Dog Separation Anxiety - Part 2

Dommy... sleeping peacefully with his camel. I gave him my camel few weeks back. And why did i do this?

I am preparing him for my time away from him. I am going on a trip for 3 weeks. I am afraid that he will be distressed and waiting for me to return for the longest time. You see... i became his pack.

Since Piper went home to stay with his mommy, I became Dommy's pack. I might have become the most important thing in his life (it is a nice feeling.. and the feeling of importance bowls me over sometimes but...)

Dogs are basically very sociable beings. But given the chance, they would only want to spend time with you. All the time too. So when you leave him to go out, he becomes distressed and confused. He wants to spend all his time with you when you've joined his pack but here you are leaving him all alone at home. They will be wondering why they can't go along... and when you'll be back. When you are away from him, all he wants is to be reunited with his pack. And his pack means YOU!

He has the saddest face when i go out.. even for a while. He'll jump a few feet higher when he sees me taking out my car keys. Sometimes i take him along, when i go out to just do some fast errands. He'll be grinning from ear to ear and sits beside me like the best friend that he is. He growls at the window when he sees some weird characters parked beside us. Sometimes he barks out loud too. hahaha.. that kind freaks out people on motorcycles. Cos he does have the cutest face ever... and here he is growling at you if he don't like your face. HAHA

Does your dog suffer from Separation Anxiety? Mine does. At least Dommy does.
I even googled for solutions. So far... this is what i have done to help him along the way.

Each time i leave for long hours, i made sure he has
1) a nice comfortable place to sleep
2) water
3) Camel friend to keep him company
4) Sometimes i leave him my tee-shirt because i once came home to find him sleeping on my teeshirt which he found in the laundry basket.. :o
5) I try to leave quietly.. and not make a grand departure
6) I will sternly tell him that he cannot go with me, when he starts to whine... then he magically stops whining. Think he understands.
7) Leave the radio or the tv on for him.

This will be the longest time i will be away from him. Hope he'll get more attached to dad while i am away. Maybe i'll be the one with the Separation Anxiety :o

I seriously think that i have become more "dog" than he has become more "human". hahaha... My own folly for loving him too much, and spending all my hours with him. I can finally say that now... i am his pack. Gonna miss my Dommy.