advice needed

orlao

Kataratarina wrote: »

d by.

i just feel so bad that i came on here asking for advice to try and help my dad not get rid of him and now my dad seems to be a bad person to you all- he really isnt and i now feel ashamed that people on here think that he is.... basically if u had of knew us and the dog u would understand that he was well looked after and we done the best that we could and it wasnt an easy decision to give away our gorgeous dog who right now is in his new home crying in bed because we arent there...

i havent cried in about 3 hours but now i am because we have protrayed as being bad owners and that the dog "wasn't properly trained and managed properly" when i know he was so loved and cared for. i really miss him so much already.


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I don't think anyone was portraying you or your family as "bad" people, just asking you to learn from this unfortunate incident and not make the same mistakes with the next family dog!

Nobody starts off as a pet owner with all the answers - every single animal has taught me things - usually how not to do it next time! But we do have to take responsibility for our dogs (which in fairness your dad did) and that includes realising that if we get it wrong by not taking into account things like breed charactaristics (sp!), socalising, exercise and training our pets could pay the ultimate price.

I'm really glad your dog has been rehomed. Maybe you can see him sometimes in his new home?

MrsTinks

I don't think anyone is saying your family are bad people - just not necessarily experienced enough to handle a dog like the one you ended up with. I've lived with a westie and know a lot of cairns and a couple of JRTs... and honestly I'd never have a terrier because hard work though my GSD/BC is then I personally find terriers too stubborn to work with. It's not for nothing that they say someone was like a terrier refusing to let go... If not handled properly, and very strictly and consistently, the ones I have met become extreemly hard to handle. The westie in particular was a royal nightmare and ruled the house - she and I didn't see eye to eye much as I don't think dogs should rule the house and she did, because she always had...

I personally think your dad did the right thing by taking responcibility for the dog - yes it's fortunate that a home was found for it, but I hate to say this... is should and could have been prevented. Loving a dog isn't enough - a terrier like a Blue needs probably as much exercise and mental stimulation as my dog, which might surprise some poeple... after all mine is half border collie - a VERY high energy dog. That means morning walk, 45+min lunch walk and an evening walk - all 3 comprise of lead walk and free running in the fields.
At the moment I'm over 8 months pregnant and she's not getting the same amount/length of walks in the morning and evening and trust me it's very very obvious!

As for the not neutering him... *sigh* (rant coming - look away now...)

Unless you have a show quality dog and actually show him and take the time and put in the effort to get him some good show results (and I know that isn't the time because there is no mention of ringcraft training and his beviour wouldn't have been allowed in the ring!) then you shouldn't neuter him. Breeding shouldn't be undertaken unless you actually know what you're doing and any reputable b!tch owner should never let their animal be covered by a dog with no proven pedigree or show wins.

If/when you get a new dog, neuter, do puppy socilization classes from as early as you can and instead of just loving the dog - train and diciplin it too...

Glad the dog has found sanctuary and just hope the bloke really DOES know what he's doing and neuters him before rehoming him...

foreign_correspondent

I hope this is the case, however, if so, it's a shame the money it would have cost to have him PTS was used to pay for his neutering instead.

I would never re-home an uneutered dog personally, because of the risk of it ending up as a breeding dog, possibly spending the rest of its days in a shed. I understand this is particularly rife in ireland, sadly, which is why partially so many dogs keep getting shipped over here...

marshallka

MrsTine wrote: »

I personally think your dad did the right thing by taking responcibility for the dog - yes it's fortunate that a home was found for it, but I hate to say this... is should and could have been prevented. Loving a dog isn't enough - a terrier like a Blue needs probably as much exercise and mental stimulation as my dog, which might surprise some poeple... after all mine is half border collie - a VERY high energy dog. That means morning walk, 45+min lunch walk and an evening walk - all 3 comprise of lead walk and free running in the fields.
At the moment I'm over 8 months pregnant and she's not getting the same amount/length of walks in the morning and evening and trust me it's very very obvious!

..

Is this your first child Mrs tine?? It is very difficult to find "3" 45 min walks with a newborn..and then most of the time you have to work as well. :eek:

Good luck

marshallka

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

I hope this is the case, however, if so, it's a shame the money it would have cost to have him PTS was used to pay for his neutering instead.

..

Our is not neutered either. We did ask our old vet when he was young and she said it would not calm him down at all. I think it would have done. I really wish we had done it now. Its too late though now at 8.5 years.

MrsTinks

marshallka wrote: »

Is this your first child Mrs tine?? It is very difficult to find "3" 45 min walks with a newborn..and then most of the time you have to work as well. :eek:

Good luck

where did I say that she got 3 x 45 mins?
She gets a morning walk which can vary between 15minutes and 40 minutes depending on weather, work, and other factors. She then gets at least 45 mins at lunch with a dog walker (because our work situation changed and I was no longer in a position to go home for lunch like I had for the first year after we got her to take her for her lunch walk) and in the evening she gets another walk - again weather depending etc. Now the weather depending btw isn't because I am a fairweather walker - I have a fairweather dog... she's happy to plunge into deep ditches and muddy ponds - but you show her a rain cloud and a leash and she looks at you like you're about to inflinct torture on her and will slink and sulk all the way on the walk until you start turning home... then she's keen as anything. Yes she's odd, but we love her
Oh and weekends are "long walkies" time - usually a car drive away and a good long walk by a river or in the woods.
I appreciate that having a small baby will alter things - ofcourse they will - but that won't change the fact that as a family we have a responcibility towards our dog.

marshallka

MrsTine wrote: »

where did I say that she got 3 x 45 mins?
She gets a morning walk which can vary between 15minutes and 40 minutes depending on weather, work, and other factors. She then gets at least 45 mins at lunch with a dog walker (because our work situation changed and I was no longer in a position to go home for lunch like I had for the first year after we got her to take her for her lunch walk) and in the evening she gets another walk - again weather depending etc. Now the weather depending btw isn't because I am a fairweather walker - I have a fairweather dog... she's happy to plunge into deep ditches and muddy ponds - but you show her a rain cloud and a leash and she looks at you like you're about to inflinct torture on her and will slink and sulk all the way on the walk until you start turning home... then she's keen as anything. Yes she's odd, but we love her
Oh and weekends are "long walkies" time - usually a car drive away and a good long walk by a river or in the woods.
I appreciate that having a small baby will alter things - ofcourse they will - but that won't change the fact that as a family we have a responcibility towards our dog.

Mine would go out in rain hail, snow (although i cannot walk him in ice as he pulls and over I go:eek:) , the lot but my Lhasa will just about get his paws wet if the grass is soaked. He tip toes across the lawn:rotfl:

And yes, having a baby will change things... the doggie will come second then.:eek:

MrsTinks

Ofcourse she will - the order will rightly be: Baby, dog/cats, Husband - the way nature intended

You should see Kira on wet mornings - before I get dressed I let her out the back for a widdle and if it's raining you have never seen a dog so so quick a widdle in all your life! You would seriously think that she was butt naked out there and not covered in a seriously thick coat! But why is it that she HATES (and I do mean HATE) rain yet the hose in summer is fab, the ponds, rivers, sea, mud pools - you name it - are all the best thing since someone invented rubber balls??? don't get me wrong - if she has to have her paws washed or have a [WHISPERS]bath[/WHISPERS] then anyone would think you were torturing her??? perplexing hound :rotfl:
Oddly the GSD my mum had wouldn't mind the rain in the least - she loved it and would go out in rain, sleet, snow or anything.

foreign_correspondent

marshallka wrote: »

Our is not neutered either. We did ask our old vet when he was young and she said it would not calm him down at all. I think it would have done. I really wish we had done it now. Its too late though now at 8.5 years.

It's not too late at all if you do want to get it done - however, in your case I would get him assessed by a good behaviouralist first and then ask their advice...

mrcol1000

I think the problem is once you realise you can't care for a dog its your duty to either learn how to care for it, change your life to meet the needs of the dog or take action to give the dog a better life. Not leave it tied up so it gets bored, frustated and goes for people.
You found it a better home which is more than a lot of people do so you should that is a good thing and if you decide to have a dog in the future make informed choices.
As soon as you ask for help from an internet forum people will give you their honest opinions and some people will be more honest than they would be face to face. If thats not something you can cope with I'd consult the RSPCA or a vet next time.