Dog sitting

[Dogsitter1]

Hi
Please can I ask if I am being unreasonable about worries looking after ILs’ puppy. He is about a year old and usually has two adults looking after / entertaining him during the day. We’ve been asked to look after him for 6 weeks. It means a lot to my DH half to help his family this way. We also have a 10 year old dog. My kids take him for walks in the morning and after school.

I was worried we would be away during the day (we both work full time) but agreed for my DH.

Our kids have come back from staying with ILs for the weekend - and one of my kids noted that the puppy still needs to be watched as he chews things. The puppy did chew furniture, shoes etc which I was aware of, but thought must have grown out of- as would not have expected ILs to ask us to look after him otherwise, as they know we won’t be there during the day.

DH says that it doesn’t matter as it probably won’t be too bad. We could keep the puppy in our small utility (still lots of things to chew though). Also worried that the puppy will bark all day - and not be particularly happy. I am aware that the puppy will already be stressed being in new environment without usual faces. Our dog will also be at home and free to roam.

Other half going to talk to their family - to find out more details.

The reason the puppy needs to stay with us is that the puppy’s owner will be away on holiday for 10 days, back for a while and then away for a week. The owner also do shift work, and other people in the house will be away entire time.

I have suggested kennels- as our dog is used to this, and has been in for 2 weeks at a time and odd nights.

Please can I ask for advice about solutions.

thanks

can their dog be left?
Because if not it sounds like you’ll have a destroyed home, stressed pup & in turn you’ll have a stressed dog
recipe for disaster imo

Can’t they not find a dog sitter who will either stay at their house or have him at theirs?! There a so many more appropriate options

You don’t seem happy to have him, I would decline.

What breed is the pup? What breed and age is your dog?

Are you looking after pup for seventeen days or six weeks ?

Have a trial run for two nights?

A dog sitter might be an option they would agree to.
It would be for 6 weeks.
I wasn’t too excited about this - as we are already have a busy household, and a visit to ours over summer did show puppy needed a lot of attention but we were at home, and ILs also visiting. Didn’t seem to chew things though from memory. More trying to toilet train.

They are both Westies
ours is 10 years old - seemed exasperated by the puppy when he came to visit, but DH says might enjoy company when we are not here.
trial run of 2 days- sounds like a good idea , but they live hours away so not practical

Sorry if I’m misunderstanding- but are you saying the puoooy will be in the utility room for a while day while you both work?

i didn’t leave my dog to roam free until
he was about two. Before that I left him in a pen with lots of room and MAXIMUM I left him (and still do) was four hours.

the other problem will be is that this will probably send his training all over the place - so you’ll be sending back a stresssd puppy whose behavior is all over the place.

the best solution is an in house pet sitter or going to stay at an in-house boarder. Kennels are awful places usually especially for puppies 🙁

Thank you for your advice

Erm why? 😂does your dog have a secret repertoire of tricks that he only pulls out when no-one is watching.

If your dog doesn’t appreciate babysitting a new pup then that’s the nail in the coffin isn’t it and the perfect excuse. Don’t put your dog in that position, the only defence a dog has is a bite/nip (I’m not saying yours would, but I think it’s a terrible position to put a dog in).

If you aren’t at home to supervise then honestly - the puppy is better off elsewhere.

Puppies DO need a lot of attention, training, supervision etc and you simply aren’t going to be there to provide it. A dog sitter would be a much better idea.

You cannot have a dog that is never left alone for any length of time and just expect it to be ok alone for a day , even with another dog for company . Stupid idea , they need a house sitter or a kennel .

Is your plan to leave this puppy on it’s own all day?
Its bad enough you do this with your older dog but a puppy not even in it’s own home?
It can’t go all day without the toilet, plus it will destroy everything
Its a really bad idea - for the dog if nothing else

Suzi888- thanks for your thoughts on this- on how might effect our dog. I think DH trying to persuade me, against my better judgement as he wants to help his family.

Hoppinggreen- I agree, it’s not ideal for our older dog. I used to work part- time, which was better. Teenage kids back as soon as school finishes- and sometimes come home for free periods.

it would be cruel to lock a puppy up in a room everyvworkijg day - even if every now and then a teenager can let them out for a bit.

i actually find it disturbing that the puppy owner thinks this is an okay thing to do

Teenyliving - I don’t think the owner would actually be happy to hear this was being considered. DH trying to come up with solutions to reassure me. I agree- it sounds awful thing to do to a puppy for long hours.

If the dog is used to having company all day, you absolutely cannot expect it to settle in a strange home for an entire working day - it will be absolute carnage.

Your home set-up isn't going to work for this particular dog so you need to say no, otherwise the puppy is going to be incredibly unhappy and stressed, and you will likely come home to a mess and accidents all over the place.

Thank you all - I have shown DH this thread- although had the press home the points being raised! He seems to have taken on board concerns now. None of us had thought it through properly. He’s going to talk to his brother about concerns raised.