Promised to petsit now want the dog gone

[Janedoe95]

I’m pet sitting for my parents as they’re moving house but renting for 2 months before their new home is ready but the dog is about 17 years old and very senile and not house trained.

it’s been about a week he pee’s inside constantly even though he’s let out every 30mins/1hr

i have a young baby and although I wipe up I don’t have time to mop the entire downstairs everyday

at night we obviously can’t leave him outside and even though we wake up about 6am and my partner let’s him out at 11pm before bed there’s guaranteed to be wee downstairs every morning.

my house now stinks even after I’ve cleaned up I do understand it’s expensive for a kennel and I feel bad because he’s so old

(we’re also pet sitting a cat but she doesn’t cause any problems just eats her food sleeps and goes outside.)

17 years old poor dog speak to your parents its probably time he can't be comfortable and you certainly can't be cleaning up after him.

Kennels will almost certainly finish him off, thats a horrid way to go.

Get a pen as others have linked.

Put it down on some tarp or plastic sheeting so your floor is protected. Bed at one end, water bowl at the other and cover the sheeting in puppy pads/newspaper etc.

You'll obviously still have to clean that area but it won't be quite so urgent.

If you put a nappy on him, you will have to change that nappy every time he pees - if you don't, he will get horribly sore, start chewing at himself, get infections... its not LESS work than cleaning up a floor.

Personally, I'd be looking at his quality of life and possibly asking the parents for permission to euthanise as it seems like he's not really having a good time.

He is possibly incontinent, possibly peeing more due to the stress of the move, possibly both - I can't imagine he is fit, well, mobile and super healthy at 17, very few dogs would be at that age (And i have had a few that old).

Clearly lots of vets on Mumsnet today....

Has he been checked for urine and/or kidney infections?

He could stressed in your home especially with a baby and he'll sense tension. If your parents can't keep him and do keep him it might be worth exploring pheromones in case it's anxiety related too.

I know it's not your problem but you could suggest your parents look into that.

Poor dog.
Elderly, incontinent and, from his point of view, abandoned into a strange, and potentially unwelcoming place by his family.
I wonder if some of the peeing is stress related?

Poor dog. Your parents should not have put you, or him, through this. It's cruel. As PP said, they should have taken him to be put to sleep or made arrangements to rent somewhere they can take a dog. Don't put him in a crate, outside or in kennels; if they really can't have him where they live - and they should have found somewhere that does allow pets - then do the kind thing and have him PTS.

Agree with those who say PTS.

No life for the dog and not fair on you.

Your parents are being massively unfair to you and the dog.
They need to help manage this situation. I agree PTS is an option, but they need to visit him daily, be cleaning your home; and provide whatever it takes to get you and dog comfortable,
This may involve the vet, or some calming items ( e.g. Adaptil) if it’s felt that stress is the cause.

Poor dog. He's old and probably thinks his owners have abandoned him and he's also in a strange house or at least not in the home he knows. He may also be further stressed going from (I'm guessing) a quiet house to one where there's a baby so it'll be a lot louder. I think your DPs need to have a rethink of the stresses they've put on their DD.

You really can't put a 17 year old dog into kennels, that's cruel

Agree with the above.

Are they coming round in the day to see him, at least? Poor thing must wonder what the hell is going on.

He's incredibly old. It does sound like it's time for him to be allowed to let go now and be pts.

I think you're being amazing to look after him OP.

You need to have a serious talk with your parents. It's very unfair of them to have loaded this on to you; unfair to you and the poor old dog.

If you're determined to keep him with you a large pen and dog nappies is probably the way to go but if you do, they need to help you with the cleaning and care during the day.

Personally, if he were my dog he'd be pts by now.

Ah this is tough.you never feel you’ve got rid of dog pee smell when you’ve had an incontanent elderly one!
trouble is at that age it really can’t be helped.and will continue and they can’t help where they go.they can literally just be leaking as they walk.
it was a horrible horrible thing to witness with our girl.
man’s towards the very end we literally just find sprinkles everywhere not just puddles. It stank.
she was our gorgeous girl so we did it and would again ten times over. But I don’t no how you’d do it if it’s not a dog you love like the family.
trouble is,kennels at that age could be beyond cruel.
mare there any fostering schemes in the area or part of your local dog trusts.

Honestly no, for anything other than short term incontinence (due to a treatable medical issue or injury) it is completely unacceptable to put a dog through that

Long term it's simply not viable and if this was my dog it would euthanized. Unfortunately this isn't the OPs dog and she can't make that decision for it so the dog needs to be kept as comfortable as possible while it's owners figure it out

He could be stressed due to the baby and you mentioned you are pet sitting a cat as well? If he is peeing on the rugs/mats he is trying his best to be clean as well as possibly trying to scent over the baby and cat smell. Talk to your DP and their vet, a check over and some basic medication or behaviour changes may make all the difference.

Please don’t put in kennels or pts without getting proper advice (not from mumsnet or Google)

Thank you, I will suggest that to my DP I do think he’s not as happy I almost think sometimes he’s urinating inside as a protest (except at night I know he clearly can’t hold it) but he’s not walking around urinating without knowing sometimes he will just choose not to go outside even when he has access

i also think he’s quite fit for a 17 year old dog he does have heart problems and arthritis but the majority of time he gets around fine and loves a walk he even still plays with very soft toys

my parents adore him and have had time since a puppy and he’s a very gentle and calm dog they’ll never consider pts unless it was the last resort

I doubt it’s a protest… he’s 17, it’s probably senility if he’s doing it inside when he has access to the outdoors.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for a dog you adore is know when the time has come to PTS. Not continuing their life for your own benefit, because you don’t want to be without them.

My first reaction was:
'What on earth were your parents thinking about when they decided that moving home when they had such an old dog was a reasonable idea?'

My second thought was and is, that their poor dog no longer has any good quality of life, so he needs to be put to sleep. It is absolutely their job to do be with their precious dog while the vet puts him to sleep, as that is how the their dear dog will feel most relaxed and at it's maximum amount of possible happiness.

It doesn't matter one jot how hard that may be for your parents, most of us have already been through that terrible ordeal, some of us older ones have had to endure it more than once before. But that is the price we have to pay for having had the honour of being adored unconditionally by our amazing four legged family members, who could all win the waggiest tail competitions ❤️

Poor old boy :( A vet might be able to help with the senility (Aktivait or Vivitonin can have good results) and check for physical reasons for the weeing, so that really must be your/your parents' first port of call. As others have said, a lot of this is probably stress at being in unfamiliar surroundings. It might be a case of going back to basics, taking him outside and praising/rewarding him when he wees in the right place. Make sure you're using an enzyme-based cleaner indoors. If you're really not coping, www.oldies.org.uk is a wonderful rescue that might be able to help find a short-term foster home for him, which would be infinitely preferable to kennels at his age.

I got my jack Russell to 16. She was incontinent the last couple of years but eating , playing, walking and happy.
Found her in the garden one day staring at the clouds. Had to carry her inside as she couldn't remember how to get in.
I made that appointment.
Incontinence could have many reasons but add senility into it and its no quality of life at 17.

Would it be cheaper to get a crate or gates than to put him into kennels?

17 is absolutely ancient for a dog! He's had good innings but someone needs to do right by him.

Could you borrow a dog cage, line it with newspaper and let him sleep in that overnight?

Another person here to suggest that the old boy deserves the last kindness a human can offer their beloved pet. I'm tearing up at my memories of having to PTS, and sending your parents and whole family courage.

It would be cruel to put a 17 year old dog who's not normally crated into a crate

A metal concertina dog play pen - Amazon, your parents could fund.
would contain in one area with his bed and pads.

He’s just a confused old boy who’s out of his normal environment and probably missing his owners. They may find they have the same problem when he goes to their new house. It’s a lot of upheaval for an elderly dog with senility.