Our pup and their pup grew up together. He's either one month younger or older than mine, I can't remember. Everytime they came over when they were young, and mind had new tricks and could stay/sit/down etc all they'd say is "Ohh, I wish we had the time and etc etc to teach him all of that, but it's just been so hectic, and I've been so sick/tired (with the pregnancy)" And I think he just kind of got lost in the pregnancy, and newborn stuff. I think I'll just start in on it, because he's already picking it up on his own, and I'm having a hard time resisting the urge to enforce stay, and down when he takes off and gets mud all over my couch! If they mind I'll just say that while he's at my house, for extended periods - It'd be easier for me and for him, if he had the same rules as my dogs. My dogs pick up on it, too, when he gets away with stuff they know they aren't allowed to do, and they start to misbehave. My dog will start to come when she's called, and when she sees he's taken off the other way, she follows him. Or she'll run inside and not sit and stay at the door like she's been taught etc etc. They already say he's not trained well, and he doesn't listen well to them at all, even at their house. I'm over there quite often. They kinda just let him run rampant. On the furniture, jumping on things,etc. He kinda rules the roost. The tell him to get down, or come, or lay down etc. But he doesn't know the commands well enough to know what to do. So hopefully if I do work with him, they'll continue with it, they try..I just don't think they realise it takes more than a couple of cookies to teach a dog something and have him be consistent. Just thought I'd ask before I tried, to see what the general consensus is from other dog owners. Thanks for the replies :)

Similar to an earlier posting, my pool company said that the residual germs and microbes from one dog in the pool are equal to those left by about 40-50 humans. They also said that dog hair will damage the filter. We let a friend's dog into our salt pool once for about 15 minutes. It took five days to remove all the dog hair and oils and no one wanted to use the pool for those days. I will no longer allow a dog in the pool for basic hygiene concerns. Here are a few interesting links: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/rwi-what.html Many other RWIs (eye, skin, ear, and respiratory infections) are caused by germs that live naturally in the environment (water, soil). In the pool or hot tub, if disinfectant is not maintained at the appropriate levels, these germs can increase to the point where they can cause illness when swimmers breathe or have contact with water containing these germs. Why doesn't chlorine kill these RWI germs? Chlorine in swimming pools does kill the germs that may make people sick, but it takes time. Chlorine in properly disinfected pools kills most germs that can cause RWIs in less than an hour. Chlorine takes longer to kill some germs such as Crypto, which can survive for days in even a properly disinfected pool. Here's info on crypto (Cryptosporidium): http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/pbs/zoonoses/gik9fel/crypto.html It looks like giardia may also be transfered in pools: Giardia is a one-celled, microscopic parasite that lives in many different and often unexpected water sources, including ponds, lakes, streams, backyard swimming pools and even tap water. Giardia has even been found on contaminated animal haircoats. When ingested, it infects the intestinal tract of pets and humans, causing fever, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as other potentially serious and painful gastrointestinal problems. Although any pet can contract the disease, dogs most at risk of becoming infected with Giardia include puppies, outdoor dogs, hunting dogs, farm dogs, city dogs, adopted strays, dogs that live in kennels and dogs in multi-pet households. Many researchers believe there is even the possibility of transfer of Giardia infection between pets and people.

Awwww… that is such a nice thing to say, busybee. We really have fun. The kids in the neighborhood all come over to play with the dogs..it's really great. I go and pick them up after the owners leave, then bring them home before the owners get home, so it's a seamless transition for the owners . But my clients are really great and flexible too. They'll let me pick up their dog a day early if I have to go up to that area to get another one, rather than making two roundtrips in two days, that sort of thing. I have keys or codes to all their houses; if my house is rented and I need a place to live, so many say, "Oh, we're not going to be at (vacation house or main home), go stay there." Can you believe that? Really wonderful peeps. But then, they're dog peeps, which kinda means they have to be cool, right? Lol.

So sorry Always that you have been treated poorly by the other person. It is too bad that she continues to show her true nature in such an unflattering way. I would kill her with kindness. It is a wonderful way to confuse people I would say glowing things about her and say I'm sorry she feels that way but this this and this I like very much about her and I would let it get back to her. But I would not go back with her if she asked. I don't trust people like that but I just want them to wish they could be my friend again. It's a sly kind of revenge. So sorry that happened to your dogs sleeperblues. I honestly don't understand that kind of thinking I am looking after Dorothy the doodle right now and I can't imagine treating any dog other pet like that. She is a member of my family when she's here. She has a bed to sleep on right beside us like our other two dogs. Our cats sleep downstairs with the DS and DN. Dorothy is 7 this year and she has been coming to my house since she was 3 months old. What I do when I dog sit, cat sit or pet sit parrots etc is I take a daily picture and make a a short journal entry everyday. I then make a little book for the clients. I also send texts or emails of course but use other pictures for the texts. They seem to appreciate my efforts. People who have pet sitters could require something like a daily time and date stamped photographic update via email/text. It might curtail some of the shenanigans. I just do it because I actually enjoy the mini creative process. Letting people know their pets are healthy and happy makes me feel good too.