[Nancy1999]

I got Joey at 12 weeks, and kept him in a play yard with bed food and water and pee pads. I was home, but needed to put him someplace when my eyes couldn't be glued on him. Let me say that I tried many water dishes and he would spill them all, either he'd step in the dish, or knock it over with a toy, I was constantly refilling his dish. So what happens if he knocks over his water and then he's without water for 13 or so hours? Also, they will eat their poop, if you don't remove it. Don't forget, if they don't eat and develop hypoglycemia, they will lose their appetite complete and won't want to eat, that's why you need to know the symptoms of hypoglycemia and be ready to act with Nutri-cal or Karo Syrup if it occurs. I wonder if a teenage would be responsible enough to do this? I'm glad you found someone who will babysit for a couple of weeks, but that's still way too young to start leaving alone. I think your babysitter sounds great, especially since she has other dogs, I would pay her to babysit, it will help immensely with socialization, which can be a real problem for dogs who are left alone all the time, but you really need someone for a long time, I'd say over a year at least. These things will come back and cause you all sorts of problems down the road.