I'm looking after my sisters dog while shes away with work, and the dog is pining for her?

Question

She won't get out of her basket, or eat her food, she just sits there looking very sad. What can I do. My sister will be back on Friday, its only Tuesday
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the dog is like a Cairns Terrier, shes just past one, she has stayed with me before. She usually jumps all over me and is very playful with everyone. I've never seen her like this before

Answer 1

Play her favourite games, spoil her rotten with things like fresh chicken breasts or maybe a couple of minute steaks, take her out for good walks, scrub her ears basically spoil her.

Answer 2

Many of the answers are good, however, I'd caution you about the phone thing. I made the big mistake of calling my dog who was staying at my friend's house while I was away on business. The minute he heard my voice, he perked up, went to the door and waited for 24 hours. Then he went under the bed for 24 more hours, depressed and upset that I wasn't coming to get him. Maybe it was just my dog, but be careful about that suggestion.

Other than that, you don't say when you took possession of the dog, so it's hard to tell if you just got her. if you did, it will take a couple of days for her to stop pining for her mom.

It's not clear whether or not you knew the dog or it had been brought to your place prior to your sister going out of town. She might well think that she has been abandoned, if she didn't know you previously.

Give her time and plenty of affection and attention and she will come around. Take her for car rides, to a park, out in a yard and distract her with fun activities and toss and fetch toys so she can start to acclimate herself to her new temporary environment.

Answer 3

The dog is having separation anxiety and is probably unsure of why its owner is gone. Best you can do is get some calming spray (it's like pheromones for dogs) to help ease its anxiety, offer it a treat and if it lets you take it out for a walk, it might feel less stressed. I think the sprays work well and it helps bring back the appetite. Eventually the dog has to eat but it could be really unhappy without its owner. Someone else posted about PetFoodExpress.com and I have used them before, email the pet master there and she will have good ideas. Good luck!

Answer 4

The answers so far are excellent (call your sis and let the dog hear it, get something belonging to sis with her smell on it).

There's not a whole lot you can do unless the dog is familiar with you already. Animals get attached to us just the same we become attached to them. When neither is present that companionship is missed greatly.

Some dogs are more independant, while others are very needy and tend to cling more to their owners.

Your question didn't mention what the breed was. Does the dog like to play games such as catch/fetch? Take her for a walk, pick her up and cuddle with her.

Answer 5

Make her get comfortable with you. Play with her lots and take her outside (in a fenced in backyard if you have one, if not on a leash) and play fetch with a ball. She will warm up to you. Just remember, like babies- animals also relate to "baby talk" so talk softly to her and get on the floor so you're on her level. Oh and the guy above said to get your sister on the phone- if the dog is missing her, I wouldn't have your sister talk to the dog- that will most likely make it worse. However, if the dog isn't eating you might want to try it because it'll hear a familiar voice and feel comfortable. Try getting doggy gravy from the pet store or add some chicken to the dog's food- they can't deny that.

Just let the dog know you are there to play and take care of her and that her mom will be back soon.

Answer 6

Hi bettyboo,
If you've had the dog before and she never used to behave like this then there may be something physically wrong with her.
Have her checked at the vets!
As an example, dogs are notorious for swallowing foreign objects. This would make them lethargic, lose their appetite, etc. Or it could be some other ailment.
Best to make sure that she is physically okay first, and after that embark on all the suggestions people have given, to make her feel happier and more at home.
Best of luck
chirpy

Answer 7

Do as everyone else has suggested. I don't know if you are looking after the dog in your sisters home or the dog is in your home. It is better for the dog if you take her away from her home when the owner is still there into your own home. The dog is not seeing its owner leave it and you are taking it somewhere new. Dogs live for the moment and this wee soul is maybe stuck in the moment of her owner leaving her.

Answer 8

The dog is depressed as her beloved mistress is away.

Go to the dog and talk to her. Doesn't matter what about, discuss the McCanns, Gordon Brown, global warming. Do it in a soppy voice. Offer bits of chicken. Promise the dog your sister is coming back. Give her a hug.

Do "Walkies" in a high pitches silly voice. Wave her leader around. Giver something of your sisters to lie on. My dogs always went into kennels when we were on holiday with one of my old jumpers.

Answer 9

Oh my ... I wish your sister trained her dog to leave her dog with you for one night and come back the next day so her dog will know she's coming back for her ... I wish she did that a few times before she could leave her with you for a longer peroid of time ...

Try to take her out of her basket and take her outside to play ... Try to get her to warm up to you ... The trick is to try and put treat in your hand and see if she will come up to you ...

Give her hugs and kisses ... Take her for a ride if you have a car ...

I wish I knew more ... What I did with my dog ... I let my brother in law come over so much to play with my dog knowing my dog is comfortable with him before going on vacation ...

Good Luck and if all else fails, have your sister talk to her on the phone ...

Answer 10

It's not unusual for dogs to have separation anxiety. My lab/Weimeraner mix adores my husband. Once he had to go out of town for the weekend, and I made the mistake of asking her where her daddy was--she sat at the window for the rest of the weekend. You might try a phone call to your sister, but mainly try to play with her, pet her, and talk to her. She may not respond very much at first, but you may able to get through to her. That isn't to say she will get back to normal, but she still won't starve in 3 days.