Since you are only watching him for a week I would not plan on making any changes. Snoopy is going to be quite upset being out of his regular surroundings. He is marking because he is not neutered. He can't help it. He has to do it because of the male hormone that drives the male dog.
Your main goal should be to make Snoopy as happy and comfortable as possible while he is away from his home. It is bad that he is being fed human junk food. It will rot his teeth and cause him to refuse the nutrition he needs to get from his dog food. Of course this also is not the dog's fault.
Since he has been kept inside most of the time and pampered quite a bit he is going to be one very frightened little dog. Please don't expose him to any new experiences as it could very well overwhelm him. If his owner decides she wants to start training the dog and teaching him things that is something that should be addressed when she gets home.
I can certainly understand Snoopy being afraid of your rather large dog. He has certainly never been exposed to such a large dog and it will take time for him to adjust.
He should not have his food changed while you care for him. All changes ind diet should be done gradually to avoid stomach upset and diarrhea. You certainly do not want to take that on while he is already upset during this time away from home.
As far as grooming goes. Just use whatever his owner uses to comb him daily. He should not require more than that.
Yes, small dogs that stay mostly inside and have not been socialized do behave differently than other dogs. As I said it is not his fault, it is the way he has been raised. He is already 2 years old so any behavior changes are going to have to be addressed slowly by the person he trusts.
I hope all goes well for you and Snoopy. I expect he is going to be quite uncomfortable with you and your dog so please be patient with him. He has lived a sheltered life and the way he acts has everything to do with his people and his environment and has little to do with the kind of dog he is. |