Need Advice For Friend Having Dog Problems

reply to post by fluff007


Update: She has one family member! A sister. Who apparently only visits once a year if that. And she is not a dog person...

The best solution for the bathroom issue is a doggy door and a closed in area for the dog to do his business. This isn't always an option, but if able, a great solution.

reply to post by Gazrok


Thanks for the advice Gazrok!

Well at the moment we have a sort of plan for the pee problem. My friend is going to get some alarm clocks (as each room will need one as the lady doesnt stay in one room allday) and set them for specific times. She is also going to leave a note/chart thingmy so the lady knows what the alarm clocks signify. Pee time! As the old lady will probably forget and get freaked out wondering why there are 5 alarms going off..!

But the doggy gate is good idea. I had completely bypassed that for whatever reason! Will send her a message..

As far as the dog barking goes....there are electronic devices which emit a ultra high sound (which we cannot hear) but the dogs dont like.
They just hang on the wall like a thermostat or other....they require a power sorce or run on batteries.....
Since the dog barks at set times simply switch it on at supper time it might work well.....

reply to post by stirling


They don't always work for most dogs though. We tried that, and it never worked to stop the barking. The only method that worked for us was the spray and shock collar, and we only needed to use it for about a week. It isn't something you leave on afterwards. The shock is annoying as hell, but causes no harm. The spray is for when it happens after the collar, and we used that for about another week until the problem stopped.

The dog is creating unsanitary conditions its time for dog to go. It is deficating and urinating inside the house so bad that its causing a bad smell that means it is no longer a clean inviroment for the sick lady and unclean for the care workers this is time for the dog to go, if someone were to call adult abuse the dog would probably be removed the sick lady needs care for herself its time to get rid of dog.

reply to post by stirling


Yes. This is going to be put into practice. The devices are not cheap. And as I have said before neither the carer nor client can really spare much money...

reply to post by shells4u

The dog is creating unsanitary conditions its time for dog to go. It is deficating and urinating inside the house so bad that its causing a bad smell that means it is no longer a clean inviroment for the sick lady and unclean for the care workers this is time for the dog to go, if someone were to call adult abuse the dog would probably be removed the sick lady needs care for herself its time to get rid of dog.

The dog pees. It does not defecate in the house. Occasionally the lady remembers to let him out. The carers always clean the pee area. Removing the dog from the lady may cause detrimental effects as she is in such a fragile state... Neither the lady nor the carers want this. They have both talked of the fact that when her Alzheimer's becomes more severe then the dog may have to be rehomed...

reply to post by Gazrok

They don't always work for most dogs though. We tried that, and it never worked to stop the barking. The only method that worked for us was the spray and shock collar, and we only needed to use it for about a week. It isn't something you leave on afterwards. The shock is annoying as hell, but causes no harm. The spray is for when it happens after the collar, and we used that for about another week until the problem stopped.

I did explain this to my friend. It definitely does not work for all dogs. But it is worth a try. What kind of spray were you using...?

reply to post by fluff007


It's really just pressurized air. It's the SOUND that is important. It's like a loud cat's hiss, and it almost stops the barking instantly (for that tirade). If he starts up later, just showing the can sometimes works (especially as there is usually only about 20 shots per can).

The dog need to be adopted out to a different household. Dogs are like young children...would you leave a 2 year old human child with someone moving deeper and deeper into dementia? It sucks, but its the right thing for the dog. Maybe a cat would be better suited for this person/

It's the easy answer, but any major deviation from her normal life could have huge consequences for this woman (I'm assuming, based on my own experience with folks with this), not just her health, but her sanity. As it is, she probably already thinks everyone is stealing from her when she can't find something. Imagine when she can't find the dog?

I'm sure those taking care of her can see where the line is when it becomes too much. There are solutions that can help, that have been mentioned.

Originally posted by billdadobbie
reply to post by fluff007

 

i pm you my number i know a lot of people in this area who would help if it is out of my range

I was wishing I could help but I'm too far away, and then along comes YOU again
A star for you Sir!

Doggy door advice sounds like a good idea, as long as the lady can manage that, making sure her dog does return.

Chances are you probably thought of this already, mentioned that you've worked with animals, as I do but just in case! I'm concerned because you mentioned the dog being older(older than 6/7?)-depending on breed... What kind of diet is she on, has she had her nails trimmed, is she at as proper weight, has she been de wormed, fleas...ticks..., etc? Would bring that up with your friend. With that of course if you know a clinic that can help out low income, if that's the case with the women, would have the dog examined, which might tie into an unseen cause for the dog's behavior-such as an infection or incontinence due to age, beyond what has been discussed already.

A lot of pet and feed stores have pet clinic events where common procedures/treatments are dirt cheap. If the dog needs anything, check with these local sources about when the next event is, and the services offered. With all our animals, we always try to minimize cost for treatments of anything.

reply to post by dreamingawake

Doggy door advice sounds like a good idea, as long as the lady can manage that, making sure her dog does return.

Chances are you probably thought of this already, mentioned that you've worked with animals, as I do but just in case! I'm concerned because you mentioned the dog being older(older than 6/7?)-depending on breed... What kind of diet is she on, has she had her nails trimmed, is she at as proper weight, has she been de wormed, fleas...ticks..., etc? Would bring that up with your friend. With that of course if you know a clinic that can help out low income, if that's the case with the women, would have the dog examined, which might tie into an unseen cause for the dog's behavior-such as an infection or incontinence due to age, beyond what has been discussed already.

Thanks for your reply..

The dog is a black Labrador male 12/13 yrs old. He has a good diet. Although because of the lady's dementia sometimes she forgets to feed him and feeds him again. This would not be so bad if he was exercised. But he has not been out for a walk in a long while. My friend tries to play with him in the garden if she has a spare few minutes whilst sorting the lady out. But apparently he is lazy and does not bother with wanting to play with his ball. He is overweight but not hugely. And like I said that would be solved if he had regular walks. I reckon that if he got out for regular walks it would solve most of his problems. He is dewormed, deticked and deflead on a regular basis.

Hi peeps..

My friend has decided to talk to her boss about the situation. And maybe a very kind ATS member will be able to talk him for walks..! She is also going to talk to the lady about an ultrasonic sound device. They will also talk about getting some alarm clocks which will be placed in each room. And set to specific times. Each alarm clock will have a note/chart that will explain that the when alarm clock goes off it is time to either a) let the dog out for a pee and b) feeding times.

Hopefully this will maybe help them. Will keep peeps updated if thats ok. Might be back for more advice though..

Thank you to all peeps for advice and info...

reply to post by fluff007


Glad things are looking up and a framework has been set to build around.

I'm sure I'm not just speaking for myself when I say please do keep us updated and also I'm sure we would help as much as we can if you needed advice and help again.

ATS sure does surprise me at times with how generous and caring people can be and the ability for some to go out on a whim just to help somebody.... Well done to that kind soul who's willing to give his own time up to help others

reply to post by RAY1990


Cool.. Thanks very much Ray ...

It certainly is nice to be able to come here and ask for help..! Well once they have started the new routine and device I will definitely let you know how it is going. And hopefully that very kind ATSer will be able to walk the dog..! It is just getting around the legalities and stuff like that. I am not sure how it would work. But my friend said she will let me know...

Happy day to thee all..

Hey fluff007
I don't know if there is anyone around your friend or not. Dog training is hard work because they are set there. But my companies do exist that specialize in training for all dogs. Here is a link on how to train dogs.
Dog Training Connecticut
I would love to help, good luck.