Dog-sitting Nightmare - Advice WELCOME!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Dog-sitting Nightmare - Advice WELCOME!

    I am dog-sitting my grandmother's hellion dogs against my will because my mom is about to have a baby and so my grandmother is over there helping out. Her dogs are so bad that my mom's landlord forbids them to stay over there with her, so I am forced to watch them - for god knows how long, it's been 2 1/2 weeks now.

    The first week went smoothly, although the peke kept chasing my cat. The doberman has a leg-lifting problem and I was afraid it would start happening... I was confining him to the guest room because it all happened so quick and at such a bad time that I wasn't able to get a crate before they came over here. Well he's marking all over the guestroom now. I've mopped the floor in there 3 times. I got the crate and put him in it last night and he spent the night barking off and on. There's not exactly time to crate train him, and he's not mine.

    I wish I could board them at a doggy daycare type place, but they're of course NOT VACCINATED so that's out of the question. The peke is also in heat now, and I currently have my corgi who I'm a month away from neutering (don't want to upset the breeder by doing it early).

    Four dogs is too much for me! I'm about to lose my mind. I'm tired of cleaning up dog pee every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed. This house is a rental!

    I've probably left a lot out because I'm upset right now, but any advice to make this easier is welcome!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Used to crates or not, it's your only option and you'll have to keep YOUR dog in a separate room because they can *and will* mate thru crates.
     
    The other option would be to get her peke spayed?  (oops probably not a good idea but WHAT is she waiting for!!)
     
    The other idea is to GET her dogs vaccinated and let the vet kennel them.  Frankly, getting this all dumped in YOUR lap isn't fair and that *would* remedy the problem.  Then you just have to have a heart to heart with Gram and tell her she's got to work on their behavior because honestly it's too much to ask, long term, for anyone to deal with them.  Is the male not neutered as well?  I'd present her with BILLS to fix the damage they've caused because obviously YOU have to pay for it.  Ohh, am I hard-hearted or what?
     
     
    • Gold Top Dog
    Oh my gosh, what a handful. That sounds really tough! Do you have any other siblings or friends who would be willing to take the hellion dogs for a little while? I do wonder how long your grandmother is going to stick you with them... who knows how long she will be staying to help out even after the baby comes. If it's going to be a while and you aren't getting any help I'm inclined to agree with callie about just getting them vacc'd and kenneled.
    • Gold Top Dog
    If you are prepared to pay for vacs & kennel why not just hire a dog sitter and take the beasts back home.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I have no adult siblings, and not a whole lot of friends up here... the ones I do have can't have pets where they live. >;.;<

    Can the vet board them and also give them stimulation though? The problem I run into is the boarding places I considered required the vaccinations 5 days in advance. Heck, they could be gone then, and my house in ruins. Also if I board them I am expecting that it would cost me hundreds of dollars that I don't have right now and that's the drawback. I suppose I could put it on my credit card. >-.-<

    My grandmother will not pay the bills. She's jobless and broke so she's leeching off everyone right now. So that's why her dogs aren't vaccinated and her peke's not spayed. I'm not sure if I can afford to do that myself... I have my own dogs I need to think about... Shippo's neutering is coming up soon, and my cat is due for her vaccinations.

    And for the walls and hardwood that he peed all over. I've tried mopping it with the "simple green" crap that I found under the counter, and I also tried vinegar. Neither seemed to work since he went back to it. I don't want dog pee set into the walls and wood...

    Also, the my corgi is seperated from the peke at all times.

    I am NEVER doing this again. I think it's been the most horrible dog watching experience of my life. Next time she wants her monsters watched I'll write her a check for boarding. >o\/o<
    • Gold Top Dog
    wow, this sounds like a horrible situation all the way around!!!! I know some people might disagree with me, but I would crate your grandmas dogs unless you are exercising them or letting them outside to go potty, I wouldn't let them have free roam of your house because they very well may completely ruin it. If you haven't already, I would pick up some kongs and try that, it could bye you some peace and quiet for a little while and maybe help the dogs relax a little. Of course it's always a good idea to make sure they have something to chew on and/or play with, maybe some compressed bones or knuckle bones? Is it possible for you to keep them outside in a fenced yard or something for a couple hours a day?
    • Gold Top Dog
    Not the peke in heat she can't.  Crates are definitely the only way to go.
    • Gold Top Dog
    oops, forgot about the peke being in heat, definitly can't keep her outside!! But is it possible to keep mr "pee everywhere he can" outside for at least part of the day? That would let him stay out of the crate, but still hopefully save your house from his distructive ways.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Yikes, what an un-fun situation!!! [&:] I would definitely keep them in crates. I would also put a belly band on the Doberman- I've seen plenty of dogs mark while in a crate. If you aren't already familiar with them, just google 'dog belly band' and there are tons of links.

    As far as your grandma not having the money to get them spayed/neutered and vaccinated, is she aware of the clinics that do that kind of stuff at low cost, sometimes even free?! That's really ridiculous that she just dumped her dogs off on you. And if the situation comes up again in the future, why on earth would you write her a check for boarding? The dogs are her responsiblity and she'll continue freeloading off others as long as they let her. [8|] On that note, you may want to give granny a date that she needs to get her dogs back. She can't expect you to just watch them for however long she feels like it!

    Good luck with this whole situation- I hope things get better soon!
    • Gold Top Dog
    For your own sanity, you have got to crate them in separate rooms (who cares at this point if feelings are hurt) and leave! [:)]
     
    I'm kind of kidding and I'm kind of not. I had my sister's dopey and untrained Bassett for a full week and one night I just went to a movie--after taking care of them first, of course.
     
    It was heaven to step away from the madness for a minute.
     
    Head out for a great cup of coffee, after they're crated up, and just breathe for an hour.
     
    Oh boy--but my thoughts are with you!
    • Gold Top Dog
    For the marking doberman - belly bands.  If he chews it or tries to take it off, soak it in bitter apple.  Just google belly bands, they're not very expensive and you probably have something in your house that you could rig to work as one. 
     
    I also agree with everyone that said crate the dogs. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    I'm saved!!! She's going home tomorrow and taking them with her!! Thanks for the support and advice everyone. I had them outside quite a bit today because it was nice out. We have a secure privacy fence and no strays so nothing was coming into our yard. We have a sliding glass door so I was able to see them out there, and they had shade and all that. Later on I crated them both inside and went to see a movie and pick up my grandmother.

    Thank god! I'm free tomorrow!!