What is pissing you off this time?

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

That begs the question, why don't you get your own?

Unfortunately, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to give a dog the required exercise as there is a limit to how long I can leave Dad on his own.

His balance is poor and his mobility even worse so he uses a three wheeled walker to get about the house.

My worry would be that he'd have a fall or get himself into some other sort of trouble while I was out with Fido.

It's for that reason that I make an early start to the weekly grocery shop.

If I leave the house at about 0730 I can be back about 0930.

The wedge of newspapers that he has usually keeps him occupied for the couple of hours I'm out, but once he has finished those all bets are off!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

Unfortunately, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to give a dog the required exercise as there is a limit to how long I can leave Dad on his own.

Boing Boing - excuse level weak

My worry would be that he'd have a fall or get himself into some other sort of trouble while I was out with Fido.

What kind of trouble that couldn't wait 20 minutes till you get back, and if by some strange reason he did that, he'd sure as hell learn to not pull that shit until you got back. Respect is a two way street.

It's for that reason that I make an early start to the weekly grocery shop. If I leave the house at about 0730 I can be back about 0930.

Two hours? Your old ass couldn't keep up with a pup for two hours, it doesn't take that long to give them a good workout. You could also sit on the back step and throw a ball for 10 minutes without disrupting the household routine, and still make a pup want to rest.

The wedge of newspapers that he has usually keeps him occupied for the couple of hours I'm out, but once he has finished those all bets are off!

See respect above.



I will admit there is a danger of Dad usurping ownership and telling you to get your own dog.
C'mon Man, you're overthinking this, lead with your heart.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

… What kind of trouble that couldn't wait 20 minutes till you get back, and if by some strange reason he did that, he'd sure as hell learn to not pull that shit until you got back. ...

At that age, a fall resulting in a hip fracture. Complications, like travelling blood clots, from the injury or corrective surgery and the myriad of complications from the resulting immobility can make a hip fracture a death sentence. Statistics set the chance of dying within twelve months of a hip fracture from 1 in 5 to 1 in 3 with about 1 in 4 dying within six months.

An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure: it's worth a life. Not to mention that when a person can no longer remember the mistakes they've recently made (short term memory is the first thing to go), they can't learn from them. The deterrence provided by him knowing he's under constant watch is the most effective prevention.

The power of now is strong in Carruthers. There'll be time for a dog in his life later. He doesn't need Dad tripping over one now.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I got the impression Carruthers wanted to be there in case it did happen, rather than Trying to prevent any possibility. Were that the case he could never go outside the house, not even to fetch the mail, or photograph a crooked tree.
However, he's a grown man and has to make his own decisions.

[monster]

I had a beer rebate worth $48-60 and left it to the last minute. But got the last minute wrong by 3 days so despite trying to submit 24 hours ahead of schedule, I'm 48 hours too late. Dumb. I could have done it at least 10 days ago but didn't. I suck

[monster]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Boing Boing - excuse level weak

What kind of trouble that couldn't wait 20 minutes till you get back, and if by some strange reason he did that, he'd sure as hell learn to not pull that shit until you got back. Respect is a two way street.

Head injury from a fall. Any bleeding injury from a fall. punctured lung from a fall..... Carruthers can be pretty sure his dad is ok while he grocery shops, because dad is sitting reading the morning papers. After that, all bets are off.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by monster

Head injury from a fall. Any bleeding injury from a fall. punctured lung from a fall..... Carruthers can be pretty sure his dad is ok while he grocery shops, because dad is sitting reading the morning papers. After that, all bets are off.

Yep. That's what got Pete's step-Dad. Carruthers has a lot on his plate. Pete's step-Dad had his mood supported by a new dog but whether or not said dog tripped him in his night wanderings is up for debate.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by monster

Head injury from a fall. Any bleeding injury from a fall. punctured lung from a fall..... Carruthers can be pretty sure his dad is ok while he grocery shops, because dad is sitting reading the morning papers. After that, all bets are off.

Originally Posted by Griff

Yep. That's what got Pete's step-Dad. Carruthers has a lot on his plate. Pete's step-Dad had his mood supported by a new dog but whether or not said dog tripped him in his night wanderings is up for debate.

It might be worth relating the following.

When Dad gets changed, or needs somewhere convenient to sort out his post, he'll perch on the edge of the bed.

Using his walker, he reverses up to the bed and attempts to sit on it.

His generally frail state means that he can't lower himself in an ordered way and makes what can best be described as a 'gravity assisted arrival'.

On a number of occasions he has misjudged matters, landed on the edge of the bed and slid to the floor. I think on one occasion he might even have missed the bed altogether..

Luckily, he has only bruised his dignity but getting him upright again has presented something of a challenge.

On one occasion I was in the shower so it took a couple of minutes between the alarm being raised and 'rescue efforts ' getting under way.

I just can't run the risk of him having a fall and being half an hour or more away.