Bark my blues away

I admit one of the hardest things for me to do is leave my doggies at home. No day passes without me wishing I could take them all with me – wherever I go.

Gorby, the youngest of the bunch, has become my regular companion. He is small, doesn’t bark a lot and gets along quite well with every one and every other pet I meet. The older dogs Yuri, Greta and Boris have become used to the idea that they have to stay at home – at least I hope they have grown used to that.

So, I am finding it quite difficult as I write this piece to leave for a trip that will take me away for a few days – the longest trip I have ever taken in a long time. This is also the longest time I will be away from my doggies since they have become part of my life.

While I am away, each time I think of home I miss – next to my Mom – my whole barky bunch gang.

And crazy as it may sound, for the past week, as I have been busy with work and preparing for the trip, I have been talking to my doggies, telling them to be good while I am away. But it is to Gorby, my little guy, a Toy Poodle, that I have been talking to the most.

He sits and listens to me – at least I think he does. I tell him to take care of his older doggie siblings and to watch over my Mom while I am gone. And through it all he seems to listen and understand.

I have read a lot about how pets become anxious when they are left alone at home. Matter of fact, it has been written that pets who experience separation anxiety can become destructive.

But this time, I think it is me who is experiencing human anxiety.

I have not read much about the anxiety humans feel when they leave their pets behind as they go on trips. But I am sure that I am not alone in feeling this way. In the many interviews I have done for the PetLife section I have been told stories of how the humans of the pets would call home just to hear their canine companion bark. Or how they would leave very specific instructions behind as to how their pet must be cared for while they are away. And for those who can’t take the separation, they take their pets with them.

My friends think I am going out of my mind when I tell them how hard it is to leave the doggies behind. They say it isn’t really such a long time and there will be so many new things to see and do where I am going that I will hardly have time to miss them – I think not.

So, tonight before I sleep I will make sure to give each of my canine companions a hug and many kisses – as many as the days that I will be gone.

And for Gorby, who always stares at me with his adorable puppy eyes, and loves to come with me no matter where I may be going, I will tell him that I will think of him all the time while I am away.

To myself I will whisper, "Don’t worry Kathy, you’ll be home before you know it."

But go I must, as Yoda would say, for work I must do.