It's obvious I've never taken care of a dog before...

How long can a dog go without... going?

I'm pet-sitting for someone in their apartment. It just so happens that the management of the apartment complex is doing inspection and maintenaince today, which is making loud noises in the surrounding apartments. Every time I try to walk this dog, she gets scared off by a loud noise outside and runs back inside without doing her business. If I'm trying to avoid having her have an accident inside the house, should I be worried? The loud noises she's scared by won't stop until 5 PM, and she hasn't gone since around 6 or 7 PM yesterday.

 

The best way to get it to do it's business is to give it paperwork.

 

It might ruin the rug at that rate, depends on how well its trained to NOT go indoors.

 

I keep trying every hour or so, putting on the leash, opening the door, trying to gently lead her outside (I wouldn't ever tug on the leash enough to hurt her. I know better.), and she just looks at me like "Nope. It's scary out there. I think I'll just go lie back down."

I think she's pretty well trained. This family has had this dog for as long as I've known them, which has been about... 3 years? Yeah. And until now, every time I've taken her out, she goes straight over to the grassy area, sniffs around the area for a few minutes, picks a spot, goes, and then heads back inside. I am then left with the quite unpleasant duty of cleaning it up, but at least it's outside.

She doesn't really seem antsy or anything. I'm wondering if maybe she just doesn't have to go. I mean, she's hardly touched her food all weekend...

Actually, maybe I should be worried. I'll tell the family when they get home tonight around 7 PM.

 

Dogs are den animals, they can stay in a den and not go do there business for good while if need be. If the dog is well trained, then she won't go in the house because she knows better. I would keep trying though the rest of the night until she goes.

 

So I'm sitting here, on the couch, watching Persona 4: The Animation on my sparkly laptop, and suddenly, I see the dog get up from her bed and walk over towards the door. "This is it! She's finally ready to go!" I said to myself as I frantically started putting my shoes back on. I grabbed the leash, and she put her head down to let me connect it to her collar. I opened the door, and she walked out to the grassy area. She sniffed around for a minute, sat down... and peed. Then she turned around and went back inside.

Not sure if I should be excited or disappointed that she didn't go poop.

EDIT: Family's home. Apparently the dog was just being a butt. She does this all the time, I guess.

 

Another crisis averted.​