Finally...a voice of reason that isn't afraid to speak up! :thumbup: Yes, we left the boyz home :eek: because it was in their best interest. We went to our son's house 85 miles away, everyone there smokes except us, there are several small children and pre teens running around and in and out plus 2 large dogs. Way too much going on to throw my boys in the middle of it and had I brought them I wouldn't have been able to relax and enjoy my holiday with family. Yes, my boyz are part of my family too and that makes it my job to use my good judgement to protect them and I feel that busy holiday get togethers are no place for 2 tiny dogs to be running around. I wonder how many people would be this upset or offended if they were invited to an adults only party and had to leave their children at home?

I think we just need to use some common sense on these matters. I went to my parents, who love my 2 dogs. But all the family were there and we had kids everywhere (6 kids under 6). With all the running in and out, I would have been scared to death that one of my babies would have gotten out, and run away. Also my parents are in their late 70"s and my dad has had a couple of strokes. He is not real steady on his feet and I have 2 puppies, 14 months and 5 months. So it was in everyones best interest for them to wait for us at home where they are safe, warm and happy. My sister-in-law did bring her new puppy s**tz-szu, but kept her in her kennel for fear of someone hurting her. We can love our dogs and love our families, too. I don't know how much time I have left with my parents so I choose to spend all the time I can with them. Chewie and Karma love Nana & Papa too.

I stayed home with mines, but I would've taken him out had I left. This way if I got put out of a relatives house, they can't say I didn't make an appearance.:D When I have to leave, my mom watches him.

Mine stay at home on holidays... it is CRAZY enough with all the humans around, and my furbabies get too nervous around all the ruccus...Hopey shakes the entire time. Tootie tinkles everywhere and Tinker barks at everyone, Laci is bigger than a human and poor ole TBone would have a heart attack.. LOL I do bring them places, just not where there is alot of action going on... it makes them miserable, me miserable and all I think about is bringing them home...
they are happy together and we get to have a party when I get home... hehe

I also agree with your third point, oh wise woman!;)

Well, all of the small children on my side are grown up, yet haven't started families of their own and our get togethers tend to be really laid back (my dogs are the only animals) so, yes, when celebrating Christmas with my family, they go, and get the most presents :) (In all honesty, my parents and siblings probably wouldn't recognize me without a dog at my feet)

Of course, late afternoon when we leave my family to go have Christmas with my husband's the dogs stay home.

Common sense should dictate, and no, the dogs should not come before spending time with family.

I took her with us this time because we were driving and my mother inlaw calls her her grand puppy. So from maryland to florida we drove:) . Now if we go on vacation she stays w/ my parents and if were leaving for no more then 2 nights she stays at home. She's not a baby she 5 years old in human years so in dog years she very capable of staying by herself. Sorry I know some may disagree. But it works for our family.:rolleyes:

I totally agree with Jiggety Jig. I dont have parents to visit anymore so to me, I would leave my dogs anywhere to get to spend one more Christmas with my parents. I come from a big family. I've lost 1 brother and 2 sisters already and a daughter. Some might not realize how special family is until you lose some of them but You do find out they are more important than your dog. I hope it don't take losing someone to find that out. I love my dogs also. I have my own Christmas at home with my kids, but I have two sisters that live up the road, one of them has 3 dogs at her house, I have a brother that travels all over the country but they were here this year. they have one yorkie. But none of them brought their dogs to my house for xmas but my grand daughter whom I told her she could. I have a fenced yard and it wasnt too cold for them outside and my dogs and her dog had fun playing and my grandson and my sisters grand daughter had fun playing with the dogs outside. then before everyone left someone let the dogs in and it was ok too but that was as everyone was leaving. We love our dogs but that dont mean everybody else has to love them as I dont love other peoples dogs and I'm glad they all didnt bring theirs as none of us takes ours to visit each other anyway. We had a great Christmas. we visited my sisters family party and then of course we had one last night for just us 3 sisters and 1 brother and their spouses. their was no dogs nor children. so actually we were at 4 christmas parties and enjoyed them all tho our dogs were at home the whole time. they were just as well off when we got home as when we left them , just happy to see us. To me the dogs should only go to peoples houses when they know its ok to bring them and most people know where their dogs are welcome and where their not. But I dont feel like they should take offense as just because you love your dog it dont mean everybody else does. Family comes first and foremost in my life. But if my son and his kids didnt come just because their dog couldnt I would feel like they sure didnt care much about us. I would truly be hurt to the bone and offended to think a DOG came before me with my family. I just hope everyone had a good Christmas. We did and so did our dogs. they got presents from my grand daughter and her dog got one from us, but it was done at MY HOUSE where they were welcome to bring him. I have pictures of my dogs opening their presents from them and from us. but I waited until last for them to open the ones from them and they opened ours before everyone got here. It all worked out great. My son nor my grand daughter would never think about not coming to see us just because their dog couldnt come and I wouldnt think twice to leave my dogs at home to go where ever I had to go to be with them. I guess we're all just different.

Oh gosh, was someone there with your little one? If not, I hope someone came to check on her while you were gone. 31 hours is an awefully long time to leave a dog by themselves.....:eek:

Mojo stayed home for one family Christmas we had, but he went to the other two. All of our families are pretty close, so we never have to travel far. He stayed home for the one because they have it at an old community building in a small town that is kind of central for everyone and plus, there are like 100 kids and people, so a small dog would not do good there. The other two were at my inlaws house and my parents house.

Another good point! Just because our doglettes are our BABIES doesn't mean that makes it appropriate to take them EVERYWHERE, just like occasionally we'll go places without our skin-babies....rated R movies, nice restaurants, etc.

I've known people who QUIT WORK because they felt like it was their responsibility to stay home and be with their dogs. Meanwhile, they worked all through raising HUMAN kids, and it never bothered them. ??????

I'm not trying to be a big ole curmudgeon with this thread, but occasionally I read or hear things that make me think that, as obsessed yorkie owners (which we all are! :D) we can sometimes use a little dose of PRIORITIES and PERSPECTIVE. So thanks for adding some of your own common sense, and not burning me at the YT stake! :D

:goodpost:

I love my Tatum and I love my family. My family loves her too but there are times when it's just not in her best interest to be around so many people. I've read numerous posts just today about yorkies being injured while being surrounded by so many people. We are all sympathetic when that happens and yes, it can happen ANY time but we should be smart enough to know when to share our babies and when to go visit family without them.

Christmas Eve the family gathering was at our house. Thirteen people and two grandchildren. They are all used to being around our Yorkie family. My biggest fear were the guests arrivals and departures with the front door open. So we took extra precautions to make sure no one would escape. All turned out well. After awhile I brought the three to the back of the house and secured them for some much needed rest. They rejoined us later and the evening was wonderful.

I had their best interest at heart on Christmas day to leave them home in a quite and safe environment while we went for the afternoon. Didn't have to worry at all about them and was able to enjoy the family.

I don't know about the rest of you but our routine has been upset for the last few weeks with all the shopping, baking, cooking and cleaning. My three weren't getting the lap time they so enjoy (so do I) and they let me know it. Today was back to normal though. We even took a nap...it was monkey pile, or should I say yorkie pile on mom!

Both my furbabies came out with us :-)
Everyone knows they are our kids...and if i have to put up with their bratty kids...then my 2 lil precious babies come too.
and 99% of the time...my babies act better than their kids and even half the adults!!!

Nope, The Stedster stayed home ;) I wouldn't DARE bring him over to OUR family Christmases! LOL - they are very loud, crazy, and chaotic! We have ALOT of people in my family (including ALOT of kids) and I don't know HOW many things got knocked over - pictures got knocked off the wall, kids crying because "she did this to him - and he did this to her" - NOPE - never, never, NEVER!!! I could have predicted it - Stedman would have been squished.

BUT OF COURSE - the first thing when I walk in - "WHERE'S STEDMAN??? WHY DIDN'T YOU BRING STEDMAN??? OH, YOU SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT STEDMAN!!!" - nope :) Noooo thanks! :p

My husband and I do our own little "Christmas" here at the house, by ourselves, in our cozy home, WITH Stedman ;) on Christmas Eve. We all opened our presents together and played Christmas music by the fire - it was nice...and Stedman really enjoyed it (especially his new Bully Stick ;)) And of course when we went to be with the entire family on Christmas day - we made sure to leave Stedman lotsa toys, his new chair that he LOVES, and of course "A Christmas Story" on t.v. to make sure that he was still in the Christmas Spirit when we returned home :p Gotta leave him a Christmas move on to watch! LOL :p

We all do what is in the best interest of our doggies, ourselves and our families. Times to include our babies and times to not. Sometimes we get in a bind and dont have someone to babysit, sometimes people just want their babies with them, sometimes its best to leave them behind. Every family is in a different stage of life as well, large families with kids-its maybe not practical. Older families-it could be just fine, families with tension or issues-maybe not. I could see myself in any one of these situations thoughout my life. :aimeeyork

I had Christmas, like always and everyone brought their kids and "DOGS" to me. Buddy met his new cousin, Charger, a cavapoo, 14wks for the first time and Harley, the pug, came as well. Everyone got along. If I went to my younger daughter's house, she has a minpin, who does not accept other dogs Buddy would stay home. I guess each of us has to do what we have to do.
I would never ask to bring my dog unless it were to one of my kids because I would not want someone's else's dog in my home unless it were a grandpup.

Carol & Buddy

Not The Toto!! She would have had a coronary had we left her! :p Everyone that knows us knows the rule: Love me, love my dog! ;)

christmas eve lexi stayed home only because i went to my bfs brothers house and wouldnt dare ask to take her, my mind was on her all night, but
christmas day she came with us to my brothers house of course, my family.
she was a real good girl too.. thank god

My two babies stayed home for Christmas because that is what was safest for them. I cant say that I "put my human family" ahead of my furbabies because I dont. I share the love equally. Im lucky that my family lives close by and I was only gone for about 3 1/2 hrs stricktly because I do not like to leave them in their cages for more time than that. But it was plenty of time to have a nice Christmas with the family and then come home and spend the rest with my furbabies.

My babies stay home too. We aren't ususally gone for too awful long and my parents don't want the dogs in their house (poo on them). Of course I have 5 dogs, one of which is an 80 lb Greyhound, so it would be a little hard to take all of my babies even if they were welcome. Plus I worry about them getting steped on or someone leaving a door open, or letting one of my babies outside and forgetting about them, or someone giving them something that will make them sick. Plus, the dogs get too stressed out being in a strange home and around strangers. They all have fun meeting new people, but it stressed them out all the same.

Well of course my family comes first but i have no stress over the holiday's because i take Lily with me.I took her crate and bed and toy's and treats,set it up down stairs where it was all quite and she was as happy as could be.I would never leave her home alone for more than a couple hours.

Hmm o.k. well you know how the saying goes "you can pick your friends but not your family" well I kind of fall into that bracket. With that said I'd much rather spend Christmas or other holidays with my dogs or my friends because my friends and my pets (Three Yorkies, One Morkie and One smart ass Cockatoo named Boo. LOL) are my family. For a lot of years, I not really wanting to do it would visit the family or have them here at our house but this year I decided to do what I wanted and to share the holiday with those that really mean the most to me; My husband (whose parents are deceased and no brothers or sisters) my pets, our two sons both adopted from Guatemala as infants and friends that over the years became family. And maybe this is an unpopular thing to say but it was the most enjoyable holiday I've had in years. So I guess my answer would be that I'd pick my pets because they feel more like family. They never give me bulls**t, they always greet me with a smile or in their case a tail wag and they are always grateful for the gifts they get:) Hope everyone had as joyous a holiday as I and wishing you all a very Happy New Year:) Elaine

:confused: Where are your parents??

Well, families are never perfect, but I know that some people really have truly TOXIC family dynamics going on. And in that case, I completely understand your choice. Glad you had a happy Christmas! :)

[QUOTE=FlDebra]I agree with you -- common sense often dictates leaving our babies at home. They are often more comfortable and safer at home. And human families should always come first. Of course we love our furkids, but not over real family members!

My fur kids **are** my real family members. And as far as choosing them over what you deem "real" family members.... I will say this much. My mother-in-law probably qualifies as a real family member to you. But she is a nasty example of a human being. I would choose a boa constrictor over her any day, lol!

My babies went with me on Christmas to my mother's and the whole family was there- a small bunch though. They basked in the attention.

Teresa

20 Year Family Reunion/Xmas
 

Well I'm the worst daughter in the World, that's my new Family nick-name.
After missing a 20 yr. Family Reunion/Xmas Vacation, w/c has been my Mothers dream of a Lifetime. She even cancelled the Photographer for the Family Portrait. Yes, I feel really bad for dissappointing her and making her very unhappy for the Holidays, every one else made it except for me and my cousin in Denver, CO. (I am in Myrtle Beach, SC).
I could not take all 4 dogs on the plane, or pay $120.00 per night @ the Doggie Hotel for 6 days......you do the math! Or worse drive 44 hrs. and 3,000 miles each way, especially with the gas prices. And not to mention I had to work Xmas Eve and Xmas the night shift 7pm. to 3 am.
My Mom only gave me 3 weeks notice, she offered to pay $500.00 towards my Airline Ticket that was $800.00, plus I still had to pay my regular Living expenses too!
My Mother hates Dogs and all Animals, except MY YORKIES! No one else is really a "Animal Lover" in my Family, my Sister has a male Yorkie too, but she left him w/Friends/Neighbor. My Cousin has a male Yorkie too but they brought him but he is so un-trained they kept him crated the whole time w/c included the 5 hr. drive! My Brother brought their wild Doxy/Hotdog but he was crated also including the 2 1/2 hr. drive up. If I was able to make it, my Mother allows all my dogs full run of her House, b/c she knows they are Trained to behave. Of course the rest of the Family Members with the un-trained dogs get mad b/c theirs can't go out in Public let alone my Mom's House. I had to explain to my Mother that I decided to have the Puppies last July, w/out knowing I would be obligated to make this trip in December?
Even though it would have been a Full House w/alot of constant commotion,
I'm sorry but my first responsibility, priority and obligation is to my Yorkies!
Call me a Bad Girl, but I'm a good Yorkie Mom, No one else in my Family understands, I would have went if I only had 1 to worry about not 4!
And NO my BF couldn't watch them b/c he's not the Alpha, they walk all over him! Merry Xmas:confused:

home for Christmas
 

I'm new to the yorkie site. Glad to have discovered it. I did both. I left my little Jupiter home, he is very comfortable there. He wasn't alone though, he had my cat Mia to hang out with who is like his big sister. Jupiter is 18 months old. I also got a new yorkie the week before Christmas, her name is Venus, she is only 16 weeks old. I took her to work with me. I am a nurse at a local small hospital. It was very quite and I made a bed with warm blankets from tha warmer and placed her under tha counter. It was like a large kennel. She loved it. She had been use to being kenneled and not in the house. I would of felt guilty leaving a brand new puppy home alone all day. The rest of the family went to other places for tha day. I wasn't comfortable yet leaving her to run around with Jupiter. happy holidays to all.LT

I did something slightly different.... I went to visit my daughter (she lives 3hrs away) and she has 2 cats.... I did take my Daisy.....BUT, my mother and I stayed in a hotel... this way... Daisy could "visit" her fur cousin kitties, but during the chao's of lots of people in and out and unwrapping gifts etc....Daisy stayed at the hotel.... this way, I didn't have to leave her for long periods of time... she got to socialize some.... for me, it was a win-win!!!

Thank you! :) I have only purchased one of my dogs that I have had from a breeder. And he was a monster. I think I'll stick with rescue. Especially since there are so many out there that need homes.

That is so funny about Kiki. :)