[Yolonda]

I am a caretaker of a bed ridden older woman who lost her Shepard last december. She has had a 6 week old new GSP brought to the home. She cannot take care of puppy I do. I try to train the puppy. However the owner is possesive claims she is teething when she nips at my calf, and forces the puppy to stay in room with her and urinate and deficate on pads under table. The puppy wants me so badly at night she cries. Her and my chuahau are best friends. The woman I and caring for feeds her animals human food and treats till they get sick. I am only feeding the puppy puppy food. She tells me the puppy is teething not well and has health issues so cant go outside for exercise, and there is plenty of room for her to play in the room. What should I do I know it is confusing the puppy can it cause mental emotional or physical problems for the puppy?

 

[Blu_and_Redd]

This post saddens me. As a fairly new GSD owner myself, I know that GSD's need a lot of exercise, good nutrition, and LOVE... especially as they are growing and developing. This puppy will only suffer if it stays in that horrible environment. Please do all you can to have that puppy removed and placed in a loving home.

 

[buddyr93]

Animal control. Call them now before that pup really gets sick!

 

[Kathrynil]

Absolutely do what the others have said. That is abuse to the dog. Only 6 weeks! That dog is miserable and will only become a terrible dog as it gets older if it is having to continue in that pitiful environment. Then the owner will put it down because she treated it badly and is now upset at how terribly it behaves. I hope this clears up, and don't waste a moment doing what the others say!

 

[Jax08]

Beyond all the issues with the puppy and how it's being cared for. Of course the woman is possessive of the puppy. She is not "forcing" the puppy to stay in the room with her. She owns the puppy. You are an employee. So You should talk to her family or whoever hired you to start. The owner isn't "disobedient". She's the OWNER and EMPLOYER.

 

[Pawsed]

Puppies nip, that's normal. There is a ton of information here about how to deal with that.

It would be nice to know more about the health issues of the puppy. Maybe she is just trying to protect the pup from diseases it could pick up outside since it is so young and can't possibly have all it's shots as yet.

There is nothing wrong with feeding human food. To me, it's better than feeding processed dog food. But it must be a balanced diet especially with a puppy.

I'm not sure this is a case for animal control. There is too little information here to make such a recommendation, in my opinion.

Please do as Jax says and talk to the family about your concerns.

 

[Kathrynil]

The fact that the puppy is six weeks was hair raising to me. The poor little thing is so young, it shouldn't even be away from it's mother! The youngest I believe is 7-8 weeks! That must be a truly traumatic and stress inducing change for such a young little thing. I firmly believe there will be future problems if she isn't removed and brought to someone that will know how to take care of a puppy that young.

 

[Jax08]

@Ckai

The person most likely shouldn't have a dog at this stage in her life but there are some other big issues here.

 

[LuvShepherds]

The OP is the caregiver and her job is to care for the woman. She would jeopardize her job if she goes to AC or takes any legal type action. To the OP, I suggest you talk to the family and tell them the situation with the puppy is not working out. You may lose your job but it doesn’t sound like an ideal situation anyway. I would also start looking for other jobs.

 

[LuvShepherds]

What am I not understanding here? If the OP is the caregiver and is a professional, she is doing the welfare check. It would not be anonymous if she is the only person other than family interacting with the woman. Who would she report a decline in health to? As the primary healthcare giver, she should have contact with the physician in charge of the woman, who she could report to. My mom had caregivers who reported to the family. You are assuming the family isn’t involved or doesn’t care. Unless the woman is in immediate physical danger, reports should be made to the family first, and possibly to the doctor overseeing care. Reporting to the state is very extreme and should only be done if the woman is in danger. Being difficult doesn’t mean she is a danger to herself.

 

[CometDog]

This may sound snarkier than it really is meant to be, but unless the dog is in an abusive or neglectful situation don't involve authorities.

While I disagree with pad training a puppy, it isn't abuse. While I disagree with dogs eating too much human food and treats, it isn't abuse unless they are visibly suffering for it through obvious body type/condition signs. We had a Chi that never touched dog food. She ate what we ate. She lived to 18. Would I do that? No. Was it a reportable event? No.

Maybe the puppy is crying for you and your Chi at night because you are interfering with the owner's bonding with her puppy by taking over and being more interesting to the puppy. No, it is not your fault, if she is bedridden that is bound to happen.

But....

Rather than give a human caretaker advice, Id ask the following- if she is bedridden she didn't go and buy this pup herself. Who got her this 6 week old puppy and did they ask you to help care for it too? Otherwise none of this makes sense. Who else lives in the house? Where did this dog come from? Did a breeder knowingly place a 6 week old GSD puppy with a bedridden woman? Was it a gift from a whoops litter? Has it been to the vet? If so who has taken it?

What is happening here that this situation came about? In other words...

 

[Kathrynil]

This may sound snarkier than it really is meant to be, but unless the dog is in an abusive or neglectful situation don't involve authorities.

While I disagree with pad training a puppy, it isn't abuse. While I disagree with dogs eating too much human food and treats, it isn't abuse unless they are visibly suffering for it through obvious body type/condition signs. We had a Chi that never touched dog food. She ate what we ate. She lived to 18. Would I do that? No. Was it a reportable event? No.

Maybe the puppy is crying for you and your Chi at night because you are interfering with the owner's bonding with her puppy by taking over and being more interesting to the puppy. No, it is not your fault, if she is bedridden that is bound to happen.

But....

Rather than give a human caretaker advice, Id ask the following- if she is bedridden she didn't go and buy this pup herself. Who got her this 6 week old puppy and did they ask you to help care for it too? Otherwise none of this makes sense. Who else lives in the house? Where did this dog come from? Did a breeder knowingly place a 6 week old GSD puppy with a bedridden woman? Was it a gift from a whoops litter? Has it been to the vet? If so who has taken it?

What is happening here that this situation came about? In other words...

Good question: how did the puppy get there in the first place?