Wish I'd never asked!

I work in a creche and in the afternoons I look after 11 yr old girls.

Today I asked one of the children if she had gotten her new puppy as there was talk of her getting one.
She informed me that they got a puppy a little while back and she is now 14 weeks,they got her at eight weeks. I was delighted when she said it was a cavalier!
My delight soon faded when she told me the little one sleeps in the garage(the boiler is there so they feel it's warm enough)!
She stays out in the garden all day while they are at work/school! When I enquired as to when she can go in the house I was told she doesn't,the kids go out to play with her! (I'll bet there wasn't much going out to her the last few days it never got above 4 degrees and it's dark when they get home!).

I am devastated and appalled at both her parents and whoever sold them the puppy.

At risk of getting a telling off from my boss, I told the child that outside is no place for a cavalier and that she should tell her parents that!

She told me they may let her in when she's potty trained. The poor little thing has been with them since she was 8 weeks old-6 weeks now- and has never been allowed in the house.

I am so upset and can't get the poor little mite out of my mind

I know that there are homeless people out there etc. but to knowingly leave a little cavalier outside in this weather( I presume she has a kennel) although she did say that she stays outside! I was almost grilling the child for info and I don't think I hid my shock too well. Did I over react?

I can't stop thinking of her and how she must be starved for company and affection. It's out of my hands and I am sorry I asked now

Why did these people get a dog

I think that's absolutely awful! I have this terrible vision of the poor little thing out there in the cold with no human companionship. She must be scared to death! I can't imagine why anyone would think that a Cavalier should be left outside all day! They must not know anything about the breed at all.

It's just sickening. I wish there was something that could be done, but I can't think of what it would be. Maybe the little girl will convince her parents that the dog needs to come inside. :xfngr: It's so sad!

Lori

Oh my goodness -- now I'm worried about the poor little thing, too! That is truly awful and I will NEVER understand why someone would get a dog and then proceed to put the poor thing outside alone! What is the point of that?

Some people just do not understand that a dog, especially a breed like Cavaliers, are meant to be a part of the family, and will be miserable if they are kept alone away from everyone. And the humans don't get the benefits of having a new family member to love either. It's just depressing.

I've posted on here before that my husband's brother mentioned getting a Cavalier a couple of years ago and I just cringed, for this very reason. They had a chihuahua that was kept outside all the time, or in the basement on rare occasions. Why oh why? They did go ahead and get a Corgi recently and I won't even tell you what I saw them do with it on a trip recently. I won't sleep at night if I dredge up that awful memory again. To them, a dog is a thing, and their goal is to minimize the inconvenience of having a dog at all costs, so if it sheds, it goes outside, and I could go on and on.

I wish I knew the words you could say to this family that would have an effect. I fear no words would do any good, though.

I think some people who sell their pups tend to panic, and not grill prospective purchasers enough. Years ago I made mine come to play with their pup at least one a week, with a "You're welcome any time you want to come and play". That way when the pups left, I was certain they were going to good homes, and they all kept in touch.

I was trawling thru a Cav site the other day when one breeeder was asking "Do you think it would be a good idea if we got in touch with the pups new owners at least once a year?"

Is it just me who keeps in touch??

this is horrible! do they expect the puppy to potty train himself? even a human child need encouragements from parents for his/her potty training!
i fear they will be one of those people who will eventually " get rid of" their untrained dog. the poor baby must be so insecure. I am worried about his future. Perhaps you can give them a book to read as a " puppy shower" gift?

Poor baby, now I'm worried sick about him too, lets hope the novelty wears off soon and they rehome him to someone kind, he'll be so lonely stuck out there on his own

Ya know this is a real pet peeve of mine--not just cavaliers but any kind of dog. Our first dog when we married 35 years ago we had a siberian husky and that dog was an inside dog--slept in our bed--actually easier to sleep with than a cavalier--dang these cavaliers--how can they take the amount of space that they do--lol. Anyways, I just plain don't get it when people get dogs of any kind and shove them outside and plop a bowl of water out there that the bugs get into I might add and put food out there which I'm in the south so now you got ants galore in those bowls --ugggggggggggggghhhh--this subject angers me to death. I just don't understand what the dang purpose of it is. Please tell me. All dogs are such companions. Doesn't take much to make them happy and they so love us and are such good listeners. If I was closer I'd go over to that house and kidnap that dog. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Sorry but this post really does anger me alot.

:swear: I so want to tell someone off!

well, those of you who reside near...you know where the puppy sleeps at night. icon_whistling
Okay, Just kidding...sort of.

cosmic81 said:

Perhaps you can give them a book to read as a " puppy shower" gift?

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A good idea I might try that, I could just say I had it at home and thought she might like it.

linderbelle said:

If I was closer I'd go over to that house and kidnap that dog. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Sorry but this post really does anger me alot.

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Don't be sorry! I said the same thing to my family when I came home from work.

brotymo;300467 well said:

I really feel like doing that!

Thanks for all your replies, I knew people on here would understand,I feel so helpless though. As I settled mine down in their cosy baskets with faux fur throws to lie on I felt so sad for the poor little thing and couldn't sleep for ages.

Years ago I had a jack russell who slept in an outside shed and he loved to go out to bed and would let us know when it was time,but, he spent every waking moment of the day in the house with us or outside only when we were out too, and he cuddled on my knee at night and as he started to doze would then nudge me and go to the back door to be taken outside to the shed for bed. We spent many a rainy or cold day cuddled up together on the sofa but he still would not sleep in at night, we tried it!

At least he got some human company,he's gone now and I still miss him.

This poor little thing seems to have no company at all or cuddles

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diddy said:

I think some people who sell their pups tend to panic, and not grill prospective purchasers enough. Years ago I made mine come to play with their pup at least one a week, with a "You're welcome any time you want to come and play". That way when the pups left, I was certain they were going to good homes, and they all kept in touch.

I was trawling thru a Cav site the other day when one breeeder was asking "Do you think it would be a good idea if we got in touch with the pups new owners at least once a year?"

Is it just me who keeps in touch??

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My breeder keeps in touch with every single person she sells a puppy to. Some more then others. My first Cavalier Rosie was supposed to go to a family with a child but when she done a home check she didn’t like what she saw. I had all my three cavaliers of her and we actually become good friends, go dog training together etc. I know if there is a problem I can ring her day or night.

With all due respect, is it really appropriate to grill an 11 year old child? You don't know what is going on in the house. If you are concerned, you should speak to her parents.

LizzieM said:

With all due respect, is it really appropriate to grill an 11 year old child? You don't know what is going on in the house. If you are concerned, you should speak to her parents.

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I didn't exactly 'grill' her. I said 'almost grilled' and I was just using the term to describe that I got as much info about the dog without sounding like I was worried,and I did it in an enquiring way without sounding like I was annoyed. I did tell her that a cavalier is not an outdoor dog.I chatted to her and another group of children about dogs in general

I did find it hard to seem not too shocked.

As for not knowing what is going on in the house. I was origanally enquiring about two puppies of a different breed they bought last july. To find that they had given them away as they were 'fighting' with each other

These people are obviously not dog people and just bought the dog to please the children. When the novelty wears off I am sure this dog will be given away also.

I do understand your concern but as it was the child who told me about it, I could only find out what I could from her and advise. I am not in a position to approach the parents and my job would not allow it.

I make no apologies for being concerned about the dog.


Sorry if you are offened by this

I adopted a dog @ 2 1/2 who was adopted by a family with 2 little girls who wanted a cute dog. The bought him at Petland and he then had to stay his entire life in a cage in the kitchen in an 11,000 sq ft house. the girls soon tired of him, so he was left to himself in the cage until they gave him up because they could not train him. His papers say his was sedated from 12 weeks on by vets because of what the owners told them about unsociable and untrainable he was. When he went it was in the cats litter box, they had run of the house. That sounded like a great dog if he could be trained to use a litter box! Anyway he is safe and happy now and they have no dog. I just hope these people don't take as long to tire of him and give him up right away.:xfngr:

Jane Mom to Alex

I'm sorry you have this to worry over. I would have quizzed her too. I don't know how many times I can read such stories I worry sick. I only hope you manage to educate the child and this gets passed onto the parents. Is there no way you could find out her address and post them an anonymous letter or report it to the authorities?

I listened to next doors dog barking to come in from the back garden for about 30mins this evening in the bitter cold. It's so frustrating.

Hi Pippa

From what I can see your interest was solely the health and wellfare of that little dog you gave me no impression you where grilling the child ,theres a lot of things in life we gently have to ask questions about if we ignored things and continually turned away the world would be a darker place.

Hi Im as annoyed and worried as you are How could anyone leave a little puppy cav outside all day in this weather How is she to be trained if she's outside all the time,she's obviously going to go toilet anywhere in the back yard,whenever she likes and wherever she likes so how could she even be allowed in the house if no-one is there to train her whether its indoors or outdoors.they must think they have a self training dog.I feel so worried about Alex if Im away at work longer than I expect and I cant wait to come home to him to give him some love and attention,I cant even imagine what the little baby is thinking and feeling Maybe you should try get talking to the childs parents when they collect her and give them some advice and general chit-chat about cavaliers,that way youre being helpful,interested,they might become interested too if they know more about the breed rather than being just a "dog".They might not be clued in as they say.Dont let your feelings get in the way of your work though,at times you have to bite your lip to disguise your anger.

Update

Well, my talking to the child did some good. I spoke to her yesterday to ask how puppy is doing and she told me they now take her into the house in the evening when they come home.

They play with her in the kitchen and then go to the livingroom for cuddles until bedtime.

They also now leave the garage open so she can go into bed during the day when they are out. She still sleeps in there at night by the boiler/warm pipes.

Still not ideal but a lot better than things were. Glad I said something now and so pleased that she told her parents and they took at least some of my advice

Hi pippa

Well done your quiet intervention warmed a puppies heart.

Lets hope things keep getting better for this little baby

Well done Pippa. Hopefully she will get to spend more and more time inside. I cant understand how people can leave the poor things outside