Puppy help please

[Jbarrie1]

Where to start I'm 26 weeks pregnant I also have a 3yo and a 5yo we have 3 amazing cats (1 with thumbs 😁) 11 weeks ago we got a puppy I didn't want a puppy as I was pregnant but my husband rescued her from an abusive home she was severely underweight and she had been left for days on her own. We think she is a greyhound x deerhound she's 22 weeks old now and she has been extremely difficult. She has shown aggression toward me and my children several times but not toward my husband she has snapped at my children nearly getting my 5yo in the face when I tell her no she barks at me when I try to get hold of her to put her in time out she growls showing her teeth and tries to bite. My cats won't come in the house anymore as she tired to chase them I can't take my eye off her for a second in case she gets to hyper you can't pet her as she just nips you my husband does help by taking her on long walks/runs 1-2 times a day but he works long hours i walk her as far as i can im currently on cruches as i have hip problems and she has access to the garden all day she is fine when the kids are at school it's when they come home she gets too hyper and the it turns into aggression my children are scared of her when she gets like that as am I. I have had trainers in and paid alot but all she does is sit sometimes when asked she is completely different when my husband is home which I don't understand why I'm at breaking point I don't know what to do please help has anyone experienced this will she stop bite the kids ps she has cut them several times when she bites/ nips

[MaitlandGirl]

I doubt it’s what you want to hear but in your situation I’d be rehoming the dog to a child free home with experienced owners.

This is not a happy dog and not one I’d trust with my children. Things will get worse once you have the baby.

[twoheaped]

Sorry but I think you need to get rid.
I will be back with some sighthound insights later but I don't think she is a good fit for your family

[adoggymama]

Your husband should have consulted with you and taken the children to meet the dog before bringing her home permanently. It sounds like this is not the right home for the dog and the dog would probably do best being rehabilitated in a rescue centre with other dogs and other people, before being assessed for rehoming.
It's very a irresponsible decision your husband made, and will probably impact the dog more than having just taken it to a centre would have been.

Talk to your husband and stress the importance of your family's safety first. Especially with a newborn on the way.

Good luck x

[CMOTDibbler]

It really sounds like yours isn't the right home for her. She needs to be rehomed through a specialist sighthound group who can try and work through her issues and find the right home for her.

If you ring Pip at EGLR she may be able to help. All their dogs are fostered, and they never give up on any dog

[Ylvamoon]

In your situation, re home the dog.
She needs lots of training and time ... something that you don't have at this moment in time. (Sounds like she is a naughty teen!)
Personally I'd go with a hound rescue to make sure she gets the right home and stop being passed around. In the right hands, she will turn into a wonderful dog.

[GreyHare]

I would never ever house a sighthound with cats ever, I wouldn't ever feel that the cats were safe, I would be looking to rehome her.

[Jbarrie1]

Me and my husband have argued over this since we got her he keeps saying she's getting better yes she's fine when the kids are not here but she shows aggression towards them when too hyper so my children can't play like they used to and if they want to play in the garden I have to put her in the cage before they can go out I have contacted the blue cross and dogs trust both have told me they can't help as they have a waiting list which will take months and they think I need help now I don't know where else to go I really care for her and only want the best for her but I agree I do think she shouldn't be with us it's too risky and I'm on edge all the time I also think she doesn't cope very well when the children are home

[Jbarrie1]

Thank you for all your advice I only want the best for her and with a heavy heart I know this is not the right home for her I do love her alot that's why I'm only willing to rehome her to a rescue so she doesn't get passed from pillar to post this is so heart breaking does anyone know anymore rescue centres that will put her in a foster home as a kennel won't her because of her separation issues

[Ylvamoon]

If everything else breaks, contact your local dog club. They usually know a local rescue centre and will give you advise. (But a hound rescue is what you really need. Hopefully someone will come along with details...)

[CMOTDibbler]

//www.lurcher.org.uk - Evesham Greyhound and Lurcher rescue may well be able to help. Give Pip a call today

[Kidssendingmenuts]

I'm sorry but I don't mean to sound harsh but you need to rehome the pup. It's clearly not suited to your family and it will only get worse and it's really not worth the hassle when you have another child coming into the family. You need to be telling your husband this before the dog actually draws blood from one of your kids.

[Hoppinggreen]

Your home is NOT suitable for this dog
Find one that is before somebody gets hurt

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

Well at least your husband has learnt the dangers of bringing home an animal without thought, consultation or experience. Bloody idiot.

[Vallahalagonebutnotforgotten]

Well that was helpful MsAdorabelleDearheartVonlLipwig

OP I guess a talk is needed with your DH. If you want a list of local rescues to me just pm me the area you are in.

With training the dog will calm down but realistically it does sound like you have your hands full for the foreseeable future and will not be able to give time over to the dog.

[pigsDOfly]

Clearly this puppy needs to be rehomed.

But meanwhile please stop your DH taking a 22 week old puppy on two long walks a day before he causes the dog to have long term damage to her joints.

At that age a puppy shouldn't be walking more than about 2 x 25 minute walks a day.

Also over walking a dog or puppy and make them more hyper rather than helping to tire them out.

[missbattenburg]

OP, without giving too much away can you let us know roughly the area of the country you are in. Folks may be able to suggest good, local rescues who may have more capacity to help rehome this dog.

[SubtitlesOn]

While you are waiting to find her a new home

Go to a pet shop and get her either a long line (not a retractable one) or a straight lead without handle loop. They are sometimes called house leads or lines

If the puppy has this attached to her collar during the day (but not in crate) it means that you can lead her into a separate room behind a high dog gate or crate without worrying about being bitten

What I mean is you can very gently and I mean make sure it isn't pulling and that your children don't pull on this lead or stand on it - move the puppy into the space or room or crate or wherever you want it to go

This will put a distance between you and puppy so the danger of biting is much less, there is a chance it might calm the puppy down and she will realise that you have gained more confidence as you aren't worried about being bitten

It must be gentle not pulling or aggressive though

Good luck finding a new home

[SubtitlesOn]

The children do not to go near her when she is eating don't they?

If she wasn't fed properly she might be trying to guard her food, so perhaps set up a space like utility room to feed her away from the children, in peace.

If your DH is feeding her perhaps you do it for a while

[Jbarrie1]

Hi everyone thank you for all your advice
I live in leeds.
I'm the one that feeds her and I make sure she's in a separate room when eating she's now a healthy well fed pup it's when she gets too hyper she turns aggressive we have tried just walking her for half an hour 2x a day but her behaviour Is worse my partner takes her out for a walk that last around 45 minutes she's always alot calmer after that but hyper again about an hour later and once my husband has gone back to work she starts to get hyper/ aggressive again she's completely came when the kids are not around or if my husband is home

[Jbarrie1]

She doesn't food guard at all. And she's kept in a separate room when eating she does guard other stuff though like the kids paddling pool or some of the kids toys

[SubtitlesOn]

Sorry I meant not fed properly before you got her not now

[Torridon19]

I'm so sorry to say this, but your husband is a total, utter prat.

[SubtitlesOn]

Have you tried getting her to use her mind, to play?

Like hide and seek

Like get her a new toy like ragga (that is only used for hide and seek) start by hiding it where she can sort of see it like behind a table leg

Then make it harder each time

When she finds it, make huge fuss of her

Then hide it again a bit harder

Just do it about 3 or 4 times at a go, so she doesn't get bored

You could start doing it when children are in bed or at nursery/play school/school

When she has got hang of what "seek" means then you could try during day

After a few days you could try this before she does the aggressive stuff after your DH has gone back to work

It will get her to use her concentration and is fun

After she has learnt what to do then you could get 5 year old involved in hiding the ragga, obviously with you there too

Put the puppy in different room while child hides the ragga then open the door say seek

I realise you need to find a new home but this might help while you are trying to get a solution

[adaline]

Please don't walk her for too long - she's calm afterwards because it's far too much exercise for such a young puppy. Although the 5 minute rule has been largely debunked they still don't need masses of exercise as such a young age. Longer walks are fine occasionally but not as a daily thing - she'll damage her joints but you won't know it's happened until she's much older. Hip/elbow dysplasia is so common in animals that were over-walked on a regular basis as puppies.

If you want to tire her out, use brain games. Feed her out of a toy or kong, train her regularly but in short bursts throughout the day - we do sit, down, leave and recall training with ours every couple of hours at home (he's 5 months) and it tires him out much more than walks do. Puppies love to learn and please you so training is a great way to do that and it will tire her out without the damage to her joints.

But despite all that she's not a good fit for your family. Puppies in general are hyper and bitey and they do need a lot of supervision and to be kept separate from children. She shouldn't have had the chance to snap at your 5yo's face because the 5yo shouldn't have been that close to her, let alone up near her face like that.

Please rehome her before someone gets badly hurt and the dog ends up being PTS through no fault of its own. You sound like very inexperienced owners and that combined with small children is a recipe for disaster with a young pup.

[Jbarrie1]

Thank you I will try that while as well x