I'm going to club my MIL round the head with a raw meaty bone. Cos she's a knob.

[Inthepotty]

Right! Excuse the outraged tone of this thread.... My ILs live in the arse end of no where, so are visiting for Xmas. What fun! They arrived yesterday. Both are dog lovers who have 4 of thier own (they haven't brought them- staying on a friends farm for the holidays).

Upon arrival, they encouraged my 4month pup to jump all over them, all over my sofas, winding him up into a hyper, MOUTHING , panting frenzy. I was trying to fetch drinks, keep pup calm and watch 4DCs. They then sat down for drinks and kept shouting at my pup to sit, so get off, etc. Usually he had fantastic manners and will always wait to be fussed. He hasn't mouthed anyone for weeks. They then went on to tell me I haven't trained him, he's wild and really bouncy. He's not, he's mega chilled for a young LAB X!! Oh, and in case you're all wondering, crates are really cruel, RAW bones are really really bad for dogs, and I'm wrong to let him jump on the sofa, it makes him dominant. Aghhhhhh! I don't let him up on the sofa, (no room!!) they bloody well dragged him up!!! And it won't make him anything except comfy!! My DH reckons that it's only a few days, it won't do any harm, I should just keep quiet, blah blah bloody blah. A friend came round today and pup went mad again, jumping all over sofa, nipping her hands... I'm bloody raving! And dreading Xmas day when they're coming back with my DB and his 3 kids. My head is about to explode.

[ChickensThinkYouCanGetStuffed]

Gah. I feel your pain. Our pup is generally quite well mannered now, but has limited impulse control. So if someone gets him excited, it's wall of death and and chewing the sofa cushions ahoy.

[feesh]

This is why we put our (at the time) 4 month old pup in kennels when my dad came to visit in May. She was none the worse for it - in fact it helped her confidence develop and we had a lovely relaxing week for it. And because she went into kennels so young, I think it's a reason why she is quite happy to go there now she's older. I can definitely recommend it if you want a stress free Xmas!

[Jaynerae]

My beagle will whine all Christmas day because she will smell the turkey cooking. We investigated kennels but they charge double Christmas day and boxing day and are closed both those days so we would have to drop her of Christmas eve and pick her up on 27th, which we just can't afford.

My mum is abroad. We are having in laws Christmas day and fil has liver cancer, he won't be able to cope with beagle she is too bouncy for him.
We have no alternative but to take her crate and her to my mums and leave her in the crate in mums kitchen. We will give her good off lead run first and when we collect her. Christmas day would be hell with her at home.

Sad, but true.

[musicposy]

Bit of a waste of a raw meaty bone

I feel your pain! My bro's fiancee whenever she comes in runs to our 18 month old dog and goes "Poppy, Poppy, Poppy!" encouranging dog to leap all over her. Then she gets Poppy's fur and rubs it all up and down her tummy - up and down, up and down, going "Poppy, Poppy, Poppy!!", until dog looks like she's been plugged into an electric socket.

Then DBroFiancee decides to sit down and have peace and quiet. But of course, by this time, Poppy is all riled up and leaping around like a mad thing. At which point DBFiancee says "That dog is so undisciplined, it's about time you trained her properly."


GRRRRRRRRR!

So you have my utmost sympathy. Can you pre-empt them by asking them to leave the dog alone before they even get in the door? It's a vain hope and one I haven't totally cracked myself yet!

[Inthepotty]

Tried that yesterday! They didn't quite wind him up to such horrendous excitement, but he was still throwing himself up all over them. Do think it showed what I was on about when he jumps at my DN who came with them, knocked her right over. See I can barely form a coherent sentence I'm so fucked off with them.

[louby86]

I feel your pain! We've been working really hard to train our 5 month old puppy and my Aunty and my in laws drive me mad! My Aunty waggled her scarf in his face to encourage him to bite it, my in laws pick him up and put him on the sofa whilst putting their hands in his mouth to get him to nibble on them and then say we've got our work cut out and it'll be hard work when we have our baby! Puppy had to stay with them when we'd not had him that long so we could go to a christening, he had a runny tummy the next day because they gave him a cup of tea and some roast dinner even though we told them not to give him anything other than his own food! I know they mean well at heart but it's just so frustrating!

[Elibean]

they sound infuriating - I have had similar battles, but only with my 5 and 8 year olds (and only until they got jumped up on!).

Does your pup have a crate? I would crate with a kong/treat until everyone (ie ILs) have calmed down, on arrival....and extract promises of good behaviour before letting pup out