Dog-sitting issue

[PotterWatch]

I am hoping to get some opinions on this issue. My friend watched our two dogs this weekend (from Thursday until Monday afternoon). I know that our dogs tend to rip up stuffed dog toys or regular stuffed animals if they are left laying around. I told my friend, who has a dog that loves stuffed animals but never chews them up, that my dogs would rip apart any stuffed animals that were left where they could get them. To get around the toy issue, I told her I would bring several toys from our house for the dogs to play with so that she could put her dog toys away to keep them from being destroyed. I brought over about seven or eight toys from squeaky toys to animals that are made without stuffing.

When I picked the dogs up today she told me that they had ripped up a dog bed that she had put outside for them. I was surprised at that since they haven't ripped up the ones we have at home, but I told her I would buy a new one, no problem. She also said that her dog really missed having stuffed toys to carry around and kept getting them out from where she (my friend) had put them. She said that they all got ripped up. I said "Oh, that's too bad", but didn't offer to replace them. I did not take any of our toys back with us either, so really I already gave her seven or eight toys though they weren't the stuffed kind her dog really likes.

Is it reasonable for me to replace the dog bed but not the toys since I had made it very clear that if they were out they would get destroyed and also took steps to avoid it by providing toys?

 

[ChickenDreamer]

If this situation occurred as you described, then I agree with you and think your obligation ends with the dog bed. Although really, you did not request her to provide the bed, it would be courteous to replace it. I see no need to compensate for the toys.

 

[HobokenChickenEmergency]

How good of a friend is she? Would she cut you loose over a few dog toys? Because if yes, I would buy her some just to keep the peace. Unless of course it's a money issue. Then I would just buy the dog bed and forget about it.

Hope this helps!

 

[saddina]

Hmm, unless they're dog toys from tiffiany's I would offer to replace them. Having a willing dog sitter is worth buying a few $5 petco plushies.

 

[PotterWatch]

She is a very good friend and didn't really seem too upset over the toys though I did think she was fishing a bit to see if I would replace them. We are definitely strapped for cash right now so the dog bed is about all I can really afford to replace, but I wanted to see what others would do in my place. Thanks for the opinions!

 

[PotterWatch]

Quote:
Well, they weren't just little petco toys though. They were regular stuffed animals like you would buy for a kid. Probably $5-15 each.

 

[saddina]

Maybe pick up a new toy from petco for the plushie loving pooch, you know for being such a good sport about having doggy company? (that way it's not an even trade per se, but shows you aren't just blowing off the thing either)?

 

[hoosier]

Around here, you can usually find some new looking stuffed animals at yard/garage sales for $.25-$1.

One of the dogs we are currently watching got loose and nearly killed Paxo. He is oven-ready on the back quarter of his body.

 

[pokey]

we have three dogs: one good as gold, one dumb as a rock and one devil dog. if i dogsat for someone and was forwarned about behavior i would not place anything they would destroy out. that's an invitation, and i would consider the bed "my mistake".so i think what you are willing to replace would be a act of kindness for her mistake after being warned.

 

[danielle82]

If it were me, I would replace a couple of them if she had done the doggy for free. If you paid her, I wouldn't buy the toys since you are already buying a new doggy bed. If she did it free of charge, I would replace some of the toys, just so she didn't feel like she was on the losing end of that deal.