Dong advice

kiwi

Messin’ with Sasquatch
Apr 22, 2005
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Summer
Marklar
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I realize this may sound harsh for some of the animal lovers on the board but please hear be out before judging me.

I am not a dog person. I have been trying for 1 1/2 years, but it just isn't getting any better for me. I have a dog that I personally wouldn't be heartbroken if he was just gone tomorrow. I've been trying to integrate him into the family and really make him a loved family pet, but it isn't working. He is simply one more thing I have to deal with. I am now at the point that we have to make it possible for him to be in the house regularly for two reasons, one he chews up the sprinker system out back and as soon as I get it fixed i'm not leaving him out there to mess it up again, and two, it will be too hot in about a month to leave him outside for very long. The only problem is, when he is in the house, he won't leave my kids toys alone, I am constantly trying to get something away from him and I won't have a dog destroying all my kids toys. I do give him plenty of bones to chew on and balls and toys that are just his, but apparently they aren't good enough.

We have contemplated getting rid of him and I am really trying not to go that route cause I realize I took on a certain amount of responsibility when i got the dog in the first place, but he is becoming a constant source of grief for me cause I don't want him to be isolated from the family and be stuck alone all day, but I can't deal with the stress of feeling like I have to follow him around all day to make sure he doesn't destroy something he shouldn't. Is there any way to teach him to stay out of the kids rooms (right now all the bedrooms are upstairs, so I want him to just stay downstairs). Gates on the stairs don't work, cause then my children can't get up and down by themselves, and that isn't an option for me. Does anyone have any advice, I don't like not loving our family pet, but I just don't and would love to know how to change that. I want to do what's best for the dog but works for the family too.
 
I've been every once in a while hanging with a girl some lately but she treats her dog like her baby and talks about it way too much. I dislike that a lot.
 
This could be boredom, anxiety, too much surplus energy, a lack of attention...

Take him out for a decent length walk once a day. Take the kids, too. It will do you all some justice. Does he have room to run outside? Does he have other dogs to play with? With two kids around you may just neglect his needs.

How old is he? What breed? Lab breeds need 5 years before they stop chewing shit up and calm down.
 
if the kids toys are the only ones you try to pry out of his mouth, then the only way for him to play "steal the toy" with someone is to pick up the kids toys. it's entirely possible he loves the whole tug-of-war thing but doesn't get to play when he chews one of his toys. try indulging him with a decent tug toy (looped rope type thingy) and be sure to apply positive reinforcement when he uses that one, and negative reinforcement when he chews one of the kids toys.

as for keeping him downstairs it'll take about the same. if you see him start up the stairs or if you find him upstairs give him a smack, take him downstairs, and try to be as clear as possible that he must stay down there. be consistent. if you discover him downstairs somewhere randomly reward him just for being down there so he gets the whole upstairs smack, downstairs treat dichotomy.

most important thing is to remember that you can't reason with a dog. you have to be firm and consistent (as do ALL members of your family) in order to mold his behaviour as desired.

also, there's the off chance that there's an anti-dog spray you can apply to your kids toys that is unpleasant to dogs but benign otherwise. i think i've heard that citronella could work for that, but check at the pet store.
 
I feel the same way about my roomies dog...

She is a sweet dog but just way to much hassle. I woke up the last 2 days in a row with shit completely covering our entire kitchen/living room. She is sick and decides that running while squirting all over the house would be her best bet. We will have to replace all of the carpets and we are having someone over to properly clean the tile tomorrow. She is an old dog and has problems(rescue shelter dog) that are just getting way to hard to deal with. Dont get me wrong she is a super nice dog, she is just falling apart from old age/abuse. She shits her bed almost every night but normally its just a little turd with easy clean up.

Oh and she was able to ruin the brand new 150 dollar rug I bought a couple weeks ago, AWESOME!!! She also pushed her water bowl all the way over to my computer and then knocked it over into my tower. If I didnt see it happen it more than likely would have shorted my computer/wiring it leaked into. Every single day I have to doggie proof the house otherwise it is terrorized when I get home. Shouldn't have to change your entire life to fit a dogs special needs, especially one that is not yours.
 
Having a dog is like having a kid. It sucks sometimes but you have to put out the effort every day. It doesn't matter if I'm sick I still have to walk the dog and feed him and clean him. It seems ten times worse if you don't like the dog.
 
This could be boredom, anxiety, too much surplus energy, a lack of attention...

Take him out for a decent length walk once a day. Take the kids, too. It will do you all some justice. Does he have room to run outside? Does he have other dogs to play with? With two kids around you may just neglect his needs.

How old is he? What breed? Lab breeds need 5 years before they stop chewing shit up and calm down.

As far as the chewing he always picks the same type of toys so im sure its cause he like just chewing that material, as for the rest I am most certainly positive they are issues. The problem is I'm running out of me to give. Walks are a good idea but just getting me and three kids on a walk is hard enough let alone adding a dog. I am working on getting a doublee stroller and when that happens it will probably be easier to take him, but it will be a slow moving maybe a mile long walk since I have a four tear old walking it as well.

He will be 2 in June and is a jack russell terrier (i know, a hyper breed and i messed up by not doing my homework before ever getting him he waas something Knyte wanted.)

I never should have got the dog in the first place but since I have him I am really trying to make the best of it.
 
Having a dog is like having a kid. It sucks sometimes but you have to put out the effort every day. It doesn't matter if I'm sick I still have to walk the dog and feed him and clean him. It seems ten times worse if you don't like the dog.

I very much understand this, but by the time I'm done taking care of the kids and pretended to do something for me and acknowledged I have a husband, I'm done. (See above response.)
 
Jack Russel Terriers (like all terrier breeds) are a little bit of a pain in the ass. I had a cairn terrier when I was young and it was impossible to deal with...I'm sure JRs are way worse. anyways, you could try spraying apple bitter on the kids toys...most dogs do not like the taste and will leave it alone. You will need to reapply the spray about once a week.

Other than that, we currently have a high energy, mischievous breed (Portuguese water dog)...we send her to doggy day care once a week to burn off energy. It costs about 12 bucks to leave her there for up to 10 hours and she gets to run around with like 20 other dogs. It wipes her out so she just sleeps for a day or so afterwards.
 
I never should have got the dog in the first place but since I have him I am really trying to make the best of it.

Get rid of it to a home that could use its hyper activity. It might take awhile to find the proper home but it will give you time to say good bye.
 
I very much understand this, but by the time I'm done taking care of the kids and pretended to do something for me and acknowledged I have a husband, I'm done. (See above response.)

I completely understand your position and thats why I said what i did. You already have kids (knyte included). And I can see how it can be difficult.
 
Dogs are special needs kids.

Cats are the little fuckers with the honor student bumper stickers.

I cant have a cat at my apartment(cause of the roomie) but we have this dog...


Cat -
Great Personality
Doesn't shit anywhere besides 1 small basket
clean litterbox by lifting a platic handle, done
No need to walk it
No need to go outside

Dog -
Great Personality(but very skiddish)
Shits all over house even after 20 walks
have to pick up large piles of poop
Walked every 20 minutes yesterday to stop from pooping on rugs
Normally poops bed b/c of dreams
 
I completely understand your position and thats why I said what i did. You already have kids (knyte included). And I can see how it can be difficult.

If there are ways to integrate him into our currant schedule, then it can work. Like Shawn said, all go on a walk.

So now to ideas on how to take care of the dogs needs by incorporating them into my day of things i'm already doing. What games can i play with the dog while doing dishes or eating lunch, etc.