Hello all I have a serious situation. My wife (OH) had a very bad fall and is now in the hospital and will be in a recovery situation for approximately 12 weeks. My wife is the primary care giver for our puppy Pepper now 20 weeks old. Pepper went to the Pet Spa (that's what it is called) for the fist week going on her second and while she likes it there she is racking up quite the bill. I do not know what would be best for Pepper . As far as I can tell my options are to 1) keep her in the kennel 2) Bring her home and have a dog waker come in twice a day 3) have an acquaintance who offered look after her 4) last adoption My wife will be in the hospital for another week then two a care facility (rehab) for about two weeks, then home for the rest of he recovery. Pepper is a great puppy and was taking to her training very well. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Oh dear, that is quite a problem for you, and a worry for your wife too when she needs to be concentrating on getting better. I think I would be exploring the friend who offered to look after Pepper. Could she maybe be with this friend during the day, and with you in the evening and at night? (I take it you are at work during the day).
I'm very sorry about your wife it must have been an awful fall. I was thinking a similar thing to karen. Maybe you could split the time between your friend and a dog walker. You could also find out if there is a doggy day care in your area she could go to for a day or two a week. That would help with peppers socialisation with other dogs and give your friend a break. I do think it's imporatant she spends time with you and at home so I wouldn't keep her in kennels. I hope you find a solution that works for you all and your wife is feeling better very soon.
Sorry to hear about your wife. Yes, I would too seek out your friend to help you. It won't be forever and you will know that Pepper is safe. I hope things will sort themselves out soon for you all.
This is a worrying time for you and I think you are really lucky to have such a lovely friend who has offered to look after Pepper so I would certainly go with that option. Do you have any family close by that could take Pepper when your friend can't or has to go out for any extended time? Will your friend keep up with Pepper's socialisation etc.? Jen's idea about having her home with you in the evening is great as this will maintain her relationship with you and your wife. I wish you and your wife well and hope she makes a speedy recovery. Take care and let us know what you decide please. x
Sorry to hear of your wife's accident and the problem that is now causing for the care of your puppy. I would go with the friends offer of help if at all possible, perhaps with some doggy day care if available. Another possible solution is whether your dog breeder could have Pepper back on a temporary basis while your wife is recovering as I've known breeders who are willing to help in family circumstances like yours. Please keep in touch with us and let us know how you're getting on.
So very sorry to read of your predicament , I also think the " friend " option sounds good, hoping all goes well, for everyone .
Sorry to hear of your difficulties. I'd go for the friend option. I would also look for a dog walker and possibly day care. This way you will spread the load. Good luck with it.
Sorry to hear of your predicament and your wife's health I think I would look at my friends ability and availability along with a dog walker. Hope you manage to get something sorted soon
Oh dear. What an upset you are having. I agree with the others regarding Pepper. I really just wanted to wish you and your OH best wishes for a speedy recovery xx
Very stressful for you! I do hope your wife recovers well. When we have dogs, we're in it for the long term. Hopefully you can manage through this, and when your wife is better, she'll be able to enjoy her dog again. If the bill for kennels is just too expensive, then you should of course look to other options and it's wonderful that you have a friend who might help. But if the bill for kennels could be managed this is no doubt the least stressful thing to do. You know the pup is cared for, and you don't have to worry about what you'll do if your friend is unavailable, or have a bouncy puppy around when you need to care for your wife. Although the puppy might be happy at home, an extended stay in kennels probably won't have a huge impact in the long term. Best of luck with it all.
I'm sorry you are facing this difficult situation and I hope your wife makes a full recovery. I'm sure it is very stressful for both of you. If the kennel is a high quality one (with lots of people time and dog socialisation time for the 'guests') then that might be an option but from what I know of kennels dogs don't get a lot of attention and are often a bit isolated. Maybe the place you're using is well above the average though. If it's not, and you think the friend is dog savvy and would care for Pepper then I think the friend is probably the best option, maybe with some daycare and dog walking thrown in. Having said that I'm sure that Pepper will cope just fine with any of the temporary options, while your wife gets back on her feet. Hoping for a speedy recovery.
Hope your wife is on the road to recovery soon. As others have said, I'd take up your friend's offer of help - if it proves too much for them after a while you can always revert to the kennels or dog walkers. Once your wife is home she might be pleased to have Pepper around, with dog walkers booked to come and take her out. Sending best wishes to you all.
Gosh,sounds like a terrible fall,I'm so sorry.You will have a lot to arrange and think about at the moment but reading your post it's great to see that you do have several options.Friends can be wonderful at times of need so I would definitely take up the kind offer you have had and if you are able to Supplement it with the help of a dog walker.20 week old puppies can be hectic I know,,that's how old my dog was when he travelled to live with us...But they are also loving and comforting to be around and Pepper will provide companionship as your wife's rehabilitation progresses.She's part of your family,I hope you can manage x
Very much regret that I am unable to offer any better advice other than to state the obvious in that the problem is a short term one and if you can find a way to keep Pepper whilst your wife recovers, she will give you great comfort and pleasure in the years to come. It is times like this when you realize that the Forum is a valuable means of helping complete strangers in times of difficulty. Best wishes to your wife for a speedy recovery.
Others have given you great advice and I just wanted to add my own. If kennels are too expensive full time then could you maybe look at a combination of care arrangements? Perhaps the friend you mentioned could look after her for a couple of days a week, then get a dog walk in for another couple of days (they tend to be cheaper than all day care) and then go to daycare for a couple of days?
Hello all. A quick update I went with a combination of your advice. I take care of Pepper in the morning until I leave for work, then my friend comes over and takes her out and plays with her for about an hour and a half and then the dog walker comes for half an hour, then I am home. The longest span Pepper is in her crate is 3.5 hours. we are two days in and so far so good. My Wife is still in rehab and is doing better every day. This Saturday I will bring Pepper to the rehab to see Sue (wife) this will be Peppers start as a service dog. Thank you all for your advice I will keep you updated!
Glad to hear that you've found a way of keeping Pepper and good news that your wife is gradually recovering. I'm sure she'll be delighted to see Pepper.
