Hire a pet sitter, leave the dog home in routine surroundings.
My dogs are inconsolable when I am not around. If I left them home for over 3 days, I am sure the older one (17+) would probably give up, even though he is healthy other than his age related infirmities. The little guy is a rescue, and suffers the worst separation anxiety you can imagine. If I am out of sight he howls incessantly, even if I am just out on the sundeck.
You have seen the number of “pet-sitters” that have been charged with animal abuse have you not? I’ll not chance such a thing with my charges, thank you very much.
I’ll take the boys with me. They both travel well, and I am tuned (trained?< BG >) to their leg stretch/exercise/feeding/watering needs. You do what you think is right for your pets, I’ll do what’s right for mine.
That is exactly what we do at our house.
We pay our dogsitter $25 per day. All of our students have been young ladies who are students at the university where we work. They stay at the house while we are gone.
MFO