To offer to look after this fucking dog?

[AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit]

My neighbour thought it would be a great idea to buy a very needy, clingy puppy while she fucks off out to work all day. Today she went back from furlough and the fucking thing is already going absolutely berserk. I've had her about it twice before and to be fair to her she is trying various things to calm it down. It's less than 6 months old. But the bottom line is it's a puppy and they are NOT designed for this. I can't see an end to it and she won't rehome it, which she should if she loves it. I'm working from home. I need to concentrate. Puppy is fine when with people. So muggins here is considering offering to have her responsibility here in my house, providing for free what would normally be a very expensive service during the day so it sits down and shuts the fuck up. Only until I go back to the office later this year. So unfair. I don't want to report her it would just be so awkward!

At that age it will want to go to toilet regularly and be walked and will chew with no one to check on it. That's cruel. She is going to end up with an out of control dog. I work but have a dog Walker every day and only 7 hours per day plus my dogs are older. I cant see she will keep it tbh.lovely dogs though .its very sad.

I am willing to bet the RSPCA will not do anything . I reported a dog being tied up for hours in freezing weather . They said because it had food water and shelter ( plastic with no doors) they would not intervene.

OP no advice here. Only posting to say that your user name is ace and you sound like the real Olive Kitteridge to me. 🙂

PS dogs are a pain in the arse. I have one.

Olive Kitteridge 🤔 why do I get the feeling that's not a compliment!

Have you spoken to her?

Yes I have, I've swapped numbers with her and in fairness to her she is concerned about the dog. She has a little sister who is staying with the dog for the rest of this week during work hours - but that won't be forever as she's potentially unfurloughed herself next week. She has asked me to let her know if he settles next week if the dog is alone again, she's bought several gadgets to try and keep him occupied.

But I know she is fighting a losing battle and I just hope she accepts this. No matter how many toys she buys... this breed is not supposed to be alone indoors. Daycare, house sitter or rehoming are the only solutions.

I've also sent her recordings and she has acknowledged that it's not on. That's something at least.

Isn't it cheeky of me to suggest rehoming if the problem isn't fixable? I feel like I'm trying to tell someone how to live their life!

@HoppingPavlova

Serious question and I’m genuinely trying to understand.

When I was young (50 odd years ago), there was never an issue with dogs being left to get on with being dogs. Back then they were mainly all bitzers/mongrels of various shapes and sizes. A relative had a pedigree and it was a really rare thing and quite the novelty.

Back then it was rare for people to have them in the house also where I was growing up, family neighbourhood with really large yards. Most yards were not even fenced, yet the majority of dogs seemed to hang around home.

They certainly were not given the attention dogs today seem to get and there was not a philosophy of people having to stay with them, puppy daycare, obedience classes etc, yet there were rarely issues with barking, howling or bad behaviour. The main issue was having to keep the dog away from stealing sausages straight from the BBQ or it taking off with the ball in a game of backyard cricket after school . Most dogs lived a long age and rarely had health issues back then too, they seemed a lot more robust than dogs today.

Is it that the majority today are pedigree or are there other factors?

Hopping Pavlova, I was wondering the same thing but was too timid to raise it.

The other question I have, and it is a genuine question - is everyone here saying that people shouldn't be able to have dogs unless they can be home every day, or most of the day, with the dog? Or home all day with them until they are at least a year old ... or what? It used to be commonplace for people to have dogs but also to go to work for 9 or 10 hours a day, then feed them, walk them, play with them in the evenings and on weekends. Does this not happen now? (I realise some breeds of dog, like the one in this post, need a lot of exercise and are definitely not suited to being left in a house all day)

Poor thing. The owner is a selfish twat. It's a welfare issue if this puppy is being left for that amount of time alone. Call S/RSPCA or Dog Warden to come and have a word.

dogs shouldnt be left for more than 4 hrs a day. if they are they should go to a dog sitter while u are at work.
just because people used to do something doesnt make it right, the animals suffered then as much as they do now. and when people say the dogs are fine they "just sleep all day" well.. what else are they meant to do ? it's not a life to be asleep all night then asleep all day and see their only contact for a few hours on an evening.

@choosesoap So only retired people should have dogs? Leaving a dog for more than 4 hours requires a dog sitter? All dogs?

Everyone agree?

Doggy daycare is her answer!

50 odd years ago, if you had a GPS, it went to work with you. They are high octane dogs with phenomenal prey drive and demand a lot of training and exercise.

I assume she will have to rehome it eventually.

They are also the best dogs in the world if they suit your lifestyle.

Looking for the edit button
GSP

@4Smalls.. no.. clearly people who can work from home , or part time or people who work full time pay for care!
if you actually like dogs enough to want one there is no way you would subject it to being abandoned at home just so you get the entertainment of it in the evening. it's a living being with emotions for goodness sake

Not cheeky at all. Couch it in terms of being the kindest thing for the dog if she's out for 11hours per day, it's far too much.

Not cheeky to suggest rehoming because she has other choices too. But leaving the dog 11 hours a day isnt one of them.

To all those posters who are saying should only people who are home most of the time have a dog.

YES YES AND YES.
Animals are not toys, they are living creatures that have requirements to be healthy.
Part of a pack, interaction with pack (or people) frequently,
frequent exercise and movement and using their nose.
Walks and runs off lead.

Why oh why are pople too thick to get this.

I want..... does not change this FACT.

Dogs hate being alone for anything more than 2 or 3 hours.

@choosesoap We used to leave our dog 8+ hours a day, five days a week (from the time that she was around 8 months). It's a smallish (not tiny) rescue dog, she had the run of the house. We all left at 8am, DS got home at 4pm to walk her and she had active companionship for the next 8 hours until the last of us went to sleep around midnight. She then slept in DS's bed (sharing a pillow!). And, of course, we were all together - all day and night - on the weekends. Hardly "abandoned at home just so you get the entertainment of it in the evening".

This used to be common and I see no problem with it so long as the dog's not stressed.

(Obviously, not suitable for a GSP, a husky, a beagle, a greyhound, etc etc)

"My neighbour thought it would be a great idea to buy a very needy, clingy puppy while she fucks off out to work all day. "

Personally I wouldn't like to see you anywhere near an animal.

To look after this fucking dog

^ with an opening statement like that I'd say YES, YABU ....very!

It's already driving you mad. Bring it into your house where it will need constant watching/training/walking etc and that's your day interrupted even more.

If your neighbour is ignoring all of your suggestions then Call the RSPCA and ask them to talk to her and see if they can get her to give the dog to a RESPONSIBLE HOME.

Op, I hope you have more luck than I did when I was in your situation. NDN got one of those little white fluffy bastards with the high pitched yap. Every time it was alone in the house it yapped non stop, sometimes for hours at a time. I told her this, suggested getting one of those plug in things to reduce anxiety, maybe not leave him alone for so long. Her solution was to get another one so he has company. So now I have to listen to two of them yap for hours each time they are left alone! I find it incredibly stressful as they are so loud. I can't consentrate on work, can't hear the TV in the evenings etc. Neighbors insist they will settle down eventually but this has gone on now since Xmas 2018.

Absolutely don't take on any responsibility for the dog, unless you want to own a dog yourself within 6 months... Because that's where it'll end up, and you know it.
Looking after the dog during the day will VERY quickly turn into "could you have him overnight so I can go away?" Then, "we've booked a week away! Could you please have Dog?" Then, "we're going away for a fortnight! You'll be fine with Dog!" Then, before you know it, they've moved away, and it's YOUR dog.

If you are genuinely concerned for the dog, start logging the times he barks/disturbs you, to log with the council. And if it continues, report to the RSPCA.

@4smalls admitting you had a dog when you clearly shouldnt have doesnt make it ok, its widely known dogs are pack animals not to be left for that long. just because you made a mistake you shouldnt encourage anyone else to make the same one.