Being Too Harsh?

[Mobezilla]

So one day when I was walking home from work, my mom called me. She was at home, the dogs were fine, blah blah, and happened to slip she let her new boyfriend take Link outside to go to the bathroom. I completely flipped inside, but tried to be delicate with talking to her, explaining to her that although she knows the guy (for about a week now), that I don't and I don't trust people handling my dogs. She gets huffy with me and says that nothing is going to happen, I point out that we live in a sketchy area and that huskies are on the top of the stolen dog list, this guy or another guy could try to steal him, not to mention that Link is my #1 escape artist and I have no idea what leash she had him use to even take him out as he can unclip himself out of mostly everything I have! I also asked her why in the world she had this guy walk him when I was going to be home in ten minutes? and of course I get the because he was whining and being annoying but all she has to do is tell him to settle and he will quit? I am pondering this now and wondering if I am being too harsh on the guy - but I don't think I'm going to be able to trust anybody except myself or Abby to walk my dogs. I haven't known this guy long enough to even let him pet my dogs, much less walk him, and I don't think I'm going to ever trust him to walk my dogs. My mom doesn't seem to think its an issue, and I am thinking about getting locking padlocks for their crates so that no one can mess with them while I'm gone. Let me point out that my mom isn't home during the week at all, and on the weekends shes usually in her boyfriends apartment, and she doesnt take the dogs out herself because of physical injuries, so the dogs are mostly home by themselves and crated anyway. I don't trust people so easily, it's my job to keep the dogs safe and my pups are going to be the ones to pay the consequences if anything happens to them because of this guys irresponsibility. Do you think thats too harsh, or am I being too paranoid about it? I don't know, its been bugging me a little bit. 

[Osinn11]

Your dogs your rules......plain and simple.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

I don't think your being harsh at all , I'm the only one who walks my dogs n if I go to a meet etc I take skyla I'm not allowed to take blaze unless mum comes too because he's her dog so it's up 2 her n she worries he could escape his collar/harness etc n get lost , so I don't take him her dog her choice - your dog your choice

[Jase]

I agree that it is a case of your dogs your choice, however maybe the dogs enjoy having an outside break while you are out. Perhaps you just need to set some rules. 

[Clare70]

I totally understand, I go out for an afternoon, leave my kids in charge of the dogs and there is always some kind of issue. The dogs totally rely on us to care for them and I think if we don't do the walks, food etc, then it's never done to our liking, or we are always wondering 'did he go to toilet' or 'did he eat all of his breakfast'.

 

I guess deep down your Mum thought she was doing you a favour and whilst you don't know this guy, perhaps he was trying to be kind and helpful too. Sadly we can be too suspicious now a days and are less likely to trust someone until we really know them. Can you not talk to your Mum and explain your feelings, ask her how she'd feel if a near on total stranger took care of you when you were a child? As I'm guessing your dogs are your babies.

[Leyka&Diva]

I don't think your being too harsh at all my other half can walk any of the dogs apart from Diva because she can and will escape given the chance  I don't trust anyone with her and i think i would react the same xx

[Emma]

Agree with the others. I wouldn't let a total stranger baby sit my human kids, nor would I allow them to look after my furry ones.. What would of happened if you'd caught him outside, a complete stranger walking around with your dog?! Chances are you'd of gone after him and had him arrested! Lol. it's different if you know the person and more importantly, they know your dogs and are familiar with any issues they may have. But to walk a dog who you are totally unfamiliar with is frankly asking for trouble.

[Mobezilla]

Thanks everyone.. frankly I don't think I'd want him walking the dogs even if I knew him.. and yeah I guess it'd be a little different if I were home and could explain which leashes he had to use and how to put them on so Link doesn't escape, but I wasn't home and he just randomly took him out on some leash and collar. Heck he could've even used the buckle collar that I use for the dog park that I purposefully keep loose since I don't use it for walking! I'm just really glad it didn't end up worse, because I have a feeling it could have. Link twists and wiggles his way out of anything when he sees a cat in the parking lot :/

[LittleLuka]

don't think you're being too harsh. i would FLIP if anyone besides myself, my mom, or the director of the husky rescue i work with, walked Luka. I wouldn't even let my roommate walk him without myself being present. I know how you feel. they are your dogs, you put the time in, you take care of them, so it's YOUR rules.

[Removed #5]

I really don't have anything to add ... nope, you're not being outlandish at all.

It's really simple - your dogs, your responsibility, your rules. Your mom stepped way over your boundaries by letting her boy friend take any of your dogs out on a walk without your approval.

[Mobezilla]

Thanks again you two.. my mom kinda flipped out on me and went 'fine I won't touch your dogs ever again' which is fine with me but kinda made me mad. I tried to be as nice as I could about it, just saying he doesnt know my dog, I don't know him, etc etc, but she got really upset saying I was being too paranoid and that nothing would happen. I then tried, again, delicately! To say something could /have/ happened, but again she thinks I'm being paranoid. I know how many people I encounter on walks who compliment me on how gorgeous my dogs are, and how many have offered to buy them (in blinding stupidity), so all I can imagine is the worse case scenerios. Thanks for reassuring me, I guess I had to take a step back and wonder Am I being too paranoid? Do normal dog people think this? But I really don't know what I'd do if something happened to them while I was at work and couldn't control the situation :/

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Thanks again you two.. my mom kinda flipped out on me and went 'fine I won't touch your dogs ever again' which is fine with me but kinda made me mad. I tried to be as nice as I could about it, just saying he doesnt know my dog, I don't know him, etc etc, but she got really upset saying I was being too paranoid and that nothing would happen. I then tried, again, delicately! To say something could /have/ happened, but again she thinks I'm being paranoid. I know how many people I encounter on walks who compliment me on how gorgeous my dogs are, and how many have offered to buy them (in blinding stupidity), so all I can imagine is the worse case scenerios. Thanks for reassuring me, I guess I had to take a step back and wonder Am I being too paranoid? Do normal dog people think this? But I really don't know what I'd do if something happened to them while I was at work and couldn't control the situation :/

its more then just if he could escape , you know your dog what he likes and what he doesnt what he'll react to etc , i know skyla is scared of kids so i avoid walking at school times now (live right near a school) but my dad doesnt understand why i dont walk them early anymore like i used to , i also know what dogs mine will react to and which they'll ignore n when u have 2 dogs who react n one who slows down you have to practically drag whilst trying to calm the others down its not easy but I know how to where as other people wouldnt , thats why if any1 wants to walk my dogs i tell them to walk bings , i dont let anyone else walk the sibes expect my OH n he only walks skyla hes never walked blaze n ive been with him for a year and a half 

[mydiamond]

I'd say that kind of reaction is to be expected, but it doesn't mean you're being too paranoid... The thing is, if he is allowed to walk the pups, everyone will want to be allowed to walk the pups. I often have guests whom I don't know at all, and most of the time they're not shy about wanting to take Dime out for a walk. I always say "no". Even if my mom is sending out devilish aura because she wants to please her guests, I always stick to my guns. Strangers are not, and will never be, allowed to walk my boy. One afternoon I came home from school to a strange man walking Diamond. I freaked out and asked my driver to tail him, but he walked to my home and turns out he's my aunt's friend. I asked him who lets him walk Diamond and my aunt said "oh it's me, it's okay... he LOVES dogs!". I told them there and then that NOBODY is allowed to walk my baby and it's especially rude to walk him without my permission ((mind that in Asian culture youngsters should never talk back to adults)). My aunt told my mom what I did and I got scolded, but I didn't regret it at all. If I ever find that guy walking Diamond without my permission again I'd do the same thing all over again. 

 

Now can you imagine driving home and see a stranger walking your pups? heart attacks like that aren't healthy for you... IMO if there's a way to prevent it why not do it 

[Mike101]

Totally agree with the other posts .Your dogs.. Your Rules

[Elyse]

Agree with the others...your dog, your rules. Especially because huskies aren't exactly the most loyal of breeds...

I know I've told this story, but I'm telling it again:

Suka escaped from the yard one day. To make the long story short, the humane society called and said a family found my dog. I drove to their address, which was only like 2 minutes away by car. Anyways, they said they saw their 7 year old kid walk Suka to their home with a leash. Apparently Suka gave them no trouble - to this day I'm so thankful they called the humane society and reported him missing. They very well could have kept him. 

[jennjennc]

i agree with everybody i dont let anybody walk our dogs either with some exceptions like my husband and his sister are the people i really trust with we were doing thanks giving dinner at my sisters the night the girls and my kids stayed the night there because we worked overnight and the whole time i was worried bout my girls and my kids could not wait to get off so i could see all four of them i know how you feel

[MidnightPaws]

I don't let anyone walk my dogs other then you Megan, my friend Julia, and my family if i'm with them. I get nervous if they walk them without me, they don't even know how to put the harnesses on right because they've never cared to ask. Luckily they rarely ever walk them unless they want to impress someone with their gorgeous dog, they can't handle walking more then one.

[Mobezilla]

Thanks for reassuring me I think I'm going to have another talk with her just to make sure that he never takes them out.. And yeah Abby you're the only one whose allowed to walk the puppers

[Danny_Caity]

You are in no way being paranoid.

 

When we went away in October, my friend and our housemate were dog-sitting for us, and up until that point I trusted her judgement completely.

 

She rang up and asked if her and one of her male friends could walk the dogs. I initially said yes because I know him, but Danny point blank said no, and seeing as Nika and Damian are very much his dogs, he had majority vote to say no. Nika and Damian pull like crazy unless they're with him, and because of Asha's mental state, she won't walk unless you calm her and reassure her about everything, walks take a long time with her.

 

She did it anyways, nothing happened but when we got back, the dogs had got food poisoning because someone had knocked the fridge down to room temperature and their food went bad. So there's always something that can go wrong, which is why I don't think we'll be going away again unless my parents can look after them.

 

Again, as has been said many times already, your dogs, your rules, don't feel bad about it Megan

 

 - Caity

[Mobezilla]

Well now I'm beyond uncomfortable. My mom is giving this guy a copy of our key in case she loses hers or gets locked out (Despite the fact that my brother, who lives a minute away, and I, who live here, have a copy of the key). So now this guy can get into my apartment, and my dogs, any time he wants. Which I obviously cannot be home 24/7 since I have a part-time job to work. Feeling helpless now.

[Clare70]

Oh my goodness, that doesn't sound great. Is it your apartment or do you live with your Mum? If the latter then I would say 'NO' she should surely ask your permission. If it's her place, then I guess you don't have much of a say.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Can you padlock their crates? Put them in their crates in your room n lock your door when out?

[valkyries]

Very few people I'd trust with my dogs and they are friends I've made on here who know my dogs, apart from that sorry do not touch my dogs end of

[Mobezilla]

Oh my goodness, that doesn't sound great. Is it your apartment or do you live with your Mum? If the latter then I would say 'NO' she should surely ask your permission. If it's her place, then I guess you don't have much of a say.

Hers, I pay rent but still hers. She would be so uncomfortable if I had a new boyfriend and I let him have a key to her place without having MET him or hardly know him, and also if like she had her child at home or something and he had access to the apartment while the child was home alone. That's how it feels like to me anyway.

 

Can you padlock their crates? Put them in their crates in your room n lock your door when out?

I was thinking about this, I don't even have my own room unfortunately, but I was thinking about padlocking the crates. Link's is the type you can't padlock though, the stupid plastic ones with those handles that you squeeze to open :/

[Clare70]

So I guess it's difficult to make rules as it's her place. Can you not meet this guy and talk to the pair of them together, just express your feelings and concern for your dogs. Explain that you really don't want anyone else walking, feeding, organising the dogs, say you have a routine and it's really important it's stuck to.

 

I personally don't like the idea of locking crates, what if there was an emergency, you can't get home or a fire! I know it sounds drastic, but I would want my dogs to be able to be set free in this instance. Or if they were ill and no one could get to them because the crate is locked and you have the key.

 

Not easy to know what to do, so sorry