Canine conundrum

April 15, 2021 10:43 AM

My neighbor relies on me to help him take his dog outside for walks but I'll be moving away soon. How can I be of help to him after I leave?

I have a neighbor, an elderly mentally disabled man, who inherited a large friendly dog and has been caring for it for a number of years. My neighbor has gradually become too weak to control the dog when coming down the stairs of the stoop of our apartment building, so every evening I help my neighbor take his dog down these stairs. And I understand other people do the same for him in the morning. (I'm certain, though, the poor dog does not get outside often enough.)

I'm moving away soon and won't be able to help my neighbor anymore. In the near term he'll be able to make do - he's able to find someone else to help on evenings I'm not available.

What can I do to help him find a more dependable long-term solution?

It will be difficult to establish, whatever form it takes - my neighbor dislikes change and is easily, frequently distracted. He is consistently (but harmlessly) grumpy.

Could a dog walker help...? I don't know anything about dog walkers. I know my neighbor will resist the idea of someone else walking his dog for him. Is there some simple solution that I'm not thinking of? I do not believe my neighbor has a lot of money.

We're located in lower Manhattan.

Thanks!

posted by mf_ss to Pets & Animals (9 answers total)

PAWS NY might be able to help directly or know of some resources in your neighborhood. This is right in their wheelhouse.
posted by tchemgrrl at 10:53 AM on April 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

Maybe a few sessions with a trainer could convince the dog to descend the stairs a little more gently.
posted by InkaLomax at 11:00 AM on April 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

A dog Walker could do nothing but get the dog downstairs.
posted by HotToddy at 11:01 AM on April 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

You could talk to other neighbors around and see if any could help him. He'd probably not do that step himself, because of the hassle. But if you had them approach him in the evening, he couldn't say no!
posted by bbqturtle at 11:17 AM on April 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

Instead of a dog walker per se, he might possibly be amenable to having someone come over to keep him company for an hour or two during which they could also walk the dog. Are there any organizations in your area that arrange for volunteer visits?

If that's not an option, maybe a local teen or other neighbor could accompany him and his dog on the walks, rather than replace him?
posted by trig at 11:24 AM on April 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

I was going to suggest PAWS NY as well. They have volunteers who walk dogs for pet owners who are unable to do it themselves because of illness and so on.
posted by holborne at 12:04 PM on April 15, 2021 [4 favorites]

Contact the nearest animal shelter and ask them to help you find pet-loving volunteers who will help. Look for volunteers on nextdoor.com. i think it would require establish a small email group of people committed to helping.
posted by theora55 at 12:15 PM on April 15, 2021

Would a no-pull leash setup help your neighbor control his dog better if nothing else happens? The Gentle Leader is very effective for most dogs; when they pull, it turns them back towards the human end of the leash. Most dogs kind of hate it to start (treats help! a lot! good ones like little bits of cheese or hot dogs) but get used to it eventually. It has been a gamechanger for a lot of big dogs in my life.
posted by charmedimsure at 4:12 PM on April 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions. I've ordered a Gentle Leader and I've emailed PAWS NY (but, from the website: NOTE: Due to COVID-19, we are unable to onboard new clients at this time). Next I'll contact a dog walker and see what they suggest.
posted by mf_ss at 7:04 AM on April 16, 2021