I have been having a really bad night. We adopted a puppy 7 months ago, but recently he's been rough housing to hard with our other dog and really injuring her. After tonight's injury, we decided it was time to find him a new home where he's the only dog. I think we found a good one, we meet Friday to make sure, but I've been in tears. Our dogs are like kids to us. I've never ever given up on a dog. I was laying in bed, crying, dreading the week ahead and worrying about how our 20 month old son will react to "pup pup" being gone. However I got on the Bump and within 5 mins of reading what crazy MILs say, I stopped crying and was smiling. So thanks guys.
I'm glad you're feeling better but You probably aren't going to get a lot of support for a post where you talk about giving away a 7 month old puppy. I'm sorry but that is just irresponsible and if your dogs are really like your kids you certainly wouldn't be rehoming them.
Yeah, MUCH better to keep a dog in a home where it's injuring the dog you already have than to re home it. Ffs some of you need a reality check about this stuff. She's not dumping it on the side of the road she's rehoming it responsibly. And she already told you she's upset about it so back off.
Mama to a little girl born July 2011 and a little boy born April 2014!
If the dog is not going to thrive in a multi-dog home, the most responsible thing to do is find it a home where he can be the only dog. OP states that their other family dog is being injured. Good luck, I hope Friday goes smoothly... My heart would be breaking too
Carolyn (33) & Steve (33)
Married 1/28/12
DS 4/16/14
BFP 9/13/15~Due 5/20/16
Thank you so much Rrrrrachel! Cuz that other comment made me feel like shit again. We have spents hundreds on obeidence classes and such, we have done all we can and he's going to friends that love him.
There's nothing irresponsible about rehoming your pet. Sometimes it doesn't work out and you're resolving the issue in a way that's fair to both dogs. Don't let anyone make you feel badly about it.
Mama to a little girl born July 2011 and a little boy born April 2014!
Vet tech here. I've spoken to a couple clients recently about similar situations.
You need to do what is best for both dogs. Sometimes it's not a good match. And it's ok, best even, to return the dog to the shelter ( if you have a good shelter ) or find a new home yourselves.
It's hard and it hurts, but you are doing it for the well being of both pets.
I'm glad that you were able to find him a single dog home. The hurt will heal in time.
As far as explaining it to your son... He may not understand right now. But just do your best. I don't have kids so maybe others who do would have better ideas on how to tell your son.
Thank you for doing what's best for the dog and not being selfish.
If it makes you feel any better my dad sent our dog to a farm (an actual farm) when I was 3 and I wasn't scarred for life. I didn't know any better so I just thought some times your dog goes and lives on a farm and that's the way the world works. My mom was much more upset than I was.
I'm so sorry about your puppy. You did the right thing, though. I love dogs and think giving them up is awful, but only when people have unrealistic expectations about how dogs behave so they just turn them into shelters or, worse, out on the street without training or trying. Sometimes though, you do everything you can do, and end up having to make a tough call.
We have two dogs, both adopted, and before we got our Martigan we tried adopting a different dog. It was NOT a good fit. The foster mom who had him had a great experience with him, but in our home he was super stressed out. He had bad separation anxiety and DH and I both work. He also was not ok with new people and kids, and we are very social people who have a revolving front door. His foster was a SAHM who rarely had people over, so hadn't encountered this.
It was really affecting our older dog, who was stressed out by the new dog's energy and behavior. He was so worried all the time, and felt like he had to protect us from the other dog's manic energy. We tried to make it work, but when he bit my best friend's daughter on the face we contacted our rescue. I was heartbroken feeling like we'd failed and like we needed to tough it out and make it work, but our rescue was awesome. They rehomed him with a couple who worked from home and had four dogs and five acres for him to run around on. He was soooo much happier! Then we adopted Martigan, who is funny and social and a big goof ball. He and our older dog get along great and play and miss each other when they're not around each other.
Some dogs aren't a good fit, and you can work and train and do everything you can, but sometimes you have to make tough calls to do what's best for all parties.
Fell in Love: January 2003
Married: May 2006
Baby Girl Born: April 2014 If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, I will answer you:
Thank you ladies! I really do love the A14 group. I don't tend to post a lot, but I do lurk and read a bunch, and I really love this group. I never cared for my sons birth group, so I'm thankful for you guys and the smiles I get from a lot of the posts. Besides April is the best month because it's not only my birth month, but my husband's birth month too
So sorry!!! Its tough. I bad to do this once with a cat. The cat was sweet as can be, but was injuring my other older cat. It killed me to find him a new home, but, I knew it was best for everyone. And to the PP that said you were irresponsible, please. That's that most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The MOST responsible thing to do is to find any pet a loving, forever home, no matter what the case. This dog didn't do well with other dogs. Its not happy itself, obviously! Ridiculous response.
I'm so glad to be reading this. I'm in a VERY similar situation and I've been dreading making a final decision. We have two small dogs and adopted a bigger dog as kind of a protector of the family. (We live in a bad area. She's a Great Dane German Shepherd and Rottweiler.) And it was a bad decision. At first I thought it was just her. But over time I realized that we weren't giving her the space she needed. She needed to burn off energy and when he couldn't, he was a terror to our other two dogs. It's completely our fault and we've tried to fix the problem but I think it's time to find her a new home where she can have lots of space ad possibly be an only dog. We have tons of dog loving friends so I'm sure we can find her a place. I've felt horrible guilt but I just don't think that on her present condition that she can handle a baby. I think she would get too rough and I'm sorry I love my dog but I'm just NOT taking that chance. I'm sorry that was a long response but you're not alone! Sometimes you have to do what's best for the dog!
Re: Thank you ladies, you made me happy :)
10 year old boy - April 13th 2003
MMC Feb 20th - May 20th finished naturally
BFP on July 25th 2013 LMP June 28th 2013
You need to do what is best for both dogs. Sometimes it's not a good match. And it's ok, best even, to return the dog to the shelter ( if you have a good shelter ) or find a new home yourselves.
It's hard and it hurts, but you are doing it for the well being of both pets.
I'm glad that you were able to find him a single dog home. The hurt will heal in time.
As far as explaining it to your son... He may not understand right now. But just do your best. I don't have kids so maybe others who do would have better ideas on how to tell your son.
Thank you for doing what's best for the dog and not being selfish.
Ignore anyone who tells you otherwise.
I'm so sorry about your puppy. You did the right thing, though. I love dogs and think giving them up is awful, but only when people have unrealistic expectations about how dogs behave so they just turn them into shelters or, worse, out on the street without training or trying. Sometimes though, you do everything you can do, and end up having to make a tough call.
We have two dogs, both adopted, and before we got our Martigan we tried adopting a different dog. It was NOT a good fit. The foster mom who had him had a great experience with him, but in our home he was super stressed out. He had bad separation anxiety and DH and I both work. He also was not ok with new people and kids, and we are very social people who have a revolving front door. His foster was a SAHM who rarely had people over, so hadn't encountered this.
It was really affecting our older dog, who was stressed out by the new dog's energy and behavior. He was so worried all the time, and felt like he had to protect us from the other dog's manic energy. We tried to make it work, but when he bit my best friend's daughter on the face we contacted our rescue. I was heartbroken feeling like we'd failed and like we needed to tough it out and make it work, but our rescue was awesome. They rehomed him with a couple who worked from home and had four dogs and five acres for him to run around on. He was soooo much happier! Then we adopted Martigan, who is funny and social and a big goof ball. He and our older dog get along great and play and miss each other when they're not around each other.
Some dogs aren't a good fit, and you can work and train and do everything you can, but sometimes you have to make tough calls to do what's best for all parties.
Baby Girl Born: April 2014
If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, I will answer you: