Dog or child issue,

Hi everyone
I have my son and his girlfriend living with me at the moment. They asked me a couple of months ago if they could look after a friends yorki for a while - the"while" turned into permanent! I don't have a problem with him, our lab has accepted him. The girlfriend is depressed, and I said the dog could stay providing one if them got up first thing to walk him each day.
This is where I need some advice, please, they don't get up till mid-day or later,and I get up early, and Trixi gets walked first thing....6am sometimes. I don't mind taking gizmo as well.....he gets very upset if I go without him....he loves his walks! But he is their dog, they walk him other time, even at night. While they are still asleep in the day he will follow me around, and I know he wants to go for a walk... He is full



of energy! I work shifts and neither of them work (son just started uni)
Am I being unreasonable by insisting he is taken out first thing? He stays on a extending lead when I walk him as he won't always come back and sometimes goes for other dogs. Its like taking care of someone elses child! I disagree with how they are with him but he is their dog. They are not
cruel, quite the opposite. Guess it's a case if "my house,
my rules"....apolgies for long post.

I'm sorry you are going through this. Nothing more frustrating than trying to strike a balance between ensuring proper care for a dependent animal, and respecting your young adult children's independence.

I think insisting they take him out early is only fair. Especially if they aren't working. What would the poor dog do if you weren't available? If they want to be independent, they need to act as if you aren't going to be there to take care of the things you are doing for them now, dog walking included.

Thank you for your reply, Mutzrule.
Penny

I have rules in my house, for dogs, and for people.

All inside are expected to abide by them.

If they don't like it, they can always leave............

maybe you could ask them to at least to at least get up early to let the dog out for a wee ???

But then again its a bit unreasonable that you both agreed on one condition and their not agreeing to their end of the bargin.

I agree with SB it's very much a case of my house my rules here but I wouldn't insist on them getting up at 6 to walk the dog if I was up and about anyway but nor would I tolerate them dossing in bed till lunchtime every day. I'd expect them to be up and about and taking over looking after their dog themselves by about 9am at the latest.

When my OH first got Louie for me and I took him home, the parents didn't have anything to do with him, they wouldn't take him out, wouldn't feed him, wouldn't clean up after him, I was 18 - old enough to look after myself - old enough to look after a puppy. And you know - they never once had to nag me to do these things, I was up before them, cleaned the garden/kitchen up before they got up, fed the puppy. And it's the same now he's older and I'm in my own house. I was 15 when I was trusted to look after my neighbours dog - I've been walking her since I was 11, I wasn't allowed a dog of my own - nor did I have a family dog.

I wouldn't ask - I would tell them to do it. They brought the dog into the house - it is their dog, their responsibility and they are plenty old enough to look after him.

When my brother and his GF brought the yorkie pup the GF's family had just got up for the weekend whilst they were away (GF & family) - I was the one looking after her - letting her out, feeding her, making sure she didn't wee on my parents carpet - because my brother (29 at the time) was so lazy he'd stay in bed till 2pm and then get up for food and then go back in his room and played on his computer, or went to work.. So one morning, after a night shift he'd just done, my mum went in with a jug of water and the puppy, threw the water on him and said - there's a puppy there who wants the loo - she'll do it on your carpet if you don't take her. She was upset that even though I had exams - I was looking after a puppy I didn't agree to look after, I was getting up early and putting her to bed late - interrupting my studying for HIS GF's dog whilst he stayed in bed.

Anyway - I'd sit them down and say that if they don't start pulling their weight, then it's either them or the dog that leaves. And if they don't take that seriously then they're taking advantage of you.. Your his Mum, not his maid or butler, he is old enough to look after one..

Sorry if it seems harsh, but at 19 - I'm sick of seeing people my age getting animals they can't look after..

I don't see why he has to be walked first thing if he is getting walked at other times, he needs exercise but the time is surely irrelevant?

However I would not be happy with them being in bed till lunchtime!

This. Unless you don't have a garden and the dogs have to be walked so they can toilet then I don't see why it's so important he goes for a walk first thing. I'd find it unreasonable if someone dictated what times my dog should be walked to be honest.

Yes, it's your house and your rules but if the dog's being walked at other times then I fail to see why this is an issue really.

The answer is simply, they get up at a reasonable time and walk their dog....... even if they did not have the dog , they would not be allowed to stay in bed till that time of day if they lived with me.......... don't they have work /school/collage to go to ???