I'm so torn! :(
 

I just found out that Brendon and I have the opportunity to go to Mexico for a study abroad program this summer almost completely free. That includes airfare (we already have tickets from the last time we went because they overbooked our flight so that part's free), lodging, excursions, AND tuition payment for the 9 credits we'd each receive. It's an amazing opportunity and one we'd both really enjoy.

The problem is...the puppies. We'd be gone from the end of May till the end of June. I know Marty would be just fine. He stayed with Mom last time we were in Mexico and other random times as well and he has no problems adjusting. Madeline, on the other hand, doesn't like changes at all and is very attached to Brendon and me. We left her and Marty at my mom's house one evening while we shot a wedding and Mom said she was stressed and whining frantically the whole time we were gone. Poor little girl. It broke my heart and I can't imagine being away from her for a whole month.

I really don't want to miss out on such an amazing opportunity, but at the same time, I don't want my baby girl to be upset or sad.

Do you think Maddie would do better if we had someone stay at our house with her rather than taking her some where else? Would you even risk it at all?

Please let me know what you think.

:( :( :(

I chased Maddie through Ohio....and as much as you'd missed them...that's an incredible opportunity I wouldn't pass up. Could you do like trial stays at someone else's home? Meaning taking her over several several times...so she gets used to them...and then leaving her for brief periods? I think it's the new that freaks Maddie out.

I think that would be easier than finding someone to come stay at your house for a month. If you mean..just having someone come in daily but not...I'd nix that...I'd rather she have company.

Phew, that is a hard one. I understand how you feel. Do you have someone you trust that could stay at your house with them? If you do, that might work, you'd have to have them pop in often so that they could get used to the idea.

Is there anyway you could take them with you? Or is Mexico a no no for getting them out again?

Maybe you could try letting her stay at your Mom more often for short periods, just an hour or two, to see if she might settle in?

It would be a shame if you missed this opportunity, but... I understand your fears.

Hope it all works out.

Sheilagh

I say life is short, go for it. You have been given an amazing opportunity . Maddie will be okay after a day or two and you know she is in good hands with your mum. Our little fubutts are more resilient than we think. Our first yorkie Kenji (RIP)had severe seperation anxiety and was fine at my bf's house after a day or two when we went south.

We agree!! Yorkies are such social dogs that we would never trust anyone to pop in consistently for a month... it would never happen. Since we are college students, I'm sure that we could find a trustworthy friend who would love free rent/electricity/internet/cable/etc for a month (since the dorms are closed for the summer), so we would love to do it that way.

I say talk to the vet. I'm sure there are mild medications (maybe even something herbal if you know of a holistic vet) out there for separation anxiety if you want to go that route. Maybe she would only need it for a day or two until she settles in. I agree that it would be a shame for you two to miss this opportunity. Good luck!

Any chance Teri and Megan can take her back for those two months now that the landlord has eased off a bit with Tucker? Of course, you might never get her back. ;)

I say go for it. You guys are young, and that's an incredible opportunity not to grab. If you can find a good sitter, the experience might actually help her become more socialized.

Maddie is at my Mom's house several times each week with us. She's only been left there alone the one time we were at the wedding, but she was very familiar with my mom, brother, and sister by that point so I think it's more the separation from us that she doesn't like rather than the newness of the situation. Maybe leaving her there with mom alone a few more times would help though. Maybe then she wouldn't feel that we're abandoning her and she'd be okay with it? I guess it's worth a shot. I just hate knowing how much it upsets her... :(

I don't think we'd be able to take them. Aren't there quarantine laws for pets entering and leaving the country? :confused: If not, we could look into it, but I definitely don't want them quarantined and not know how they're being treated.

Well it's either that...or what Brenny mentioned above...a friend moving in to your place. I'd just wanna be sure the friend intended on spending time at HOME though...

Mexico? No, no quarantine.

would where you're staying allow pets? That might be a bigger issue than taking them into Mexico.

There used to be a poster here...Ensor...who took hers to her vacation home in Mexico all the time...

I think that is a good idea. Maybe you and Angie can pick a few and invite them over a few times to see how Maddie reacts to them before you decide who to offer it to!

Hmmmm...actually I have a college student living at my house that I would gladly send to stay with them if he wasn't taking classes this summer :rolleyes:

LOL Mike. We're a tad out of the way. :p

Angie and Brendon, I say go for it. Really. That is an INCREDIBLE opportunity. Madeline will be fine. My suggestion is to pick someone very soon that you would trust to stay at your house with them (if you could), and then start having her meet them. Or if you'd rather that she stayed with someone else, what if you had that person spend a few days at your house, then Maddie (& Marty or just Maddie) went over their house for a few hours once in a while?

Just throwing suggestions out there. But Maddie will be fine as long as it isn't just dumped on her all at once...and least that's what I think.

Good luck! I really, really hope this works out for you. :D

EDIT:

I don't know how Maddie acts when she's with the same people, but in a different location. I'm just wondering if the sudden change from TN to Mexico would weird her out.

That thought actually crossed my mind, but then I wondered if it might confuse her and stress her more to go back to NJ then back to TN again and if it'd be hard on their family to have Maddie back and then have her leave again. And like Megan mentioned above, we're pretty far apart--about 11 hours by car.

I never thought about it maybe helping her become more socialized. That's a good point. (But I still hate the thought of her being so scared and frantic...)

Oh that's awesome! We'll talk to the professor tonight and see if we can take her. The information packet I have says we'll be staying in either dorms or apartments with double occupancy. We were already going to ask if it'd be possible for us to stay together (I don't see why it'd be a problem), so we'll just ask if pets are allowed too.

How does traveling with pets on a plane work? Would she be able to stay with us? She's not used to a crate, what if she barks and whines? Would we get in trouble? I've never done it before and know nothing about what it involves other than a health certificate.

He could take classes at my school instead! LOL! We live about 5 minutes from campus. ;) :D

I've never traveled with a pet on a plane either, but I've looked into it a read a bit about it. From what I gather, they can travel with you as long as they can fit comfortably (meaning being able to stand up, turn around, and lie down) in a carrier that can fit underneath your seat. I don't really know about the barking...but I believe that as long as they're not traveling in cargo, you can give them a small amount of sedatives to keep them calm.

Yeah, we've traveled on planes a lot. It's no big deal. And you have plenty of time between now and then to get her used to a carrier.

You can put them under the seat in front of you (and sometimes sneak them out if the flight attendant is nice). It's always cost us about $75 to $80 each direction.

The biggest issue I can think of immediately.....your fare is pre-paid. Flying pets means paying an additional fee. Anywhere from $50 to $100 one way. To fly Reese...I made his reservation at the same time I made my own, but I paid his fee when I got to the airport to take him home. So you need to inquire about that first off.

She would have to ride in a crate....no getting around that. Some people give there dogs...sedatives to calm them down. I didn't have to do that. She would fly in the cabin with you...beneath the seat. Since you are entering another country...you will have to get the health certificate...

We have a carrier that I think Maddie would fit into nicely, but how do you know if the carrier will fit under the seat? Would the airline give me dimensions if I asked? I'll ask my vet about a sedative. It'd have to be a really small dose since she's so tiny. Do you think it would be a shot or a pill? If it's a shot, how would I find a vet to do it for the trip back? A pill would be a lot better I think.

I'll definitely have to talk to my vet about this before deciding. A sedative seems a bit scary to me. Does anyone have experience with this?

$160 isn't bad for peace of mind. ;)

Do most airlines allow pets? Our tickets are through US Airways.

I highly doubt that you will be able to take her with you to Mexico. Based on what I know about the study abroad programs and the places you would likely stay, I just don't think it will be allowed. Then you have to consider, all the extra stuff you would have to either carry with you for her, or get when you get down there- food, water, etc. Plus, what if she got sick while you were in Mexico, would you be able to find a vet?

I'm sure she'll adjust to your mom's house and be just fine after awhile, esp. with Marty there to help her.

Find out which airline first....and hope it's not Southwest. They don't fly pets.
The sedative is a pill. The airline websites will tell you crate dimenisions. You need one that is kinda collapsible on the ends...so it'll smush down on the ends.

Okay, I just found the dimensions for carry on so never mind that question. :)

I wondered about the water. I know people aren't supposed to drink it so I thought we'd just give her bottled water. I just asked Bren about food actually. LOL. We have a lot to talk about and it's a long shot that she'll be able to go, but I don't want to rule it out as a possibility just yet.

It's US Airways.

Okay guys, thanks for all the help so far. I have to run to class, but I'll be home around 8:30.

Oh Angie, you don't want to pass up such an oportunity. My feeling is she would be better off staying in your apartment with someone she was familiar with. (and Marty) Taking her to Mexico would scare me because if she decided to run away...:eek: a foriegn country and all! Leaving her at someone else's house is also iffy. I'm afraid she'd try to run away and find you. I hope that you can find someone to stay there, she'd adjust to someone else taking care of her where she's used to being and having her own toys and stuff, I think, would be the least traumatic for her. We know she's high maintanence, lol, so she'll complain about whatever arrangements you make, but she'll adjust and be just fine!

Mike is right, you wouldn't get her back if she came back up here! (Kenny would kidnap her from you!) I wish we lived closer to help you out. Hmmmm, I'll send Megan to live in your apartment! Do you have a High School in the neighborhood?

I'd say leave her more often with your mom and see if that helps otherwise personally I'd opt for find someone to stay in your home if you can.

Personally I would go & leave the dogs at home.
This is a really great opportunity and you shouldn't pass it up.
You will regret it later!
Your dogs would be safer and well cared for at home.
Leave them with your mom or have a friend stay and house sit for you.
That is what we do when we go out of town.
Depending on where you go in Mexico, I think they would be better off at home in familiar surroundings.
My sister in law & her husband were in Mexico at Christmas and were pulled over by some renegade cops wanting money from them for being rich american tourists. They were so scared they never left the resort they stayed at for the rest of their vacation.

Good Luck to you!