Staying with your dog at other people's houses

Have you ever taken your dog to a person's house where the people aren't incredibly dog savy, live with a quiet little lap dog and believe that dogs should be seen and not heard? That the perfect dog is one that lays at your feet all day and never acts like a dog?

That's what happened to me last weekend. I would say that Jack is a GOOD dog. He's a nice dog, he doesn't potty in the house and he doesn't destroy things.

But he does...

Sleep on the couch - Which in this house no dog under 5 pounds is allowed. He would pace back and forth because he doesn't like to lay on hardwood floors...and he's incredibly stubborn.

Bark -when he's hungry, excited or needs out (or someone knocks). He likes to Aroo roo rooo when he's happy about something, and this is a large no no in this house. Absolutely no barking ever!

Dig holes after critters - A city dog in the country. I can't help it he learned the joys of chipmucks! It was stressful letting him outside off leash because all he'd want to do is go critter hunting, and dogs shouldn't be allowed to do that.

Roles in cow poop - He's a dog. A boy dog at that. He likes to be disgusting!

Has nails - That apparently ruin the floor. He's not allowed to run (which is hard for an energetic boy!)

LOVES toys - But isn't allowed to touch the many baskets of toys set up around the house. Heaven forbid the toys get boy cooties! I even brought his own toys in anticipation of this problem, but he can't resist the buckets upon buckets of new toys. He only destroyed one, but usually just likes to carry them around.

Scratches at the door - When he has to go out, he paws at the door. They were astounded that he'd do that. We've always encouraged it at my house, so it's hard to punish him for doing it there.

It's stressful because he just wants to act like a dog and he's not allowed. I guess at my house we let the dogs do what they want as long as it's not hurting anything. I couldn't imagine micro managing Jack all day long and not letting him act like a dog at all. We're going back this weekend and I hope it goes better.

Yes. When I took my dogs to my sister's for a couple days, it was so annoying. She kept saying how bad my dogs were because they acted like dogs. She has had and given away several dogs because they acted like dogs. One was a JRT that she expected to just sit there.

I grew up in a home like that. To this day I still cringe every time a dog barks (seriously, even if I'm outside and a neighbor's dog starts to bark), just out of pure habit, because I used to get screamed at when a dog barked.

Mine have always been welcomed ....but not their dog hair !

I AM one of those people, now that I think of it!

I'll admit that I get a little uptight about dogs coming over, despite the fact that I own dogs. I don't like a dirty dog in the house, I will cringe in horror if someone's dog jumps on my furniture, it drives me mental when a dog paces around constantly and doesn't settle down after a while.. barking is a pretty big no-no as I live in an apartment.

Other things like nails, running around playing like maniacs, scratching to go out is all fine, however.

I try to avoid bringing my dog into situations where his behaviour won't be welcomed. For the most part, even those who don't like dogs are generally OK with him as he is one of those dogs that will just lie down and sleep for hours and hours while we visit.

I do believe that rules ought to be respected, no matter how bizarre. I won't bring Pit to my own brother's house because he doesn't like dog hair. Absurd in my mind, but I'd rather avoid making him upset about it.

lol most of those rules stand at my house... my dog's allowed to bark if someone's on the property, and then only till I say otherwise. Other than that he is supposed to be quiet. His "toys" (ie pieces of wood) are all outside, running around is for outside, he sleeps on the floor and he isn't allowed on any furniture. He can't dig holes in the lawn. If I saw him rolling in something smelly I'd certainly stop him, and if he smells he isn't coming inside until he's been hosed and he's dryed off outside. I suppose I wouldn't object to scratching at the door unless he was leaving marks.

The dog has only been invited with me to a cabin, let alone a house, so I'd be grateful that a host let my dog come at all, and I'd be the first the stop the dog from doing anything destructive or objectionable, no matter how insignificant.

I let my dogs get away with a lot of things(like being on the couch), but some people don't like that.

And honestly, if they want a dog to be "seen and not heard" than picking a small quiet lap dog is perfectly acceptable.

That's the type of dog that will fit their lifestyle, and they are the ones that live with it.

If you know that someone's expectations of a dog will not match your expectations/your dog's behavior, then it may be better if you made other arrangements for where you will be staying.

Now, if someone came to stay at my hosue and was complaining that my dogs were laying on the couch and scratching at the doors, etc... then I would have a problem.

I've been ion that sort of situation and I respect the wishes of the owners' of the house over what my dogs are used to doing because after all, its their house. I expect the same when people bring their dogs here. Here, we don't allow dogs in the furniture, excessive barking needs to be stopped, play time is outside or in the basement only, no digging up the yard, dirty dogs stay outside, and my mom would FLIP if a dog scratched at the door (depending on the type of door that can do a lot of damage very fast!). It bothers me when people don;t respect the house rules and insist that their dogs do as they are used to.

The one I find funny is when non-dog people insist my boys come in their house to sleep rather than staying in my truck during winter no matter how much I stress to them that inside is way too hot and they are used to sleeping outside.

Maybe I'm uptight then, lol.

Most of those rules are the ones we have at our house. I don't care about the floors, never seen a dog's nails scratch a floor.

I would be mortified if one of my dogs was getting into baskets of toys at someone elses house, much less destroyed any. We have children who leave toys strewn everywhere, so made sure that the dogs understand those toys are off limits, and that they may only chew on their own toys. Frequent barking drives me insane, as does constant pacing. That's why I have sight hounds, lol. My husband has a sporting dog, and his dog does all those normal dog things. It drives me crazy, but I love him anyway.

When I'm at other people's houses, I try to make sure Sawyer follows their rules. He knows to ask before getting up on the furniture anyway, so it's not hard to keep him off. I bring some of his toys and do have to watch him on that front, because what dog can resist new toys that have already been slobbered on?! Keeping him quiet...that's about the biggest issue, especially if he's playing. It's usually solved by giving him a toy to hold, which at least muffles his bark. He doesn't dig or scratch though.

Most people love having him over, though sometimes his hair can be a bit much for them.

most of those rules my dogs understand anyway. If they are being taken to someone else's house they are always well exercised first so they will lie down and sleep. I take fudge(the BC/GSD x to my granny's at the weekends because that is closer to my agility training and the only problem i have is that if he is not watched he will eat the cat food.