PUPPY SITTING TIPS
Info for
Puppy Raisers
Puppy Sitting
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Upon leaving her dog with a sitter, one raiser always admonishes her puppy: “Don’t chew up anything I can’t afford to replace!” Whether or not the puppy complies depends a lot on how the pup is handled during its stay at the other raiser’s home. A word to the wise may be in order. When taking care of someone else’s dog, treat it like it’s unhousebroken and destructive until it proves itself worthy of being trusted. Whether the dog is eight weeks old or eighty weeks, it’s dangerous to assume it has good manners or that its manners will transfer to your home. Sometimes the dog proves trustworthy in ten minutes. Other times, a dog’s entire stay needs to be spent on a leash attached to your arm when it’s not in its kennel. It all depends on the age and temperament of the dog.
Most of our puppies are well mannered and therefore sitting experiences are positive. Nonetheless, these young dogs are still in the process of learning manners. Mistakes happen when they are under stress–and being in a new home environment where they aren’t sure of the rules, and don’t even know if their “parents” are ever coming back, definitely qualifies as stress. Common sense, honest communication, and a conservative approach from raisers and sitters goes a long way. Observing the following rules of etiquette won’t hurt, either. Happy puppy sitting!
The Dog’s Raiser
...needs to take care of transporting the dog to and from the sitter’s home. The sitter is doing you a favor–make it as easy on them as possible!
...should supply adequate food for the dog’s entire stay, as well as toys, dishes, leashes, puppy coat, tie downs, a kennel (if needed), and anything else the sitter might need to handle the dog and make the pup’s stay safe and comfortable.
...must be honest about the dog’s temperament and habits. A forewarned sitter can be much better prepared to ward off disaster if the dog is likely to bolt through the front door, mark in the house, chew the carpet, or jump up in a restaurant. The sitter will not hold the information against you–they will thank you for it!
...must be prepared to help defray the cost of damaged property should the necessity arise.
The Dog’s Sitter
...must make every effort to monitor and control the dog, to keep it safe and avoid destruction to their home and property.
...is responsible for keeping track of the dog’s equipment and returning it in its original condition. That means not using the puppy’s leash as a tie-down if he’s going to chew it up, not leaving the puppy coat where it can be pulled inside a kennel and demolished, and not losing the Kong over the neighbor’s fence. When mishaps happen, the sitter should be prepared to replace the item, if needed.
...is responsible for taking the puppy to club meetings and continuing its training and grooming routines during its stay.
...should give an honest account of the puppy’s stay–both good and bad behaviors that were observed. Raisers can only work on behavior problems and training weaknesses if they know about them, and every raiser needs to hear the positives!
We are extremely fortunate to have the support of fellow club members who are willing to keep our dogs when we are out of town. But if we start taking each other for granted, we may get to a point where sitters are hard to find! Here are a few basic rules to keep in mind when you ask someone to keep your puppy for a day, or longer.
- Raiser does all the driving
- Raiser takes care of any known medical problems ahead of time (removing stitches for example).
- Raiser provides all food and any indicated supplements (including bland diet if needed, Flagyl, ear medication, etc).
- Raiser must be totally honest with ongoing behavior or health problems and be clear on instructions for solving such problems, providing tools as needed. If the problem is something the sitter declines to deal with, be gracious about it, and call someone else.
- Before dropping off your dog, be clear about when you intend to pick him up and be prompt about making those arrangements upon your return home. Take your sitter's phone number along—if plans change, contact your sitter as soon as possible.
- Don't assume it is a privilege for a sitter to keep your pup. It can be a lot of work, even an inconvenience to have a new dog in the home. Remember, the sitter is doing you a favor, not the other way around.
- While payment for puppy sitting or thank-you gifts are not expected, we are all volunteers, so show your appreciation with fair expectations and hearty thanks when someone helps you out.
By Jane Smoak and Andrea Loughry
Puppy sitters are some of the most valued club members around. It's great to have a trusted place for your puppy to stay and learn. For the sitter, having a parade of puppies through the house can be fun but challenging!
No raiser wants to hear that their puppy was a “brat” in the sitter's home. But several factors can combine for an unforuntate puppy-sitting experience—for both the sitter and the pup. More than unpleasent, this can mean that weeks of hard work on a pup's problem behavior can be undone in the blink of an eye. All it takes is too much freedom in the home or an accident in the mall. So how to set up a visiting puppy for success?
Whenever you welcome a strange pup into your home, begin by treating him as if he were eight weeks old—unhousebroken and destructive. Even if the puppy sitting form indicates that the puppy is a “perfect” house dog, limit his freedom and monitor his relieving schedule until he demonstrates that he derserves your trust.
Some pups are wonderful at home, but at someone else's house, all bets are off—they need to learn that the rules apply at the sitter's house, too. Don't assume a puppy is ill-trained if she tries to steal food or get up on the furniture. She may simply be testing the boundaries of her new environment. Discovering that rules are rules, no matter who she is staying with, is one of the most important lessons a pup learns from visitng.
Don't forget that pups of the same age may be at different levels of maturity. What one pup can handle at five months, another may still be working on at ten months of age. The raiser will provide information about areas of challenge for the pup. Pay attention and follow their instructions! Give freedom gradually and only when the pup has earned it. Restricting areas of activity helps a pup of any age adjust to a new environment. We want the puppy to learn that a swap is a pleasant treat. Going slowly allows you to get to know your guest's temperament and habits and get an idea of how much freedom this dog can handle in your home.
Take outings slowly too, until you learn what your visiting pup can handle. If the pup has a problem with being distracted by other dogs, then don't him to a place where he will encounter dogs and be overwhelmed by them. Try a walk at the mall early in the day, indoors or outdoors, when it is quiet instead.
Address relieving issues early on in the visit. Be prepared to relieve the dog often and follow a water schedule if necessary. Careful attention to relieving makes for more successful outings and a happy pup.
Puppysitting is a time to give the pup a relatively stress-free environment. Remember, the pup's world has been turned upside down—he has no way of knowing when or even if he will ever see his raisers again! By itself, that kind of stress opens the door to some unwanted behaviors, even in the best dog. Minimize the stress by supportive handing—both at home and away. Introduce freedom gradually, as the puppy earns it. That way both sitter and pup can enjoy the time together. It will make for a successful experience all around.
From Carmen Moyer
When you take care of someone else's dog be respectful of the raiser's instructions After all, the raiser knows the puppy better than anyone else. If the raiser says "please use the head collar," do it. You can be sure there is a reason. Most dogs accept their head collars best if it is used consistently. Even on outings where the dog "really doesn't need it anyway", use it every time when you go for a walk or put on the green coat for a quick trip to the store. If the head collar fits well and you are using it properly, the dog should soon learn to not rub at it and make a scene in public places (for your benefit). It defeats the purpose or rewards the dog if the head collar is removed halfway through the outing. Likewise, if the raiser says "please don't do a particular outing or activity," don't do it! They wouldn't ask for specific "do's and don't's" from you unless they thought it would assist in the growth and development of the puppy. So please, do your best to honor the judgment of the puppy's famil—they may be working on a continuing behavioral issue with the dog and disregarding their instructions can un-do months of hard work and training. Afterall, it takes a village (or at least a puppy club) to raise a puppy!