Balance in the house

[Shalista]

So my sister is working now and since I've been talking so much about feeling bad leaving Bax alone while I'm at clinic, she's started to worry about leaving Ki alone all day (he's usually crated i believe but he's not crate trained. she just shoves him in there). Ki has a kitty sibling and they both enjoy playing with each other (the cat regularly jumps Ki and probably has a good four pounds on him). Much like Bax he has his own "crate" room (her bedroom) where he feels safe. UNLIKE bax though he very much prefers to be up there and if all the doors in the house are open he'd probably just run right to his room and curl up there. he is also not even remotely close to being potty trained. On average he'll poop once or twice and pee at least three times while he's down stairs. Still, I feel bad for the lil guy being locked up there. he's rarely allowed downstairs for this reason, maybe once every couple weeks for an hour or two.

On the bax end of things, bax does get into peeing wars with ki so he's clearly stressed by his presence. I'm also concerned that the smell of kis urine coupled with his own marking will set him back as far as general potty training goes to. he's getting better with it but he's not 100%.

What i did today: i brought ki downstairs after giving him a bath. he's been peeing in his crate and he REEKED of urine. i closed the door to his room so the cat wouldn't get out. (Bax is a little TOO interested in this cat) him and bax had a bit of a play time before bax retired to his room to bask in front of the heater and ki sacked out on the couch. they didn't interact again. eventually i closed the door to bax's room and neither dog noticed or cared. I sat in bax's room with him and ki stayed out in the living room playing with a few toys (i could hear the squeaking. he's not allowed squeaky toys in his room upstairs cause it bothers my sister and he's OBSESSED with squeaky things.). Bax pottied twice in that short period of time while he was outside but as soon as he went into his room he was fine and snoozed away the day. Ki, oddly, only pooped once downstairs with no peeing at all.I took him out twice for a walk in about a three hour period and he was fine. the poop was immediately after his bath and he did it literally at my feet. i could have kicked hm while he was pooping he was that close. Neither dog baited each other at the door once it was closed altho they both got each other going barking at Strange Noises.

Given that i am off my CRAZY clinic schedual (yay) and back in school, bax and i usually do spend the day in our room with the door closed, would it be in Bax's and Ki's best interest to let Ki downstairs on days that I'm home?

Reasons it might be a good idea:
I pity Ki and i think he'd appreciate being able to run around and have some space to himself (not to mention all that sweet, sweet squeaking).

Reasons this might be a terrible idea:
I dont want to set back Bax's potty training
I dont want to stress bax out
i dont want to stress ki out (being separated from His room)

It unfortunate that ki is A) not potty trained and B) on the war path with bax, but he's also a member of this house and also a dog worthy of having a good life. Thoughts?

[Shalista]

*bump* anyone had time to give this a look yet?

[JudyN]

It's difficult to predict what would happen if you brought Ki downstairs (which is why I hadn't answered previously) and given Bax's progress & setbacks, it would be a shame to muck up his toilet training & stress levels.

It's a crying shame Ki has such a restricted life, but there's only so much you can do. And if you got Ki used to a more enriched life now, would it be worse for him when you're not able to give him the time again?

To give Ki a better quality of life without setting Bax back, I'd be thinking along the lines of spending one-to-one time with Ki but not giving him the opportunity to pee downstairs - can you play with him in his room, and give him squeaky toys in there when your sister is at work? Or take him for a walk - can you take them for a walk together?

[Shalista]

I dont think taking him on walks would work, he kind of shuts down when he goes out,(walks super slow, head down, tail down, no looking or sniffing around) i think that would be more stress inducing?

And I'm not really allowed up in her room either =(

oh well =( thx for your input. it was a good thought while it lasted....