Mother's Dog Coming To Stay

[Whippetsmum]

Help!!!!!

My mother is travelling OS for around 7 weeks and has assumed that her dog will be staying with us. Initially, the arrangement was for a couple of weeks, with my aunt house sitting and having the dog for the balance. It now seems likley that the dog is staying with us for nearly the whole time. The dog's stayed previously, but for only a night or two, and only with my mother staying.

My dog and her's do get along, however, my mum has different ideas on what behaviours to tolerate.

There are 3 issues that I am concerned about:

1 Mum has "warned " me that I should not try and wake her dog if he is asleep as he will snap and growl. I bring my dog in of an evening and her's will expect the same too, the difference is that her dog needs to be put out of a night, so at some stage he will need to be woken! When I've been at mum's and gotten near the dog when he's asleep he even wakes and snaps.

2 Mum's dog is a barker, and mine isn't usually, I am worried that he will learn this behaviour from mum's dog.

3 Mum's dog constantly whimpers and whines to be let in, and I can't let him in because he urinates on everything when he's at my place. The noise drives me insane.

Is there any chance that some firm boundaries for a few weeks will resolve this dog's behaviours, or am I doomed to 7 weeks of misery? Mum's dog is 10 years old and very spoilt. He has some basic skills such as sit and wait, and will come when called, but he is apallaling on a lead. Mum has said that there aren't any boarding kennels near her but I suspect that she's being cheap. I do have the option of putting him in boarding near my place if his behaviour gets too bad, but I would have to cover the costs, and never mention it to her! This option is now seeming very tempting. (PS Don't tell)

[IngeK]

Mum has said that there aren't any boarding kennels near her but I suspect that she's being cheap. I do have the option of putting him in boarding near my place if his behaviour gets too bad, but I would have to cover the costs, and never mention it to her! This option is now seeming very tempting. (PS Don't tell)

sorry but I find this last bit very strange. If you dont want to put up with the dog tell your mum up straight! You either do it with the possible whining or you dont.

[Scarlet]

I'd give the dog a few days - he might be much better without your mum.

But I'd probably board her dog.

If it was my mum I could tell her the dog was a pain in the b## and had to board him but I understand this in not possible in all families and it is sometimes necessary to lie to continue living a peaceful life.

[tdierikx]

My parents wouldn't look after my dogs for 7 weeks - and if they had their own dogs, they certainly wouldn't expect me to look after them if they went off travelling for 7 weeks...

I'd be telling your mum that her dog is not a good fit for your lifestyle and the general workings of your household, and he'd be a totally disruptive influence - therefore she should find alternate arrangements for him.

T.

[Gretel]

Yes I'm afraid I'd be up front about it and tell her it won't work and the dog won't be happy with your rules. If you take him and then board him you won't have the vaccination certificate the boarding kennel would want to see.

[poodlefan]

Many dogs have a strong startle reflex when sleeping. The simple solution is to wake this one by sound, not touch.

Some of the issues you describe could be managed with a crate or pen. Sounds like your Mum's dog isn't house trained. That's not his fault.

If you really can't handle the idea of having him for seven weeks (and who can blame you) then be up front with your Mother and get her to board him.

IF you do end up taking the dog on, you could do a fair bit in seven weeks to eliminate the behaviour that concerns you.

Good luck either way - parents dont' always make our lives easy.

Edited April 1, 2010 by poodlefan

[Guest Ams]

Lots of good advice here, you could also use a belly band which would allow the dog to be inside but eliminate his unfortunate lack of toileting manners.

[frufru]

Don't do it - 7 weeks will seem like an eternity - tell your mother the dog will have to be boarded.

[Loving my Oldies]

What a dilemma!

As others have said: Crate, Belly Bands, training, if he doesn't wake with sound then give him a prod from a distance .

Are dogs like birds? If you have him in a crate with the crate covered and darkened, will he settle?

Get in a supply of pigs ears.

[Miss B]

The barking would be a big concern for me. I would be firm and tell her to make alternative arrangements.

[poodlefan]

What a dilemma!

As others have said: Crate, Belly Bands, training, if he doesn't wake with sound then give him a prod from a distance .

Are dogs like birds? If you have him in a crate with the crate covered and darkened, will he settle?

Get in a supply of pigs ears.

And brandy! :D

[rubiton]

You should be able to wake up a dog for the other side of a room - they aint like people the slightest sound and they will wake up.

AS for the rest try training it - easier they sitting there sayin g 'oh this is a living hell'. Go back to basics and remember you have your dog there to help too (dogs learn off other dogs and that means the visitor can learn off your dog - to stop your dog picking up any habits just reinforce YOUR training with your own dog).

[persephone]

Sorry, Mum, put your dog in a kennel .

[poodlefan]

You should be able to wake up a dog for the other side of a room - they aint like people the slightest sound and they will wake up.

Unless they're deaf. But you can always stamp your foot - they get vibrations.

[Whippetsmum]

Thanks for all the replies,

Some of you are very perceptive, "strange" is often a word I think of with my mother's logic! Mum knows that I find her dog difficult to put up with the whining, weeing and snapping, but when he's asleep he can be nice, so long as you don't get close. Poodlefan, any idea how much Brandy can I give a 6kg dog? Or should I be taking the Brandy?

I do realise that her claim of having no boarding kennels near her is not at all likely, she has other issues, probably the cost of the stay. I have already told that I'd need his vaccination certificate, and his vet contact, mainly because I want a back up plan if all else fails, and I have told her that I wouldn't put up with his bad behaviour. She probably suspects that I'll probably board him for some of the time.

I'll ask her to begin using sound to wake him, so that he has time to adjust to the strategy, it does seem like a startle reflex. And I will find out about crates, I remember someone at work said they had one their dog outgrew. I am hoping that mum being away might help some of teh behaviours. I think mum encourages some of the behaviour by acknowledging him when he whines and barks, she calls out to him, which probably seems to him like she's barking too.

7 weeks is an eternity, so I am hoping that my aunt will stay at the house and have him for a few weeks in familiar surroundings, then if he stays with us until he wears out his wlecome, he can go to a kennel for a few weeks, But I am hoping that I can do something with his behaviour in the time he is here.

[Loving my Oldies]

Poodlefan, any idea how much Brandy can I give a 6kg dog? Or should I be taking the Brandy?

;) :D

One for me, one for him, one for me, one for him, one for me . . . . . . . . . . .

[Gretel]

Good luck

[poodlefan]

Poodlefan, any idea how much Brandy can I give a 6kg dog? Or should I be taking the Brandy?

;) :D

One for me, one for him, one for me, one for him, one for me . . . . . . . . . . .

Brandy was for you.

If the dog is anxious, some rescue remedy wouldn't hurt him though.

Edited April 2, 2010 by poodlefan

[frufru]

Just remember that if he is a snappy little shit then you could have trouble getting him into or out of a crate if he doesn't want to co-operate. My mother (sounds a bit like yours) had one like this and if it got under a bed or chair - there was nothing you could do if you wanted to keep all your fingers.

[nickyp]

I'd tell your mother up front that while her dog is in your house, your rules will apply and that you will deal with his behaviour the way you would with your own dog. Also, if he doesn't settle, bites someone, or his barking causes a nuisance to you or your neighbours, you will put him in boarding kennels and present her with the bill when she gets back. She needs to take responsibility for her dogs antisocial behaviour and accept that you can't be expected to work around it.