<p>I wish I was in the SF area, puzzled…</p>
<p>Puzzled if you live on the Peninsula or South Bay I can refer you to a wonderful dog walker who also boards dogs at her house. She took excellent care of our elderly dog who had chronic heart failure. The dog needed 5 medications in different doses once or twice a day, and couldn’t be taken on long walks with the rest of the doggie gang.</p>
<p>Sigh. Lots of rainstorms tonight. Fireworks were cancelled. Dog wouldnt set foot outside in the rain. She peed on the carpet :(</p>
<p>My DD worked as a dog sitter for a service when she was in grad school, she was paid $46 for an overnight which included one walk, the client paid more to the service. I think she got about $15/hr plus travel to far away spots, but for a 15-30 minute midday walk, it was hardly worth it.</p>
<p>I think each dog is different, our prior dog was kenneled a couple of times and ended up a pathetic whimpering skinny mess after each trip, then we had a dog sitter who with wonderful results. Some personalities can handle that and some cannot. I always felt better knowing he was happy. He spent so much time, day in & day out, with my DH, due to a home office situation, that it was tough for him to adapt to that change of being left in a kennel.</p>
<p>We are going to have to plan ahead for our new little guy as we will have a family trip either next year or the year after and he will have to be left behind. Hmmm, I will have to start working on a plan to acclimate him to being left without us.</p>
<p>Wow, I am never complaining about the price of a boarding kennel again. We pay $15 a day and can drop the dog off anytime and pick him up anytime. Neighbor kid feeds the cat and waters the plants and brings in the mail for $5 a day.</p>
<p>Onward, that $15/hr was for midday visits and capped at 3 hours for the overnights.</p>
<p>Is there a house available near you jym? 
We have 3 pets. But seriously, you sound like a great friend to take such care for a friend’s pet. </p>
<p>Our lab did not like staying over at other people’s houses, and after a while, it seemed like she preferred the kennel. They have exercise, walks, cots. Finally, she got too ill to board there. She lived to 16, so we had her for a good long time.</p>
<p>No one would keep our dog in their house. He’s like a small horse.</p>
<p>Somemom, I thought your dd’s rates were reasonable. I was more shocked at kennels charging $40 a night. You could stay at Motel 6 for that!</p>
<p>anothermom2-
There’s a house for sale diagonally across the street :)</p>
<p>Took her to the kennel at 7:15 this morning. She much preferred to sleep on the cool tile floor in the bathroom but begrudgingly came along… Will pick her up Friday. Hopefully the carpet will stop smelling by then.</p>
<p>Jym, get some Nature’s Miracle and generously soak the spot where the doggie peed. This stuff will take care of the urine smell.</p>
<p>I think we have some of that stil in the back of the cabinet. We have so far used some other pet odor eliminators, but will move on up to the Natures Miracle when I get home.
Did I hear it is your birthday, BB?</p>
<p>Update:</p>
<p>Got a call from the doggie owner re: picking her up tomorrow. She asked how everything went. I decided to tell her about 2 of the 3 accidents the dog had (and yes, we took her out 3X/day.) The biggest issue, though , was not that-- it was that younger s stopped by yesterday and had a horrible allergic reaction to the dog. Couldnt stop sneezing and was horribly congested (and quite miserable) the whole time he was here. So I think our doggy sitting days are over, at least when DS is around…</p>
<p>Oh, and I looked more closedly at the catalog and coupon book she brought over (from the store she works in) the day she dropped the dog off . The coupons had expired.</p>
<p>Saw this thread was revitalized; so glad it wasn’t to report the dog’s demise.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is one of those stores that ignores expiry dates? ;)</p>
<p>well, too late to check, somemom-- they went in the trash a few hours ago.</p>
<p>You’re a wayyyy better friend than I am Jym.</p>
<p>repeat after me, “gosh, I wish I could, but I already have a commitment. Thanks for thinking of me, though. I gotta run. Let’s catch up soon.”</p>
<p>jym, sorry I did not reply to your post - the plane went up in the air. Has your son recovered? Does the carpet still smell? You are a saint for dealing with your friend’s dog. A saint!!!</p>
<p>LOL poetgrl- I think they got the message, especially when I told them about my s’s allergic reaction. I do enjoy having a dog around (she is right here by my side) but this time was a bit above the call of “duty” (no pun intended). I will practice the mantra. I usually have no trouble saying “no”.</p>
<p>BB- the smell is better, but there is still the slight aroma downstairs. I did pull out the Natures Miracle-- we had a gallon of the stuff!!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oh, I know! I read this thread with growing horror, thinking, if this is happening to Jym, it could happen to us all. :eek: </p>
<p>I was thinking, she knew at the start. there was that nagging little feeling, the “this is gonna be more than I bargained for,” feeling, and yet…it was too late. I hate it when that happens.</p>