Dog Owner Chat V. 5

[Gizmutt]

Ug. So this is my first time posting here - and I don't have a dog yet but ....

My brothers wife recently got a dog. It was not a good idea. I am not going to go into the 'nitty gritty', but a dog just isn't suitable for that family. (Or particularly my sister-in-law) They've had it all of two months, and they are already ready to place it in a new home. (Which in all honesty, is probably for the best) I am finally in a position, after about 9 years where it is a possibility for me to have a dog - and they are putting a lot of pressure on me to take it. To be completely honest however, I have absolutely no connection to this particular animal, and have never had any desire to own the breed that that dog is. The 'breeder' they got it from will not take it back. . I have told them I do not what the dog, but things are getting out of hand and pretty nasty. They even threatened to just let the dog out on the streets.
I use to work for a 'rescue' in the the area in which they live, and have some contacts. All of which are unable to take the dog at this time. My sister-in-law doesn't want to take it to the shelter because they do live in a high kill area. (Contradictory, I know - I am so unbelievably tired of this situation you have no idea.) I have provided ideas for them to re-home the dog such as trying to find a foster, or other rescue groups .. but they don't want to do any 'work/effort.' - does anyone have any options they can think of?

[Imzadi83]

Ug. So this is my first time posting here - and I don't have a dog yet but ....

My brothers wife recently got a dog. It was not a good idea. I am not going to go into the 'nitty gritty', but a dog just isn't suitable for that family. (Or particularly my sister-in-law) They've had it all of two months, and they are already ready to place it in a new home. (Which in all honesty, is probably for the best) I am finally in a position, after about 9 years where it is a possibility for me to have a dog - and they are putting a lot of pressure on me to take it. To be completely honest however, I have absolutely no connection to this particular animal, and have never had any desire to own the breed that that dog is. The 'breeder' they got it from will not take it back. . I have told them I do not what the dog, but things are getting out of hand and pretty nasty. They even threatened to just let the dog out on the streets.
I use to work for a 'rescue' in the the area in which they live, and have some contacts. All of which are unable to take the dog at this time. My sister-in-law doesn't want to take it to the shelter because they do live in a high kill area. (Contradictory, I know - I am so unbelievably tired of this situation you have no idea.) I have provided ideas for them to re-home the dog such as trying to find a foster, or other rescue groups .. but they don't want to do any 'work/effort.' - does anyone have any options they can think of?

Could you potentially foster it for awhile until a spot opened up in the rescue group? At the same time you could ask if they could help find it a home by putting up a courtesy post on Petfinder or whatever similar method(s) they use to find homes for their dogs. If the rescue groups are unable or unwilling to do that what about asking the same of the shelter?

Or if you are unable to handle fostering this dog could you offer to foster another that is a better fit for you so that it will open up a space to take this dog?

You could also reach out on e-mail and social media to try and find another rescue that will take the dog.

[Gizmutt]

* I forgot to add that I do not currently live in the area they do, so unfortunately fostering another dog from that area is not really a viable solution as much as I wish it were.- I have met the dog, I was just with them over x-mas break, which is how I know it really isn’t a right fit for me. Over time could I possibly form an attachment? Sure. But I would much rather start with a dog that I actually want.

They will be traveling to my area soon, and I have a sneaking suspicion they will be bringing the dog and just leaving it with me regardless of my preferences.

[Imzadi83]

* I forgot to add that I do not currently live in the area they do, so unfortunately fostering another dog from that area is not really a viable solution as much as I wish it were.

They will be traveling to my area soon, and I have a sneaking suspicion they will be bringing the dog and just leaving it with me regardless of my preferences.

Ah, I see, and ouch. In that case I'd get in touch with some rescues in your area then. You could do the same with the rescues in your area.

Also if the dog is purebred check out breed specific rescues as they may operate in a larger area, or even country wide. Besides obvious places also check out breed clubs as they may operate rescues as well.

[Wishful Thinking.]

(This is not really a rant, just an update since I haven't posted in a long time) (sorry it's pretty long)

My dog, Jasper, hates being groomed. Always has since he was a puppy and I don't think that'll ever change unfortunately. He also hates water so giving him a bath is also a pain. I give him treats and pet him and really, no amount of training is gonna make him like the experience and I've already accepted that grooming will always be difficult to go through with him.

I can't believe he's close to turning 9 soon! It doesn't seem like it's been almost 9 years since I got him! I've stopped training him on most things, he's pretty stuck on his ways and his behavior is just who he is and I'm fine with it. He is and has always been reactive to other dogs, he fears other dogs. I've tried working on him with this for years and tried many things and even tried working with a professional trainer and taking him to classes. Everytime I thought we made progress something would happen and undo everything (unleashed dogs have a habit of running up to us thanks to a lot of careless owners in the area). For the most part he doesn't have many encounters with dogs (mostly take him for runs at midnight and we go out during the day when most ppl are at work) and I feel like it's okay to let this behavior slide. He always wears a muzzle whenever I take him out and so there is really no danger of anything happening worth stressing over anyway. All the neighbors see he has a muzzle, they give him distance and realize he's safe. I've had a few of my neighbors that have young kids come up and meet him and see he loves people, his problem is only with dogs.

I don't think I'll ever know for sure why he fears dogs. I understand now that he most likely came from a puppy mill/ irresponsible backyard breeder and didn't get positive socialization early on and was probably separated early. I was really young when I got him and he was the first dog my family got so we didn't know better.

Anyways, I've learned a lot from him. I know after he's gone I'll most likely adopt another pet. Not sure if it will be a cat or dog. Though if I do decide to go with another dog, I'd probably go with a chinese crested dog. I've been looking into them since I first saw one and think they are adorable. Having Jasper as my first dog has taught me what to expect when it comes to how to take care of dogs and how different they are to cats (my family has always been a cat family, more specifically Siamese cats- which they act like dogs trapped in a cats body lol). I feel like a chinese crested would be perfect, I've looked into other small breeds but always come back to them. I want a dog that is smaller than Jasper and definitely doesn't shed as much (Jasper is an Australian Shepherd btw). I have dust mite allergies so fur literally everywhere and the constant cleaning is something I'd like to avoid in the future as much as possible - that is why I'm probably not going to get a cat tbh (plus they can't go for midnight runs with me). I know chinese cresteds will still shed a bit, they are not completely hairless but there definitely won't be as much as Jasper sheds lol. I also know I'll need to get a jacket because the winter here is cold and they need sunscreen to protect their skin. I know for sure I'm going to be really careful about where I get one from. I've learned from my experiance with Jasper that the next dog I get will either be an older dog from a shelter or a puppy from a really good breeder (mostly depending on where I am in life at that point and if I would have more time available for all that puppy training) (Jasper is smart, almost too smart, he picked up everything in a heartbeat and still does, but I don't expect every dog to be as quick so I'd have to be up for the challange) c:

I'll probably post a new pic of Jasper at some point soon to, he's been pretty camera shy lately

[Imzadi83]

(This is not really a rant, just an update since I haven't posted in a long time) (sorry it's pretty long)

My dog, Jasper, hates being groomed. Always has since he was a puppy and I don't think that'll ever change unfortunately. He also hates water so giving him a bath is also a pain. I give him treats and pet him and really, no amount of training is gonna make him like the experience and I've already accepted that grooming will always be difficult to go through with him.

I can't believe he's close to turning 9 soon! It doesn't seem like it's been almost 9 years since I got him! I've stopped training him on most things, he's pretty stuck on his ways and his behavior is just who he is and I'm fine with it. He is and has always been reactive to other dogs, he fears other dogs. I've tried working on him with this for years and tried many things and even tried working with a professional trainer and taking him to classes. Everytime I thought we made progress something would happen and undo everything (unleashed dogs have a habit of running up to us thanks to a lot of careless owners in the area). For the most part he doesn't have many encounters with dogs (mostly take him for runs at midnight and we go out during the day when most ppl are at work) and I feel like it's okay to let this behavior slide. He always wears a muzzle whenever I take him out and so there is really no danger of anything happening worth stressing over anyway. All the neighbors see he has a muzzle, they give him distance and realize he's safe. I've had a few of my neighbors that have young kids come up and meet him and see he loves people, his problem is only with dogs.

I don't think I'll ever know for sure why he fears dogs. I understand now that he most likely came from a puppy mill/ irresponsible backyard breeder and didn't get positive socialization early on and was probably separated early. I was really young when I got him and he was the first dog my family got so we didn't know better.

Anyways, I've learned a lot from him. I know after he's gone I'll most likely adopt another pet. Not sure if it will be a cat or dog. Though if I do decide to go with another dog, I'd probably go with a chinese crested dog. I've been looking into them since I first saw one and think they are adorable. Having Jasper as my first dog has taught me what to expect when it comes to how to take care of dogs and how different they are to cats (my family has always been a cat family, more specifically Siamese cats- which they act like dogs trapped in a cats body lol). I feel like a chinese crested would be perfect, I've looked into other small breeds but always come back to them. I want a dog that is smaller than Jasper and definitely doesn't shed as much (Jasper is an Australian Shepherd btw). I have dust mite allergies so fur literally everywhere and the constant cleaning is something I'd like to avoid in the future as much as possible - that is why I'm probably not going to get a cat tbh (plus they can't go for midnight runs with me). I know chinese cresteds will still shed a bit, they are not completely hairless but there definitely won't be as much as Jasper sheds lol. I also know I'll need to get a jacket because the winter here is cold and they need sunscreen to protect their skin. I know for sure I'm going to be really careful about where I get one from. I've learned from my experiance with Jasper that the next dog I get will either be an older dog from a shelter or a puppy from a really good breeder (mostly depending on where I am in life at that point and if I would have more time available for all that puppy training) (Jasper is smart, almost too smart, he picked up everything in a heartbeat and still does, but I don't expect every dog to be as quick so I'd have to be up for the challange) c:

I'll probably post a new pic of Jasper at some point soon to, he's been pretty camera shy lately

I know I'm biased but Chinese Crested are great dogs! I would definitely have another one in the future or at least foster one. If the hairless is a big draw I'd also check out Xoloitzcuintli (which comes in a toy size) or American Hairless Terriers. And I'm sure you know to check for mixes of any breed(s) you're interested in. There are rescues that specialize in CC and also ones that specialize in hairless dogs in general.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have, obviously I'm only one person with one dog but I'm always more than happy to share about my girl.

Looking forward to pictures of Jasper.

[Faybell]

Update on wick:

He got bored of the salmon oil.

I bought freeze dried chicken liver, crushed it into bits, and mixed it with his kibble. He seems to be in love with it. He was even begging for more after he finished.

I think the key with him is variety. Is it bad to mix it up every week? I might start switching between the liver and salmon oil.

I plan on bringing him in for a yearly check up either later this month or early next month. I’ll ask about freeze dried raw while I’m there.

[Imzadi83]

Update on wick:

He got bored of the salmon oil.

I bought freeze dried chicken liver, crushed it into bits, and mixed it with his kibble. He seems to be in love with it. He was even begging for more after he finished.

I think the key with him is variety. Is it bad to mix it up every week? I might start switching between the liver and salmon oil.

I plan on bringing him in for a yearly check up either later this month or early next month. I’ll ask about freeze dried raw while I’m there.

As long as his stomach can handle it mixing it up every week is fine.

[Faybell]

Oh ok good, thank you.

He does this with even his treats after a few weeks so I knew he was just bored of his food. It was starting to scare me a bit though. I was prepared to make a vet appointment to see if anything was wrong if the chicken liver didn’t do the trick. >_<

[eff]

anyone know any dog chews that can last a while for a dog with a decent jaw? my issue is hes a strong ratter cross and so he basically swallows all the chews i give him. there was this brand that i csnt remember and they sold small dog chews and large dog chews. i got him the labrador one and he chewed it up in a minute and a half. i licw in the uk so ideally sourced herw. only edible chews