Dog driving me mad, bot sure whether I'm being U want him rehired

[ginplease83]

I am very bloody cross. I gave my 22 month old a mini milk this afternoon and sat her on the sofa in our open plan kitchen watching tv whilst I did some food prep. She's in the same room and easily accessible. Our dog was in his bed the other side of the room.

I turned to put something in the fridge and she started screaming. I turned around and our labrador who is obsessed with food, has half jumped on the sofa and is taking her ice cream. I jump on the dog and remove him and reassure her. He knows that this was wrong as soon as he saw me noticing, he sprung up.

I don't think he can be trusted around our kids anymore and want him gone. My DH thinks Im over reacting and that i don't give the dog enough attention. He's walked very regularly but i don't have time to sit there and stroke him. Theres nowhere else for him to go in the house apart from a large kitchen and family room area. If I put him in the garden he rams himself into the fence to try and get to a neighbour's dog or he makes every attempt he can to get into our bins.

[Mommawoo]

Fennella - I'll accept that my first post was a little extreme and I'm sorry for that, and you're right it might influence people to rehome dogs through other channels.

But, I stand by what I said. They don't follow the ethos of "never put a healthy dog down" thats a different charity. As it says on their website they do pts in cases of extreme behaviour problems.

I will think before I speak on this subject again as it is very sensitive, but you should also think before claiming people are talking "bollocks" when thats not the case.

[PageStillNotFound404]

Mommawoo - read my post above re what constitutes "healthy".

[Mommawoo]

Sorry, I see your point about mental health problems meaning the dog is not healthy. But, a lot of those problems are environmental. In a home setting the same dog would thrive, but in kennels they become aggressive.

Im not against Battersea by the way, they do amazing work and compared to some of the shelters I have seen in Greece its practically a haven.

[WanderingTrolley1]

toolong, you are over-walking your 10 month old puppy.

[Sunshineonacloudyday]

Are these charities finding it hard to rehome dogs. What happens to a dog if they don't find him a home.

[Houseconfusion]

Oh look who has come back to the thread. To brighten our lives.

[honeyroar]

Ive got two labs, both rescue labs. Both are trained not to steal food, you could leave a joint of meat on the worktop to defrost overnight and they'd leave it (the cats are another story though!). But if there was a toddler wafting an ice cream around at eye level and nobody told them off they'd have a lick of the ice cream without a doubt. And the female one gets her head stuck in my sister in law's swing bin every time we go there. So proof your house, make life easier. Have a bin with a decent lid that he can't get into. Put nappies in a bin he can't get into. Have a stair gate into another room and put him there when you eat. Or tell him to sit and stay while you eat, and praise him when he does - train him. Spend a bit of time with him. Take him for a walk with your pram. Throw some balls for him, have fun with him. Let him relax and play with you and your little one. You may well all learn to love each other and he may become your little one's best friend one day.

[maninawomansworld01]

I haven't read the whole thread, just your original post and a couple of the immediate replies on page 1 but here's what I think:

You aren't giving the dog what it needs. A lab is an intelligent dog, it needs exercise, mental stimulation, companionship and proper training. The behaviours you describe are not right (although fairly common as I think the majority of pet owners fail to meet their dogs needs).

I have 9 dogs at the moment, springer spaniels, labs, one collie and one terrier.
Not one would steal food because they are properly trained and have their needs met. I was having a bit of a slob out with a tv dinner the other day and I left my beef and ale pie on the floor while I went to the kitchen. 4 of the dogs were within a few meters of the pie and not one of them so much as sniffed it.

Invest in some training and give your poor dog the time of day he deserves!
And next time you go to get a pet do your bloody research before buying.