Please help me with this stupid dog

[Goshdarndog]

Sorry posting for traffic but I’m at the end of my tether. This post is super outing but I don’t care I’m desperate

my mum has gone on holiday and I’m dog sitting. Fine. Her dog is high maintenance, he was originally got as his breed is a classic apartment dog and apparently doesn’t need much exercise. Not this guy.

he won’t eat dog food, has to eat meat, has to be cooked that day won’t eat left overs. I knew this before, so whilst it’s annoying, fine I can deal.
until today. I made chicken last night for him, but he had left over beef, so gave him the chicken today and he’s not eaten it-fine whatever.

but today he’s shitting in the house. The dog is fully toilet trained and been on 3 walks of at least 30 mins each already. He also has access to a garden if he needs it. He’s done is 3 times. I’ve two young children. So I’ve cleaned and vax’d my carpet 3 times today! 3! Aka more than I do in a year! He’s not poorly. Absolutely fine in himself. Not eaten anything off or dodgy.

what can I do? I’m worried about tonight that he’s going to soil in the hall and my 4 year old will tread on it if she goes for a wee in the night.

he can’t be left downstairs alone because he barks and barks and barks if alone.

I know of a dog on a longterm all-meat diet who jumped off the sofa and broke two of its legs due to its extremely low calcium intake. The fractures also healed very poorly for the same reason.

He does get commercial dog food, it’s a special one from the vet due to his faddy diet. It’s just difficult getting him to eat it but he does have it

Instead of telling him off, scoop up the poop and take it and him outside. Drop it where you want him to go and praise him as if he put it there himself.
Then put him on the lead and take him to that spot every hour until he gets the message.

Yet again - astounded by dog owners. He has no routine, eats human food, also is clearly not toilet trained. Yuck. Not a chance in hell I’d have an animal like this in my home. I’d have to rip up the carpets too, especially as you have a baby - disgusting.

For a well-trained dog you must do what we do when we parent: meals at regular times with food that is meant for that animal/child, clear instructions and expectations, lots of exercise and lots of sleep. If my children are really hungry, they eat what’s in front of them. Hence my children eat all sorts, veggies, spicy food etc. A dog that won’t eat dog food is ridiculous. I’ve met a few dogs that ‘won’t’ eat dog food. When I suggest that’s all they’re given they suddenly do eat dog food. When I suggest they must sleep in their own bed, go to bed at regular times despite them ‘never’ being able to do that previously, well funny enough they do manage to do so once some boundaries are in place.

Your mum has chosen to care for this dog without putting any boundaries in place. That’s all great for her own neediness, but would mean I would say a big fat no to ever caring for that animal again.

Fuck him, I'd crate him till she gets back, bar going for walks.

He doesn’t have a crate… I’d have to go out and buy it and I can imagine he’ll howl and howl and howl. I can’t deal with anymore night wakes lol

Yeah he’s not no routine and is worse with food than my 4 year old, yet my husband is a monster for saying ‘no’ sternly, not even raising his voice.

give the devil his due, he is toilet trained he’s never had accidents in the house before.

re feeding him dog food, my mum left his food down 3 days before and he refused and went hungry for 3 days- she caved then

absolutely. I'm sure some posters on here either have an issue making human connections and use dogs as a replacement or have a very specific predilection towards them. It's unnatural to be so obsessive towards these animals.

If its not loose in any way, it probably isnt a stomach upset, is it the timing of his meal?
When does he usually eat and have you kept to the same time?

Ok - well I did insist on a crate for the two dogs I knew and they didn’t howl or yelp. They were very confused for a few days, then after a week or so got to a point where I said ‘right bed’ and they’d jump in for the night, and go and hide in there when there was a lot of noise in the house. They are very clever, and can work out different environments, like when they were in my home they go in crate for bed. When they were away with my ex-partner they spent the night walking all over her, literally.

And same for dog food. Exactly the same. Eventually tried butternut box, they seemed to like that. Every time they ate some bit of shit off the floor or someone gave them a scrap there’d be masses of indoors wet poos and vomits, so grim. I tell you something. I have never, ever eaten tinned baked beans, they make me feel sick. If I’d not eaten for a few days and that was all there was I’d be chowing down faster than you could say beans.

Anyway, sounds like your ma will be back soon. This is a lesson for you not to have him again!

Someone after my own heart - it’s so weird the things people put up with from a dog that would be parented out of a child very early on!

Well I'm sympathetic OP, but I've had dogs for nearly 30 years and sometimes you do just end up with, uh, a dog whose current needs outstrip what you have to give at that moment.
Anyway glad to hear the shitting has died down!
You can get sheets of plastic from DIY shops to cover up carpet if things get desperate btw.

exactly in no reality would there be such pearl clutching for telling a child no sternly…

But dogs cant talk, so no amount of shouting changes anything. Just take the dog out regularly and praise it for going in the right spot, instead of waiting for it to ask.

No one shouted. My husband said no in a firm/ stern tone once

What do you expect the dog to do as a result of being shouted at? It goes when it needs to go.

You seem to be struggling with comprehension, no one shouted. Saying no firmly isn’t shouting

I'm not struggling with comprehension. That's not how to house train a dog. Feeling frustrated or disgusted is natural, but it isn't going to help. Stop obsessing on this one point and just take the dog outside.

Take the dog out and praise it for using the right spot.

OP,

If the dog is not stressed and is usually toilet trained you need to take it to a vet.

FWIW... I am a dog behaviour consultant:

It doesn't matter that no one shouted.

The fact is, the dog felt intimidated/threatened/scared - the 'sheepish' look you have read as the dog understanding he'd done wrong is fear, insecurity, the uncertainty of not understanding why or when it will happen again.

Your intentions are not really relevant when handling/training a dog - if they find it scary/unpleasant, then they do, end of.

Don't piss about with a crate, you're right the dog will be frustrated/distressed, crate training a dog to be happy and quiet in a crate takes a fair while and does not result in a dog who is instantly happy about it.

He may be wary of shitting outside, it is another scent mark that anxious dogs can fear will attract predators/bigger dogs/trouble - doesn't matter that thats not a realistic fear because your garden is secure... thats just how it is. Lots of little trips, lots of long walks to keep things moving. Try taking him out, scatter some treats down to get him sniffing around and relaxing, if he doesn't go after that come inside, count to 10 ... let him relax a little.. then back out before he can clench up again!

Tell your mother in future that she needs to train her dog better and deal with his anxieties before you can mind him again! She may well be better off having a house/dog sitter stay in her home.

I'm not piling on. I think your calling the dog stupid, was uncalled for. You even admit to using that term to get more traffic. You have asked if you ABU. The dog is adapting to missing its owner. Yes, it's frustrating getting dog poo up, but it's not the end of the world.

Better than dealing with shit all over your house. He sounds like a dickhead OP, you have my sympathies.

Whatever anyone's opinions of the dogs routine and diet, those are what they currently are and OP is not going to have any success changing them in the short period she's keeping the dog. Crating a dog that has never been crated and keeping them there as punishment or because they think the dog is on an agenda to ruin their home life is incredibly stupid, as is calling a dog "a dickhead" - anyone here who thinks it isn't I hope none of you ever keep a dog or anything else. If i returned home from a holiday to discover my family member had locked my dog in a cage to shut it up regardless of it's wellbeing I'd call the RSPCA on them and never speak to that person again.

He will be stressed from the change of circumstances OP, a few days makes no meaningful difference unfortunately even if he appears a but more settled. It would take a dog months to acclimate. All you can do is try to get into a routine, use very positive reinforcment when the dog toilets outside and make sure you use an enzymatic cleaner to clean when you do so so the scent doesn't remain. Telling off the dog will do nothing but stress it out more. You could try laying down some puppy pads in the place he's been going to at least salvage the carpet as a short term measure. Not ideal but there isn't going to be any 'training' that you'll enforce in this short period and when the ultimate issue is most likely anxiety induced.

Get through it as best you can, treat the dog as kindly as you can since none of this is its fault and don't dog sit next time.

I just wanted to mention a website called Trustedhousitters. You have to pay to sign up to it, but it matches people who want to house/pets sit with people who need someone to house sit their pets in the pets home.

No money changes hands. I think the pet owner gets more offers the nicer the house is or if the location is very popular. I did some dog sitting last year, when I needed to spend some time away from home.

But it is the pearl clutching here as been astounding. It’s proof some people treat dogs better than people as if you look on the parenting threads there are parents who have lost their cool and shouted and some even smacked and whilst people acknowledge its. It great, the comments are mostly oh it happens, say sorry be gentle with yourself etc.

someone even said they hope my husband gets shouted at when he’s old and frail. Vile and unnecessary