# Oh My, the drama!



## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Every year we take Brady and Dugan on vacation with us to Cape Cod. Every year, Brady and Dugan get very upset if we try to go anywhere without them and leave them in the house here. Of course, this year is no different. The drama boys flip their lids every time we leave them. We try to take them with us almost all of the time, but it would be nice to be able to leave without worrying about them once in a while. When we come back, Brady is soaking wet from drooling and crying  It breaks my heart. So, I think I have decided to hire a dog sitter here for the boys so we can have a nice dinner out one night. Have I totally lost my mind? I found a young girl on Craigslist who is supposed to come over to meet us and the boys. She will babysit at our rental house here. She charges a small fortune, but it is still cheaper than if we would have left them at home and had to pay someone to stay at the house with them. Any other suggestions? Have I totally lost my mind hiring a babysitter to stay with my dogs so we can have dinner out without them? Uuggh. These boys are lucky I love them. (Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, Cassie is not with us. She stayed at home with my Mom and Bacca. She is enjoying a fun vacation of her own with her boyfriend.)


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I think you will have a much better time at dinner knowing your Havie's are having fun! You could even bring them home a dogie bagound: I wish I was on vacation. Have fun!


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I have started leaving Rosie here in the house by herself. My renter next door is a vet assistant and she comes over in the morning and evening to let Rosie out and to play with her. Course she has the pee pads and uses them in between times. The girl makes sure that they stay clean. Rosie won't go on one if it is dirty. The cat stays outside. So far I have left her overnight a couple of times and one weekend for two nights. Doesn't seem to bother her at all. I had much rather her be here in the house she knows than in some cage at the vet's or in a crate somewhere.


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

The boys are fine when we go out at home, it is just in a strange place that they turn into big babies. I can't leave them as long as you leave Rosie, or overnight alone though even at home. They are used to someone being with them most of the time, so leaving them for longer than 3 or 4 hours is too much for them. 

There is a thunder storm right now. Brady is shaking on my lap. At least he had fun swimming in the pond earlier today.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Nothing wrong with a baby sitter. What ever you can do to make it easier on them.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

WELCOME TO THE CLUB!!!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

No not crazy at all. Have a nice vacation.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Hire the babysitter and enjoy a most fabulous dinner. They will be fine.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I would think it is a strange environment and maybe your pups are thinking you are not coming back. Do you leave kongs with treats when you leave. Do you leave noise on? Do they have a window for the pups to look out of?


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

yep I know exactly what you mean..this is what goes on with Kipling. Fine in his crate at home. Won't stop barking in his crate in a strange house. Good for you for coming up with an idea! Sitter sounds like a good solution!


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Sylvia, I am sorry Kipling is bad with this too. I love bringing them away with us, but they make it difficult when they act like this and we can't leave them at all. We tried to go out to dinner tonight without them, but no luck. Brady was whaling! We had closed all the windows in the house and left the tv on as always, but he was really going strong. And, of course, every time he screamed, the poodle in the house behind us barked. We stood in the driveway for a few minutes and he was not stopping. So, the boys won and we took them with us and found a restaurant we could eat outside with them. I hope this girl tomorrow works out so we can not worry as much a few nights. My husband is not thrilled with spending money on a babysitter for the dogs, but I explained it would have cost a lot more for a babysitter to stay at the house with them at home. He will have to live with it. Of course, we usually take this trip with his parents and sister and her family, but this year it is just us. The boys are known to cry even when left with the family, so who knows if leaving them with a babysitter will work. It is certainly worth a try though. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I actually thought about responding to a few babysitting ads on craigslist as well (in case this girl isn't available or doesn't work out). Do you think people will think I am nuts if I email them and ask if they are willing to babysit dogs instead of children  Anyone here live in Cape Cod and want a doggie sitting job


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

OMG Karen..I feel our pain. We left Kipling for an hour just on the weekend and by the time we were back he was frantic. It will add up to him not coming with us at this point. It's just too difficult since this is not a fully dog friendly world yet. I don't like worrying about whether he'll cry if we leave him. It's not fun for him or for us...hope the sitter works out!


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Maybe because I reared 4 children in a time when parents didn't dote on their children as they do now. We left them with a babysitter and if they were crying for us as we left, we just left. They always hushed soon and the next time it wasn't tramatic at all. I did Rosie the same way. Even though she went to work with me every day, I trained her from the beginning to be by herself. I know that the breeder said never close a door on her. Well, I like privacy in the bathroom, so that was the first rule broken. She still lays down beside the bathroom door. I had a playpen that I could put her in so that I knew she couldn't be hurt or hurt herself when I went to the grocery or shopping, etc. And the first time that we left her was for a half a day. Yes I worried but when I got home she was fine, just glad to see us. I guess I have broken all the rules with Rosie. I don't believe in crating her and she has slept in the bed with us from the first night. I don't have an ex-pen either. I worried at the office about her going down the stairs and when she finally did, I made the whole office staff holler No to her. she beat it back up the stairs and has never gone down again unless I tell her to come on. Now I have probably jinxed myself. I am leaving her here in the house again Thursday night and Friday and will probably come home to a tramatized dog--but I really don't think so.


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Lucile I agree with you in many ways. We leave Kipling all the time and he's fine. The difference is when he's in a hotel or near other cottages his barking disturbs others and that's my issue. The only way for him to learn this is ok is if we keep trying but trying means disturbing others and that's tough to do...


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

That is our problem too. It would make us sad that they were upset, but we could live with it. We really don't want to bother the neighbors though. It isn't fair for other people to have to listen to our "problem children". We took the boys to breakfast with us this morning and we are trying to decide what to do today. I just gave them some rescue remedy again. It hasn't helped yet, but I am hoping


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

So sorry Brady and Dugan are struggling w/this. I think Tori would possibly act the same way if we left her alone in a strange place. The dog sitter is a good idea. But, maybe you should get an RV to use for your vacations instead? :biggrin1: Tori goes everywhere with us in ours and we have never had any problems leaving her alone in it. I think it's probably because she feels like it's just an extension of home. We keep it parked at our house and whenever we have any reason to be in it, she's right there, too, eagerly hoping we're packing it to go somewhere.


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## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Ha! I'm thinking DH might object to buying an RV before getting a sitter! Maybe that's a good way to position the sitter costs! Well honey..if you don't want to pay a sitter we could always buy an RV instead!


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## sashamom (Jan 12, 2009)

My response is good idea for someone to come in but I would not do Craig's List unless I could get several references. We just had the trials in what has been dubbed the Craig's List killings. I would be very very cautious. Sorry to be a negative in this situation. Linda & Sasha


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

The RV sounds perfect. I will have to add it to my wishlist.

Linda, thank you for your concern. I agree Craigslist can be a little scary. I have spoken to this young lady on the phone and via emails. She has a website that she set up as well for her petsitting business and I have gotten a few references from her (although I have not called yet).


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

*Yes, baby sitter!*

Keeper is fine when we leave him at home for up to 4 hours--no problem.

When we went to the beach in South Carolina in February and wanted to go out for dinner one night, we hired a sitter who worked for the hotel. She had a dog and was known as a dog lover. This worked SO well. We felt good about leaving him with her and would not have left him alone in a place that was strange to him. We paid the sitter generously and she loved him anyway so they had a great time.

This is peace of mind for you and for the dogs. Go for it. Not that expensive and so worth it.

Keeper's Mom


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Well, the sitter was here earlier and she is adorable. She is a very sweet 19 year old who loved the boys and was great with them. She seems very happy to hang out with them for the night tomorrow and Friday for us so we can have a few hours on our own. I agree that it will be worth the money for the peace of mind. Hopefully, the drama boys will settle for her over us and not raise a fuss. Wish us luck. Oh, here is a picture of the drama boys at the beach today. They won, they went with us We even stopped for an umbrella for them on the way back today so they are set for the rest of the trip. This time, we just made a shady spot between our chairs with a towel for them.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I am SOOOOOOO relieved to read this thread, as I have been entertaining the very same thought. We are taking Gucci to Florida for a week and have a rental house on the ocean and are meeting my In laws there. I know there will be a night we'll all want to go out to dinner and have been pondering the dog sitter idea...

Craigslist, ehh? I'll check it out.

Kara


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Kara, I liked this girl I found on Criagslist. It is a good starting point, but be careful and be sure to do your homework. This girl is starting a petsitting business and had a nice website and all set up for it. I have also considering using sittercity.com and care.com. They both charge a fee but they do background checks, etc.


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## AKathy (Mar 15, 2008)

I always get a sitter for Stella if I'm going to be gone for more than 4 hours. So far it's always been people we know and if it's not here, it's someplace she has been before. I hope you have good luck with your sitter!


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## Kirby (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh my sounds familiar....We are planning our first warm weather winter holiday around whether these homes take dogs or not. No matter that it costs more...no matter that it might not be quite as nice as the ones that don't accept dogs...no matter that.....you know. What matters is that our darling Havanese isn't lonely, sad or afraid! Oh how we love these dogs! We will never change!


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## sashamom (Jan 12, 2009)

Good to know, I should have guessed you would perform your due diligence, non of hav moms are going to risk our babies.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

so how did it go? how was dinner?


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Missy, thanks for asking. We had a very nice night and the boys got a good report from the babysitter. She said they were very good. Brady started to wimper when he heard a noise outside an hour after we left, so she took them for a walk and said they were fine after that. We had a nice dinner in Chatham and walked around and shopped without worrying about the crazy pups. We even stopped for some Sundae School on the way home. Yummmm. A very nice night She will be back Friday so we can have another night out without our shadows.


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Oh, and just because, here are a few pictures from the beach today


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## Rudyshar8 (Feb 6, 2011)

Hehehehe===the havs have that attitude, and we all know what that attitude is...don't do anything without them...so, hire the babysitter, let them have fun while your having fun...after all they are our kids...whether 2 legged or 4 legged, we definitely spoil them...so that means, we are allllllllllll crazy, lol


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## dodrop82 (May 21, 2010)

Looks and sounds like everyone had a great day!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Leslie said:


> So sorry Brady and Dugan are struggling w/this. I think Tori would possibly act the same way if we left her alone in a strange place. The dog sitter is a good idea. But, maybe you should get an RV to use for your vacations instead? :biggrin1: Tori goes everywhere with us in ours and we have never had any problems leaving her alone in it. I think it's probably because she feels like it's just an extension of home. We keep it parked at our house and whenever we have any reason to be in it, she's right there, too, eagerly hoping we're packing it to go somewhere.


Yep. Kodi's completely at home in ours too!


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