Advice about client's dog please....opinions needed... bear with me

I've posted about this little dog before months ago.

He lives with one of my clients who has various health problems, mostly because she is very obese. She doesn't go out at all unless to the doctors once a week and spends most of her day in bed. She doesn't dress unless going out to the doctors.

She got the dog when he was less than a year old from the local paper. At the time she knew we would not 'approve' of her getting such a young pup so lied and said the Blue Cross gave him to her.... which we figured wouldn't happen.
We did wonder at the time how she was going to cope with a teenage dog who was very playful..... and basically she hasn't.

She said her daughter was going to walk him everyday, but has never done it. He has sometimes gone out on the lead with her two grandchildren aged about 12, but only when they are off school for holidays. They also bring a bag of choc drops everyday for him when they come.

He can go out in their tiny garden, but started to bark when they tried to get him in so now goes out on a flexi. I did tell her he is misbehaving as he needs exercise and stimulation and when he is out he is getting that s no wonder he doesn't want to come in.

Whenever I go he is behind a gate in the lounge, today with the door shut too, all on his own. Her hubby always sits on his own in the kitchen and she is in bed.
When we opened the door to the lounge today he just looked so forlorn all alone in the dark as the curtains were still pulled. She said she only puts him in there 10minutes before we get there, which is strange as she was asleep when I got there at 10.40am and told me she'd fallen asleep at 7am and been asleep since?

The vet says he should be 8kg but is well over 12kg and although she says she has reduced his food I am a bit worried about his portion control as she can't manage that for herself, plus he has treats, which she denies, but I see the packets. Last week when she asked me how to get weight off I said he needs to go for walks and she said 'Well I can't expect my grandchildren to do it in this weather he will have to wait until spring.' So no walkies until then.

He went to the vets last week and he has said he need to lose weight and wants to see him again in a fortnight. My client also said he has to have eardrops and that he snapped at her so she 'slapped him across his face and he looked at me as if to say what did you do that for?'.
She has said her daughter is going to start to take him out, but I don't think that will happen. Apparently she was asked to leave the room at the vets when he had his jabs last week as was in tears because she thought he was being hurt!

I sat with him on the floor today and he let me check his ears, his eyes, teeth etc, he is a poppett, beautiful little dog just enormous! Very friendly once he realises you are a doggy person.

He is regularly sent to the grooming parlour, has tonnes of teddies etc so is loved but this love will also kill him as he is obviously eating the same way as she does. It sounds awful but the dog is going the same way as her through no fault of his own. I have said to her that she will hurt him if he continues to gain weight as his heart and legs will not be able to take it. She knows I love him and that may seem harsh to say but she knows it is the truth.

She has asked me if I would have him if anything happened to her. She said her daughter will have him but she would be happier if she had someone else who might have him too. I said I would love him though my dogs may have an issue with that.
One of the other carers told me she said that I would have him and in the carers words 'I think she would like you to have him now as she obviously can't cope'.

I don't think she would give him up unless she had to.... though who knows? If anything happens to her husband I can't see her being able to stay in her bungalow, she would have to go somewhere more sheltered and the dog would not be able to go as she can't excercise it. People do have dogs in sheltered but they are the active ones who can cope with them.

I have said I'd love to take him for a walk with Tonto (Tont's is fine with other dogs, loves them, esp nervous dogs). I could let Tonto off as doesn't ever leave me and keep this one on his flexi. I couldn't take Inca as well if my attentions are on him. But.....

1. Would this be helpful or just covering up the fact she can't cope with this dog?
2. She is not within walking distance so I wouldn't be able to do it everyday as I start work at 7am and so just wouldn't have the time to go and collect him etc as well as take mine for their regular walkies.
3. Would this cause issues with mine if Inca is being left out? I have taken Tonto on walks on his own before and it hasn't but if it became a regular thing?

Any other suggestions greatly appreciated before I bundle him out of there under my arm.... if I could carry him!

Can you get him out of there by inventing another 'client' who has lost a dog, but would be able to care for him better, could walk him etc; then rehome him?

Problem is, if you start to help, however well intentioned, nothing will ever get done because 'Becky is helping with him'.

I don't think she'd fall for that one, not only that but I think the appeal is of him going somewhere were she could still see him, or know how he's getting on.

It's just so awkward as carers cannot or rather are supposed to not get involved in anything like this, but they do, you just have to make sure it is all above board and for selfless reasons etc.
I'm just worried about him, esp as the worry is affecting her.

Difficult isn't it Becky Have to admire you for your concern over this little guy's welfare, it can't be nice to see him like that each time you go, especially him being left all alone in a dark room like that, it almost brings tears to my eyes, let alone the weight issue.

If the dog never gets out as it is, no matter how often or little you could get to do it would be a bonus wouldn't it? If you got very attached to him in the process could you take him on permanently possibly? It sounds like this is what she wants perhaps?

Oh I really don't know, I'm glad to hear the dog is so very loved, which means it's not abused (well, maybe it could be with what he said )It just begs the question to me why oh why oh why! If she wanted a little companion at home, but couldn't get out much, then why didn't she adopt an older dog who would be quite happy with just the garden. This dog deserves a much better life, so let's hope somebody can give him one if she's prepared to give him up. Whoever that might be. Do you know any other oldies who CAN get out and would love a bit of canine company, and you could work on it that way? All the best, I have no bright ideas I'm afraid.

Poor you, what a difficult situation to be in.

Well, my first thoughts are slightly different to Isochicks (just to confuse you more!), though i do like the idea of suggesting that somebody else needs him more. It sounds like the situation isn't going to go on indefinitely for various reasons so I can't help thinking that anything you can do for this dog in the immediate future must help.

Basically if you think you can work on her to give him up, you may be better not to walk him. If you think she will remain steadfast in wanting to keep him anyway, I can't see that you stepping in could do any harm.

I suppose the only downside is whether it is worse for a dog to get a walk sometimes, but I'd have thought anything is better than nothing.

As for issues between your two, I suppose it depends on the individual dogs, but I would've thought not (providing Inca does get exercise that day). I quite often take one or the other (more often Stumpy than Hoki because she needs more socialising) out, but ensure that the one left behind still gets their usual exercise/stimulation.

Good luck with this - I think its lovely that you are so concerned and want to help.

The one other thing you can tell her is a true story. My Hoki was taken from her owners because she was so fat (she weighed twice what she should have done). Her knees gave out because of the stress on them and she had to have operations on both knees. So, not only does this lady risk having the dog taken away for cruelty if she doesn't get committed to his health, but she may also be in for very large vets bills which presumably she can't afford.

If it were me I`d sit down with the lady and say - Look we need to do something about your dog`s weight or you`re going to lose him. I can take him out a couple of times a week - and who else can we get to do it as well. I really don`t see that the dog needs to be removed - it just needs excercise. I don`t think tricking the woman into losing her dog is an option.
I would also have a word with the children and ask them to play with the dog and reward with carrot instead. Children these days are well aware of the need for eating healthily.
You could also give her more information - clippings from dog magazines or leaflets from the vet - to help her learn more about a healthy lifestyle for her dog.
At the end of the day, the dog is not being beaten or starved or isolated. He just needs to eat less and move more.

Hi Becky have you thought of contacting the Cinnamon Trust, they may be able to help ..
http://www.cinnamon.org.uk/home.html

What about Age concern in your area.Sometimes they have volunteers who will walk dogs for older people.Your client must be made aware of the risks to her dogs health by overfeeding him, she is not being kind to the dog.

She did say about getting an older dog when her old Daxie was on his last legs but that would take time and this was an impulse thing..... plus I don't know that she would be prepared to go through the homechecks etc to get a rescue in case she would fail. Plus she did say she'd worry about losing an older dog too soon, mind you she is 73 and not well at all.

Ahhh well just like the last dog it would go to the Blue Cross vets as she is on benefits, that one went to the vets every week too. It just seems such a shame to be sending this little one down the same route at only 2 years old.

If only you could get social workers for dogs! I only see the children about 3 times a year in holidays and then they love him dearly but do spend all day giving him sweeties. I did say about carrots, as mine love them, but she said he didn't like them at all.

That's a thought actually. I might test the waters with that one.

Hi becky, i'v been a community carer for over 24 years, and as you know you do try very hard not to get involved, but we do. i do think though that you should be careful.does your head office know what is going on and do they approve, ie you taking the dog for walks etc.