Can I do this? Is this mean?

[~Jayne~]

Thanks so much guys, I feel so much better now & I forgot to mention that the playpen is on the grass, but under the eave of the house, so it's in sun & shade. I can move it around accordingly, but I didn't fancy hosing doggy-do's off the paving either!

Well he arrives tomorrow night & I'm soooooooo excited. I just put the mat down in the back of the wagon for him & I got him a car harness thingy so he doesn't trip over or jump over the seats while I'm driving & land on the girls or anything.

I may sound a bit OCD, but I really, really, really want to get this 'right'!

I'll let you know how beautiful he is when he gets here, but his pictures tell me he is a total spunk rat! The girl doggies at puppy school will have to be chased away!

Jayne

PS _ YES! I'm starting to think SIL was just being a SIL

[Smoke Jaguar]

I think she may have been making things up - I had never come across this sort of RSPCA guideline (and it's certainly not a law!) when I was more actively volunteering there and reading through their literature (guidelines on treatment of dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, ducks, chickens...you name it!!).
If you're doing everything else with the dog, it shouldn't give the dog enough time to realise that destruction is a good way to alleviate boredom! And a dog that isn't resented by its owners is going to live a very happy life

[christy]

Jayne you can tell her that you know someone who has studied dog training and works as a vet nurse, who says "confining a puppy is all good"

In face, what do you think they do at the RSPCA? Do all the dogs roam around? They are in small enclosures and are walked 4 times a day. For 15 minutes at a time.... they are not in big yards or handled much at all.

[Smoke Jaguar]

In face, what do you think they do at the RSPCA? Do all the dogs roam around? They are in small enclosures and are walked 4 times a day.

That's what I meant to include in my post! I guess I had late night brain fade I've cleaned enclosures and they are NOT backyard size, even by high-density housing standards!

[paycyn]

I am a vet nurse (live in NZ but trained on OZ) and it is by no way wrong to do this it is perfectly fine! Ignore your SIL I would say it is very responsible to keep her confined till she is older as puppies get into everything all the time esp border collies. We have a pug puppy and she is still locked away in the laundry at night at 4 months old. At least I know where she is and that she ownt chew anything and end up poisoned etc.

Sounds like you are going to be great responsible owners

[YoYo]

One more thing my mum reminded me of, and I'll use my sister's Weimaraner as an example....My sister took her dog with her everywhere, and when it came to the crunch of being left alone, she didn't know how to be left alone IYKWIM? She wasn't taught to be left for long periods (or even shortish periods) because she went everywhere with her (this dog also destroyed all the retic in the garden and did managed to escape her LOCKED crate). So it's important to not only take your dog with you, but also to teach it that it can be left alone. Good luck, I'd love to see photos!

[NaeNae]

How exciting - is today Doggie Day????

Just wanted to pop in and say that I think your SIL needs to just keep ill informed opinions to herself. It amazes me how small some peoples minds are when it comes to keeping animals.

FWIW - our dogs are tethered all day when we are not home. They have their kennels, fresh water and food or bones but we live on a farm in a rural area and do not have enclosed yards this is the only way we can have them.

As a city chick I always thought this was very mean, until I moved here and know that a bad decision to let the dogs off unsupervised can result very quickly in not having a beloved pet with us anymore.

Best of luck hun, as a BC owner they really are wonderful wonderful dogs, highly intelligent, good herding instincts and can be very protective. They also are great jumpers so if your keen endurance training things ( you know where they do those circuit things) are great. Ours just loves jumping up onto the hay bails and into the water troughs .

Nae x x

[helle]

One more thing my mum reminded me of, and I'll use my sister's Weimaraner as an example....My sister took her dog with her everywhere, and when it came to the crunch of being left alone, she didn't know how to be left alone IYKWIM? She wasn't taught to be left for long periods (or even shortish periods) because she went everywhere with her (this dog also destroyed all the retic in the garden and did managed to escape her LOCKED crate). So it's important to not only take your dog with you, but also to teach it that it can be left alone. Good luck, I'd love to see photos!

:yeahthat:

My aunty has a ****aspanual (sp?) that she treats like a baby, and, well yeah... she's ruined him. He's so evil!
Irgnore your SIL, I think you have quite a good little set up for your new family member! and in no way would the RSPCA come down on you. If the area is clean, pup has water and food when it's needed then there is no reason, and they're wasting there time (and yours)

And good on you for thinking ahead!!