Staffie dumped on DD by friend of XP URGENt ADVICE NEEDeD

[Pony74]

Hi my DD (18) came back fro a weekend with her bio dad having being persuaded to look after an elderly staffie from one of his friends at our house whilst they go to a festival. They plan to pay her £100for 5 days care.

My issues are:
1 they did not check with me and DH. We have a much loved cat
2 my DD seeks his approval on the Rae occasions she sees him and his "cool" friends
3 worried for this poor elderly dog who will find herself in unfamiliR surroundings and will be scared.
4 DD is about to get a level results and has been fooled into thinking that caring for this dog is 'no big deal'

Please help with advice

He might be a very easy dog to look after. Most staffies love people and if he's elderly perhaps all he wants is food and cuddles and a daily walk.
Your daughter could keep him in her room most of the time.
Best to keep separate from cat.
The 5 days will fly by, you might fall in love with him not want him to go back .

They should have checked with you first but it shouldn't be too difficult. He'll need feeding once a day and have access to water at all times and he'll need a couple of walks a day. Dd at 18 shouldn't need any help with that and like pp says he could sleep in her room. You just need to make sure the cat has somewhere it can escape to if it's not keen on sharing its home and there is every chance that the dog won't be interested in the cat anyway.
Enjoy, you might just decide that you need a dog in your life in five days time.

She should have spoken to you before agreeing to take the dog (and money!) but Staffies are very low maintenance, especially elderly ones.
I've not known them be particularly anti-cat, but obviously take care when introducing them for the first time. What is the cat like with dogs usually?

They are people-pleasing dogs, so won't be too bothered about the unfamiliar surroundings as long as she has someone to give her some attention. I would be wary leaving her alone for any length of time, unless you know she doesn't get separation anxiety during the day.

She won't want or need much more than breakfast and dinner, one or two walks a day, and lots of cuddles. I don't think it will be a big deal.

I would have words with your DD. She's the one you should be angry with. 18 is old enough to know you don't bring a pet into a house without checking with your parents. 8 is old enough to know!!! I'll bet all she heard was £100.

On the practical side, can you borrow a flexi stair gate from someone? The no drill kind? If you fit that across the door of the room you want the dog in and have him on lead out of it the cat will be fine. An older dog probably wants company, food and a couple of 20-30 minute walks each day.

Didn't you post the same thread yesterday?

if it helps, £100 sounds like a reasonable amount; we pay that for boarding with an experienced dog sitter, but we also provide the food.

Elderly staffies are adorable - I have one myself They can be very sensitive little things and will need a bit of reassurance and affection to settle but as long as they have cuddles they will be fine.

Just on a practical note (from personal experience), I would feed twice a day rather than once, as they do tend to have sensitive tummies and too much at once could cause problems.
I would also double check with the owner about cats if you are able to get in touch with him, if not I would keep them separate. My dog isn't keen on cats and still has a high prey drive, although I do know other staffs that are totally soppy, so as with any unknown dog just err on the side of caution as it's just not worth the risk.

What you should also urgently check with the owner is the dog's current health status. In particular, does he/she take any medication, and what is the address/contact number of their vet, if dog is taken ill. You should also clarify what the arrangements are in case of vet emergency - is the dog insured, for example? Do you have an emergency contact number for owner in case of PTS decision needed?

Sorry if this sounds gloomy, but health emergencies can and do happen at any time with elderly dogs. Other than that, an elderly staffie will be a lovely houseguest.