Any ideas on how to help...

my mother's puppy. My parents just dropped off their puppy at my house for the next week. They went on Vac. and I am puppy sitting. She is a 4lb Maltese almost a year old now.

She is so used to being with my parents 24 hours a day, and now she is alone at my house while I am at work. I gated her in the bathroom next to my dog, they can see eachother through a gate but I don't trust them together, my dog is a 100lbs and she could easily just step on the baby and smush her......

So anyways the point is.......she was crying and whining pretty bad when I left to drop them off at the airport, and still crying when I went back to check on them before I left for work. I can't bring her here.....although I really wish I could. I know that she is going to drive my dog crazy....but I don't know what to do to make it better for her. I am going home to check on them at lunchtime.......but that is all I can really do. Any ideas to make it easier on her and also my dog?? Thanks for listening to me ramble on.........

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

Awww that is tough! I guess checking at lunch is the only thing you can do...are they together during the day? Does your dog get along with the dog? Maybe put the maltese in another room so there is no way your dog can get at it?

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

They love each other but I am afraid with the size difference the she will get stepped on....I thought it would help if they could at least see each other........Thanks

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

Okay.....well I went home for lunch and the puppy had the food all over the room.....the water bowl (thank god there wasn't much in it) was tipped over. She had managed to get out of her little sweater and she was soaked!!! She was shaking and crying but seemed to calm down when I picked her up.......I just don't know what to do. I feel like I am torturing her!!!!!!!

Message edited 10/8/2008 3:21:05 PM.

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

I would definitely keep them apart - or I would be worried all day that the maltese got accidently crushed! Maybe leave a radio or tv on during the day? Give her some toys and a soft bed/blanket to sleep on. Good luck!

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

Hi! You're doing great,the anxiety is normal!!
I recommend getting a KONG toy for the puppy, they are great and will keep her busy!! Stuff it with the kong stuffing or peanut butter, you can FREEZE it overnight too to make the fun last longer. She'll get used to the routine, hang in there!!!

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

Thank you for the Kong advice....Maybe I will get her one tomorrow....I will be home with her all day so I can see how she reacts to it. Thank you!

Actually she is keeping busy EATING her GATE!! I went home yesterday for lunch and she was out of the bathroom, I have no idea how!!! She must have spend the day "hiding" her whole bowl of dry food all over my house. There was food in every Corner, near the rugs, under the table At least my dog got the pleasure of "finding" it all..

Anyways I put her back in there and when I got home after work she had spent the afternoon eating the wood gate......there are pieces of it and splinters everywhere!!!

This puppy is going to drive me nuts!!

Message edited 10/10/2008 10:54:14 AM.

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

Yup, she sounds like she's unhappy and showing it. I wouldn't be too hard on her, everything she knows is upside down right now and she doesn't understand that her humans are coming back.

Can you get into their house? I would absolutely try to get something familiar from there. A blanket, a towel, a doggie bed, whatever. To help the transition.

My dog listens to the jazz or blues channel while we are not home. Something quiet to break up the monotony of silence.

For chew toys, the kong might be good with a treat inside, or a nylabone. My dog prefers the nylabone over the kong.

When you do get home, I'd suggest you exercise the hell out of that dog!

Last suggestion, I know it's hard, but don't reward her while she's whining or scared. That reinforces that it's ok for her to be like that. Try to be more matter of fact, like it's the most natural thing in the world to be ignoring her.

Good luck with her, I think everyone will be fine! What is the "countdown to humans returning" clock at?

Re: Any ideas on how to help...

Thank you all for your advice......She was in the bathroom with toys and her little bed, but they really don't seem to be helping. She was out again today when I got home at lunch time, she actually ate through the gate!!

So I have put her in the same room as my dog, hoping that would help her. I put the little bed and also her night-time crate in there so she could get away if she needed to. I know that my dog would never hurt her on purpose but I really can't help but be nervous intil I get home......I just hope that everyone is okay when I get there!!

Thank you to everyone for listening to me vent here over and over......your advice is helpful.......

"Human Countdown Return".....5 days........and counting!!!!!!!!!