I am very picky about who handles my dog, I don't like people I don't know touching him, and I don't let anyone give him commands (well, sometimes I do - his commands are dutch, so it's amusing seeing my dog ignore them). Anyway, my brother and his family are coming to visit tomorrow for a little over 2 weeks, this means his wife, his 5 year old and his 2 year old sons.

It's completely stressing me out to think that there is the chance that I won't be home and they will uncrate my dog and play with him/walk him without my supervision. My dog doesn't know his family, I haven't seen them in 2 years and I haven't seen my brother in a year, so I'm not concerned about socializing my dog with them (even though he is super friendly so that's not an issue, but I know my dog won't be thrilled about strangers being in the house, there will be lots of barking, especially if someone gets out of bed at 3am).

My question is - in the event that my dog gets uncrated beyond my control, kids decide they want to play with the dog so my brother decides it's ok because I'm not home, dog is whining so guilt gets the dog uncrated etc etc - can anything cause my dog to go backwards in his training or can something occur to screw up my dog somehow?

I already yelled at my brother a year ago for using the lazer pointer on my poor puppy who spends 30 mins looking for the stupid red dot after it's gone, I'm terrified that some way they treat the dog, let him get away with things I wouldn't normally allow, kids getting nipped (he's good with my friends kids that he knows but he doesn't know my nephews) etc might change my dog from what I've made of him. I'm sure most of you know how kids are - if they figure out something makes a dog react, scares a dog, makes him do something etc, they'll keep on doing it. Or a kid gets nipped at because he's waving a toy in the air, kid gets annoyed at dog stealing toy n hits him on the nose etc.

Should I just sacrifice 2.5 weeks of my social life and make this situation impossible to occur? Or is it unlikely that any lasting problems will occur from their short visit?

I don't know how my brother will react to me saying "nobody but me uncrates the dog", I don't want anyone to be offended, but I also know how much work i've put into my dog and how much I love the way he's turned out. I hate not being in control but padlocking the crate seems a tad extreme lol.

Your house your rules. Even brothers should respect that. Padlock it if you think he won't respect you.

Mike

I'd padlock the crate <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

People just dont understand how much time and work we put into our dogs. I go through the same stress when I'm away for 1 day let alone 2 weeks! Ive decided to flag holidays until my pup is 2 ........ 18 months to go <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I would definitely padlock the crate . . . . or take the dog with you everywhere you go. Get a service dog vest. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

First thing that came to my mind is what every one else has said, "get a padlock", or get a lock put on your bedroom door and leave the creat in there, something like this.

I would not feel bad for laying a few ground rules, heck, Im only 24 and when my parents or in-laws come to see me, there are rules, I will write them on a peice of paper and put it on the fridge if I have to. Like noted already, people, even some family, they may have good intentions, but just have no idea the time that dogs into are passion of dog.

And lest face it, if something happend, something bad happend you would be the one at falt, you would be the guy with a "evil" dog.

Maybe you can introduce the dog to the kids, have the dog do a few cool things for them and maybe the kids will show intrest in it, maybe they will have some respect for it and will not be a problem.

But, I know where you are coming from a 150% and understand fully. I bite my gums when I see the way my wifes mom handles my dogs, I almost want to let her get a nice nipe on the wrist, but I cant, so, when she is here my dogs are away. I am the same way, I dont like people telling my dogs what to do, whats right or wrong is and I hate the way most people handle him pyiscly.

1st. I would lay some rules, you might sound like a bad guy doing it, but you will be the bad guy if something goes wrong.

2nd. I would get a lock on my bedroom door and keep the dog there, or padlock the crate

Goodluck!!!!!!!!!!
May the force be with you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
David.

Personaly i don't think that visitors handling you're dog will ruin you're training. It happens all the time with my dog. The only thing i have to do is to put him under command and life goes on as if nothing happened

This being said, there is the safety question: Never let your dog be handled by novice strangers or children without your precence!!!!!


Greetings


Johan

I agree with the earlier post that I would put the crate in your bedroom with the door locked. Whats to stop the two year old from sticking something in the crate and teasing the dog?? Who cares what they think. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I think I would put the dog in the bedroom with the door locked. Put him somewhere they cannot use a laser pointer or other things to tease him, which they still could amuse him with in his crate, even if it is locked. I would think that the queitest place in the house would be best. I don't kow how your dog will react to strangers being in his territory but I assume it would be torture to be locked in the crate and just watch or hear them all day? Maybe play the radio in the back bedroom with the door locked. Just tell him he is in training and that's his house until you get home.

I don't know if this is appropriate or not, but you could just scare the be-jeese-is out of them! I dont know if you are training any bitework or not, but if you are, you could demonstrate a few of his more "talented" tricks. Afterwords explain that he is very difficult to handle when your not home.

giggle giggle. . .I'm not advocating this, but it would be pretty funny!

Actually, just explaining that to your brother could be a large enough deterrent for when your not home. A responsible parent might worry a little bit and discourage dog play.

Hi, Mike,
I agree with padlocking the crate, and/or putting the dog in the crate into a locked room for his own safety and peace of mind as well as yours. Your dog looks to you as leader to keep him out of harm's way. And it would not be a good thing to have a visitor in your home harmed by your dog through (the visitor's) ignorance, either. I would also discuss the facts of life in 'my house' with my brother and nephews. Number one: my house, my rules, what I say goes. If you don't like it, get a motel room. But maybe be a little more diplomatic than that.