Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been through this? I don't feel comfortable telling anyone about this in real life because I know they will think I'm pathetic. This anxiety is very real. Please don't comment to go get therapy or get on meds. Just want to know if anyone can relate. I know they will most likely be fine all day but I feel like I'm on borrowed time with them.

So you're just going to continue you're life with "very real" anxiety just because you leave your pets in their safe and comfortable home?

I experience anxiety every day when I leave my dog alone - ever since my childhood I’ve have a somewhat irrational fear of house fire and any time I leave my dog home when no other humans are there (I house share with cousins), I worry that my dog will die in a house fire because I’m not there to let her out.

In general I’m less anxious with the dog close by than without her, but I manage okay at work and can put the fear/anxiety about her being trapped in the house out of my mind for the most part. But I have that fearful feeling and thought every time I leave her.

Dogs or cats? My cats seem to get a little annoyed with me if I'm home and making too much noise during their (MANY) nap times.

Adult dogs need to sleep 16 hrs out of every 24 but I get it, OP!!

I was worried too, but they're fine. Sometimes I take them to doggie daycare or can spend time with them midday. I got timed feeders so they can have dinner on time even when I am out late.That worked ok, but I realized sometimes they didn't go off at the same time and one dog would eat both dinners.

I quit using them a few weeks ago because they had a rave while I was at work. I came home to rugs scattered, water bowl upended, and one of the timed feeders tipped over with food everywhere. One pug had eaten herself sick---she probably ate 2-4 cups of food--she's highly food motivated so the fact there was food on the floor uneaten told me she had eaten herself sick. She was waddling around and looked pregnant. Luckily the other pug had more sense than that. Now they just eat dinner late so I can supervise!

If you are prone to anxiety, the camera might make it worse. I got stressed seeing my dog sit and sleep all day and worried he was bored and sad. Our other dog was hyper and still would randomly bark when he heard things. Seeing these things caused me more stress and anxiety. I hired a mid day dog walked which helped a little.

They lived a long life and we no longer have dogs. I didn’t get more because my guilt was too bad. We have other pets since but I don’t feel as bad leaving them all day. They don’t care.

My anxieties are air travel. It just does not seem safe.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else been through this? I don't feel comfortable telling anyone about this in real life because I know they will think I'm pathetic. This anxiety is very real. Please don't comment to go get therapy or get on meds. Just want to know if anyone can relate. I know they will most likely be fine all day but I feel like I'm on borrowed time with them.

Have a mid day walker. Dogs need a lot of sleep. How many hours are you away?

I felt the same way, OP, especially after I got my dogs. They got along fine while I was there, but I worried about them not getting along when I was gone all day. I got a Furbo camera and it was really helpful. I learned they all sleep all day and don't fight.

I would be the exact same way. You might be able to find a neighbor to pay and leave them at that persons house a few days a week, or daycare at a professional place (can get expensive). 2-3 days out of 5 will wear them out.

Alternatively a dogwalker, maybe even 2 visits if it helps you.

A web camera is a great idea.

Are you worried that the animals are not okay or just that you don’t have enough time with them?

For the former, get a camera. They’re really easy to set up and then you can look in whenever you want.

What kind of dogs? How old? Do you know if they have separation anxiety?

If you have a dog, how about a doggy day care. Or hire someone to stop by mid day.

Take your dogs to daycare.

Has anyone else been through this? I don't feel comfortable telling anyone about this in real life because I know they will think I'm pathetic. This anxiety is very real. Please don't comment to go get therapy or get on meds. Just want to know if anyone can relate. I know they will most likely be fine all day but I feel like I'm on borrowed time with them.