Hi and welcome to this lovely site. I'm sorry its under the current circumstances though.

If I were you I'd phone the SPCA and ask their advice, telling them that they can't stay with you. Hopefully they'll take them and then do the relevant checks on the 'current' owners.

Good luck.

Thanks to those who have shown understanding of our situation. To those who are telling me to dump my boyfriend or claiming he is a horrible person, he is not. He LOVES horses, he cuddles with them and kisses them, and just likes being around them. That being said, my boyfriend does not like dogs. He doesn't have to. He does try to like them but he can't, and he's got a bit of OCD as far as the house goes He does lose sleep at night and is caused (what is to me) a baffling restlessness by the thought of the dogs getting up on the couch. So yes, he does get fed up and when it comes to a head, he expresses a desire to lash out. Being an adult and having a compassion for animals, he usually expresses guilt for having those feelings and I know he would never act on them. I have been using my experience training dogs to try and get them to behave but they are both old dogs (which to me is the saddest part of the situation-- that their owners would abandon them at an old age) and are not readily changing their ways. The dogs ARE loved, if not by my boyfriend, then by me. They get plenty of pets and smiles, so I don't appreciate the accusation that they are being somehow neglected or abused. I have been talking to my boyfriend about re-homing them, but they DO still belong to the original owner (I guess? I'm not sure what the laws are on this-- part of why I was asking for advice)... he is paying the vet bills and paying for the food. I talked to him yesterday and it sounds like his wife doesn't want to "officially" part with the dog. He knows my boyfriend hates dogs but seems convinced that having one will change his mind. My boyfriend is afraid to lose his job or make waves so he won't bring it up. It's a very frustrating place to be!! I know it's not fair to us or the dogs. Any suggestions on training an old dog (which I suppose I will now have to devote a great amount of my time to), or any LEGAL advice on re-homing them? Maybe there's a tactful way we can bring it up to his boss? Also, is it wrong of me to talk to HIS boss about it?

Couldn't put it any better myself so ... what M. said up there. Especially in view of this

Hard to watch?

I think you or both of you have to speak to his boss, I know it's particularly difficult as his job could be on the line but I doubt there is any other legal redress in this situation.

I do understand how hard it must be sounds like he has found his dream job and now this ....

Only other things I can think of are consult the CAB or perhaps ACAS as they can help with employment issues.

Can only really wish you luck with this, it's a very difficult situation for you both.

Julie, the OP is in the US and I do not know if they have such things as the CAB or ACAS there.

Does your boyfriend have a contract ? If he does is there anything in there that says he is expected to take responsibility for the dogs ? I am sure if there was he would of picked it up seeing as he doesn't want that responsibility.
If there is a contract and there is no mention of this in there it would be worth getting in touch if you have any similar organisations to our Citizens Advice and seeing where you go with this.
Good luck and welcome to Dogsey.

Ah didn't realise. But the principle is the same surely they have some thing like citizens advice or employment advice centres ? Or am I assuming too much ?

The other thing in the US Shelters can be high kill so the dogs if unruly *may* be deemed too unruly to rehome and could be in a PTS situation.

It's a hard one as really they should have been honest that the dogs were going left as part of the 'employment deal' however if they are paying for food and vets bills would they not pay for the services of a dog trainer to help tame them - as it sounds to be honest that they've just been allowed to run riot and no real formal training e.g. manners etc. has taken place?

The other thing is to look at what the dogs are being fed.
It may be that the food is high in e-numbers, artificial colourants etc so may be making the dogs more hyper-active.

Small changes may make big differences.
Also I would broach the issue with rehoming the dogs with parents and daughter. Does the father realise that the daughter has also dumped her dog on you?
I am not sure if they have breed rescues as they do here in the UK as they may be a good place to approach.
It may also be that the spaniels are from working lines and aren't getting enough brain draining exercise as working lines tend to be more hyperactive and on the go . So need lots of training to work the brains and wear them out.

It's not easy situation to be in, does the house have a utility room (large room) without stuff that they could get up to mischief with, that perhaps you could safely leave the dogs in (with chews or kongs to keep them entertained) whilst you eat?

As for legal advice, I cannot offer much help even though I am American (they are quite rare on this site, you will find). I can say this: if the vet bills of the dogs are in the boss' name and the dogs acquisition papers are in his name, then the law says they are his dogs.

If your boyfriend doesn't like the dogs, I don't see a good reason to try and keep the dogs and let this blow over. They will not "grow" on him, he's just not a dog person and you don't seem to be, either.

Someone needs to approach the boss, gently of course and explain that you cannot keep the dogs and try and work something out. I'm almost sure he knows his daughter has dumped her dog onto you, as well... as she knows daddy's influence "made" you say yes. I'd not mention that directly.

If he won't bend and take the dogs back, or agree to let you re-home them, and you truly think he will fire your boyfriend, it might be in the best interest to hold onto the dogs for a bit, as bad as that sounds... there isn't a good reason to let this cost him his job.

Do NOT attempt to re-home the dogs before consulting with their owners. That isn't smart IMO. It could (probably would) get your boyfriend fired, and it's likely illegal.

You could have turned them away at first if you made it sound good enough with a few lies (allergies, landlord rules, etc.), as I assume he'd not like if you simply said you hated dogs. But you didn't and by default you agreed to care for them.

As for everyone who is beating her down... you guys seems rather blind about this...

It looks to me as if they took the dogs because the guy who owns them is her boyfriends boss, and his job is very important to him. It is also the reason they took his daughters dog. In other words, it seems as if they don't wish to do anything to upset said boss... lest her boyfriend be fired.

She cannot make any rash moves, and he cannot, either. If they could, and if they feared nothing or weren't worried about anything... they'd have gotten rid of the dogs long ago, because neither of them like the dogs.

Also, no ifs, ands, buts, nor maybes will help them at this point. IJS.

Myra,I presume I would be one of the people you think is putting the OP down.I'm far from blind I see two people with a voice and a choice and two dogs with neither I feel so sorry for them,no animal deserves to be in that situation.People have let them down badly.