Grand-dog sitting for 3 weeks!!

[eyeamdry]

Our daughter is going to the east coast and leaving at 5 am.  We are in posession of her little dog which is terrier size.  The dog has been here many times but has not stayed all night.  Daughter is already gone home to finish packing stuff up.  The only think I know is that she's going to NJ.  She is working for the Red Cross (volunteering).  She will be gone for 3 weeks.

Gramp and the dog are lying in his recliner now and I suspect both are tired out.  We will put her in her crate overnight even though she doesn't stay there at home.  When the dog is here and our daughter goes outside or somewhere, the dog is constantly watching for her.  It's just the two of them at home.  I will have to be vigilant about things like dropping pills which I am prone to and other things she can get into.

I think my daughter will like this opportunity to go and help the victims of the storms going through the northeast.  I will post periodically about how we are doing.  One more interesting thing is the pup is not entirely trained so that she will make it known when she has to "go" so we'll have to keep watch and make sure we take her out every few hours.  We have not had a dog in 30 years, so this is a real different thing.  Lucy

[shellthebell]

It is wonderful what your daughter is doing! Good for her! We watched our grand-dog when my daughter went on her honeymoon. It was fun! Good luck and hopefully not too many...surprises. 

[irish]

Lucy, It is great to hear that she is able to go help those people. I wish I was a little younger and a whole lot healthier. The snow has added to their burden, but I heard that it is to be in the 50's there this weekend. A blessed reprieve for them.

Now, about the dog!!! I am not a dog person and would be a wreck having a dog in the house. HOpefully you have more patience than I do. HOpe all goes well and that you don't drop any pills and kill the dog. I go through that when we visit the little grandkids. It is nervewracking. I find myself on my hands and knees rubbing the carpets to check if any pills got away from me.

Good luck and keep us updated on the dog and your daughter. Irish

[Meld256]

Lucy,

That's a long time for you and Gramps to bond with your little Grandpuppy.  Sounds like fun, though.  Little dogs are so much companion and fun.

That's a wonderful thing your daughter is doing.  I'm sure the Red Cross is very happy to have her help.  My heart goes out to everyone this storm and now the snow has affected the cleanup, too. 

You'll have to keep us updated how your weeks are going with the little guy, so this is their first time with Grandma and Grandpa "away from home." 

[eyeamdry]

The dog did great last night.  Gramp put her in her crate and she sat up for a long time and I went to bed turning off most of the lights.  She stayed in there all night without barking or whining and she's not used to sleeping in there.  She sleeps in my daughter's bed. 

I was worried about her and Gramp making noise early and waking me up.  But no, they were so quiet in the recliner!  I just went to the dentist and the dog and my husband are out doing yard work.  It's very warm here and he is picking up branches and the dog is tethered nearby.  We can't let her loose because we live on a busy road.  Back a few decades, we lots more than one dog that dug under the cyclone fence.  All is well here.  Lucy

[A66eyroad]

I remember reading that you should put a piece of the absent person's clothing in the crate with the pup so they have a feeling of comfort. Just thought I'd pass that li'l tidbit along!   

Keep us in the know about how your daughter is doing. What a wonderful mom you must be to have raised such a great kid!

[Bucky]

Lucy - it sounds like your granddaughter-furball and gramps are really bonding.  Don't be surprised when the three weeks is over that he doesn't suggest to get a dog again!   

That's great that your daughter could volunteer with the Red Cross to aid the people on the NJ coast.  I'm sure her help will be much appreciated.

Enjoy your time with your grand-dog!

Bucky

[Katybarstool]

Hi Lucy

How are grandpa and grandpup doing?

Kathyx

[eyeamdry]

The furball is stuck to Gramps like velcro.  Right now, he went to a neighbors "for a break" and the dog is in his chair peeking over the arm at me while I'm on the computer.  She is not eating her food and we have been "helping' with table food and my daughter says not to do that, because when she comes back it will be a big problem.

A friend stopped over and he was playful with Kaiya (dog) and she interacted very well and behaved herself.  We have had no accidents yet.  Didn't know about this as my daughter lives in a second story of an apt bldg and potty is sometimes hard to make in time.  We have a nice yard for her to walk around and sniff little critters.  At night, she goes into her crate and we don't hear anything until we take her out at about 8 am.  I am second banana for sure, but I will do when no one else is around.  My daughter called and they have her working in a warehouse something with boxes.  She has "paired" with another lady about her age and two older gents, late 60's.  I think as ppl come on site it's kind of loose as to how you get to where you should be.  Those four are trying to stay together.  She said they (the ladies) had a motel room last night and maybe tonight.  I don't think she knows what is happening until instructions come.  Lucy

[Daisy1234]

What a sweet little peanut your grand-doggy is!  Sometimes dogs when they are feeling a bit stressed will go off their food for a day or so, but unless something else is wrong (which it doesn't sound like) then they will start eating again as soon as they feel comfortable with everything again. 
I think in a day or two that could be the case for this pup when he gets used to living with his grandparents for a bit.  You may want to think about putting a tiny little something extra tasty with his regular food and offering that to him instead.  Then you can wean that out after you get him back on his food.   Dogs, especially cute little terriers can't tell how big something is, just how good it smells .

Also sending best wishes to your wonderful daughter who is doing her best to help out alot of very needy folks and to you of course for making that help possible.

Daisy

[Katybarstool]

Lucy

I now have this picture of a pup being velcro'd to grandpa, and having to go everywhere with him:)

Kathyx

[lighthouse33]

I used to sit for a west highland terrier who would refuse to eat for a few days after his owners left.  They told me to feed him with a spoon.  Sometimes this worked and sometimes it didn't.  He also had stomach issues.  Eventually he would come around.

He was the sweetest dog.  However, he had a bad habit, I found out about in the worst way.  He loved to roll in the grass, that I knew about and it was acceptable.  But, he also liked to roll in other dog's poop in the grass.  One day after returning home from a walk he was covered head to tail in doggie doo!  I had to clean him off!  Yuck!  After that I made sure to check the ground before he did the tuck and roll and to tell him no if there was any doo doo nearby.

[eyeamdry]

Things are fine.  Gramps and pup are enjoying each other.  Gramps gets the pup to bark for fun and I have to put up with it. 
Today I had two dr appts in the morning.  We were going to leave husband home to take care of Kaiya (dog).  I am having troublr getting around so we later decided to put dog in her crate.  She was there for 4 hours and glad to see us when we got home.  She is also EATING HER OWN FOOD.  I think we won on that.

Lighthouse:  I took dog out in our big yard for a "walk" and it's very cold and she didn't want to do her business.  After about 5 minutes, she did and we came in the house.  I had my very expensive LLBean slippers on and I came in the house and did a few things.  Things were not right and I looked behind me and I had stepped in some p--p and didn't realize it.  I had a he** of a cleanup job on the kitchen floor and my slippers were a disaster.  Next time, I take a flash light when we go out after dark.  You can bet Gramps was happy it wasn't his turn that time.  He has been doing most of the work.  Dog is plastered to Gramps lap on the recliner right now.  :-)

Lucy

[lighthouse33]

I wonder if this is what your daughter is working on in the warehouse.  Sounds like so much fun and so good for the people in need.  Didn't know this existed until I read a post from a lady on another forum who has been helping out too:

Occupy Sandy has an amazing operation. They have a "wedding registry" on Amazon with lists of what is needed, and every day hundreds of packages arrive from people around the world who are shipping through it. The sorting facility is 2 blocks from my house, so I have worked there and also taken field trips-awful devastation!

[eyeamdry]

My daughter is with the Red Cross in New Jersey and anywhere else they may have travelled.  I don't hear from her a lot as they are busy.  She will be there 21 days with one day off the whole time.  I do know my daughter and her "group" have not stayed in the same place so far.  Sometimes cell phone contact isn't very good or non-existent.  The dog continues to be a great treat for us, but is a lot of work.  I have been getting off easy as she likes Gramps best.  Lucy