DH wants to get rid of our puppy!!

[dddddddddd]

Long story so please bear with me...

Puppy is actually one year old GSD, who is absolutely lovely. She has so many positives including being a genuine sweetheart and cuddling up to me when I'm feeling low, I love her, pretty much do everything including feeding, grooming etc. DH takes her on long walks which he seems to enjoy!

Problem being she has started to blow her coat and it is irritating DH no end, he's constantly moaning about all the hair even though I'm trying to brush her and keep the house clean. She is also at times quite naughty, nipping and chewing on all manner of items! She can jump the baby gates to stop her getting up the stairs and just generally trashes the place!

He's said a few times over the last week that we've made a mistake and wants to get rid of her!

Im also 8 weeks pregnant and he is using the new baby as an excuse that there will be hair everywhere when baby arrives. I hate people who get rid of dogs because their pregnant and would never be that person!

I think he's being very unreasonable to expect me to get rid of her and I won't even discuss it with him, I just tell him she is not going end of!! He tells me I'm BU! What does everyone think?

[ToastDemon]

Get rid of him instead. (Only half joking).

[Fortheloveofdog]

You can get oil to put in her food if she is losing hair excessively all the time. If this is new, it is just the change to summer coat and your DH needs to get over himself.

He is irresponsible taking on a dog without looking in to it properly. Tell him the dog is staying, he is under no obligation to do the same. Dogs are not disposable.

[RestlessTravellerTheSequel]

I agree with ToastDemon and I'm not joking at all.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

Take her to the groomer to have her coat stripped. Job done.

[MovingtoParadise]

Keep the dog, lose the bloke. Anyone who told me to get rid of a dog I'd chosen to become responsible for wouldn't be the man I married.

[Dianneabbottsmathsteacher]

Yes a good groomer will sort that out and is part of being a good owner.

Sorry your dh is such a nasty bastard

[Birdsgottaf1y]

Have you tried the Furminator brush?

I've used it on two of my GSD and it helped a lot.

The amount of shedding should have been discussed before you got her. You live with a level of dog hair if you have a GSD.

If you're going to regime her, do it sooner rather than later.

She should have had her own chew toys and be taught not to touch anything else.

Mine never went upstairs. You need to restrict what she is allowed to do.

A year old is still developing for a GSD, they settle down at 18 months.

There's Forums just for this.

[MissingPanda]

HIBVVVVVVU

She's still young and her behaviour can be sorted by training and also when she grows up a bit. Wrt her coat just brush her daily and hoover directly afterwards.

[GingerWh1nger]

From what you've written in your post, are you the only one trying to keep the house clean? She belongs to both of you, is he taking his fair share of cleaning?

I found this stressful when we first got our cats, now I tend to hoover the furniture and floors once a week and wash their blankets, but the hair etc is something I have to live with really.

How often is she groomed? Could you arrange for more regular grooming with a professional, who could get into the lower layers of hair to shift any of the loose stuff?

[Justmadeperfectflapjacks]

Tell him to take the dog brush on his walks and brush her away from the house. .
Or another vote for get rid. . Of him. .

[mousymary]

My dog was the very worst at one year old. A real teenager! Once you're over the hump (in my dog's case - literally!) of this they really calm down.

And his hair... I have just thrown away the fourth vacuum cleaner since we got him.

Most dogs are very good with new family members and set themselves up as "nanny" or else they ignore them. Whatever, most dogs narcissistically think, "I was here first, therefore I am loved most!"

Just watch Marley & Me with your dh. Your family has already begun. Sniff!!

[CiliatedEpithelium]

Tell him dog hair and babies are not mutually exclusive. GSDs do take a while to mature but I would love one. I used to pet sit for a GSD girl and fell head over heels in love with her. Stick with her, they are not long lived as a breed anyway.

[Spam88]

German Shepherd's are the best ☺️ I'd definitely choose the dog over the man 👍

But yes, the increase in hair will be due to their coat changing for the summer. Not the end of the world, brush and vacuum every day. Make sure you're still reinforcing those rules about where the dog can go etc. They're still young though and will settle down :)

[Bookfox]

I would not want a dog myself due in part to the hair issue and small etc they bring but your DH must have known this when you got the dog? Was he as keen as you to get her or did you have to persuade him? If you leaned on him to get the dog and he was never that keen he might never fully accept all the "extras" that come with dog ownership.

However I'd still say he is being unreasonable as he agreed to take the dog on in the first place.

[AmIAWeed]

I would second taking her to a groomer for her coat as she is shedding to a summer coat.
I'd also suggest a dog trainer come to the house and work with both of you, she is entering the teenage stage so will be difficult and as a powerful dog it's really important she knows who is boss especially with a baby. You've a good 6 months to both work with her
Having a dog with children is a fantastic experience, but you do have to be careful, even the most well-behaved dog needs supervising around children and if you've a slightly naughty dog who jumps her gates it will be hard.
It is not unreasonable to rehome a dog if your child is at risk, but you are unreasonable to get rid without exploring all options first.

[HildaOg]

It's very stressful living with a dog you don't want. Add a baby to that and multiply it by a hundred. I can understand where he's coming from. Take other peoples advice regarding the grooming and training, he may change his mind.

[alltouchedout]

If you're OK with taking sole responsibility for it, even when yiy have a newborn, keep the dog. If you'd expect dh to care for the dog when he has said he wants rid of it, you'll be back here in a few months asking if yabu for thinking your dh should deal with the work the dog creates seeing as you have a newborn and are exhausted.

[dddddddddd]

We both wanted a dog, him and DD talked me into getting a GSD!! Now I'm the only one fighting her corner!!

[Terfing]

This is why we need to bring back pet licenses! To stop people like your eh from ever adopting again!

Op, please do not EVER get another pet whilst you're with this man.

[Wando1986]

At a year old your dog should have stopped most of that behaviour if it was trained properly. Why haven't you trained her? Also if she's blowing her coat go and get it pulled professionally. Just brushing her with a dog brush wont do a damn thing for it.

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

Will he want to get rid of the baby when it cries, screams, keeps him awake, throws up, throws food and trashes the place?

Dogs are easy - get a groomer and invest in obedience training.

Re the new arrival - start looking for boarding schools ...

[ToastDemon]

Rubbish wando at that age they've hit their teens and behaviour often goes backwards for a while.

[QuietNameChange]

GSDs are great dogs. Absolute sweathearts and so loyal (in my experience). Your D H is planning to break this ones furry heart. :( Bastard !

Anyhow. Yes, bring her to a groomer, that might help.

As for her trashing the place... Well, you need to train her, make sure she has enough movement, entertainement etc.

[Elphaba99]

Well firstly has she been or is she currently going to training classes? A good trainer will help you stop the naughty behaviour, as will firm and consistent boundaries reinforced every time.

If he didn't want dog hair in the house then you shouldn't have got a dog that moults.

I would tell him firmly that a dog is for life and he should have done more research. If he takes your dog to training class it may improve the bond between them as well as helping her behaviour.

If he was just as keen to get a GSD as you were, then he needs to man up. Is he going to suggest rehoming your baby when it cries?