DH wants to get rid of our puppy!!

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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?

Re hoovers, I have the Miele cat and dog- it works well, but my dog is wirey and so not as sheddy as some.

Its not that uncommon for people to regret getting dogs when they turn out to be a lot of work.
That alone doesn't make someone an abusive, selfish, untrustworthy bastard who is going to hurt a baby for crying
When someone gets a dog, gets bored and gets rid they are a knob.
When someone moans about hair everywhere and trashed rooms it means they are normal.

If he insists on getting rid of the dog then he is a knob. If he is just generally whinging he is annoying.

Miele cat and dog here too. Brillant piece of equiptment. I'm thinking about getting a window vac at the moment but kitchen roll is working fine.

Furminator brush - take her outside and brush every day. Do it after her walk. Run the Hoover round every evening. Take her to training classes - wil help once baby is here and helps with bonding too so I would suggest your DH does it.

DH takes her out for a walk around the local park for about an hour a day, I take her to the dog park near to the house for around 30 minutes! She runs wild and is always worn out!

I currently have two baby gates one after the other and she still manages to get over them! Think I need to invest in a doggy gate!!

Another vote for a Miele vacuum...we have the cat and dog one.

Another vote for the Furminator and yes, do the grooming when you are on a walk.

Other than that, as well as lots of exercise she will need mental stimulation. Speak to a dog trainer / behaviourist about things you can do to ensure she is kept occupied because boredom results in destructive behaviour...is she left alone for long periods? Do you cage her? We wouldn't have been without the cage when our dog was a puppy...I am sure it saved our house being destroyed!

Other than that, if you do decide to rehome your dog (which saddens me terribly), do not ever buy another pet with your current partner. I know a family like this...they have had three dogs over five years and rehomed them all when they realise that dog ownership is a huge responsibility and does mean dirt, dog hair, expense and time. Very, very sad.

Vivienne I love your photo...my (late) dog used to lie like this and invite tummy rubs....wonderful!

You don't strip a GSDs coat!! Any groomer who has a clue what they are doing won't clip or strip (except any loose down) a GSD!

Put them one on top of the other OP one as normal and the other upside down above the other!

I think I've made it clear we're not getting rid! Thank you for all your suggestions! For what it's worth, DH isn't a bastard otherwise I wouldn't have married him! I just think he's been a bit naive in respect of dog ownership and needs training himself!

If she likes a ball invest in a ball chucker as repeated running and fetching also helps wear them out. My dog had a huge amount of energy and needed constant stimulation and runs off lead. GSDs are very bright and need things to do....

I'm glad she is staying and you have a great bond with her. Dogs are fab.

I think the thing with these threads is that I would never get a dog, I don't particularly like them or have any desire or interest in them..

I think some people are animal people / some aren't.

I think the people who are dog people struggle to comprehend how someone can not feel the same way.

That said your DH , I am very confused..Why did he get the dog? did he do it to please everyone else.. You might think he likes the dog but he clearly hasn't bonded if he can get rid of it. Most the dog people I know couldn't.

You know, you could put in the money and the time to have the dog and yourselves trained together. If you were responsible.

Would one of you have time to take your dog to agility or similar classes, if you can find a club or group nearby? She might find it mentally stimulating and that might improve things at home. I think one of the reasons gsd are used by the police and army is because they thrive on the training and work.

DGSD says thank you too

You refer to an existing DD and new baby (congratulations). New baby is clearly not your PFB then - but is it DH's? Sorry I'm not clear from your OP.

If it is DH's first child, he genuinely, might not understand how to manage dogs and new babies. whilst you already have that T-shirt and so are less phased by it.

Gsd's are thinking dogs. Like collies they need to be mentally as well as physically tired. Start teaching her to bring washing downstairs, put it in the washing bin. Bring you letters, shoes etc. There are books on Amazon to teach obedience and tricks and she will love learning. If she's a full on one, it generally means she is more intelligent.
Look into agility/ flyball near you. Fast thinking as well as repetitive stuff will really calm her down. Also use scent. Hide something of yours on a walk and give her instructions to go back and find it. Let her smell your clothing and then say find it. She can do the same with your hubbys and dc stuff. Using her brain to track will tire her out too. Get your daughter to hide up front on a walk, let dog sniff something of hers and tell her to find. Use the wind to your advantage the first few times so that the wind is blowing from your daughters or the clothing D direction towards the dog and after a while, when she gets it, she will really start working the wind and it won't matter how you set her up. Your hubby will enjoy having a clever dog and your daughter will be so keen to show her off to friends.

She is at the hooligan stage now, still puppyish but big dog sized. No wonder more dogs in rescues are 10 months to 20 months.

The mental as well as physical tiredness from her existing walks will work well.
And the blowing her coat...won't last forever. I second a furminator or stripping knife. Every day or twice a day outside. Especially down her back and flanks.

Ah, she's gorgeous OP!

Yes it is his first baby. He's probably quite anxious so I suppose I should be more patient with him

As for being "responsible " I am! I have had dogs all my life, she is well trained just seems to be a bit more "spirited" lately. As I've said previous her behavior is not such a massive issue, nothing that can't be dealt with by clear boundaries and reinforcement.

Not really the point I know but can we have a picture of her?

I didn't particularly want another GSD either (dh had one when we got together, we lost him a few years ago) but caved under pressure and I must say he is the apple of my eye now, I lurve him. He is a darling. He is so strong though that I can't actually take him out at the moment because he's so excitable he could easily have me over, but we have a one-to-one dog trainer come every other week or so and we are making excellent progress. It isn't cheap but it's also not outrageously expensive so it's definitely worth considering if you're not already doing it.

Definitely get a taller stair gate because it'll knacker her joints going up and down the stairs, especially if she's jumping the gate. We used the base of an old cot in one house and it worked really well!

Ooh I was slow and cross-posted, she's luuuuurvely

Oh she is a beauty OP!!!! Another vote for the furminator as well.
Also my DM decided to get a GSD puppy when she first went on maternity leave(seemed like a great idea at the time apparently). It all worked out wonderfully and she was a great honorary babysitter/first best friend

Your dog's a real cutie!!

He'll feel much better once he accepts the hair, I have two very hairy cats and everything is covered. I've given up now, I love them more than I hate the hair.

And I have a toddler who has never been harmed by hair . What does he think it will do to the baby? It's good for them to be around animals.

Your dog looks like a sweetheart. GSDs shed and needs loads of exercise and brain work. That's why I didn't get one!

Still' even my 'perfect breed for me' puppy is a handful. I've had a few 'what have I done moments and he's only 12 weeks old.