Friends always bring along a dog (need advice)...

[Playadlc]

How would you handle this? One of my friends and his girlfriend come to visit occasionally and spend the night. They always bring along their dog, an 8 month old, mini doberman. This dog is not well trained and can be a pain, peeing and pooping all over our home. I don't really want to upset my friend, but my wife is getting pretty tired of having to deal with this dog. When she woke up yesterday morning she actually stepped in the dog's crap with her bare feet! And to make matters worse, they didn't even apologize about it. Needless to say, that was the final straw for her.

I am not a dog hater (my wife and I own a jack russell) but this dog is not well behaved. I really don't know how to approach them about this because of how attached they are to this dog. They won't go anywhere without him. So I am not sure how often they will come over if we tell them that they can't bring over the dog, and my wife and I don't want that because we enjoy their company.

How should I handle this?

[paintmered]

Go over to their place instead.

[oneupper]

I'd show your friend this post.
It's honest, shows how you really feel...

[WMR]

Tell them they need to bring along one of those dog carrier things and keep the pooch in there when it hasn't been walked/over night etc. etc.

I certainly wouldn't have any trouble broaching this subject with friends of mine if their pooch was pooping and peeing in my house. Gross.

[cincinnati chili]

Go over to their place instead.

and when you do, poop on their floor.

[blumj]

Tell them they need to bring along one of those dog carrier things and keep the pooch in there when it hasn't been walked/over night etc. etc.

I certainly wouldn't have any trouble broaching this subject with friends of mine if their pooch was pooping and peeing in my house. Gross.
Crate training is the best thing, but they have to be willing to do it at home regularly, or the dog probably would find it upsetting to be locked up when they're away and would cry or bark until he was let out.

[George Foster]

Are these really friends? Sounds one sided to me. You should be able to tell a friend anything. "Hey...from now on...you need to keep the dog at home...it's not house trained." If they get mad, they don't value YOUR friendship very much.

They obviously don't respect your home. They did not even say they were sorry for the crap in the floor.

[SunDeck]

If you tell them your wife stepped in poop in her own house that ought to make the difference. If it doesn't, then they need an intervention. It's not too much to expect them to understand that you like them and maybe even you like their dog, but that there is a real problem with bringing an untrained pooch into someone's house.

How about this:
Hey friend, I like you, I like your dog. I like having you over and spending time with you is always fun. But you know what? My wife stepped in your dog's poop in the house last time you were here. If you want to bring the dog over to stay overnight, we have to come up with some kind of an arrangement that will prevent this from happening again.

[LoganBuck]

In the words of men and those current Bud Light commercials, just say "Dude". If you have an open and honest relationship with them, just tell them. It obviously is eating at you, and it will get worse. However, they could be so attached to that dog, that they may choose the dog over you, so be prepared, people are getting so batty over their pets. I have veterinarians that work with me frequently, and they will tell you just how nuts people have gotten.

[SandyD]

What SD said sounds good to me.

Are they first time dog owners? Is this their first puppy to train? Is it possible that the new surroundings impact the dog's behavior to a degree? Think of a toddler exploring a new house.

Doesn't change anything, but might explain their own behavior ... not apologizing? or apparently not trying to do anything to control the situation ...

When my sister brings her dogs, or my sister in law, they keep the dogs in their bedroom overnight.

[Joseph]

"Accidentally'' let the dog outside.

Then don't apologize.

[WebScorpion]

If you tell them your wife stepped in poop in her own house that ought to make the difference. If it doesn't, then they need an intervention...

Call Cesar Millan! The Dog Whisperer. He can train those unruly owners...I hear he even got results with Cartman! ...and you know even Nanny 911 couldn't train him. :shocked:

If my wife stepped in the poop of someone else's canine in OUR house, they'd be wearing the poop home. That'd be the end of that story. :runaway:

[Falls City Beer]

Yeah, you've gotta cut through the dogcrap, and tell 'em....:)

[TeamSelig]

Wear a Michael Vick jersey the next time they show up?

Just kidding.

[flyer85]

tell them the truth. They are welcome but the dog is not.

If they have an issue with that then it is their problem and they probably weren't as good of friends as you thought. Maybe the reason they like coming over to your place is your the only folks who let them bring the dog.

Wanting to bring a dog is inconsiderate in the first place and much worse when it is poorly trained and not completely housebroken.

[WMR]

tell them the truth. They are welcome but the dog is not.

If they have an issue with that then it is their problem and they probably weren't as good of friends as you thought. Maybe the reason they like coming over to your place is your the only folks who let them bring the dog.

Wanting to bring a dog is inconsiderate in the first place and much worse when it is poorly trained and not completely housebroken.


THAT CRAP DON'T FLY IN MUDVILLE

:laugh:

[SunDeck]

Think of a toddler exploring a new house.



And getting his face chewed off by your friend's miniature Doberman.:scared:

[Razor Shines]

My parents have a miniature Pinscher, those dogs are not cheap. Why wouldn't they just go ahead and get it trained if they were willing to plunk down that much cash for a dog?

Maybe you could give them some coupons to a pet training facility near their home.

[15fan]

"We'd love to have you over. Please, though, just leave the dog at home."

Either way - you win.

They get it, leave the dog at home, and you maintain the friendship.

Or...

They don't get it, get irked, and the friendship goes by the wayside.

Life's too short to have friends acting like that when they are houseguests.

[WMR]

"We'd love to have you over. Please, though, just leave the dog at home."

Either way - you win.

They get it, leave the dog at home, and you maintain the friendship.

Or...

They don't get it, get irked, and the friendship goes by the wayside.

Life's too short to have friends acting like that when they are houseguests.

Sounds like they read Kato Kaelin "Idiot's Guide to Being A Houseguest." :laugh:

[camisadelgolf]

Wear a Michael Vick jersey the next time they show up?

Just kidding.

I opened this thread to say the same thing. :D