. The kennel is spotlessly clean, has caring people working there and wonderful outside space. There are other dogs to play with. They ate an entire huge bag of treats that would have lasted at least 30 days in our house if not 6 weeks. No one came home underweight!

When we picked the pups up, they were over the moon excited (as expected). Phod who rarely jumps was jumping in circles. He had a rough ride home as they fed him breakfast (they always forget not to) so he got car sick. The first day home Hailey was stuck to us like glue but after that was more her normal self. The first day home my boy gave us the cold shoulder (in fact wouldn't take a treat from me, would only take a treat from Uncle Chris), but then actually slept with us most of the night (this is unusual). We assumed he would get back into routine in a day or two.

It has been over a week since our return and our boy is still not 100% himself. I can't be sure if it is all the kennel or also the weather (it has been very cold, or very icy which means he isn't getting the fetch he wants). He is just not himself. On one hand he can be a huge suck and only want our attention and on the other he wants nothing to do with us. I feel like we broke him a little.

Hopefully with time our boy will be more settled and happier.


27 comments:

  1. Poor Phod!!!! I finks he just needs a little time to nose yous not gonna leave him again anytime soon
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  2. Oh dear, but I agree with Princess Leah, Phod probably just needs a bit more time. (Gail thinks he might be 'milking it' a bit too...)
    Toodle pip!
    Bertie.

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  3. Hugs to you dear Phod... I'm sure the jail time is history soon and you are back to 100% k-9 bestest german shepherd soon... maybe some treats will support a speedy recovery?

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  4. PHOD MY SWEET BOY...I KNOW YOU PROBABLY FELT LIKE LADY AND MAN WERE NEVER COMING HOME....AND IT WAS A BAD FEELING. WHEN I WAS 2 MY PEEPS LEFT ME FOR 2 WEEKS WHEN THEY WENT TO ALASKA....IT WAS HORRID I WAS AT HOME AND I HAD MY WONDERFUL SITTER COME IN ONCE A DAY BUT I WAS SO LONELY SO I TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARE FEELING. GOOD BUDDY MOM KNOWS YOU ARE A LAID BACK SWEETHEART AND LOVE WITH YOUR PEEPS SO GIVE THEM A BREAK
    SINCERELY YOUR KITTY BFFF MADI

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  5. Give Phod a whole lots of cuddles and he'll come around eventually. Hope you enjoyed your trip.

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  6. He'll relax soon. Give him a couple of days and if he's not back to his old self, a trip to the vet wouldn't be a bad idea. Keeping paws crossed!

    Monty, Harlow, and Ramble

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  7. I am sure he will be fine soon. Ruby is like this when we get home. She even sometimes gets sick a day or two after we get home. Sending your sweet boy big hugs.

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  8. With a little more groveling, he'll be fine.

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  9. Think CHICKEN gizzards and LIvers, we always make our mom feel extra guilty and she gives us these, and then we kiss her and love her, we are manipulative little pugs. Give him time, and whisper some words in his ears that only he will ever hear, he knows you love him.
    stella rose

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  10. Aw, he's just playing hard to get. He'll come around soon.

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  11. We can't leave Jes in a boarding kennel, he won't eat and would literally die. Lilly loves going there! Hope Phod feels better soon.

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  12. He may just be totally exhausted from the time away. Mom says we always come home out of it for a day or two, so a 19 day stay may have given him quite the bit of a challenge. All paws crossed he is just fine.

    Woos - Lightning and Misty

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  13. We used to totally IGNORE HER when she came to pick us up. We've always stayed at the kennel, usually for very short times first to establish that SHE is coming back. Then longer....longest six weeks. We just go with the flow now. Hope Phod feels better soon.

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  14. Well we don't think you broke him, we do think he missed you and he is trying to train you not to leave him. We always give the parents a hard time when they change our routine the slightest. Although we have to confess we like it when Daddy goes away and Mommy lets us sleep with her.

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  15. They won't leave you again anytime soon, Phod. It's okay!

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  16. It's Ok Phod! The peeps always come back.
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel

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  17. YOU WON'T TAKE A TREAT? Phod, I believe you're trying to make them feel guilty for you and before you know it they'll let you have the whole treat bag, BOL...hope you feel better!

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  18. We are like you though and love to travel and we have found having someone come to the house and watch them keeps them much calmer. I know this probably isn't possible because of your remote location, but it really helped our pack.

    Hang in there, we're sure Phod will be back to his level self soon!

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  19. Being in jail is scary, Phod. When Mom was getting surgery, I stayed with a friend and her dog, and even that was scary. Parents should never be allowed to leave us ANYWHERE for more than 5 minutes. I wish I could figure out how to make Mom understand this.... Feel better soon, buddy.

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

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  20. We're sure Phod will be back to his old self after a while longer.

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  21. I think you're laying it on a bit too thick, Phod. You know how much Lady loves you cut her some slack.

    Aroo to you,
    Sully

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  22. Some of our fur babies take a while to adjust after changes to their daily routines. Cinnie usually takes about 2 weeks before she settles down between Midway (and living with Daddy) and Vancouver (living with Mommy). In Midway, she can go out when she wants. In Vancouver, because I work, her schedule is strictly regimented. She gets quite stressed getting into my routine and then again when she goes back to having no routine.
    This last time was was better. It took a week to get her into the Vancouver routine (and she got to go to work with me because she barked at every noise in my apartment building). She was with me in Vancouver for 6 weeks and when she went home with her Dad, 4 weeks ago, the weather was freezing. She took little longer than a week before she settled back into the "Midway No Routine".
    This was the 3rd visit in 12 months.
    Cinnie is high strung and her personality reminds me a lot of Phod's (except she loves trips in the vehicle).
    I think its just harder for some of our fur kids and he will be fine soon.
    Sending you our love and purrs
    Nellie and Mommy

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  23. Sorry that poor Phod is taking a while to get over being left. Mind you, we have known some drama queens here who like to make the peeps feel extra sorry for them so they get lots of cuddles and treats. Sure that Phod will soon be back to his old self and forget all about the kennel stay. Nose licks and love from Moth xx

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  24. I am pretty sure it is just the stress from being left without you. Some rescues have a hard time with long separations and hopefully he will return to his normal self soon. Hang in there.

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