Dog sitting - what can I expect?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you’re all doing great! Keep up the good (hard) work.

[Anonymous]

I predict this dog will be in a shelter inside of two weeks.

[Anonymous]

OP- great report!! Sounds like it was a successful first day, amazing progress in such a short amount of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This will become your dog. They will not recollect it after.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have your husband take off work the first day or two to help transition the dog in and work on a schedule with the dog.

This..

[Anonymous]

Good job, OP!

[Anonymous]

How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

We are going take him through the weekend, and drop him off during the week. It’ll be the first day my husband gets to have the full experience!

He is doing pretty well. He’s got all this pent up energy in the morning and then by the end of the day it’s clear he’s really tired. And on walks, in the beginning of the walk, he is pulling and wanting to go at a full run in the beginning and in the morning, barking at everyone but then by the end of the walk he is more chill and keeps better pace with me and doesn’t react to other dogs or people.

I am walking him about 4-5 miles a day. My husband does the 5:30am wake up to let him out to pee, then feeds him breakfast, and then I run with him after for 2.5 miles at 6:30. He loves to play so we probably play with him for at least 2hrs a day. He’s being exposed to so many things and different environments on our walks and he is really good even around lots of people now.

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

[Anonymous]

Op again - also, we haven’t given him his anxiety meds at all the entire week.

And there is just a lot of yelling this morning by my husband but I’m not coming downstairs until I’m good and ready this morning! I don’t yell at the dog, I have just been loading him up on the positive praise and treats when he is being good and trying to keep his energy focused on play. So we might have a bit of conflict in our approaches.

My husband also wanted to just let him sleep out of the cage at night because he doesn’t want to be woken up in the mornings. I was worried he might pee in the house, on our rug. But my husband said that’s fine. He really wants to train him out of the crate. We disagree on this. He’s still too young right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

Please share your technique!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

We are going take him through the weekend, and drop him off during the week. It’ll be the first day my husband gets to have the full experience!

He is doing pretty well. He’s got all this pent up energy in the morning and then by the end of the day it’s clear he’s really tired. And on walks, in the beginning of the walk, he is pulling and wanting to go at a full run in the beginning and in the morning, barking at everyone but then by the end of the walk he is more chill and keeps better pace with me and doesn’t react to other dogs or people.

I am walking him about 4-5 miles a day. My husband does the 5:30am wake up to let him out to pee, then feeds him breakfast, and then I run with him after for 2.5 miles at 6:30. He loves to play so we probably play with him for at least 2hrs a day. He’s being exposed to so many things and different environments on our walks and he is really good even around lots of people now.

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

This is not okay. You either need to lock away the dog when your kids have friends over or stop hosting them. If the dog bites one of them you will be liable for any damages and the dog could be put down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

We are going take him through the weekend, and drop him off during the week. It’ll be the first day my husband gets to have the full experience!

He is doing pretty well. He’s got all this pent up energy in the morning and then by the end of the day it’s clear he’s really tired. And on walks, in the beginning of the walk, he is pulling and wanting to go at a full run in the beginning and in the morning, barking at everyone but then by the end of the walk he is more chill and keeps better pace with me and doesn’t react to other dogs or people.

I am walking him about 4-5 miles a day. My husband does the 5:30am wake up to let him out to pee, then feeds him breakfast, and then I run with him after for 2.5 miles at 6:30. He loves to play so we probably play with him for at least 2hrs a day. He’s being exposed to so many things and different environments on our walks and he is really good even around lots of people now.

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

My dog can get territorial too. The dog trainer told us escalating doesn’t work. Trading does. So if he swipes a shoe and then growls when you try to get it back, trade him something (little cube of cheese, toss a ball in the other direction so he goes to fetch it, and scoop up the shoe while he’s busy. If he’s resource guarding an area (couch), don’t try to physically move him. Trade him a treat or thing in the location you want him to go, and he will hop off the location he’s guarding. Let him have areas like his crate or dog beds be “safe spots” where no one but him goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

We are going take him through the weekend, and drop him off during the week. It’ll be the first day my husband gets to have the full experience!

He is doing pretty well. He’s got all this pent up energy in the morning and then by the end of the day it’s clear he’s really tired. And on walks, in the beginning of the walk, he is pulling and wanting to go at a full run in the beginning and in the morning, barking at everyone but then by the end of the walk he is more chill and keeps better pace with me and doesn’t react to other dogs or people.

I am walking him about 4-5 miles a day. My husband does the 5:30am wake up to let him out to pee, then feeds him breakfast, and then I run with him after for 2.5 miles at 6:30. He loves to play so we probably play with him for at least 2hrs a day. He’s being exposed to so many things and different environments on our walks and he is really good even around lots of people now.

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

My dog can get territorial too. The dog trainer told us escalating doesn’t work. Trading does. So if he swipes a shoe and then growls when you try to get it back, trade him something (little cube of cheese, toss a ball in the other direction so he goes to fetch it, and scoop up the shoe while he’s busy. If he’s resource guarding an area (couch), don’t try to physically move him. Trade him a treat or thing in the location you want him to go, and he will hop off the location he’s guarding. Let him have areas like his crate or dog beds be “safe spots” where no one but him goes.

And btw, you sound like you are doing an amazing job and are really naturally in tune with all of this despite not having done it before and having had it thrust upon you. You are amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

Please share your technique!

I have been holding him down and saying “down” in a calm/firm voice. I grab him at the shoulders and push down on his behind and keep him from twisting and whipping his head around in a frenzy. He eventually quiets some. Still agitated and vigilant, but quieter and not jumping and twisting or lunging.

The other thing I do is every time someone walks by and he does not react, I lay on the praise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s it going? Is the dog going home this weekend?

We are going take him through the weekend, and drop him off during the week. It’ll be the first day my husband gets to have the full experience!

He is doing pretty well. He’s got all this pent up energy in the morning and then by the end of the day it’s clear he’s really tired. And on walks, in the beginning of the walk, he is pulling and wanting to go at a full run in the beginning and in the morning, barking at everyone but then by the end of the walk he is more chill and keeps better pace with me and doesn’t react to other dogs or people.

I am walking him about 4-5 miles a day. My husband does the 5:30am wake up to let him out to pee, then feeds him breakfast, and then I run with him after for 2.5 miles at 6:30. He loves to play so we probably play with him for at least 2hrs a day. He’s being exposed to so many things and different environments on our walks and he is really good even around lots of people now.

The part where I’m still struggling is he is territorial around our house. I have finally figured out how to calm him when he gets this way, so it’s getting better. And he is slowly getting better at not sounding a full alarm every single time someone walks by our house (which is like every 10 minutes). But we did have a pretty good scare at one point where he barked, growled, at one of my kid’s friends who was over to play and then chased him up the stairs before I could grab him. Luckily the friend was able to escape into a bedroom and slam the door shut.

This is not okay. You either need to lock away the dog when your kids have friends over or stop hosting them. If the dog bites one of them you will be liable for any damages and the dog could be put down.

Believe me I know. It is kind of a dealbreaker. I don’t want o have to worry about him attacking one of my kid’s friends. He seems more scared around kids then adults. Especially the ones that smell like dogs. He hasn’t been around them except for us.

And I did crate him after that happened but realistically speaking for the future, I don’t think I’d want to just avoid inviting anyone over to our house or crating him every time we have a visitor and for their entire stay.