I’m so worried something is going to happen to my baby while I’m gone

[Guest]

Hello everyone! This is not an emergency at all I just need advice & peace of mind I guess. I have an 8 year old male chihuahua, I’ve only had him for 4 years but he is my everything.

I’m so attached to him that it’s borderline unhealthy. I have generalized anxiety disorder & panic disorder so I find myself worrying about my pups well being constantly.

I work in hospitality & was offered a job out of state for the summer. (I can’t bring him with me so I’m leaving him at home with my husband), I leave this Sunday & I won’t be home until late September. I’ll be across the country for 4 months.

I’m so worried something is going to happen to my baby while I’m gone.

My husband works full time during the week so I’m anxious about him being alone during the day.

Does anyone have any advice on how to cope, or has anyone else been through something like this before? I also worry he’s going to think something happened to me & grieve. My mind is in over drive thinking up any possible situation that I’d have no control over.

Sorry if this sounds crazy or unimportant, I just don’t know what to think or do. I’ve almost completely talked myself out of this job opportunity just because I’m so nervous to leave my soul dog.

[Vanezza]

Video calls and maybe counseling for yourself when you can. As long as you don’t make huge deals when coming and going he might be ok especially if someone familiar will still be with him.

[Simon]

Set up video call dates!! I’m also very attached to my pets lol. My service dog comes everywhere with me, but I also have two cats I couldn’t live without. Any time I have to leave, even just for a week, whoever is watching my babies always sends me pics and we set up little video chats so I can see my babies!

[Shayla]

Don’t worry! Dogs are far more strong than we give them credit for. I work at a boarding type facility. You could always hire an in home pet sitter to come let him out and walk him for a half hour or let him run in the house for an hour during the day and introduce them before you leave for peace of mind. But even if you don’t he will be fine going those time periods alone. Is he crate trained? If so I’d crate during those 8 hours to ensure safety.

I am the same way lol. Add OCD on top of that and I’m always a complete wreck. Always popping the worst scenarios in my head while I’m at work. Just keep yourself busy and ask your hubby to send photos of him enjoying himself. Bring him back some fun treats. You can also buy him some nice encirclement toys that can be refilled; like the bento ball.

[Diane]

You have him qualified as an ESA given your severe anxiety and he can travel with you. A dog should never be left all day. You will need to hire someone to walk him at noon. A dog can get depressed when their favourite human isn’t there. My dog was so attached to me that when I left for a few days she waited by the door day and night. Is there a possibility of a position in your own home town. It sounds like this maybe really hard on both of you.

[Kay]

Video chats for sure. And then just think about how excited your dog will be when you finally get home.

[Becky]

I worry also, but take a deep breath. Have faith in your husband. The dog will sleep all day and then be ready to play. You might consider counseling for your concerns of loss. I too have those thoughts and it’s because I lost most everything good in my life. When I was young You have to face a dog lives maybe 15 years. But the joy you get is worth the pain of loss. As the saying goes. A dog give s you the best days of your life and the worse day of your life.

[Shelly]

Get a Furbo dog and treat dispenser. Or one that has two way camera and voice so you can see each other talk to him and throw a treat now and again. That way you can check on him when your husband is at work and if your husband works days find somebody who can come over in the day and hang out for a little bit and or feed.

[Donna]

I went thru this with my pup when I had to leave for almost a year to take care of my dad. We did live chat several times a day on messenger so my pup could see and hear me. He would jump up and down and just go wild when he saw and heard my voice. He would love and snuggle the phone. It helped alot.

[Jess]

I think you need to talk to your health professional. Anti anxiety medication may be needed. You should not be preventing yourself from good things in life due to your severe anxiety.

[Karen]

Your dog is so sweet. I understand your feelings. I wish I had the right words to say to ease your mind. You are not crazy. You have to do what’s best for you which means taking the job. I’ve had a rescue dog for 3 years and I wonder what her life was before I got her and if I’m giving her a good enough home. Just having a warm home and food to eat is better than when they found her. Your dog is lucky that you found each other. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’d be surprised how quickly those 4 months will go by. Just ask your husband to send lots of pictures. And be happy and smile when you see them.