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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

At a loss at what to do!

19 replies

TheBodyPiercer · 29/10/2020 10:26

We have a 1 year old EBT rescue. When we adopted him we rescheduled our work days so there was only 3 days where one of us wasn't home, for those 3 days we arranged daycare.

His daycare provider had to go on maternity leave and I cannot for the life of me find a solution!

Daycares either refuse him because of his breed, or because he's too excited (working on that with a trainer). Dog walkers are few and far between and if they can come can only do 1 hour.

I'm just at a loss, I cant leave him in his crate 9-6. I'm near Dudley if anyone has any recommendations on the off chance but I've tried pretty much everyone google throws up and I'm getting no replies on rover etc.

Just needed somewhere to vent!

OP posts:

MrsJunglelow · 29/10/2020 10:54

IS he likely to destroy the house?
I’d be inclined to leave some filled kongs and other toys and let him have full run of the house.
Far from ideal but if you’ve got no one to look after him I’m not sure I see an alternative.
Unless a neighbour would watch him maybe?

BiteyShark · 29/10/2020 10:56

Ignore me if you have looked already but have you checked boarding kennels. Some of the ones around here also do daycare. Admittedly it isn't as nice as being on someone's sofa all day and I know my dog wouldn't like that type of daycare but it would mean he gets some attention and exercise in the day.

I have thought about this as well as I use daycare and if I really couldn't find a suitable one if mine ever gave up work I would be tempted to flyer the neighbourhood to see if anyone fancied earning some money to take him in their house.

BiteyShark · 29/10/2020 10:57

Also forgot to say could you stretch to a dog walker twice a day instead?

Original poster

TheBodyPiercer · 29/10/2020 11:33

Unfortunately if left for that length of time he would likely stress himself out.

I've posted in a couple of FB groups advertising to someone to sort here with him. Hes very friendly but also very excitable which puts some people off!

A dog walker twice a day would be fine but again it's proving difficult to find one who can do that. One of the days we need is Saturday which 90% of daycares/walkers don't seem to do.

Between my parents and my partners we're managing for the next few weeks but they're not going to want to be responsible long term, nor would I expect them to but at least i have a couple more weeks to work something out.

OP posts:

TheoriginalLEM · 29/10/2020 11:41

Have you thought of Borrow my Doggie?

The suggestion of kong toys is a good one. A good long walk in the morning before you leave ,(like you don't have enough to do!). Toys that utiluse his brain and swap regularly and a walker in the middle of the day.

Him going from one relative to another might actually be more stressfull than him being left.

There are pheremine plug ins that have variable effects but for some work really well. My rottie used to lay by ours.

A picture would help

MsMarvellous · 29/10/2020 12:15

Dudley midlands or Dudley near Cramlington or another one I do t know about?

Original poster

TheBodyPiercer · 29/10/2020 12:18

Our parents are coming to ours thankfully, he's perfectly content when with someone in his own home.

He does have kings, puzzles etc but they don't last him 5 minutes!

Hes also fine In his crate for 3 hours or so but obviously we don't want to do that all day.

I just wish people would spend a bit more time with him, they see him for the first excitable 20 minutes and refuse him but he calms down soon enough.

OP posts:

Original poster

TheBodyPiercer · 29/10/2020 12:18

@MsMarvellous

Dudley midlands or Dudley near Cramlington or another one I do t know about?

Midlands 😊

OP posts:

TheDogsMother · 29/10/2020 12:37

I second Borrow My Doggy. I'm a dog borrower with Borrow My Doggy and take two different ones for walks. I would be happy to have them at my house too.

MsMarvellous · 29/10/2020 13:12

@TheBodyPiercer shame. I know a great one with space near Cramlington

Sitdowncupoftea · 29/10/2020 15:40

I would avoid the daycare that would not have him they obviously are not qualified if they discriminate on breed. Before they actually refused they should have done an assessment. Then if he was not suitable refused. They should not have said no just on breed alone. There are a lot of kennels that do daycare I would check on your local kennels for day boarding.

Retrievemysanity · 29/10/2020 18:31

If you have a local Dudley FB group, post on there and ask for recommendations. I’m not far from you and someone asked similar on our local page and got a load of recommendations. Good luck!

vanillandhoney · 29/10/2020 19:48

Is there any way at all you can switch your Saturday day around?

Weekends are notoriously hard to cover for the simple reason that they tend not to be very busy and the money for walkers is in group walks, not solo ones. Very few walkers are going to want to give up two non-consecutive hours of their weekend for around £20 - it's just not worth it on regular basis.

As a walker myself, I do work weekends but on the basis that I do one group walk in the morning each day and then that's it, otherwise it's not worth my time and cuts into my time off. The money is in group walks at lunchtime, Monday to Friday.

Is your lad okay with other dogs? You could maybe see if a walker will take him for a couple of group walks in a row - two walks plus travel could mean he'll be out of the house for 3 hours total, which may be a bit more doable? Then he'd be home say 9-11 and 2-6 each day. Not ideal, but better than the alternative of leaving him all day?

Original poster

TheBodyPiercer · 29/10/2020 20:05

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

Quite a few have said no purely based on his breed, but these have mainly been centres and we would prefer a home daycare again if possible.

I did post in my local fb group and again lots if recommendations but either wont have his breed, can only do an hour etc.

Myself and my partner are both self employed and Saturdays are our busiest days so unfortunately can't swap them.

We may just have to muddle through until April!

OP posts:

Boysarebackintown · 30/10/2020 16:07

Have you a local doggie Facebook group you can join? Or even a neighbourhood one where you could ask?

Failing that could you do dog walker in the morning and then is there a local teenager who could call in after school and walk the dog? I know my dc would for some extra cash!

Floralnomad · 30/10/2020 16:23

Have you asked on the local FB group if someone perhaps an older teen could come and house sit on a Saturday

vanillandhoney · 30/10/2020 16:31

I would say - please be careful if you go down the route of "local teenager" - not because they're inherently incapable, but because they won't be insured if something happens - anything from the dog getting injured, to them slipping their lead, to something like a bite or fight with another dog.

At a minimum anyone who looks after your dog should be insured and ideally have basic qualifications in first aid and canine behaviour. For their safety as much as anything else.

Floralnomad · 30/10/2020 18:53

@vanillandhoney I meant for them to sit home with the dog , the OP can walk it before and after work . The other alternative OP is to look for local cat / pet holiday cover people as you may be able to get one of them to come and play at home with him for a couple of hours a day even if they don’t physically walk him , at least it’s company indoors .

Original poster

TheBodyPiercer · 30/10/2020 21:38

Again thanks for the responses everyone.

I have asked on local groups and many dog walkers can't offer more than an hour.

I found a promising daycare but they're not taking on new clients due to covid.

I find a lot of people aren't offering what they're advertising, are put off by his breed or are just worried about his excitement. Again we are working with a trainer.

Worst case scenario I'll have to quit work 😂

OP posts:

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