Mini Dachshund on a Trip?

[DachshundLover]

I have a 3-month old Miniature Dachshund named Heidi. My family and I go on trips for about 9 hours every nine weeks. We go on a big trip about every 3 years. Should our little doxie come on any of the trips with us? The 9-hour trips are to Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia. We never go to a hotel on those days anymore because we have to go home and take care of Heidi. Heidi isn't house trained yet, and the last time that we came home from Georgia, she left droppings all over the kitchen. Well, that was actually our fault beause we wouldn't have gotten home in time to put out her evening meal, so we left her food out for her to get it whenever she needed to eat. As I said before, we go to Wild Adventures for the 9-hour trips, and dogs obviously aren't allowed there! We can't afford to drop her off at a nearby dog hotel, but we don't want to leave her at home alone with the food out then come home at like 10:00 PM and find dog feces all over the tile floor. What should we do?

[amabsher]

I struggle with this as well...
here are some suggestions:
Leave your girl with a friend who will follow your feeding instructions and take her potty.
Have a friend come by at your dogs dinner time to feed her dinner and take her potty about 15 mins after she eats.
Buy an ex-pen (short for exercise pen), set it up with her bed, food, water, toys and a potty pad and leave her in that for the time you are gone.
1 days worth of boarding is only about $10 around here at my vet's office and they will take care of all of your puppy's needs while you are out. I don't know how much it costs where you live but, it may offer some relief of coming home to a mess as long as your dog is properly vaccinated before she stays in a "Public Facility"

Rest assured that your dog wont be a puppy forever and she will be able to be left alone for the lengths of time you mentioned when she is more mature. The important thing is to not leave her where she could damage your home or get herself hurt.... You want to minimize her opportunity to start bad behavior so using a pen, leaving her with a friend, or boarding her is better in the long run for keeping her out of trouble while she is growing up.
Good Luck.