Bringing a dog in to live with my mum - will it be alright?

[Chinoise]

I'm bringing my staffy cross dog home to live with me and my mum who was diagnosed in Oct 16.
I'm getting him neutered next week as she has complained that he jumps on her and I am concerned about leaving them together when I'm at the gym/shops or even at work if I get a job.
It could go really well with them being great company for each other (he's quite old at about 12 yrs old) or badly and it upset my mum and I may even have to move out with him, leaving her on her own.
Does anybody have any advice please?
Thank you

 

[Spamar]

From reading, a lot of people with dementia feed dogs with their own food, rather than dog food! This can be dangerous, chocolate, grapes for instance. The dog can put on weight, not good.

 

[northumbrian_k]

It can be a mixed bag. Our greyhound has been great for my wife as it gives her a focus beyond her dementia, is a brilliant excuse to get out of the house to do some exercise and returns lots of love. But sometimes the intensity of her feelings, mixed with dementia-driven delusions can cause some problems. She worries a lot about the dog's health, suggesting taking him to the vet when he is not ill. She worries about a mysterious dog-nabber, seen only by her, who is biding his time watching us before breaking in to steal the dog. She feels a need to feed him tinned fish (or dental sticks) but can't remember how many she has already given him. This has effectively stopped me from leaving him alone with her for even a few minutes. Latterly, despite clearly loving him and getting great comfort from his presence, she has started to become impatient and cross when he sniffs around outside prior to doing his business and this is affecting the benefit of our walks. Dogs and dementia can go together but supervision is needed. One needs to be aware of changes that may occur which may make a suitable situation rather less comfortable.

 

[northumbrian_k]

From reading, a lot of people with dementia feed dogs with their own food, rather than dog food! This can be dangerous, chocolate, grapes for instance. The dog can put on weight, not good.

Poisonous and possibly life-threatening too.

 

[Tin]

Definitely a mixed bag, the obsession a dementia sufferer can have for a pet can get intense. My advice is not to leave your mum alone with the dog make sure you have an area/room that the dog can go to when you are out.

My mother and her little dog have lived with me for 3 years, I have had many problems with this 'relationship' My mother just cannot understand when it is time to step back and leave the dog alone, she is always worrying that other people want to take her away and still she tries to give dog inappropriate food, only yesterday I caught her putting a piece of Lemon tart on the floor, fortunately the dog did not touch it. Mum transfers all her woes and worries onto the dog. With all of this the dog is still a great deal of comfort for mum.

 

[Chinoise]

Oh dear this is a worry as I do need to go to the gym a few nights a week. Maybe I will leave him in my room at these times, and definitely find him a doggy day care place if I find a job.

Thanks all x

 

[Tin]

Oh dear this is a worry as I do need to go to the gym a few nights a week. Maybe I will leave him in my room at these times, and definitely find him a doggy day care place if I find a job.

Thanks all x

Definitely put him in your room when out with door firmly closed, if he is quiet your mum will probably not be aware that he is there.

Don't despair, It is possible as long as you are organised it will work. My mum's Dementia is quite advanced, she can no longer be left alone, not even for 10 minutes and she no longer knows how to look after her dog, that is now my job. Maybe the difference is that it was her dog and in the early days before diagnosis, it was just the two of them and it became her baby, but when they came to live with me there were already signs of neglect for the dog, wrong food, no walks, neighbours noticing that when she did let the dog out it was by the front door and no garden gate!

 

[Chinoise]

Definitely put him in your room when out with door firmly closed, if he is quiet your mum will probably not be aware that he is there.

Don't despair, It is possible as long as you are organised it will work. My mum's Dementia is quite advanced, she can no longer be left alone, not even for 10 minutes and she no longer knows how to look after her dog, that is now my job. Maybe the difference is that it was her dog and in the early days before diagnosis, it was just the two of them and it became her baby, but when they came to live with me there were already signs of neglect for the dog, wrong food, no walks, neighbours noticing that when she did let the dog out it was by the front door and no garden gate!

Thank you, I'm really nervous, but with all of this crazy journey we're all on which includes dementia, we just have to take it as it comes. None of it can be fully prepared for as we don't know what's around the corner, but I do want the advice as I am worried.
Thank you

 

[Jimmychoo]

Our is fine

We moved in with my mum 5 yrs ago with our two dogs( mum always had dogs so is used to it)and the dogs sense everything and cuddle up and sit quietly with her all the time which she finds very comforting, our puppy 5 months now patterdale x sleeps next to her feet all the time and has always woken her with kisses on her bed, mum loves it when he wakes her( always supervised) and she smiles and laughs at his antics on the bed and they adore each other. Mum isn't left alone anymore but i was able to leave my two older dogs with her last year as I trusted them. She didn't feed them as didn't know where food was. I suppose it depends on the dog and the degree of Alz in each individual.