During lockdown my neighbour bought a puppy. He is a yellow lab. I have known him since he was 8 weeks old and he is a gem of a dog.
Thing is my neighbour works all day and he is kept in a 4 foot by 2.5 foot crate in the kitchen. He gets a walk from a dog walker each day but I help out the rest of the time.
I go in on average about 4 times a day. I feed him, play with him and let him in the garden for comfort breaks. He is a total sweetheart
Thing is my neighbour is starting to ask me for more and more dog sitting favours.
Take these last two days: sh has gone out at nights straight from work and I have had to give him his dinner. Most weekends she asks me to help out too as she meets up with friends.
She really needs to look long and hard at her behaviours. She can’t expect to have the same social life since she has a dog. But she seems intent on doing that at my expense.
I don’t agree with crates under most circumstances. Especially if it is for 12 hours like today. I feel like I am compromising my principles just to keep her happy.
You went in 8 times today and I am exhausted. This isn’t sustainable
Create a boundary and say no. She’ll be upset at first, but the problem is solved from your end. If you feel like the dog is being neglected or abused then call the right people wherever you live.
I totally understand what you mean. That is not a good life for that doggo and she sounds like a bad dog parent. I mean… I honestly think you should report her. The dog deserves better treatment, a better owner, and needs more attention from the actual pet parent. This situation is unfair to the dog and to you.
Sorry if I’m too blunt. But what you said makes it sound like she isn’t taking care of the dog and is entirely pushing the responsibilities off onto other people. But it’s not just feeding, walks, and outdoor time. The dog is probably being emotionally neglected.
And check this out. When she got the crate I said to her why don’t you bring the dog to my apartment and I will look after him in mine. We would share each others company and he wouldn’t be in the crate
I went so far as to get the go ahead from my landlord.
But my neighbour said she didn’t want that because I live up a flight of stairs and she doesn’t want the dog to get used to going upstairs. Because her bedroom is upstairs in her house and she doesn’t want the dog getting used to going to her bedroom.
I’m steaming mad. She’s abusing Alfie, she’s abusing you, she’s got no business having that wonderful boy as her pet. He and you deserve so much better. She’s a mean, using, evil woman.
Tell her the only way you will consider continuing helping with her dog is if you can bring him to your place whenever you’re caring for him.
When she is home, what does she do with the dog? TBH, I suspect she also crates the dog when she’s home (e.g. when she goes to bed) so the whole stairs thing is likely bullshlt. With that said, she is crating the dog way too long and it’s inhumane. The dog is not an inanimate object. Why does she even have a dog?
If she wanted to, she could easily train the dog to sleep on the floor of her bedroom on a dog bed.
She needs an education on caring for a dog. Explain again that the stairs shouldn’t be an issue and the dog needs to be treated better than all day and night in a cage.
She should be paying you something for caring for her dog at the very least
My dog was in a crate to sleep as a puppy but very quickly moved onto my bed. She has never been alone. And i intend to keep it that way. I love my pooch and bring her with me everywhere. She loves the car.
This woman sounds like one of those people who thought it would be good to get a dog then realized how much work it is and isnt willing to put in the work. Maybe you could adopt the dog. You should also ralk to her about leaving her dog for a long time. I think its good you suggested to bring her down to your apartment. Its silly she doesnt want a dog in the bedroom. She should not be priveleged to having a dog.
