Dealing with long absences

[my2rotties]

I just received the news I have been dreading. It is a wonderful thing for our company, but my heart sunk at the same time.

Our company won a bid to do all the tile and slate in a hotel about a four hours drive away. My husband is leaving on Monday the twenty second of January. Of course I must stay behind to take care of things here. We have only ever been apart for one night in eight years. That night was terrible since Damian and Sable were so depressed. Damian refuses to eat until Frank comes home from work, and will pout all day as well. Damian sleeps on Frank's side of the bed, and never leaves his side. He will even stay home from a walk, if Frank does not come with us.

Damian is turning ten years old in March, and his health and energy has been slowly failing. He already has not been the same since Sheena died almost one year ago now. What is this going to do to him? I am so worried about how he will take this.

The girls, Diva and Sable love him too. I know that I am always around for them, but Frank has been a constant thing in their entire lives. Diva sits and waits in the window for Frank to come home from work everyday. Sable is Frank's dog, and she and I don't have that special bond that I share with Damian and Diva. Quite Frankly, the little Pittie drives me up the wall at times. I have never been hard on my dogs, but they know the rules, and never take a second thought in what I ask of them. However, when Frank comes home, the Pittie decides that she does not have to listen to me at all. Of course I will still expect respect from her, but Frank always steps in to defend her. It really makes it hard for me to like the dog. I know she will be fine while I am here alone, but I am worried about how she will deal with Frank's absence as well. She is HIS dog, and when he is home, she has no rules. I don't want to terrorize the little beast, but I do have rules that all the dogs must obey when I am home. I know she will be heart broken when Frank is gone, and wonder what I can do to make things better for her, aside of letting her do what she wants.

Diva will miss Frank, but I know that she will deal with it better then the other two dogs. All I do is keep her busy and take her for lots of walks everyday. I plan on still doing this while Frank is gone, but worry about Damian. He is getting old now, and he gladly stays home with Frank when we go out. He does need or want the excercise that Diva requires, and I don't know how to leave him behind.

How do you all deal with things like this? I know it is a silly question, but I have honestly never been faced with this before.

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Diana Primiterra
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Yard/8867/index.html
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Although I would like our world to change
It helps me to appreciate
Those nights and those dreams
But, my friend, I'd sacrifice all those nights
If I could make the Earth and my dreams the same.
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Creed

[Vicki]

When my husband is gone the three boys are OK, though they do look for him. It's also quite ego reducing to see the look on their faces when I get home, like "gee it's only Mom". My little girl is another story. She paces all night, she'll whine, and she doesn't eat well. I try and pamper her and let her sit in his chair, which is normally off limits. The last time he left I took some of his dirty laundry and piled it in his chair, and she made kind of a nest out of it and seemed a bit comforted. I don't know that there is anything you can do, except kind of suffer along until Dad gets back.