People who dog sit - what are you willing to do?

[milee]

We travel too much to have a dog.  So even though I love dogs and the kids would like one, it wouldn't really work for us or the dog to own one.  To let the boys get the experience of being around dogs, I often agree to dog sit for our friends.  Over the last few years, we've watched 8-10 different dogs, usually for a period of 5-10 days at a stretch.  It's been an eye opener into how poorly trained so many of the dogs are.  Since people love their dogs like children, it's obviously not something we discuss with the owners, we just don't watch those dogs again.

If you dog sit, what types of things do you see and what are you willing - and not willing - to do as a dog sitter? 

[swamp]

I won't sit a dog that messes on the floor or bites. 

I can deal with just about anything else. 

[milee]

You're a nice lady. Guess I'm not quite so nice.

[swamp]

No, I've had my own badly behaved dogs. 

[milee]

It's OK when it's your own.  Probably like kids, huh?

[Deleted]

What are you expecting?

I consider my dog to be fantastic (as all dog mommies do).  She tells you when she needs to go out, she doesn't beg (much) from the table (because she knows it isn't happening until dinner is over), etc.   Does she heel?  No.  Does she bark when some other dog gets in her field of vision outside the window?  Yes.  Does she hog the covers as she sleeps in my bed?  Maybe.

I think my dog is awesome, but I don't know your standard. 

[Deleted]

Double post.

[steph08]

I don't dog sit, but I would probably deal with just about anything except a mean dog! 

I have four dogs. I think it's kind of like people with a lot of kids. The first dog got a lot of attention - knows several commands. The second knows a few commands. The third and fourth only know sit.  and while they are pretty good for us, for others they can be a handful - the boxers ate a bag of marshmallows, a ziplock bag of dog food, some crackers, potatoes, etc. when my parents watched them for a weekend. Damn dogs! 

[violagirl]

What kind of behaviours are we talking about? You could always use the time to teach them a few things. 

My dogs are horrible beggars, but they are so cute i always share. Someone else might be tougher than me, but I can't resist those little faces looking so hopefully. 

I think different people have different standards though. My friend is very Cesar Milan - be the boss, strict with her dogs. I'm more of the type that expects dogs to be dogs. I can get my dachshund to dig where I want on command. He is so enthusiastic about it and was bred to do it, so I wouldn't expect him not to, I just direct him to where it is ok. Someone else might be horrified the dog is digging in the flowers. (Which he has never done..because i let him dig other places). 

Is it also the case that you are dogsitting dogs that you don't really know their personalities/quirks? My oldest dog can be perceived as "tempermental", but she is really kind of sweet and just scared of other dogs - unfortunately she will attempt to get them before they get her. And does NOT enjoy dogs who like to be all up in her face. But I am about the only one that would see her getting tense and be able to intercede before things escalated. 

[Deleted]

I can't deal with the fact that every frigging person I know has a dog, or two, or threen and they ALL ask us to keep their dogs during their vacations. Most people here go away every vacation (5X a year), we don't. We go away twice a year, max.

I'm a bitch, I tell people if I want to stay home and keep your dog in August (when everybody in Paris INCLUDING US goes away) we'd have our own dog.

One woman asked me to keep her dog during Xmas vacation, for 10 days. I said no. The bitch called DS3 (who was 9 or 10 at the time). Needless to say he said yes. I called her back and gave her hell. Who does that?! The mom says no, so you ask the 9YO kid instead?!

Sorry but this is a VERY VERY SORE spot for me. We are the "poor neighbors" who can't afford to go away on EVERY school vacation so everybody with a dog or two or three thinks we'd like nothing better than to keep theirs.

UGH!!!

ETA: I actually DO do favors for friends with dogs, but NOT people in my immediate neighborhood! And after keeping my friend's bunny for two weeks, I'd say I'm good with anything that won't risk electrocuting itself OR eat my furniture LOL!

But I am SICK TO DEATH with people who get dogs and expect their "poor" neighbors to take care of them, since "we are home anyway". NO WAY!!!

Find a kennel that suits you! My ex and I used to pay a BOMB to have our dog kept at a certain kennel. They advertised as "camp for dogs", it was a farmhouse, two dogs per room.

But I would NEVER imagine inconveniencing somebody else to keep my dog while I went away. If you can afford a vacation, you can afford the right kennel.

[violagirl]

We were telling a friend about this awesome vacation we have planned this summer and she was like..so it is basically a vacation...for your dogs?

Yes we are staying at a cottage, with a doggy door and attached run, on a secluded beach and also on miles and miles of walking trails. Do you know how hard it was to find a place that would let us bring 5 dogs?!! We love going for long walks when we are on vacation and prefer to take the dogs with us. If more places would allow them, we would pretty much take them everywhere. 

But if we go away, we kennel them, it is too much to leave 3 crazy dogs with non-dog owners. We have left one for a weekend with my brother who used the time to teach the kids why they would not want a dog. 

[resolution]

My sister has an awesome dog. I've dog sat for it by going to her house and staying there with the dog or having his crate brought to mine. I don't mind having the dog sleep in his crate in my room since he cries if he is by himself. Other than that I take him for one walk a day and feed/water and let him outside as needed.

My BIL's fiancé's dog is no longer allowed in my house. She has one of those small dogs and she thinks she can't go anywhere without it, but when she has brought it to my house it jumps around frantically trying to get all the attention. When we ignored it, it would get mad and sneak off to pee on a rug.

The only exception she has to taking it everywhere is that she keeps wanting to leave it with us while she goes on trips. I tried to dog sit it when she went out of town, but even when i took it outside once an hour it pooped in the living room while i cooked dinner and spit up all over the hallway. So that particular dog isn't allowed to come over, even if it means that BIL and fiancé don't come over either.

[Tennesseer]

Mar 19, 2013 21:08:34 GMT -5 @debthaven2 said:

I can't deal with the fact that every frigging person I know has a dog, or two, and one has three, but they ALL ask us to keep their dogs during their vacations. Most people here go away every vacation (5X a year), we don't. We go away twice a year, max.

I'm a bitch, I tell people if I want to stay home and keep your dog in August (when everybody in Paris INCLUDING US goes away) we'd have our own dog.

One woman asked me to keep her dog during Xmas vacation, for 10 days. I said no. The bitch called DS3 (who was 9 or 10 at the time). Needless to say he said yes. I called her back and gave her hell. Who does that?! The mom says no, so you ask the 9YO kid instead?!

Sorry but this is a VERY VERY SORE spot for me. We are the "poor neighbors" who don't go away on EVERY school vacation so everybody with a dog or two or three thinks we'd like nothing better than to keep theirs.

UGH!!!

ETA: I actually DO do favors for friends with dogs, but NOT people in my immediate neighborhood! And after keeping my friend's bunny for two weeks, I'd say I'm good with anything that won't risk electrocuting itself OR eat my furniture LOL!

But I am SICK TO DEATH with people who get dogs and expect their "poor" neighbors to take care of them, since they are home anyway. NO WAY!!!

Debthaven-are the dogs in France smart? My dad always told me they were-they understood French.

[Deleted]

LOL Tennessee!

Sorry, I know I sound like a bitch, and I'm not. I like dogs, I just have had enough of dealing with other beings' needs.

[Deleted]

Last summer we were in LI at my niece's house. Her SIL and BIL were flying in from CA, with a dog. My niece told us the dog was flying in ON the plane, it was a Standard Poodle.

Turns out her SIL is very "anxious" and had the dog registered as a therapy dog, so it could fly IN the cabin. Apparently the dog spent the entire time on her lap.

He was a LOVELY dog! And SO well trained!

[resolution]

Mar 19, 2013 21:29:00 GMT -5 @debthaven2 said:

LOL Tennessee!

Sorry, I know I sound like a bitch, and I'm not. I like dogs, I just have had enough of dealing with other beings' needs.

I can totally sympathize. With my BIL's fiance, as soon as she found out that I work from home she suddenly forgot whatever it was that she used to do with the dog and made an assumption that I was always available at her convenience for dog watching. Now that I won't tolerate the dog anymore, my MIL and FIL are the lucky winners.

[Deleted]

Thank you Resolution!

It's amazing how people can be so clueless. And I freely admit that goes for some parents of kids as well as pets.

One thought it was HYSTERICALLY FUNNY how her dog DUG UP OUR UNDERGROUND WATERING SYSTEM AND BIT SEVERAL HOLES IN IT, because isn't it funny, how our underground watering system was like rubber, just like the dog's ball?! And it was just instinct, because he was a Jack Russell. Um, nobody told you to unleash your dog's instinct on OUR underground watering system!

The other had three cocker spaniels who rounded on DD's bunny, but their owner claimed "But they are just trying to play with him!" Yeah right. Because everybody knows that spaniels are genetically programmed to "play" with dwarf rabbits.

I honestly think humans are at their most stupid when trying to justify their animals' bad behavior.

[Deleted]

Like I said, I've sat for plenty of dogs before.

I'd sit for a friendly dog. I'd sit for a dog with medical issues if I could get the meds down his throat, because I know how to do that. I wouldn't do shots. I would probably agree to take him to the vet twice a week, if I had time (but I'd know that before agreeing to it).

I'd take the dog out, and clean up after it (short term).

I would NOT sit for a dog that went inside regularly, trashed my house, ate/destroyed our things or scared / could hurt my kids.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I don't dog sit, but I do cat sit for a few friends. (Which means I visit their homes, scoop litterboxes, feed/water, play with cats, rummage through their fridge and enjoy their hot tubs.)

[whoisjohngalt]

I am not willing to dog-sit bc of the owners, not the dogs.  OK, I probably won't have any friends left on here, but O.M.G - the more dog owners I meet the more I dislike them.  Kind, smart, funny, awesome people become completely different people when the topic of their dogs comes up.  I have no patience for that.

[Deleted]

Mar 19, 2013 22:59:12 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

I am not willing to dog-sit bc of the owners, not the dogs.  OK, I probably won't have any friends left on here, but O.M.G - the more dog owners I meet the more I dislike them.  Kind, smart, funny, awesome people become completely different people when the topic of their dogs comes up.  I have no patience for that.

Funny, the same can be said for parents and their children

[whoisjohngalt]

Funny, the same can be said for parents and their children

OMG, you are 100 and 1000% right - I can't deal with them either.  No wonder I don't have any friends

[bean29]

We usually have "Grandma and Grandpa" dog sit for us if we go anywhere. They dog sit during the week and she just asked for his "papers" the other day (meaning she offered to adopt him). A few years ago we took in laws on vacay with us so we asked the neighbors to dog sit. The little girl would ask me to go on vacation every time she saw me after that. DH did give the neighbors $ though and we do give the inlaws a little something for dogsitting.

Sent from my MB855 using proboards

[constanz22]

Dang, my whole post went "poof" when I put in an emoticons! WTH!

Anyway...I have 2 small dogs that are both almost 8 and have never been kenneled. My BFF comes and stays with them at my house when I go on vacation. There are no "small dog friendly" kennels around here and I think it'd be too traumatic for them at this point. They are both almost 8, and my Chihuahua max was a rescue so I prefer to have them stay at home. I'm lucky, BFF actually enjoys staying here and getting a little break from her DH, LOL!

My Maltese can be a bit of a handful. He's not mean or anything. He's just really active and pretty headstrong. Although he behaves better for other people than he does for me. Go figure! Both BFF and my mom have watched him and say he's good for them!

The only problem with BFF being my dog sitter is that her and I can't go away together!

I dog sat last year for BFF and one of her rescue greyhounds brought me a half dead rabbit and tried to bring it in the house. That was unpleasant. LOL, I couldn't be mad at her though, since that's what she was bred and trained to do!

[973beachbum]

Mar 19, 2013 21:29:00 GMT -5 @debthaven2 said:

LOL Tennessee!

Sorry, I know I sound like a bitch, and I'm not. I like dogs, I just have had enough of dealing with other beings' needs.

You should have heard my rant about dog walkers who walk their dog so it can crap in my yard.

[973beachbum]

I haven't dog sat in years but my neighbors have dog sat for me a few times.  Our idea of vacations is normally 3-4 days max at one time which happen maybe twice a year.  I used to kennel them but once they got over 12 years in age the kennel wouldn't take them anymore. 

I just wanted someone to come over 4 times a day to let them out in the fenced back yard and to fee them once a day, and make sure the water is filled.  My two retired neighbors used to split it so one took them out first thing in the morning and at night and the other would come over mid morning and late afternoon.  I had labs but they didn't even bark when my neighbors let themselves in.  At the end with my last dog, when he was 18, he wouldn't even get up.  He would just lie on the floor and wag his tail until they cam over and pet him.  They really had to coax him to get him outside.  But he was horrible on a leash.  I used to leave him off lead because he would come when I called.  If someone tried to walk him with the leash I could see them saying he was horribly behaved.

[Cass]

I have 2 dogs.  I don't get vacations

[Deleted]

I used to dog sit for 2 friends years ago. Both dogs were well trained, but the first dog would not listen to me when I called for him so he hated being with me because I'd walk him on the leash and he wan't used to it (no way was I letting him run away on my watch!).

The second friend came over with a 2-sided list of the dog's schedule. It was actually nice having it all written out for me (but I let her snuggle with me on the couch even though they said they didn't let her on the furniture at their house.  ).

ETA: As others have said, I don't think I could deal with giving an animal shots or dealing with an animal that tried to destroy my house. 

[happyscooter]

My son's girlfriend was asked to dog-sit by some friends of friends.  For 1 week.  This family had MONEY and told her they would pay her.  The poor girl drove 30-40 miles round trip 2 times a day to feed and water, walk and clean up after the dog.

They gave her $20.

[Shooby]

Mar 19, 2013 19:40:51 GMT -5 milee said:

We travel too much to have a dog.  So even though I love dogs and the kids would like one, it wouldn't really work for us or the dog to own one.  To let the boys get the experience of being around dogs, I often agree to dog sit for our friends.  Over the last few years, we've watched 8-10 different dogs, usually for a period of 5-10 days at a stretch.  It's been an eye opener into how poorly trained so many of the dogs are.  Since people love their dogs like children, it's obviously not something we discuss with the owners, we just don't watch those dogs again.

If you dog sit, what types of things do you see and what are you willing - and not willing - to do as a dog sitter? 

  Why would traveling be a hinderance to a owning a dog?  I would advise anyone who gets a new puppy to start taking that puppy to the local kennel for periods like a weekend to get the dog acclaimated.  Then, when traveling, if you have a good quality kennel, no worries.  The last thing i would want to do is rely on friends or family to watch our dog.  We were gone for 2+ weeks this summer and our dog did fine.  Yes, it is expensive but i just chalk it up as part of the cost to travel.