Dogsitting VENT

[teachermom2834]

Ugh. I am so upset.

We (12 yo dd and I) agreed to feed and check in on neighbor's cat and dog (Yorkie) twice a day while they are gone for a week. I'm not a pet person but dd is. We did it before and it was fine. We would go over, throw away the pee pad and put a new one out and feed and water. No biggie and dd enjoyed doing it and I didn't let dd accept any payment. They are neighbors and friends and she was happy to do it.

Well...we went over this morning for the first time. There is pee and poop all over the floor. The note says she doesn't use pee pads anymore and to just use Clorox wipes to clean up. There is a thing of Clorox wipes with like five left in it. The garbage can we are to use is already full. So, we are going over twice a day to clean up pee and poop from the floor. We are taking our own cleaning supplies and garbage because they didn't leave enough and the garbage is already full. It is really gross. We have shoes we are leaving over there to wear in and out. (This coming from someone who usually wears shoes in the house and not a huge germaphobe).

We have to do this for a week. I'm just so upset. They never told us that the job was cleaning up every pee and poop this dog has for the next seven days. Accidents, sure, but this dog just goes on the floor everytime. 

We actually just got a puppy of our own and we are not cleaning up nearly that much pee and poop! Our puppy came with a ton of pee pads but we aren't using them for her so we took them over and left them out at the neighbor's. I don't know that their dog will use them but it is worth a try. 

I'm just so upset. I'm definitely going to have them pay dd and never agree to do it again. But ugh I am so mad.

Edited May 5, 2020 by teachermom2834

[El...]

That's bonkers. 

[teachermom2834]

Just now, elroisees said:

That's bonkers. 

Right?!?!

I am trying to figure out what my response will be when she texts me to check in. 

[Selkie]

What in the world?! I can't imagine them thinking you would be okay with this scenario.

I feel bad for the animals that have to live with those gross people.

[teachermom2834]

2 minutes ago, Selkie said:

What in the world?! I can't imagine them thinking you would be okay with this scenario.

I feel bad for the animals that have to live with those gross people.

Yeah... I am correct to be upset, right?

 

[JustEm]

gross. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Dog’s owners need to take the dog to the vet.  Poor pup.  
 

Can your DD take the dog for a walk?  Or do you have an enclosed out area to let the dog run around and do some business outside?  It would cut down on the poop and pee inside. 

[Pawz4me]

28 minutes ago, Selkie said:

 

I feel bad for the animals that have to live with those gross people.

Ditto.

 

25 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

Yeah... I am correct to be upset, right?

 

You are.

 

14 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

Dog’s owners need to take the dog to the vet.

Yes, they do.

[teachermom2834]

13 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

Dog’s owners need to take the dog to the vet.  Poor pup.  
 

Can your DD take the dog for a walk?  Or do you have an enclosed out area to let the dog run around and do some business outside?  It would cut down on the poop and pee inside. 

No place to just let her out to run around and I don't know that she would go for a walk. They never take her out like that. She doesn't get alot of attention and she isn't friendly.

We really don't have a lot of time to spend with her to deal with this. We just got our own puppy that is taking up all our time. :)

[J-rap]

That's really strange...  I would assume that that's not normal for the dog.  (Or at least I would ACT like I assumed it wasn't normal.)  Are you able to contact them?  By text or email?  I'd say something like:  There appears to be a problem...  Dog is having accidents all over the house, and not waiting until we come to let her out, which we do regularly twice/day.   Do you think she's suffering from anxiety?   Or, does she have a schedule that she's more used to that would keep this from happening?  We'll soon be out of the wipes you left us and your garbage is full."   Maybe it IS unusual for the dog?  Or else, if this is their norm, then they'll know it's not what you were expecting and that it's maybe not normal... and you'll know to never do it again.  I do feel sorry for the poor dog. 

ETA:  The more I think of this, the sadder I feel for the dog.  

Edited May 5, 2020 by J-rap

[JustEm]

As to what you say to them once they get home .  Just let them know that you had to use your own supplies to clean up after their dog and that isn't something you or your dd are willing to have to worry about anymore.  If they can't supply pee pads or if the dog does use them you won't be able to watch the dogs anymore (assuming you would consider doing it again if they used pee pads.)  If you are entirely done just state that since the dog is no longer using pee pads you and your dd will no longer be able to watch the dog. You do not need to give any explanation as to why.  Normal people would realize that it is gross to just let a dog roam free and pee wherever. accidents are one thing, these aren't that though,

[teachermom2834]

I do think this is normal for this dog. They used to use the disposable pee pads but now they have one of those that looks like a door mat and you are supposed to be able to use for a month. The directions they left specifically said that she doesn't go on it and to clean up with Clorox wipes. So I am guessing she just goes on the floor all the time? I don't know what the point of the new pee pad is if she won't use it. I will ask for sure.

I do think I will tell the mom when she texts me that I wasn't expecting this big of a job and didn't realize that I would be cleaning up all her business. I suspect the mom will say it is the kid's responsibility and that she had no idea the dog didn't use the pad. 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

2 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

I do think this is normal for this dog. They used to use the disposable pee pads but now they have one of those that looks like a door mat and you are supposed to be able to use for a month. The directions they left specifically said that she doesn't go on it and to clean up with Clorox wipes. So I am guessing she just goes on the floor all the time? I don't know what the point of the new pee pad is if she won't use it. I will ask for sure.

I do think I will tell the mom when she texts me that I wasn't expecting this big of a job and didn't realize that I would be cleaning up all her business. I suspect the mom will say it is the kid's responsibility and that she had no idea the dog didn't use the pad. 

 

If the dog doesn't use the new door mat thing then they should have provided the pee pads.  I'm assuming that the mom is the one who left the instructions?  That means that the mom knew/knows what is going on with this dog. 

[happi duck]

Why are people traveling?

Why doesn't this dog go out?

This is crazy!  Poor pets!

 

[teachermom2834]

1 minute ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

If the dog doesn't use the new door mat thing then they should have provided the pee pads.  I'm assuming that the mom is the one who left the instructions?  That means that the mom knew/knows what is going on with this dog. 

I actually think the 13 yo boy left the instructions. They were typed so I am not positive but I think the mom left it up to him because it is his dog. I will talk to her about it though, for sure.

[Spryte]

That sounds horrible.  For you, for doggy.

I like J-rap’s take, and I’d probably text the mom and say some of it without waiting for her to contact us.  I’d definitely be asking where she keeps the wipes and trash bags, and ask where you should empty the trash, since it was full already.  

And I’d never dog sit for her again.

Aside from that - where on earth are they going, with social distancing?  It must be an emergency, so I can see maybe giving her a pass on the trash, if she left upset or something.  

And do you feel comfortable that you won’t get sick there?  You might want to wipe down all surfaces, since it sounds like they don’t regularly do that.

[PinkTulip]

That’s so awful - I would definitely contact the mom in the vein of “just wanted to let you know the situation” and then see what her reaction is  

Our neighbors asked us to watch their dog once a few days after we moved in. Things went relatively well until the day we came in and the dog had diarrhea in the night and it was EVERYWHERE in their laundry room - up the walls, etc. So disgusting. We spent easily 4 hours cleaning it all up, and when we told the owners what happened when they got home, they kind of chuckled and said “oh yeah, she does that sometimes!” 

Obviously, we never agreed to watch their dog again, and it kind of tainted how we felt about them for the first little while. 

[gardenmom5]

I'd go buy a pkg of pads, and seriously consider sending her a bill for cleaning supplies.

I had my dd's dogs this weekend (in my home.).   The puppy isn't reliable at night - so he was crated.

[PeterPan]

You should buy pee pads and tell them the amount you spent.

[teachermom2834]

1 minute ago, Spryte said:

That sounds horrible.  For you, for doggy.

I like J-rap’s take, and I’d probably text the mom and say some of it without waiting for her to contact us.  I’d definitely be asking where she keeps the wipes and trash bags, and ask where you should empty the trash, since it was full already.  

And I’d never dog sit for her again.

Aside from that - where on earth are they going, with social distancing?  It must be an emergency, so I can see maybe giving her a pass on the trash, if she left upset or something.  

And do you feel comfortable that you won’t get sick there?  You might want to wipe down all surfaces, since it sounds like they don’t regularly do that.

Not an emergency. Just a beach vacation.

I'm not super worried about getting sick. We took sanitizer over there and left it for our use and we are really careful and wash up thoroughly when we get home. 

I just can't believe I have to do this for a whole week.

[PeterPan]

Just now, teachermom2834 said:

I just can't believe I have to do this for a whole week.

You don't. You can buy the pee pads or you can call the owner and tell them you're not cleaning their stinking floor and to hire someone else. It's clearly outrageous.

[teachermom2834]

Just now, PeterPan said:

You don't. You can buy the pee pads or you can call the owner and tell them you're not cleaning their stinking floor and to hire someone else. It's clearly outrageous.

Oh yeah. We actually had pee pads on hand because they came with our pup and we went and put a bunch out. I am just hoping the doggie actually uses them. Maybe if I line the whole room with them.

[KatieJ]

That’s just gross. If she texts, I would say something for sure. I would likely say I’m didn’t know the dogs habits had changed and that there were not enough wipes  to do the job  properly. Did she have more somewhere in the house. Tell her the trash is full ( who goes a way for a week and doesn’t empty the trash!) and ask where more bags are...just to engage her in the details of what is going on.

Edited May 5, 2020 by KatieinMich

[Squawky Acres]

I haven't had a dog for a while, but I have never heard of just leaving one at the house alone all week -- even with someone coming in to check on it and change pee pads. I thought you were supposed to board your dog somewhere, have it stay at a friend's, or have the doggy daycare come and pick it up for the day.  And with the added work of cleaning up every single "accident" on the floor?  That is truly horrifying. I hope you are able to text right away and explain how that is not OK for you and your daughter, and how much the poor thing is suffering. They need to come back from vacation right away and attend to their dog. Um, and who is on a beach vacation these days anyway?  I thought they were all closed ...

Edited May 5, 2020 by Squawky Acres

[itsheresomewhere]

Just now, Squawky Acres said:

I haven't had a dog for a while, but I have never heard of just leaving one at the house alone all week -- even with someone coming in to check on it and change pee pads. I thought you were supposed to board your dog somewhere, have it stay at a friend's, or have the doggy daycare come and pick it up for the day.  And with the added work of cleaning up every single "accident" on the floor?  That is truly horrifying. I hope you are able to text right away and explain how that is not OK for you and your daughter, and how much the poor thing is suffering. They need to come back from vacation right away and attend to their dog.

A lot of people here hire a dog sitter who comes over several times a day to walk the dog, play with the dog and feed the dog.  This is great for those who have dogs that do not do well in different environments.  

[alisoncooks]

Omgosh, that's disgusting. Who just lets an animal potty all over the floor! It must reek. I'd totally send them a bill for wipes and pee pads. Crazy-town. 

[Squawky Acres]

4 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

A lot of people here hire a dog sitter who comes over several times a day to walk the dog, play with the dog and feed the dog.  This is great for those who have dogs that do not do well in different environments.  

 

Oh, OK -- I can understand that. I guess not all dogs enjoy group situations.  But I have to think that the poor thing is very lonely and unhappy to be left completely alone all day to sit in its own messes.  

Edited May 5, 2020 by Squawky Acres

[teachermom2834]

Just now, Squawky Acres said:

 

Oh, OK -- I can understand that. I guess not all dogs enjoy group situations.  But I have to think that the poor thing is very lonely and unhappy to be left completely alone all day to sit in its own messes.  That can't be healthy

Well, it is a grouchy old thing that would probably bite me if I tried to play with it so she is probably content left alone and she is definitely used to it. They are gone alot.

[Tanaqui]

That poor animal!

This is the sort of situation that every animal lover encounters now and again. Sometimes you start to think that the best solution is outright theft. I'm not saying that you should pretend the dog accidentally died or escaped while actually you sneak-rehomed it, but....

[Squawky Acres]

You are in a tough spot if you want to maintain good relations with your neighbors, and if they are also friends of yours.  Without that pre-existing relationship, I would be tempted to tell you to just quit the job as it was not what you had been asked to do -- and leave them to either come home early or make other (more expensive) arrangements.

[teachermom2834]

Just now, Squawky Acres said:

You are in a tough spot if you want to maintain good relations with your neighbors, and if they are also friends of yours.  Without that pre-existing relationship, I would be tempted to tell you to just quit the job as it was not what you had been asked to do -- and leave them to either come home early or make other (more expensive) arrangements.

Yes- definitely a tough spot in that we do want to maintain good relations. We actually are pretty good friends even though we approach just about everything in life differently. We will fulfill the job (hopefully made easier by pee pads we have provided) but I'll also be clear that it was more than we were up for and we wouldn't do it again.

 

[wintermom]

As you are good friends, then you have her number to text her. If you do not wish to do this for a week, then text you are putting the dog in a kennel unless she has someone else to come and look after the dog. You know that your 'friendship' is going to be rocky anyway because she did this to you. Are you actually expecting to stay good friends when she is just using you to do some very gross work?

[gardenmom5]

can you pen the dog in a kitchen or somewhere so it doesn't have free run of the house?

eta: yorkies are generally pretty small.

Edited May 5, 2020 by gardenmom5

[teachermom2834]

Just now, wintermom said:

As you are good friends, then you have her number to text her. If you do not wish to do this for a week, then text you are putting the dog in a kennel unless she has someone else to come and look after the dog. You know that your 'friendship' is going to be rocky anyway because she did this to you. Are you actually expecting to stay good friends when she is just using you to do some very gross work?

well...the relationship surely has moments where we agree to disagree and let things go because we are pretty opposite. But it is still nice to be friendly with those that live in close proximity and that is worth something to me. I'll tell her it was more than we bargained for and was a big job and that we won't do it again and that will be that. 

And we won't ask her to watch our pup either :)

 

[teachermom2834]

1 minute ago, gardenmom5 said:

can you pen the dog in a kitchen or somewhere so it doesn't have free run of the house?

eta: yorkies are generally pretty small.

The have her blocked into one room. I just peeked in the window and it looks like she is using the pee pads we put out for her. So that would make the week alot easier but we certainly will not agree to it again.

[StephanieZ]

Absolutely not normal and definitely awful. 

GROSS!!!! I'd be furious! 

[JustEm]

47 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

The have her blocked into one room. I just peeked in the window and it looks like she is using the pee pads we put out for her. So that would make the week alot easier but we certainly will not agree to it again.

I hope you ask for reimbursement for the pee pads

[Familia]

56 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

...And we won't ask her to watch our pup either 🙂

 

So sad for the dog and you both.  Unbelievable!!  I agree with you: never, ever, ever would they be allowed to watch my dog!

[hippiemamato3]

You never take her outside? I don't understand...is there zero expectation the dog will go potty outside? If not, the family must know what a gross job this is and I would definitely expect your daughter to be paid AND for them to reimburse you for cleaning supplies. I feel bad for the dog. She is clearly neglected.

[teachermom2834]

4 minutes ago, hippiemamato3 said:

You never take her outside? I don't understand...is there zero expectation the dog will go potty outside? If not, the family must know what a gross job this is and I would definitely expect your daughter to be paid AND for them to reimburse you for cleaning supplies. I feel bad for the dog. She is clearly neglected.

Right. Zero expectation the dog potties outside. She doesn't go out at all. 

[Tanaqui]

2 hours ago, Squawky Acres said:

You are in a tough spot if you want to maintain good relations with your neighbors, and if they are also friends of yours.  Without that pre-existing relationship, I would be tempted to tell you to just quit the job as it was not what you had been asked to do -- and leave them to either come home early or make other (more expensive) arrangements.

 

If they're okay with the dog messing all over the house, and they apparently aren't very affectionate with it to the point where it's now anti-social then they might well just say "Okay, just dump a bowl of food and water out and we'll see her when we see her".

And I have to say that this mean, unfriendly dog might be mean and unfriendly because its physical and emotional needs are not being met. At all. From what's described I wouldn't be surprised to find out it's underfed or has some untreated condition that's causing it pain, and it certainly needs more attention.

[prairiewindmomma]

Wow.  That's pretty awful.  I can't imagine being confined to a room, not getting to see the outside, and not being taken care of.  I am not a pet owner, but that makes me super sad. 

I'm sorry things changed for the dog. It sounds like it had been doing ok before. I hope it will use the pee pads.

[bolt.]

People with pets (like people who change babies diapers, or people who have medical waste bags, or people who clean public washrooms, etc) can sometimes get so accustomed to "gross" things that they really do stop registering the fact that "normal people" would be seriously put off by something like indoor poop-scooping or puddle wiping. Don't get me wrong. It's absolutely normal for you to find it gross. It's just that there is an explanation as to why this didn't automatically strike the owner as "likely to tick off the people we ask to do it while we are out of town".

Not to share too much information, but we have 3 cats, one of which will pee in the litter box, but not poop in it unless it's just been scooped and is absolutely pristine. Instead she poops on the floor right beside it. At which point it doesn't feel at all "gross" to me to sweep it up with a dustpan (it's dry) and wipe any residue off the floor with a clorox wipe. It feels routine. Like sweeping up the scattered litter dust, and taking out the rest of the scoopings. But just because it's routine to me doesn't mean it's not gross to others. I wouldn't expect a cat-sitter to just deal with that without any warning or tools. (It's also not all over the house. I get it. You shouldn't have to deal with the uncontrolled leavings of their pup when you never agreed to any such thing.)

For her, maybe scooping dog business is just routine. You have to pick it up sooner or later: indoors or out. Maybe at some point it stopped mattering so much which part of the floor needed to be wiped afterwards. Maybe they clean it up immediately (or after a day's work) not after 24h, so they hadn't grasped quite how much cleaning they were doing. Who knows. Try to give them some slack when you have contact again. Don't keep up a pretense that you didn't mind being a dog's personal janitor, but don't act like they are just fundamentally gross individuals who lack basic human decency. They probably just got desensitized over time. It happens.

[Terabith]

I do understand how people can become desensitized to things that are gross.  I had a cat with urinary issues who often peed outside the litter box.  (She would stand in the litter box, but stand up as she urinated.  We used covered boxes, but if she faced the wrong way, spray exited the box.)  We were constantly cleaning, and it was still gross, but I can definitely imagine it would be more gross to people who weren't accustomed to it.  

That said, this feels very inhumane to me.  A dog who is not socialized or having much attention paid to it, who is never taken outside, who is confined to one room, who is not even provided a designated place to perform bodily functions.  I just feel terribly for this poor dog.  

[katilac]

3 hours ago, bolt. said:

Try to give them some slack when you have contact again. Don't keep up a pretense that you didn't mind being a dog's personal janitor, but don't act like they are just fundamentally gross individuals who lack basic human decency. They probably just got desensitized over time. It happens.

I think the OP is cutting them a tremendous amount of slack already. I would have been on the phone during the first visit, "Neighbor, the trash is full and you are almost out of cleaner, what do you want me to do? Neighbor, do you know that your son didn't leave any pee pads for the dog? I'm not going to clean the floor every day, what do you want me to do?" I mean, nicely enough, and probably via text so I didn't sound overly annoyed, but I would have been in contact the first day. 

I say this as a person who has eight pets, two of which have pretty gross health issues. I clean up disgusting messes routinely, lol, but that hardly means I think other people won't find them disgusting. I don't think being nasty means you lack basic human decency, but I do think it makes you kind of gross. There aren't many people who don't think letting an animal pee and poop all over a floor is disgusting, so they're kind of being disgusting by definition, which pretty much means gross. I had an aunt who routinely let her dogs mess the floor. She was a great cook, a loving person, and . . . kind of gross, really. If the floor of your house is a bathroom, people are pretty much going to think you are gross.  It doesn't mean you are one of Satan's minion, but it's true. 

Lots of people think it's fundamentally gross that eight animals live in my house, but whaddya gonna do? 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by katilac

[Terabith]

Also, I feel like I need to circle back to this, WHO THE HECK GOES ON A WEEK LONG VACATION TO THE BEACH IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC?????  

Between this and the way they're treating this poor dog, I'm thinking these are not socially responsible people.  

[teachermom2834]

6 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Also, I feel like I need to circle back to this, WHO THE HECK GOES ON A WEEK LONG VACATION TO THE BEACH IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC?????  

Between this and the way they're treating this poor dog, I'm thinking these are not socially responsible people.  

I did mention that we are pretty opposite and agree to disagree about many things. Sigh. 

[Tap]

44 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Also, I feel like I need to circle back to this, WHO THE HECK GOES ON A WEEK LONG VACATION TO THE BEACH IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC?????  

Between this and the way they're treating this poor dog, I'm thinking these are not socially responsible people.  

I have several friends with beach houses, who are going back and forth. It isn't uncommon to go between homes right now, to help fight off some boredom. 

I don't know if the person involved in this, has a beach house or not. Just saying that in our area, it is a common thing to have a second residence, ala... beach house, lake house, mountain house, cabin, etc. 

[Terabith]

Just now, Tap said:

I have several friends with beach houses, who are going back and forth. It isn't uncommon to go between homes right now, to help fight off some boredom. 

I don't know if the person involved in this, has a beach house or not. Just saying that in our area, it is a common thing to have a second residence, ala... beach house, lake house, mountain house, cabin, etc. 

Ah, I guess that would be different.  I don't know anyone with a second residence.  Still not sure how socially responsible it is, but like, I do understand people who live in big cities in apartments wanting to go to second residences in actual houses with yards and stuff.  

[itsheresomewhere]

7 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

Right. Zero expectation the dog potties outside. She doesn't go out at all. 

So there are some people who believe if the dog doesn’t go outside, they don’t need vaccines or health checks.  I had heard of them before and this year encountered one at the rescue we volunteer at.