[redwitch]

Emma is a sweetheart and impossible not to love. I can well understand your concerns about having her feel abandoned. I've found that many dogs can cope with being alone during the day (owners are off and running and doing all the time) but it is hard for some to be left alone at night -- that's just too much loneliness. However, I think I'd still give it a shot if I were you.

Try just one day/night first. Make sure it is a sitter who will hang out with Emma, not just come in, feed and walk her, but don't have them spend the night. If she does okay, then try a longer trick. I know my policy is that if the owner is gone for more than 5 days, the dog should have someone spend the night at least every third day. For a secure dog, this seems to work well -- less sense of abandonment, it seems. For Emma, it might have to be nightly or every other night. But try the one night trip first and see how it goes.

Good luck. It isn't easy finding the right solution for caring for a beloved pet, especially not if it has been as traumatized as your lady has. (Okay, she's a semi-clown but she's still a lady.))