I have more than enough for my needs BUT I really WANT a landrover

savingholmes

sounds like a long day... jealous of you starting time off... I've been off this week and go back Monday

MrsMoo2U

Friday:j:j:j I feel a TADA day coming on. Not had one of those for a few weeks I think.
First day off of a 10 day holiday.

Proms are looking a bit iffy Although I have paid for the room and got a cheap return ticket I have a bit of a saga going on not something I want to air in public though) that means that I might not be able to have somebody here to look after Moo. I know that, as somebody said yesterday, he is only a dog, but I love him and he is totally my responsibility which means that I want him to be happy and settled. If this means that I have to miss out on the proms then so be it. After all, he gives me year round entertainment, companionship and unconditional love so what if I miss a couple of days in London. If only I could find accommodation in London that would allow me to bring him along and, more importantly, allow me to leave him in there in the evenings. Oh and it would have to be cheap, I have found a hotel that charges £200 per night!
Right that is my negative thought for the day. No more allowed.

moo2moo

Ok, leaving Moo home alone isn't ideal but do you have family or friends who would stay at yours for a free holiday on the understanding that they walk Moo regularly? I have a couple of college friends who come and house sit as and when needed which the animals find much easier to deal with as they're in familiar surroundings. Otherwise is there someone you'd trust to look after him that would be happy to have him stay at theirs?

I know they're a fair way from you but there must be something similar to this closer your way.

MrsMoo2U

Hi Moo, that place looks fantastic.

Deep breath. I do have a dogsitter who can come and live in with Moo, I am happy to pay the amount and all is booked. Due to some things going on in OH life (I live in his house) which I dont really want to go into too much (it stresses me out to just think of it) which has created a situation that he is concerned about he has now announced that he has asked a couple of friends if they would mind coming to look after Moo instead. He feels that he can trust them in the house due to the current situation and does not want to put a stranger into an awkward position. Now this all sounds fantastic and this is the friend who used to go into my old house to look after him whilst I was away. There is a bit of a difference here though. In my old house the garden was completely secure and the kitchen door led to the side of the garden so the door could be opened, as well as the patio doors on the garden room. He could come and go quite happily. As I only went away for a couple of days at a time he was not walked. The reason for this is , despite my friend going in every day, Moo just wont take to him. He barks and then runs away and hides. My friend never got around this. I have no idea why this is because my friend is so lovely and is desperate to be liked by Moo. Ok, so why is it a problem for me for them to come here. WELL Moo is only allowed in the kitchen here, the kitchen is at the front of the house and the garden is at the back, thus requiring him to go out of the front door and around the side. There is no gate so it is not secure. Max will not go for a walk with this friend as he would just bolt on him. So there is my dilemma. If they come to stay they would not be able to take him for a walk. I could possibly do something temporary to secure the garden and they could allow him to walk through the house to the back door and he could go into the garden. It would be for 3 nights. I think that he would spend a lot of the time barking which would upset the neighbours. He would probably get quite stressed. OH has suggested that friends come to stay beforehand so Moo has to get used to them being around. Am I being unreasonable? I am soooooooo torn about this.

Cheery_Daff

Oh cherisong, what a stressful situation for you to be in! When is the latest you can make a decision, do you have time to ponder on it a little? Can we help you as 'outsiders'??

What would it take for you to make the garden secure? Is everyone happy with Moo walking through the house temporarily if you can secure the garden?

Is it possible for your friend to stay in the house, but you to pay the other dog sitter to come and walk him each day? Perhaps you could give her a bit of an enhanced rate if you're going to have to cancel the whole 3 days of dog sitting?

Or - is it possible to have both your friend and the dog sitter staying at the same time? Would that get over the awkward aspect of things? (sorry, this might be completely inappropriate but not sure what the situation is so thought I'd just throw a few things into the mix)

Sorry f I'm interfering, but I know that sometimes having someone else's perspective on things can just jolt your thinking a little and open up a new idea you hadn't thought of.

A ta da list today sounds like a good plan! All I've done so far is a shower and breakfast :rotfl: (it was home made bread with home made jam though!) :j I'm around all day today so will pop back in and see how you're getting on with your decision xx

moo2moo

If Moo doesn't like them he doesn't like them for a reason. Only time will teach him to trust them. Its not something that will happen over night.

Firstly temporarily securing the garden is a possibility alternatively allowing Moo to access the parts of the house that hes not normally allowed in sounds like it will be a bit more secure although problematic in the long term because he won't understand why hes no longer allowed in the rest of the house once friend has departed.

Perhaps you could use reverse psychology on Moo. Have friend to stay but have him totally and utterly ignore Moo as if Moo doesn't exist. He can't react to anything Moo does at all or fuss him or make any moves towards him. That way when Moo is ready to make friends he'll have to make the effort himself. Its usually far quicker than trying anything else. Once Moo has decided to say hello on his own terms its only a short leap to your friend picking up his lead and going to the door. If Moo wants to go for a walk with your friend he'll make it very obvious. Otherwise your friend and the lead go out for a walk and come back five or even ten minutes later. Moo will soon get the idea. A Gentle Leader or a Halti would stop the bolting purely because it disorientates without hurting. That way he could be walked around the side of the house without incident if needed.

Theres no guarantee that your professional dog walking pet sitter wouldn't have exactly the same problems.

If Moo has a garden then three days without walks is not the end of the world. As far as peace of mind goes if hes secure in your garden without walks you won't worry constantly that hes legged it and as for constant howling if hes not normally a howler he'll get bored of it very quickly, especially if his howling is ignored. You can't worry about something that hasn't happened.

If it really doesn't work out you can always come home early but you won't know until you try. Moo seems to be quite happy without you for a day, thats normal for him, having someone else around might be a bit different but it won't be the end of the world.

You're not being unreasonable but you do need to give it a go for Moos sake. If hes not used to being without you overnight once in a while what would happen if you were in hospital for some reason or had to go away unexpectedly?

MrsMoo2U

Moo
Thank you so much for this post. I am more stressed by this decision than I realised. I know it is really silly of me and I am normally such a level headed person. I knew that if I posted on here I would receive some clear, impartial advice and so I thank you so much and in no way think that you are interfering. Max has been without me overnight before and this very friend used to come in several times a day to let him out into the garden. That garden was secure, the friend would then just go and sit in the house and leave him to it. I have tried numerous times to teach the friend to ignore him. You are so right the people that he likes best are always the ones who have ignored him first and allowed him to make friends on his terms. I guess that you are right about him getting fed up of barking if he does try it. He did go to stay with a daycare lady in Anglesey the other week and she said that he barked at her for an hour before giving up. I guess that I should at least give it a try. You are also right about the access to the other parts of the house but I guess that he would assosciate that with them as he knows his boundaries with us.

I have already cancelled the professional minder as the current situation would be that OH would worry about a stranger being in the house and also that he is placing them in a delicate situation. Whereas the friends know of the current issue and are happy to deal with it. They have been very close friends for many years (since we were all 5 years old) so we are more like family. Which is another reason why this is difficult because I dont want to hurt their feelings.

I know that I am being a total stupid fool and blowing this out of proportion. The thing is I am the kind of person that analyses everything so now I am trying to work out why I am putting barriers in my path and I have come to the conclusion that I have become so used to life being just me and Moo (oh and Cokes my parrot) that I am so scared of anything happening to him.
Thank you again. I will probably go with the friends staying. A break might help me to put things into perspective.

moo2moo

You're not being a fool, nor are you blowing this out of proportion. If Moos not happy then you're not happy. Simples.

MrsMoo2U

Thanks Moo. Love your signature by the way. Is that EVERYTHING for all 4 plus the eight legs and chickens? I am in awe if it is and includes paying bills/debts.

Right had a look in my mirror and given myself a talking to. You know the kind "Pull yourself together woman" It worked really well because when I looked in the mirror I got the shock of my life because there was my Mum looking right back at me! Well when I say it worked well it wasnt because my Mum ever gave me a good talking to. It was usually the other way around So I guess it worked in that I imagined that I was giving her one of my famous talking to's which made me think how lovely it would to be able to do that right now. Funny how you dont appreciate somebody's influence on your life until they are no longer around.

Starting the
TADA List

• Moo walked
• Moo and Coco fed and watered
• Coco's cage scrubbed and cleaned to within an inch of its inanimate life
• Breakfasted on homemade bread and jam
• dishes washed
• First load of washing done and hung out on the line
• second load of washing in
• bed stripped and waiting for third load
• hoovered in living room
• recycled oak book case delivered from SH shop and I am now looking at it thinking what the heck have I done.
• Sander found - needs new sand sheets - added to shopping list along with paint brushes for the tables
• Cup of Earl Grey in hand and 25 beautiful homes being digested.

moo2moo

Mmm the signature covers almost everything..... have cheated by excluding only the most expensive things and so the amount does not include Ohs fags, nor his booze nor his very many hobbies. There are months when he can happily spend that and more, fortunately they are few and far between.