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Old 09-15-21, 01:54 PM  
wishiwasinhawaii
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: NJ
I'm in a similar situation to the OP. I dogsit a relative's dog now and then (I actually did this morning) and I do this at THEIR house, not in my own. My house is not set up for pets. Leaving a puppy in a crate when you're not going to be there all day is cruel, as others have said. Your sister should put the dog in a 'doggy daycare' for the days she's away and you shouldn't even have to be involved.
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Old 09-15-21, 02:46 PM  
DCW
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Finding a boarding facility is a good option for the puppy. We started with in at 8 am and then pickup before they closed. Then graduated to overnight to a weekend.

Owners lived on site and it was a place our dog loved.

A reputable boarding facility is part of an overall dog ownership responsibility. In case of an emergency having a pet acclimated to a boarding facility is a huge relief when needed.

When our basement flooded the dog looked relieved to leave the mess and go to the kennel.
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Old 09-15-21, 02:46 PM  
SpiritYogi
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Spiritual Bliss
Thank you all for your replies!

I can't stay at my sister's house because she lives 1.5 hours from me. I would love it if my sister would just hire a dog sitter but she treats this dog better than she did my niece and apparently doesn't trust anyone but my niece (who is away in college) or me to watch it. I've reiterated to her that I will not be home ALL DAY so it will be crated from 7:15 to 4:30 in my garage in hopes of her at least taking pity on the dog and finding someone else to dog sit. I get the furbaby love, but like many of you have said, it's not fair to the dog or me to have me watch it. However, my sister has been going through a rough patch lately and has been there for me in dealing with some personal issues I've had in the past year so to tell her I can't do this favor for her is really difficult. I am really stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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Old 09-15-21, 03:32 PM  
MARIKA
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Cocoa Beach
A puppy locked in a crate all day would warrant a call to Animal Services. If your sister is fine with her puppy laying in his own mess all day and your fine bathing him I say go for it.
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Old 09-15-21, 03:39 PM  
Gams
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
I say just tell her you are not able to do it because you don’t want to have to crate the dog for long hours during the day. You sound very unhappy and resentful, so probably are not the best person for the job regardless.
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Old 09-15-21, 03:50 PM  
bzar
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: PalmTreeVille
we just turned down 2 requests from SIL to dog sit at her house. she lives only 13 miles away, but her district has really bad traffic. my kids are in college and it would be hard for them to commute from her house to/from school and work due to the traffic. same with DH and I, plus we weren't sure about her internet connection, and we're all virtual.

her 2 dogs are tiny, and one is really fragile looking. our house would be out of the question since both of her dogs are indoor dogs and we have an indoor cat. our yard is not secure - the dogs could run out or get stuck in/between the fences.

i offered my adult niece (married with 3 kids and 2 dogs of her own) to stop by SIL's house since niece lives closer and has a more flexible job. the second time SIL asked for our help was for someone to stay with the dogs overnight!

SIL turned it down saying that she was able to get someone to agree to stay overnight.

my DH was getting irritated with the second request as if SIL hadn't heard our reasons the first time.

i had another option - a good friend does dog sitting full time at her house - she makes a good living from it. since SIL solved her own problem, i didn't need to call this friend.

crating - a co-worker crates her dogs in her own house and has a "baby monitor" linked to her phone to monitor any noise or problems, but her dogs are trained to do their "business" when she comes home.

there are really good dog-sitting caregivers around. if you could help your sister find one and maybe help pay for it since you want to support her, this might be an option. for the future, it might be good to start looking around for a good caregiver for your sister's dog if it's too late for this time around. good luck.
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Old 09-15-21, 04:14 PM  
Vantreesta
 
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It truly is important to have a trusted boarding facility that a dog gets used to. As others mentioned, you never know what emergency may arise. My dogs have always been my babies and my current dog has severe trust issues and behavioral problems we are working on. The staff at our kennel adore him and he loves them despite trusting very few people. Going there about once a month is good for him even though I hate being apart from him. Like kids, it's important they learn to allow someone else to care for them in case it becomes necessary.
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Old 09-15-21, 04:16 PM  
SpiritYogi
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Spiritual Bliss
Quote:
Originally Posted by MARIKA View Post
A puppy locked in a crate all day would warrant a call to Animal Services.
I agree, which is why I 'warned' her of my situation and how I'd have to handle the dog. I was hoping she'd realize it's not good and find someone else to watch it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gams View Post
I say just tell her you are not able to do it because you don’t want to have to crate the dog for long hours during the day. You sound very unhappy and resentful, so probably are not the best person for the job regardless.
Yes, I am VERY unhappy and starting to feel resentful about this because she's putting me in an untenable situation and not doing what's best for the dog or me.

My sister has a six figure salary so it's not as if she can't afford to board it or hire a professional dog sitter. I'm going to see if I can find a reputable place near her home and suggest she visit and consider using them. She'll need a reliable person / place in the future anyway because it's simply not feasible for her to rely on her daughter or me to take care of the dog whenever she travels.
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Old 09-15-21, 04:24 PM  
donnamp
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Maryland, USA
I am a huge dog person - but dogs are not for everyone and I think you should decline your sister's offer - she should understand and want the best for both of you. I wouldn't ask someone who was not comfortable with dogs and/or the mess they inadvertently create to take care of my dogs.

And dogs, they do create a mess - they track dirt into the house, they get wet, the roll in stuff, etc. It does not sound like you will be able to maintain the level of cleanliness you desire in your home with a dog. Are you ok with that on a temporary basis? If not, I would tell her you can't dog sit, or, as others have said, maybe you can sit for the dog at your sister's house.

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Old 09-15-21, 04:46 PM  
Leonana
 
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I understand how you feel, as your sister has been there for you and you want to do the same. I also have some OCD, although mine is different and I have pets. But I understand how difficult that is to deal with. People don’t tend to look at a mental illness the same way as they would a physical disability, and you’re afraid she will think you are being selfish.

However, you have to think about the puppy, who deserves the right care. Even if your sister is angry with you, you have to do the right thing for the puppy, who is the innocent one here.

I feel bad for you, your sister has put you in a bad position. I hope you are able to sort it out
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