If someone looks after your dog for free is it reasonable to complain about something?

[AnotherDoggy1]

Looked after ex husband's dog for two weeks (also DD's dad) whilst he was away on holiday with DD and his wife and their kids. For free obviously, just asked for his food and bed.

Anyway he's pissed because I've not walked him much.

I had every intention of doing so but he is TERRIBLE on the lead. Yanking and pulling the whole time and frankly I just grew tired of trying so he's only been on a walk a few times whilst here. He's had the run of my large garden the rest of the time. He's seemed happy enough. I WFH so never really been on his own.

I know it's not ideal but it hasn't done him any harm and it was a favour. I just feel like saying train your flipping dog if you want other people to walk them!

[DimplesToadfoot]

My dog can be an absolute donut on a lead. When she came to me she was walked using a Halti headcollar, I managed to transition her to using a harness but she's extremely fearful and if she get frightened she bolts.

If you were looking after her, especially for free I probably wouldn't ask you to walk her at all. Lack of a walk might not hurt her. Pulling you into a road when she's scared might get you both run over.

I think 24/7 company. playtime, time in the garden and cuddles on the sofa sounds lovely for a dog as its only temporary and your Ex should be grateful to you. I hope you're prepared to say 'not a bloody chance' should he ask you again.

[shazzybazzy34]

HE asked you to mind the dog, you did not offer. He made no mention of his dog being hard to walk. He was not paying you for boarding his dog and letting it sleep in your bed?

Cheeky, freeloading fucker. Tell him to pay top dollar next tome he wants to go on holidays. The neck of him.

[Iwantmyoldnameback]

I'd be worried about the dog pulling me over and running away into the road or something. I can't see a lead walk is great exercise anyway.

[LondonWolf]

Where I live it costs up to £50 a night to board a dog, especially in a family home and not stuck in kennels which many dogs don't like. He's a cheeky fucker. You've saved him hundreds of £££. Tell him to board him next time.

[Xpologog]

Won’t have hurt the dog a bit.
Your ex should be happy his dog was cared for. Next time he can shell out £15+ a day for kennel or dog sitter.

[giveovernate]

@Tierne

I'd be extremely pissed off with this because if I'd known I would just have paid someone who would actually be walking him.

Sorry to be a puritan but I feel like when you do something you do it properly favour or not.

Dogs do not need a walk every day, do some research and enlighten yourself?

[YelloCar]

Now that you both know your expectations and boundaries then next time (assuming there’s is one) then he can organise a dog walker for when the dog’s staying with you.

[XelaM]

I have a dog and would be delighted with your set-up. Please take mine 😂

[laurzf1]

There are other ways to entertain and exercise a dog if walking is not possible. He's being ungrateful, make sure you're busy next time....

[MrsLargeEmbodied]

shame you were so honest op

[Notanotherwindow]

I wouldn't give a shit as long as they've been outside for a run about. You're looking after them for free, what is she moaning about? No walk for a week won't kill them, she can just take him out when she gets home if she doesn't want him hyper.

It would be you suffering anyway if you didn't walk mine as they're nutcases when bored. But then, mine are both trained on and off lead and don't pull. I could hand Ddog1 over to a toddler and she'd walk nicely. You want others to walk them, train them better.

[Whatwouldscullydo]

If hes moaning about basic needs being met then how about he starts with basic behaviour training. A poorly trained dog who can't walk properly on a.lead and doesn't do as its told is a danger to itself and others.

Walk vs run around the garden is the least of his worries.

Yanbu op.

Tell him you will only look after him again when he's been trained properly

[Musti]

Yanbu op. Tell him to train his dog and next time he can go to a kennel.

And I say this as a dog owner myself.

[zingally]

He's a knob to complain. But just shrug and mentally decide that's the last time you do him any sort of dog-related favour. It goes into boarding next time. Not your problem.

I've had to make the same decision with a friend and her dog. I live in a flat, with no outdoor space, so when the dog came to stay for an overnight, it was 3 trips out a day.
Plus friend took the piss. Swore up and down it would be a lunch time to lunch time stay. Well, she dropped him off before 9am on the Saturday, and didn't pick him up until gone 3pm on the Sunday. I was annoyed, and told her as much. And that'll be the last time I do her a doggy favour.

[80smercedes]

I have recently paid over £300 for dog-boarding during our 2 week holiday. If someone had offered to do it for free, and it was somewhere I knew he would be safe and happy, I'd have jumped at the chance! Beggars can't be choosers I'm afraid, and I think the fact that you took on that commitment for no financial recompense for anyone, let alone an ex, says a great deal about you. Personally I think he should be falling over himself with gratitude!

[Divebar2021]

I'd be extremely pissed off with this because if I'd known I would just have paid someone who would actually be walking him

well I would have thought a decent dog owner would 1) train their dog to walk properly on the lead 2) ensure anyone kind enough to look after them is aware of their issues and is able to manage them before leaving them.

I have no idea how much kennels with dog walking would be or a daily dog walker but I know what I paid for someone to feed my cat and it was over £200 for 2 weeks. I’d suggest CF ex forks out if he’s that bothered by the favour you’ve very kindly given him.

[Scianel]

I'd be extremely pissed off with this because if I'd known I would just have paid someone who would actually be walking him

Presumably if you feel that strongly, you ensure that the dog is actually walkable.

[Sswhinesthebest]

@gogohmm

To be honest if someone agreed to have my dog I would assume they were willing to walk daily. My parents always walk my dog. Just say no if you can't meet all the dog's needs

This

[been and done it.]

@Stompythedinosaur

Actually I think you are being unreasonable. Taking a dog for a walk is part of meeting its basic needs. If you weren't willing to meet the dog's basic needs you shouldn't have agreed to have it, or you should have been clear you wouldn't be doing this beforehand.

I had a family member do something similar - mil had agreed to have our dog while I was in hospital giving birth, and she text after about 12 hours into a difficult labour to say she had decided she didn't feel up to walking her. I was pissed off as I would have found a different dog-sitter before if I had known in advance.

I'm with the OP..It's a complete nightmare being dragged out on every walk by an untrained unruly excited dog. I left our 2 GSDs in a kennel situation and yes, they did walk the dogs every day, but after a couple of days they refused to walk them because they were so unruly and unwalka ble (for them not me I would add)..I understood and didn't blame them nor did I leave them again.

[AnneElliott]

I think it's cheeky to complain if you've had a favour like that that's saved you money. Unless it's something detrimental like not feeding them or something!

A run of the garden seems fine to me. And if he doesn't like it then he can sort out something different next time.

[Tierne]

I'd be extremely pissed off with this because if I'd known I would just have paid someone who would actually be walking him.

Sorry to be a puritan but I feel like when you do something you do it properly favour or not.

[Scianel]

If someone said they were thinking of leaving their 2 year old german shepherd cross in a home that didnt walk it for 2 weeks, people would be clambering to tell them how cruel it was

Hardly. There's a massive difference between a less than 100% ideal temporary situation and animal cruely, and I don't think calling everything that doesn't meet an unrealistic demand for constant perfection is very helpful.

[Justdancers]

If someone said they were thinking of leaving their 2 year old german shepherd cross in a home that didnt walk it for 2 weeks, people would be clambering to tell them how cruel it was

If someone said they hadnt walked that dog in 2 weeks people would be saying they shouldnt have it as its cruel

Im not sure why indian street dogs are being spoken about? They are a very low bench mark for neglect. If your dog is fed bad food, at random intervals then thats still neglect even if street dogs have it worse!

For many dogs especially young dogs who are clever like this one, the garden is not enough. Toy dogs possibily yes and Possibly over a weekend but 2 weeks is a long time.

Walks are both about physical excercise for dogs who have energy to burn ( which sometimes you can replicate by ball throwing in a garden) but also mental stimulation via sniffing etc

Id be annoyed that you only told me on pick up, and didnt give me a chance to find someone else to walk them while they were with you

I would agree that i would consider that you've cared for him poorly and count it as the same as someone looking after them but not feeding them properly etc

I dont know how much id say to you though.

I agree its the problem with favours. We have a relative who agreed to look after our pet, we gave them clear instructions and they didnt follow them (didnt clean them out enough). I wish they would have told us as we would have used alternative arrangements. They offered then did a bad job.

[1099]

If you had the dog for 2 weeks you must have decided fairly early on that you weren't going to walk it, why didn't you contact ex to explain and ask what he wanted you to do. Obviously we don't know, but he might have been able to get someone to come and walk it for you.

[Afterfire]

He’s a cheeky fucker.

His dog has been cared for in a home environment, with a large garden and the chance to sleep on a bed (!) for free …! Christ on a bike! Next year he can pay for kennels. Let’s see how much personal attention the dog gets then….!