Pet sitting a friends puppy?

Question

This weekend I will be pet sitting a friend’s pit-bull/lab puppy for 2 months until he gets his new house in January..…his current apartment will not allow any animals…Here’s the thing I have no clue as to what to expect , what to do or how this little girl is going to interact with my cats…….I used to have a dog but that was back in the day when I was like 12 and she was already grown and she was always outside….. The puppy’s owner is going to provide potty pads , food toys, a create, and a soft little bed and wanted to give me money for the time she will be with me but I told him he didn’t have to…but If he felt a need to give a donation to a shelter instead…….I need to know how …..to make sure she goes on her potty pads, how to correct her , if I should leave her food out ….it sound like common since …..but I never had a puppy and I am a cat person and cats pretty much take care of themselves…

Answer 1

you are are in for quite a ride!
No offense but he should not have gotten a puppy unless he was ready to care for it.
Puppies are a TON of work and it is not fair for you to do this for someone else. They are nothing like cats and you may be cursing him in the middle of the night when you are taking the puppy outside. (puppy pads only teach puppies to pee inside, trust me I teach dog training and everyone who uses them always asks me at 6 months why thier dogs still pee in the house but that wont be your problem right?)
If you are not cursing your friend for taking the dog out, your house smelling like puppy pee, your belongings chewed up, your cats being terrorized, all the work you will have to do, you may be when you have to hand over a beautiful 4 month old puppy that you have fallen in love with to him..... take the money! if not for your work at least for your damaged belongings (your lab/pit will probably be a chewer)
Your only saving grace is that generally they go through a lethargic/cute puppy phase until 5/6 months when they become a "teenager", this lethargic phase is where we fall in love and put up with thier destruction and wild behaviours. Depending upon the age you get the puppy, you did not specify.

It is your decision however,..I hope you have hardwood floors!

To type what is neccessary to care for a dog will take ages but the american humane society hands down has the best site. It is worth the effort and research.
for ex. Free feeding a dog may cause possession aggression or dominance issues. The leader controls the resources thefore you must show the dog you control the food by feeding at certain times daily.

check the article on how to successfully crate train a dog.

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/crate_training.html

House training

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/housetraining.html

Basic Dog Care

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/dog_care/caring_for_your_dog_the_top_ten_essentials.html


http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/basic_training_techniques.html

Good luck with the puppy,... :)

Answer 2

It would be best to ask your friend this info. Whatever he has been doing with her is probably the best thing to do... since that's what she's used to.

If she's already going on her potty pads (at your friends house), she should continue doing so at your house. Just make sure she knows where they are. As for the cats... nobody can know how she'll react. Hopefully she'll be fine, however some dogs aren't and there isn't much you can do about it.

Hope that helps... but yeah... I'd ask him how he's been training her cuz you'll want to try to stick to his methods (providing they actually work!) so that she is trained the way he wants, not to mention the way she's used to. :) Good luck. And thank you for having him donate to a shelter... what a great idea. :)

Answer 3

She is probably used to the potty pads when no one will be there.
She'll require some play time from you as well as the owner.
The cats will probably hide for a few days. Just make sure they are fed in an area that they can eat and won't be bothered.
Watch the dog when the cats are around and use the word no if she gets to rough with them, she will think they should want to play with her.
I usually lightly swat my pup on the butt and say no when he's doing something wrong.
She will also be scared and nervous for a bit since she will be in a new environment. So be patient.

Answer 4

Wow! You are in for alot of changes! First off you need to get a dog kennel for night time. A puppy is just like a baby, you will need to let him out every couple of hours to go potty. Go to the nearest Goodwill and get a bunch of toys he can chew on. You don't want him chewing on furniture,
Maybe you should drop in at your local Humane Society, there are usually alot of volunteers there willing to give you advice on your new responsibility.
This is a huge undertaking, you are a wonderful friend to agree to this! Be careful, in 2 months time, you could fall in love with this pup and not want to give him back!

Answer 5

Okay, stay calm... all you have to do is to keep an eye on them, and keep sitting the dog like you usually do. If there is a number to contact the owners by, phone them and tell them their dog had 4 nice healthy puppies. If the dog has sagging breasts, then the puppies should suck them and get nourishment. If not... (I don't think that's possible), then we got a problem. Don't worry, just make sure they're warm and don't move them or touch them. The mother may eat them or kill them.

Answer 6

what ever u do, keep your cool