This dog is NUTS.

[Dreamstalker]

I'm dog/apartment-sitting for a family friend G, and over the past...20 hours the dog (six-month-old maybe-labradoodle) has become almost impossible.

She was being a bit of a brat last night, but not too horrible--although I did have to take away a rubber ball that she was actually eating--and I just chalked that up to "her people" being away (I also had to leave her alone for a short while while I was over at mom's place tending to the cat's medical needs). They are having their bathroom renovated, so there are workmen in and out and lots of noise during the day.

I had to work today, so my mom came over to watch her and take her to the dog park with another friend's K's dog (I also dogsit for K, and both their dogs know and like each other). G knows I work part-time downtown and is fine with my mom being over at the apartment. Before mom showed up, I had to keep her on a short lead in the apartment as she was bothering the workmen...at that end of the unit they were ripping stuff out, so there was broken tile, wood, nails, holes in the bathroom floor and walls and other stuff that I absolutely did not want the puppy getting into.

G's puppy is housetrained (or so it seems), but earlier today she peed and pooped on K's carpet (this after she already relieved herself on a walk, so I'm not quite sure what the issue is) I told mom to call G and tell her what happened and that K may be looking to her for cleaning costs.

After mom brought her back home, she started bothering the workmen who were bringing in drywall so mom put her in her crate. She doesn't appear to be crate trained at all (why is there a crate then?) and apparently has been howling and barking for the past hour or so.

She apparently does understand some hand signals, but ignores me and generally doesn't respond to verbal commands (she understands "sit" but only if I push her hindquarters down at the same time).

K's dog was 200% better behaved when he was that age.

Mom doesn't think that a six-month-old dog should be this unmanageable...she's also a terror on the lead. I'm guessing that it could just be stress from her owners being away and the work being done...?

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

Animals always act weird when their family is gone. My cat is being strange, too, since my G-parents are on vacation. Tiger's used to having people there all the time, and always someone in the living room. So now he whines anytime he's in the house.

He is more lovey-dovey, though. He's always after me to scratch his head at night, and normally he doesn't initiate contact with people.

[Dreamstalker]

Our cat gets really weird if one of his humans is away. Even when I'm there 24/7 when mom's away he'll be off his food sometimes, moping, etc. It's as if he knows there's supposed to be another human around. G and her husband have two kids and G can take the dog to work with her (which I can't do), so she's pretty much always around people.

G takes the puppy to work with her, but she really has no experience with other dogs (today she was trying to bite K's dog; if she sees another dog when walking she will start making screeching sounds I didn't think a dog could make, it sounds like she's being tortured) except the dog park, which isn't as structured as she needs. K's mother owned and bred show dachshunds and she raised her dog from birth practically; she says labradoodles need a LOT of training/socialization. Not really "city dogs" unless they're trained correctly which we don't think this dog is.

Mom says when G gets home we should all sit down and discuss it; I don't mind taking care of her dog, but K says I shouldn't be expected to serve as a trainer (I have a feeling that was unintentional, but still; I shouldn't need to haul on the leash each time she sees another dog/squirrel/tree).

ETA: I think G feeds this dog too much (4 meals a day? K's dog doesn't even get that much), and puts too much extra water in the food.

[Dreamstalker]

Welp, we dropped her off at the vet to be spayed this morning (the owners will pick her up when they return on Sunday). Poor thing; a week of disruptions from the workmen and now this. She really is adorable, just needs a LOT of attention and work.

When I went to walk her last night I discovered that she had essentially ruined her harness (chewed almost through two of the straps; it really is too flimsy for a dog like her) It must have happened sometime between when I picked her up at doggy day care Wednesday, and yesterday afternoon...when we got home from the daycare, I had to leave the harness on her for a short while as she wouldn't let me get close enough to take it off; could have happened then. Of course I'm leaving a note for the owners and I'll also buy another one (not knowing how much at fault I am; it's up to them whether they want to reimburse me for it).

What a surreal week. I have a suspicion that had the workmen not been there she would have been much better behaved...the general consensus among mom and her friend is that you don't leave a pet in an apartment with major work being done, even if there is someone there (especially a new person the animal hasn't really met before).

[AdminAssistant]

Well, and, she's still just a puppy. I know that labs are a notoriously rambunctious breed although I don't know anything about labra-doodles (?). It'll just take some time for her to get settled down a bit.

I really hate it when people over-train their dogs...they become fluffy robots.

[draggar]

G's puppy is housetrained (or so it seems), but earlier today she peed and pooped on K's carpet (this after she already relieved herself on a walk, so I'm not quite sure what the issue is) I told mom to call G and tell her what happened and that K may be looking to her for cleaning costs.

She misses her family. That's why she's doing it.

After mom brought her back home, she started bothering the workmen who were bringing in drywall so mom put her in her crate. She doesn't appear to be crate trained at all (why is there a crate then?) and apparently has been howling and barking for the past hour or so.

Normal - but a blanket over the crate.

[Dreamstalker]

K doesn't like to see dogs over-trained either...but she does need to be worked with a bit. It typically took 10 minutes to get her harness and leash on for walks; G encourages this (balking once or twice is fine--K's dog will do that until he's sure I'm taking him to the park--but having to actually chase her down?).