I am dogsitting my parent's basenjis. They have a big 6y/o red/white male named Vegas, a 5y/o black/white female, Katy, and a chromosomal poodle named Marley. These are very good dogs, but they are a pain when there routine is changed. I'll be watching them for a couple of weeks, and I'm keeping a diary here for your enjoyment.

Day 1:

5:00pm-Parents leave. Dogs have been fed, and let out. Grass may be slightly damp.

7:00pm-I come home. Two days worth of poop in middle of floor. Vegas runs, and hides in kitchen. Marley walks in it. Katy is sitting on the couch knowing that she's done nothing wrong. I clean it up, and don't scold. I realize Vegas is out of sorts, and I don't want to add to his anxiety.

8:00pm-Friends come over to watch movie. I move a couch to give a better TV view, and find more poop. Katy runs, and hides in Kitchen.

Day 2:

5:00am-Katy lets me know that it's time to get up! I take the dogs into the family room, and open the back door, which gives them access to going outside on their own. Outside ground probably slightly damp. Vegas is asking to go out a different door, and I don't abide. I fall back asleep on the couch.

7:00am-I get up to take a shower, and forget a towel. I go back into the room the dogs are confined in, and Vegas is pooping on the floor. As soon as I see him he bolts outside (yes the door is still open) to finish the job…I'm slightly perturbed.

12:00-dogs go out, and all is well. No messes. No destruction. I think they're plotting something. The time of danger is approaching. Mom should be home from work in 2 hours. How will they react when she does not show up for their 4 O'clock feeding? Will they make it until 5:30? Time will tell. I fully expect destruction.

6:00-get home. all is well. one pee spot by the door. The little girl just doesn't have the bladder of the boys, but at least she makes her messes on tile. Overall a successful day. We celebrate by all sharing the same chair.

Sounds like you'd better keep your pooper-scooper handy! Seriously, though, are they housebroken and just anxious? Maybe a distraction method would help?

I'm looking forward to more diary entries!

Well at least you know he is digesting his food properly:p

Oh…dear! Best wishes for the length of your parents' vacation I love the diary, and I can just picture it!

Good luck, Vegas. From what I've read so far :eek: - better stock up on paper towel and air freshener. They seem to be missing their Mom. Keep posting . . . hope they'll adjust soon.

Nothing cleaning up a pile of doo-doo after a shower to make one feel nice and clean! Good luck, Vegas! Looking forward to more diary entires!

"No messes. No destruction. I think they're plotting something."

Now what would give you that idea? I had the pleasure of meeting Vegas, Katy and Marley back when we transported the auction pups, and I am just positive you have your hands full! I didn't know which cutie to pet first, but Vegas straightened me out pretty quickly!
Good luck!

Vegas is demanding, but he's very likable too, so he gets by with it.

It's really hard to believe that somebody would just "throw away" a dog like Vegas, but I'm glad they did. They threw him away because he was mean. I hope he was mean to them!!! He was so diseased, and malnourished when we got him that you wouldn't recognize him. He was a starved, diseased, bag-of-bones. He has never bitten anything besides squirells since we got him. We rescued him on Good Friday about 4 or 5 years ago, and we celebrate that as his birthday.

I can't imagine Vegas being mean. I AM the expert after spending 15 minutes with him! B's are smart, he knew who to be mean to, and from the sounds of things he had good reason.
The best part is, he is loved and happy now. To you know where with the people who treated him badly.

Well everything smoothed out, and went pretty well. The dogs overcame the initial separation anxiety, and this was actually the easiest time I've had watching them.

I only had one problem. The poodle would not eat. I would feed him, and he'd eat a couple of bites, and then jump back from his bowl, and refuse to eat anymore. Now this dog is "chromosomal". He's got serious inbreeding issues. He has got to be the dumbest dog, I've ever seen period. Well it got to the point on wednesday that when I fed him, he ate a couple of bites, and then jumped back, and looked at me like "YOU'VE GOT TO HELP! I'M REALLY HUNGRY". So I got to thinking: He's such a creature of habit, maybe I'm putting his food in the wrong place. So I moved his food to a different spot. Now he's getting excited, but still won't eat. So then I try a different dish. The dog literally ate the entire bowl in about 5 seconds. So I gave him another scoop…same thing....now get this: The dog is so scared of getting in a food fight, that he was shying away from his own reflection in the stainless steel bowel...uh...uh...

like I said: he's special.

Good for you for figuring out the issue, Vegas! I never would have thought of that!

Oh my dawgs, that is so funny. Its great that you all are adjusting and adapting.

Sounds like YOU are going to need a vacation when parents return home!!!!!