Don't know what to do

A couple of weeks ago we got back from holiday and picked Jess up who had been staying with my sister for a week. Picked her up around 7pm and when we got home she just wouldn't settle, kept pacing, up and down off the sofa like she was in pain and ust couldn't get comfy. Jess can be a monkey at times..... My sis text me on the wednesday whilst we were away to say that Jess had got into her handbag and eaten her secret stash of choc and also eaten 6 x 2 finger kit kats (the wrappers were over the floor).

We made an emergency call to the vets at 2am Sunday morning as she still wouldn't settle, vets said becasue he hadn't been sick or diarreah then we shouldn't be too worried as she would have had a reaction to the chocolate before that. She has since returned to normal, but everytime we walk in the back door from getting in after leaving her she cowers in her bed and curls herself into the tightest ball like she's done something wrong. It take lots of kisses and belly tickles and fuss to re assure her that everything is okay before she's back to normal.
We think that maybe sis has done something to her whilst we were away

Now i'm in a predicament, we go away on holiday again at Christmas and sis is due to have her again, we are in two minds whether to let her have her again but we have no one else to have her and don't want to put her in kennels, as she wouldnt cope.

Aww poor Jess could she be stressed because she missed you? Is there no one else that could have her in December? Perhaps your sister could shed more light on it? But rest assured if I thought she'd done something to my baby she wouldn't be having her again have you thought of barking mad holidays?

Normally she goes absolutely everywhere with us, I always lay down the rules with sis and tell her not to let my nephews feed her anything, only give her her food which is measured into bags and if she wants to feed her treats then she has what she goes with or carrotts. Part of me thinks that it's stress as she is rescue and gets herself into a twist if i leave her, but it's the she wouldnt settle bit that worries me like she was in pain or something. God forbid that i hope sis didn't tell her off for nicking the choc and hurting her. Sis says nothing happened and only did what I told her, but both myslef and boyf think there's more to it. I'm just so confuddled and confused with what to do for the best

Poor you and poor Jess.
If kennels are not an option and neither is your sister, then maybe you could consider a pet sitter - either for them to stay at your home with Jess, or for her to stay at their home?

I wouldn't put her back with your sister because either way you'll be constantly worrying whilst away. It could also strain your relationship with your sister. Holidays for dogs is a company we've used in the past with great success

I'm afraid it does sound as if she was given a telling off  

if you get on really well with your sister i'd have a chat to her and ask her if any thing happened whilst she was looking after jess,how ever small it may have been,they can be sensitive little things and even a telling off can really upset them .

Unless the chocolate was a dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage i wouldn't worry to much about it tbh now, I'm sure any effects of it would have manefested themselves by now.

As for the holiday issue I would be looking for someone else to look after her, it certainly sounds like something had happened to make her act that way, try the Barking Mad link below:

http://www.barkingmad.uk.com/

Poor Jess hope she is ok now, could be stress but sure she will be fine next time  

Hope you get it sorted whatever the outcome , these little sods are so sensitive we came up with the perfect solution , we take the dogs with us , we are content to know they are safe and not pining and they get a holiday too . I am constantly reminded by the OH about missing out on foreign holidays etc and by my daughter but 100% sure if I said to them lets go abroad and put the dogs into some kennels , holiday sitting whatever they would back down in 2 mins .

Aww bless does sound like something has happened however small they really are sensitive Arnt they

Aww bless does sound like something has happened however small they really are sensitive Arnt they

Some kennels are very good. Are you anywhere near Essex?

Hope you can sort something that gives you peace of mind. I can not recommend Barking Mad enough, Ledger was matched to a host family he had full run of the house, slept on their bed, was taken to the womans birthday party to meet all her friends! I had photos text while he was away and they have said they can't wait to have him back. Part of the registration is the dog gets an overnight stay with the host family so you do get reassurance that both dog and family get on ok before you head away on hols

It does sound like your sis could have told Jess off. And Jess being a resuce dog too, she would be very sensitive to being told off while missing you. I wouldnt leave her with your sister until you get to the root of the problem.

Kennels are not necessarily bad. I hesitated to put Doug in one when I went to Italy, but found a great one in the back of beyond in the Scottish Borders. The woman who ran it was very capable, kind and knowledgeable. She put pictures of Douglas up on her facebook page, which I could view on my phone when I was away, very reassuring. It was nice to see him frolicking about in the woods, having a good time. When i came back he was completely his normal happy self. So I wouldn't write off the kennels option. I would personally visit any that I'm thinking of using though (with dog), look for reviews on the web, and chat through what their policies are.

yeahbut wrote:Kennels are not necessarily bad. I hesitated to put Doug in one when I went to Italy, but found a great one in the back of beyond in the Scottish Borders. The woman who ran it was very capable, kind and knowledgeable. She put pictures of Douglas up on her facebook page, which I could view on my phone when I was away, very reassuring. It was nice to see him frolicking about in the woods, having a good time. When i came back he was completely his normal happy self. So I wouldn't write off the kennels option. I would personally visit any that I'm thinking of using though (with dog), look for reviews on the web, and chat through what their policies are.

No they are not, there are some good ones about. I however could not put Pixee in a kennel, she suffers from terrible separation anxiety.