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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To rehome our dog?

107 replies

Rumplestiltskint · 27/09/2012 09:37

We have a 6 month old labrador. We love him dearly but are at the end of our tether with his destructiveness. We are moving into rented accommodation soon and we are really worried he's going to do something to the house.

He digs up the lawn and we have had to relay the turf, we normally put him in his crate when we go out but the last few times we have left him in the front room with a chew and his toys (we never leave him for more than 2 hours and always walk him before we go), anyway we arrived home and he had torn our new sofa apart.... Insurance are going to pay for it. This morning I got out of teh shower to find he had done the same thing to the other sofa, as well as scratched the hell out of the floorboards.

We can't watch him constantly and don't know what to do... We're not irresponsible owners, walk him, he plays with other dogs daily, we play games with him, crate him at night... We're now worried he will damage the rented house we are moving into...

OP posts:

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 27/09/2012 09:39

What did you expect when you bought the pup?? Have you taken him to dog training classes or whatever they are called or are you giving up on the first hurdle?

Feminine · 27/09/2012 09:39

Will the landlord know about your dog?

I'm assuming you have had to pay a little extra in your deposit...

This is not really a reason to get re-home , not at all IMO.

I really see how frustrating it must be though :)

honeytea · 27/09/2012 09:40

I dont think it is unreasonable to rehome him, I think he wold find a lovely home, maybe he just needs somewhere with loads of outside space.

Original poster

Rumplestiltskint · 27/09/2012 09:41

Yes he's been to puppy training classes. Obviously we expected it to be hard work, which is fine but we didn't expect destructiveness to this extent, it is going to get very expensive if it carries on.

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Anonymumous · 27/09/2012 09:41

We were in exactly the same situation. After a year of trying everything we could think of, we hated the damned dog - he was ruining our lives. We gave him away and the relief in our house afterwards was palpable. DH describes it as the happiest day of his life (yep, right up there with getting married and having babies!) I can't recommend getting rid of your dog enough.

Fizzybee · 27/09/2012 09:41

I'd say u shud be crating him when u cAnt watch him not just at night what happens if he chews the wrong dangerous thing? He will grow out of it with training mine did but then he as never allowed the opportunity to destroy anything he has no crate now he's 2 and a half as I can trust him

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 27/09/2012 09:42

This is not going to go well!!

Original poster

Rumplestiltskint · 27/09/2012 09:43

honeytea - We have a lot of outside space

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Original poster

Rumplestiltskint · 27/09/2012 09:43

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack - why do you say that?

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atacareercrossroads · 27/09/2012 09:44

Yabvu what the hell did you think getting a dog would be like?

I hope something gets done eventually to stop people getting dogs without being fully aware of the implications. :(

lisad123 · 27/09/2012 09:44

His a puppy, it's what they do and labs are some of the worst for this.
You need to crate him whenever he is alone, we didn't consider not crating our dog till he was 1 years old and his not even a terrible chewer!
Personally I wouldn't regime as don't think this is a good enough reason but if you think your going to end up rehoming in the longer term anyways, it's better while his younger and can find a forever home.

tabulahrasa · 27/09/2012 09:44

Um, he's a 6 month old lab - that's pretty much what they do...

cozietoesie · 27/09/2012 09:45

We had a lab once who our mother rehomed. Our family ways just didn't suit his needs - he was too confined.

I have to say that he jigged out of the front gate with his new owner without a look behind him and to my knowledge, he had a gloriously happy next 12 years on a working farm/estate. You won't be able to guarantee that, I suppose, but for that dog it was the best thing.

atacareercrossroads · 27/09/2012 09:46

Sorry that was a bit harsh, my neighbours have just god rid of their 3rd dog in as many years for the same reason.

lisad123 · 27/09/2012 09:46

Your find out quick enough why Betty said that

SoupDragon · 27/09/2012 09:46

I think rehoming because you are moving into rented accommodation and your dog is destructive is not the same as "giving up at the first hurdle".

Yes, they do grow out if it with training and time but if you don't have time because you have to move you don't have that time.

Original poster

Rumplestiltskint · 27/09/2012 09:49

Don't get me wrong we love him dearly and he is very happy, but we can't really afford to have him destroying things in our home let alone someone else's. We have gone back to crating him whenever we go out but this morning was a real shock

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cozietoesie · 27/09/2012 09:51

Well, Rumplestiltskint. If he's doing that, I don't think he's necessarily very happy at all. Something about the life he's leading doesn't suit him for him to have that much destructive energy surely?

Feminine · 27/09/2012 09:52

I think you need to watch Marley and me!

WelshMaenad · 27/09/2012 09:54

I wish people would just get a fucking goldfish or something.

He's a young, large dog. What did you EXPECT???

DeliaRose · 27/09/2012 09:54

It's a puppy.

I think possible the first thing anyone will tell you about puppies is that they CHEW.

We have a 6 month pup, and if she's not being watched, she's in her crate. If she had chewed up a sofa, I certainly wouldn't have let her back in the room unsupervised to chew the other

We're in rented, and the landlords have no problem as long as we fix any damage (which currently stands at one chewed through hole in the wall )

Sounds like you just can't be bothered, so perhaps actually YANBU to rehome, hopefully he'll find a home that does care.

Please give him to a rescue though rather that finding a home yourself. That way you'll know that the family he goes to is properly vetted and not likely to give him up after 6 months, because that would be awful...

Original poster

Rumplestiltskint · 27/09/2012 09:54

cozietoesie - do you think he is unhappy or do you think that is normal puppy behaviour? Lots of people are saying it is normal. I'm sure he's be happier if we lived on a huge farm, near a beach in a hot sunny country with a load of other dogs but we don't. We have a large garden, he gets loads of attention, lots of walks and affection.

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honeytea · 27/09/2012 09:54

Do you spend lots of time with him in your outside space?

akaemmafrost · 27/09/2012 09:54

Google crate training. It's NOT cruel and WILL work in this situation till he grows out of it. You don't need to re-home him.

Original poster

Rumplestiltskint · 27/09/2012 09:55

DeliaRose - lol at we don't care!

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