To rehome my dogs?

[toughdecision]

I've NCed for this and apologies in advance for the rambling nature of this post. Am trying not to dripfeed.
DD is 8 months old. My dogs are 9 years old and I've owned them since they were 8 weeks old, they are 5 months apart in age.
One of my dogs has growled and challenged my DD on a number of occasions, she's never bitten anyone before (she has mouthed me when she was a lot younger, when I was grooming her as she hates it. I don't groom her now at all, I send her to the groomers every 2 months for a short clip to keep her coat in check). I'm worried she might bite my DD although she has shown affection towards her as well at times.
I have been removing my DD when the dog has growled/challenged and locked the dogs in their sleeping area. I spoke to a behaviourist at a shelter this week and she said I shouldn't remove my DD as this is sending the wrong message to the dog, that what she is doing is okay, she says I should leave DD where she is and correct the dog's behaviour by banging 2 saucepans above her head and this will show her I'm pack leader. I tried banging a biscuit tin when the other dog was barking incessantly and she did stop but my DD was sobbing because the noise was so loud.
I'm very nervous about not removing DD as I do feel it's putting her at risk.
I'm waiting for the shelter to get back to me as I'd want them to be rehomed together as they've never been apart from each other for longer than a few hours if they are at the groomers separately or at the vets.
At the moment, they don't have much of a life. They spend a lot of time in their sleeping area because of the growling and they never get walked anymore as I can't manage them and the pushchair on my own (I have to go down steps to get out of my house and they are very unruly on the lead) and my DH doesn't feel they need to be walked as they're quite sedate breeds and he thinks they're happy [sceptical]. They used to spend all their time being fussed and loved, now they're just being told to constantly move or get in their bed.
But when I look at them, I can't imagine them not being here or with us, they've been our babies for so long.
I've talked to friends and family in RL and I'm getting very mixed opinions, they all know how we feel about them.
DH doesn't really want to rehome but feels that it's making me very stressed out (which it is) and it would take away that anxiety for me.
I really don't know what to do. I feel guilty for keeping them as their quality of life has decreased as they never get walked anymore and they confined a lot of the time but then I also feel guilty if I rehome them that I've not tried hard enough.
I also can't rehome them separately or get rid of one because they are very attached to one another, when we do take them out if one of us crosses the road before the other and they're separated, they are desparate to get to one another. They are in excellent health for their ages and although they are unruly on the lead, they are small dogs and are very affectionate and friendly (apart from the growling dog with my DD).

to all those saying its unforgivable not to walk her dogs, thats why she wants to have them re-homed. youd all be down on her if she kept them dident look after them properly and was reported to the rspca. youd all be saying "why not have them re-homed if you cant look after them"

What a crass and stupid post. The OP isn't looking after them properly now.

Yep, I judge, I judge people who take on a dog and then dump them as soon as the going gets a little tough.

I judge even more when the stupid fuckers have no understanding of rehoming

I judge even more when they hand dogs over to shelters and dont give a fuck at how that shelter is going to pay for that dog.

I judge fuckwits who rehome dogs through facebook, word and mouth etc, as far as Im concerened they are knobs.

I judge these same fuckwits who then (as they so frequently do) decide to get another dog.

In fact when it comes to people who dont take the responsibility of dog ownership seriously when they have a cute little fluffy puppy but find all sorts of reasons to not care for the older dog a few years later I pull my judgy pants so high I split myself in two.

I`ll await deletion.

Well said Dreams.

I judge those people too.

It really isn't as simple as saying, 'Oh, rehome the dogs'. Rescue centres are in crisis right now, and are overflowing with unwanted pets. It's not guaranteed at all that the OP would be able to offload her shih tzus straightaway - she might have to wait until a space becomes available in a local kennels. The fact that they're old and untrained and a bonded pair will count massively against them being rehomed quickly, so they'd probably have to spend a while in kennels, which is stressful for dogs, regardless of how hard rescue volunteers work to minimise the distress.

At least devote half an hour a day to getting them trained to walk nicely on a lead, OP - if you're determined to get rid of them, it would at least count in their favour. You might even find they're actually not that hard to keep happy.

So do I ...... so shoot me.

Hi
I'm sorry I've not been able to post again since last night. I work split shifts at weekends, morning and evening, and inbetween I was caring for my DD, we walked the dogs, had lunch and DH & I had a chat about the dogs. I broke down and he has agreed to walk them everyday and participate in getting them to behave better. Hopefully regular walks again will make them happier and less grouchy around DD.
Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this thread (in a constructive way and otherwise) and in particular, those that have PMed and offered help. I'm sorry but I don't have time to read all the posts on this thread, I have skim read but I only go online in the evenings, if at all, and I simply don't have time to read all of the posts since my last one last night. I could explain better my circs since DD was born, my health issues and what we've been through as a family but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. I was looking for honesty and it's what I got, that's why I posted here. I wasn't looking for excuses, I was looking for honesty and reality.
We both want to keep them and give them a better life than they've had these past few months.
I doubt I'll post again on this thread but wanted to update for those that may be interested.

Respect to you there OP! To come back with that post after the roasting you got on here is admirable. Especially without "biting" as it were.

So glad you are giving the dogs a chance, you are so doing the right thing - am glad your DH is going to help, the walks will make such a difference. You will have to be vigiliant, just like every other dog owner who has children. Your lives will be brighter with the dogs in it - Good decision xx

I can't tell you how glad I am that your dh is going to help. I was so bloody about that.

Well done for taking the thread with good grace.

Can I also suggest you get a lead that clips round your shoulders? You can get an extension for them for small dogs - then when you are walking them you will be secure.

Thank you for updating OP, and good luck.

Op, I am trying to PM with wrt Meerkats PM to me wrt to you but my phone seems to hate me tonight

If you are still watching could you PM me and I might be able to reply. If not I will get back to you at some point tommorrow. I just didn't want you to think I forgotten about you

I do have some ideas that might help with the barking and I can definitely advise on the pulling. I am sure Midori will have some great tips for you too.

In the meantime there is a thread on here somewhere called loose lead bootcamp, the technique they are using is good and you could start it in your garden while your baby is napping. You should have a quick read of it.

X posts with you OP. You are still watching.

Thanks for the update op. I really hope it works out brilliantly and that you start being able to enjoy your dogs again.

Wow That is why I don't have any pets, you need to think long and gp hard before getting one. Good on you op for comming back and taking this tread in good grace

So glad to hear you are seeking help and trying to improve things for everyone. Good luck.

That's great news OP, thanks for coming back, well done for taking everything on board, and I'm very pleased that your family are going to try to give those dogs the home they deserve.

good luck. :)

Fair enough OP - I really hope you find that with a bit of effort your dogs get back to being their old selves, and that you'll soon feel confident about them remaining at home living out the rest of their days.

I was one of the posters who spoke very bluntly - I have no idea if you read my posts or not but they were written based on what you'd said so far at those times. I stand by everything I said - which applies to pet ownership generally and not just you of course. In all honesty I felt very angry - and more so at your husband and I'm afraid I still don't understand how between the pair of you the dogs were shut in for so long but I'm glad he's now agreed to help and you're looking to sort this out together - which is how it should be of course. Thank you for coming back and letting us know ... I genuinely wish you good luck in sorting this out. Regular walks can only be a good thing ..... and if you still have issues, there is a wealth of information out there re: walking correctly on a lead and so on.

Glad to hear it!

Thanks OP. I'm really impressed that you've come back with an update.

Good luck, I'm sure they'll be much happier with regular exercise, and if you get advice from experts as to how to handle them around your DD I'm sure all will be okay.

Yanbu. Daughter's right to be free from fear is much more important.

Good luck, OP - I hope things settle down and get easier for you all very soon.

Rowanhart have you even bothered to read the thread?

OP, well done for coming back and updating. I hope it works out for all of you.