[Cha Cha]

I think the majority consensus is that dogs should be with you on travels and such whenever possible (and I do agree), but I have an entirely different scenario I need some help sorting through.

I am going to have company for a few days over Christmas. An extra 4-5 people (with teenaged kids that love to pick up my dogs because of their size) and their two dogs. The dogs, although active, are not a threat to mine.

My problem, is... my Mylee is in the rehabilitation stage from a second FHO surgery. At Christmas she will be 5 weeks post op. She is doing well, but has a long ways to go. I am worried about the hightened stress and activity with the two added dogs. They are bigger (by 20 lbs.) and they all LOVE to play to the point of exhaustion.

Mylee has some added behavior issues. (I am guilty of putting the behavior issues aside while we are working on the other health issuses she has.) She is a runner so I also worry about the added traffic coming and going through the door, and she has never accepted confinement or isolation well, so she will be in a state of total panic if I confine her to a bedroom when she knows there is fun stuff in the other room. I worry she will do damage to her leg if she over exerts herself playing, or is handled too much.

So, in this case would you board? Boarding too would be stressful to her, so I want to know given the choice which stress is would be less stressful for her. The boarding facility is at hour local vet clinic. They have individual "rooms" and because of her surgeries, she is familiar with the place, but still does not "like" it there, but between the two places there would be less stimulation at the clinic. They will NOT let me board Moka and Mylee together which would make her so much more content if I could. Any thoughts or help in sorting this out? My vet has perscribed a sedative, but I certainly try to avoid giving that all costs, so I guess that would be another option (that I don't like).

I am talking approximately 3 days.