Sonny In Isolation. Not.

Well, Sonny is never really alone ever unless she's crated. In her crate, she's got a lovely window view, the TV is on for her listening and viewing enjoyment (Animal Planet, of course.) She's crated every day we work. And she seems to like it in there. Well, I know she likes the treat she gets to go in the crate! In the mornings, as soon as she sees me reaching for the treats, she heads off to her crate. She is a creature of habit. And she LOVES her treats, too.

When one of us comes home, there is excitement and joy. But it's reserved, because the family is still incomplete. Not until the second one of us comes home is the family complete and she can be whole again.

The very first time I ever left her was when she was about 4 months old. We'd only had her about a month. Well, I left her. My husband didn't. Sonny moped. My husband made the mistake of taking a shower, leaving the pup to her own devices. When he came out of the shower she had retaliated. Oh well, my husband didn't really need that pillow anyway! It is the only time she has retaliated for leaving her alone.

That we know of.

She did retaliate once because I was on the phone, not paying attention to her. Another pillow incident. But this time, it was a beautiful decorative pillow that I adored. Notice the past tense. She grabbed the pillow out of the guest bedroom, took it out to the living room, and wreaked havoc. When I got off the phone, there were stuffing clouds all over the living room floor. Bye bye pillow. 

My husband travels periodically and she appears to adapt to that without much distress I travel less frequently, so it may be more of an ordeal for her when I'm gone. I don't know why. Sometimes when I'm there she seems to favor him the most. But it is me that she follows all over the house all day and all night long. Unless she's in a deep deep sleep, she wakes up and follows me to the laundry, to the kitchen, to the bedroom, to the bathroom.

When one of us is gone, there's more room in the bed for her. Not that space has ever  been HER issue. It's always OUR issue. She gets what she takes, and we get what's left over!


There have been times (not many) when we've had to travel and leave her at home. My daughter's wedding in Charleston. Our car trip down to Florida over Christmas last year. A long weekend getaway to Bald Head Island. When we were in Charlotte for a week for my husband's shoulder replacement surgery. Not often for sure, especially when you realize it's over a 3 year period. 

But we don't get out very often. Reference The Money Pit.

We ALWAYS take her when we visit our daughter in South Carolina.So she can visit her brother, Charley.

We have a wonderful dog sitter, Jack. Sonny absolutely adores him. Jack is six foot something, but when he talks to Sonny he pitches his voice high just for her. Sonny goes crazy. Jack will spend the night at the house and Sonny sleeps with him. Lucky Jack.

We have had her at a boarding kennel a few times. Sometimes Jack will have to take her there, or -- better yet -- rescue her from the kennel. The one kennel we prefer using is great. Sonny has a glassed in "suite" all to herself, a clear shot of the television (Animal Planet, of course!) and plenty of room. They take her outside to socialize with other dogs, they have a doggie pool and she seems to thrive when there. They are related to my vet, so I feel confident that her medical needs, if they arise, will be dealt with appropriately.

Once, and only once, we had to kennel her somewhere else. Although this place was recommended to me, I will never take her there again. Neither she nor I liked it. It was the only time that, when I picked her up, she jumped into the car without hesitation, without a push from the rear, without goading. As if to say, get me the H out of here. NOW, please.