kiwioz Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) As some of you will know, I lost my older dog Cal a few months back to liver disease and now have Finn as an only dog for the first time in his life (he has just turned 6). Since breaking up for school holidays and spending more time with him, I'm worried he is not coping terribly well without doggie company. In some ways I'd love to get another dog, but in others we weren't keen to at this stage. We have plans to travel, and are quite enjoying the greater flexibility of having just one dog - for example we can more easily take him places, and my aunt can look after him overnight occasionally whereas two is a bit much for her. There is also the extra expense of two dogs. Plus one day when I no longer have Finn I was planning to be dog free for a little while. However as he is only 6, this could be a long way off yet. An opportunity has come up to adopt a dog on a 'long term home stay'. This girl is extremely dedicated to her dog but had long term plans to travel overseas for a year or two, and her family were going to care for the dog but have now let her down. She is willing to rehome the dog permanently if needs be, but her ideal situation would be to have someone care for him for a year or two with expenses covered until her return. On the one hand, this is a perfect solution for me. I get a dog without having to commit for years and without a full financial commitment, Finn gets company, the girl gets her dog looked after, everybody is happy. Of course I would meet the dog and find out for myself, but he sounds like a completely lovely boy :) And the owner wants to work closely with whoever takes him for the transition. On the other hand, I see the potential problems. Firstly, I would have to give him up, sucks for me and sucks for Finn all over again. Secondly, there are lots of grey areas. What expenses are covered exactly? What happens if he gets sick, or worse, dies? What happens if he has an accident that is my fault? A lot of this could be covered with a well written contract, but I realise it is a potential minefield. Anyone have experience with this? A good idea or stay well clear? Edited January 22, 2013 by kiwioz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 ..most importantly ..what if the two dogs do not get along? It's Finn's house now . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwioz Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 ..most importantly ..what if the two dogs do not get along? It's Finn's house now . Yes very good point. Though potentially easier to deal with in this situation than getting a new dog from elsewhere, as we will have the chance to trial the arrangement and make sure the two do get along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Personally I wouldn't do it. You'll have the same problem of Finn being lonely in two years time and there are a lot of grey areas where something could go very wrong. Is there someone near by who you could arrange play dates for Finn with? Maybe doggie day care? I'm not sure. My Lab was miserable when our APBT passed away and we got our first Sammy. They've multiplied since then so only ever having one dog was never an option for us :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 You mentioned the owner was maybe willing to permanatly rehome her dog ... have you talked to her about that possiblity instead? Maybe having a trial period while she's away for a while and seeing how it goes? How old is the owner? What if she decides to stay away longer and not come back? I'm wondering if it's not a little selfish of her to want someone to look after her dog for a few years and then expect them to hand it back upon her return :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Not something I would do but if I did I'd want a very clear contract signed by both parties covering things like: * What to do in an emergency? Will you pay upfront and she'll reimburse you? What will the terms of payment be? How much are you pre-authorised to spend without her consent? What if you can't contact her? Look at some emergency vet contracts that they get you to sign for a guide - they cover things like how much you authorise them to spend on saving your dog's life vs making them comfortable. Stuff that people don't like to talk about but the last thing you want is for there to be an emergency, it is going to cost a few thousand dollars to treat and you can't get hold of the owner. * What if the dogs don't get along (it can take a few weeks even months for dogs to settle in and show their true selves). What will happen to the dog then? Will you keep it and separate them at all times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Go with your heart and sort out the detail later - LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwioz Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Bjelkier ideas for keeping Finn company is something else we're investigating at the moment :) I can just imagine the same thing happening to me if I embark on getting more dogs :laugh: Minimax she is willing to consider rehoming permanently so that is an option, but I guess the only reason I'm even considering it is because of its temporary nature. It may well work out that I decide to get a second dog again at some point, but at this stage am still looking at options where I can avoid that for now. There is of course the possibility she would decide not to come back, she's fairly young and it is an eventuality I'd have to be ready for. It is selfish in a way, but she completely admits that and that is just her 'fairytale solution' as she puts it, and I'm wondering if it might suit me too. Megan those are exactly the sorts of things I've been thinking about. I'd have to think VERY carefully about all those terms and make sure both parties were very clear. As for the dogs not getting along, that is a possibility too - I guess I have that problem no matter what if I want another dog, but it is extra troublesome when it is not my dog and I don't have the same options open to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwioz Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Go with your heart and sort out the detail later - LOL. :laugh: So you're the little devil on my shoulder right?? :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytmate Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 There is of course the possibility she would decide not to come back, she's fairly young and it is an eventuality I'd have to be ready for. It is selfish in a way, but she completely admits that and that is just her 'fairytale solution' as she puts it, and I'm wondering if it might suit me too. It might suit both of you if done properly. I think you need to have an agreement in writing similar to what a kennel would have. The best way to try to ensure that she will actually take the dog back on her return is to require she contributes regularly to the dog's expenses while away. Even then there is no guarantee you won't be left holding the dog longer than you originally planned. A contract can spell out exactly what has to happen if payment stops, if she fails to collect, or if something unfortunate happens to the dog. If all goes well then great. If something goes wrong, you need to limit your liability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajtek Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 It seems good to me but I'd do it on the proviso that I have the right to keep the dog when she returns. 1-2 years is a long, long time. She may no longer want the dog when she gets back, you may have fallen in love, the dog may not want to go to her, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Someone with one of our dogs did this & the owners never returned & never paid a dime ,dog had issues & was a disaster . From a boarding kennel aspect we would expect payment monthly or a certain percentage upfront lets just say from many kennels point of view these situations often end up with a no owner return & no payment after a certain point & the owners are impossible to trace . If you do it then be prepared that it may not work as planned & you end up with the dog & the expense & even nice people let you down . If you do then you also need to address,vaccs,worming,any health issues/meds,microchip info & changing details . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystiqview Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Give your dog time to adjust. As someone else said. It is his house now. He gets all the attention rather than compete for it with another animal. What about making his environment more interactive so he is not so lonely? Activities he can enjoy, explore and be his own? If/when you give this dog back you will be in a similar situation again. I think if you get another dog, you get another dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Go with your heart and sort out the detail later - LOL. :laugh: So you're the little devil on my shoulder right?? :laugh: Yes ma'am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelsquest Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I agree with giving Finn more time to adjust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Also remember that if she doesn't come back when expected and you think you own the dog, she might come back later and then you land up in court fighting over who the dogs belong to. I'd get a transfer of ownership signed (but not lodged) before she left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwioz Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Thanks so much for all the thoughts, advice and experiences. Definitely food for thought. I think having some sort of proviso in place for keeping the dog is a good idea, plus all the other conditions that have been mentioned. I think sorting out the expenses side is important for its own sake, as well as being somewhat of an insurance policy for her coming back for the dog. But of course it wouldn't be guaranteed. Giving Finn time to adjust is valid advice as well - I tend to err on the side of thinking he would appreciate another dog but I can't know that for sure and it hasn't been that long for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 you could always look at fostering or puppy walking or maybe taking on an oldie - some rescues will consider older dogs as permanent fosters, so they will pick up the vet care bills for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DobieMum Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I have done this and it does work. The vet issue, I just took her to the owners vet and they had an account with them, I didn't pay for anything and this included a snake bite. I received a payment in my bank account once a month to cover her expenses such as food ect. Even giving her back at the end, wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, because all the way along, I was giving her back, if that makes sense. I still fell for her, hook, line and sinker, but constantly knew she wasn't mine in the end. It's a bit like when you fall for your friends dog, you love seeing them and playing with them, but they're not yours. If the circumstances are right for you then go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywaffle Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 there are too many unknowns with this scenario..I would maintain status quo for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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