are my neighbors mistreating their dog?
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Anonymous
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My neighbors recently bought a dog. They've had a few cats over the years, but they are first-time dog owners. I'm very close with my neighbors and visit them quite frequently and have become alarmed at how they treat their dog. I don't think they are being physically abusive or anything, just a mixture of being "helicopter dog owners" and being uneducated about how to properly care for a dog. The dog is a German Setter. They live on a half acre of (fenced in) property. They let the dog out maybe 2 or 3 times a day so he can go to the bathroom. When they let him out they hover over him. Literally, they have to be no more than 5-10 feet away from him at all times. The dog will go to the bathroom, and then they might play fetch or something with him for 5-10 minutes and they go back inside. The dog goes for an actual walk maybe 4 times a week, maximum. When he's inside, he's not allowed out of their mud room. Their mud room is about 6'x10', in other words, a very small and limited space for a puppy who is growing VERY fast to have to be confined to. They feed him a few scoops of wet food mixed with a few scoops of dry food 2x a day.
I don't want to be a shit stirrer, but I just feel really bad for the dog. They told me the dog would be allowed to roam around their house once they enrolled it in obedience classes, but they have yet to do so. Especially given the size of their yard, I feel like the dog shouldn't be confined to the mud room all day. This might sound weird, but the dog just doesn't look happy. What should I do? |
Anonymous
| Nothing. May not be how you would raise a dog, but it's definitely not abusive. If the dog is unhappy it will act out and maybe then they will seek your advice or get a clue. |
Anonymous
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Many dogs are confined like that until they are trained not to go to the bathroom inside or chew up all the furniture. And a mudroom is a hell of a lot better than a crate, which is where many, many people put their dogs for extended amounts of time.
Mind your own business, OP. It sounds like these people are treating their dog just fine. |
Anonymous
| Well, you are supposed to stand near your dog or have him leashed when you take him out (even in your back yard!) so that the dog associates going outside with relieving itself, not playing. And walks 4x a week is fine if the walk is vigorous. You are the one who seems to not know what to do with dogs. As for the Mud room--a crate would be even better--dogs like to be in a confined space with a close roof when they are resting. Wild dogs sleep many hours a day in dens. You should not say anything to your neighbor about this. |
Anonymous
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Crates are fine as long as the door is open so the dog can leave their safe space as needed to walk around. Keeping a dog shut in a crate all day is abuse.
It sounds like a mud room gives that space. Not ideal but far better than being shut in a crate like some people do. Dogs love to run and play and need exercise, especially big dogs. the problem is that is a cycle - not enough exercise so dog takes out energy in the house causing a mess so owners restrict dog even more leading to more acting up etc.. |
Anonymous
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You could offer to take the dog for a walk around the block if you want, but unless you have experience with dogs and are good at training them it may not be something you can handle.
I guess what I'm saying is, *I* would offer to do that. But I grew up with a dog, have read dog-training books for fun, and am comfortable asserting my authority and establishing dominance over a dog. |
Anonymous
| Not abuse. They are control freaks and a dog is probably not the best pet for them. They are taking care of him though. I know people like this and their dogs usually are very fat. |
Anonymous
| They are standing over the dog to pick up the crap as soon as the dog goes. we do the same, once she goes we pick itup. leaving it is so gross |
Anonymous
| Way to mind your neighbors business and ignorant as well. |
Anonymous
| Sounds fine to me since the dog's a puppy. The mud room is bigger than the crates people use to house train dogs . |
Anonymous
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I'm going to dissent and say this is no life for a dog. Four walks a WEEK? Confinement in a mud room? Sounds awful to me. My dog gets four walks a day and has freedom of the house. Okay, I know that's a lot. But I would never, ever, confine an animal to either a crate or a room except for an hour or two and only if that animal were destructive (if it had separation anxiety and was known to tear up the house). This is not right, OP.
How long have they had him like this? |
Anonymous
Yeah, they should just quit their jobs so they can walk the dog that much, and also let him completely destroy the house. |
Anonymous
| Doesn't sound that bad, many dogs are crated.. |
Anonymous
| If the dog is a puppy, this behavior all makes sense, although a puppy should be fed more often than just 2x per day or allowed to free-feed. If he's not potty-trained yet, it's easier for him to be in a confined space. And 10 feet away is not "hovering." Your neighbors sound reasonable to me so I'm confused as to why you feel this is abuse. |
Anonymous
a walk 4 times a week is not enough for a german shepherd puppy. people who never had large, energetic dogs, don't seem to get it. That dog should be getting walked twice a day. |