To want to rehome my dog

[Ubah]

Please read before judging as I know a lot of people adore their dogs. I love my dog too but I think for his sake it would be better to rehome him. I work full time far from home so he is alone all day every day. I spend a few hours in the evening with him and when I go to bed he whines until I get up and sit on the couch with him again. This can go on all night so he is obviously having separation anxiety or something like that. Also he has the house absolutely ruined from weeing all the time. I don’t give out to him I just clean it up but my house is beginning to stink from him. I’m wrecked when I get home from work and in the morning facing a long journey and cleaning up after his night and day of peeing on everything is just too much. I think he deserves a home where he is in company most of the day and lives with someone who can take him out during the day. There are no dog walkers in my area so I can’t avail of that service. I can’t let him out the back while I’m away as I live on a main road and he would get knocked down. Also my teenager, 14 year old, doesn’t want me to rehome him even though she rarely interacts with him and spends every second week with her dad anyway. She doesn’t clean up after him but she just has a kind heart. I do love my little dog but I really think he needs something more than I can give him. He’s ten now and so may only have a few more years. Am I bad for thinking about rehoming him? Thanks for reading

Definitely rehome your dog! How would you liked to be locked in a house for 12 hours a day and not allowed to even have a pee. Never get a pet of any kind again.

Re-home. If your teenager won’t or can’t come home straight away to walk him, then really, she can’t whinge. It’s a better life for him because 12 hours home alone is awful. Ours have 3 days a month when we’re both out but have a dog walker. Would a family member take him, maybe during the week? No neighbours who’d help?

I think you and your teen could do better. I run my dog 5k very early every morning every day of the year, and he spends the rest of the day sleeping or padding around. Even if I or other people (teens) are in the house at some stage he is typically inside from 8 to 8 and then often just gets popped out back for a quick wee. Never wees in the house or whimpers. In addition to the run he usually gets some good play with a ball or tug toy once we’re all home. He’s 7, very fit and happy as Larry. Dogs are like young children - they need wearing out every day. I agree that they need company but they also sleep a heck of a lot. Also agree there will be a dog walker somewhere.

A few years ago?! So your poor dog has been home alone, shitting and pissing everywhere with no company every working day for a few years? Be glad I'm not your neighbour, I'd have reported you long ago. You should be prosecuted for animal cruelty.

Don't feel bad, feel happy for him because he will have a much better life when re homed to a family that can care for him or a rescue centre. Don't beat yourself up, circumstances change, you obvioysky love him and you are doing it for his own good

Your ex is as responsible for this dog as you are.

Why can he not go to your daughters dads when she does?

I'd discuss with daughter new regime for when he is at yours...

you get up early and walk him a half hour before work and spend another half hour with him

Try Rover app or borrow my doggy for midday let out if not a walk. Enquire at vets and kennels too if they know anyone or anywhere that can help

Your daughter walk him as soon as she gets in from school and spends time with him hanging out after the walk until you get in

You let him sleep with you at night so he isn't alone

You take him out with you at weekends/sports whatever so he isn't alone. Walk him whilst dd is at activities wherever they are

He goes to ex house with your daughter for that week and there is a similar routine there. Its not fair for ex to just move out and leave you struggling with dog

If no-one can commit to that-including ex , then poor dog has to be rehomed.

This has gone on long enough and you need to come up with a plan this week. If thats rehoming, then that's rehoming.

How do you commute op? If by car can you look for doggy care enroute to work and back! I have a 10 year old lab and I think she would die if she was separated from us! (Actually I feel like I might just die thinking of losing her) they have these apps where you can find someone to look after your dog. I had a foster dog who wasn’t water safe so on weekends when I went to our boat we had a person to look after her on land and we would just pick her up on our way home! We didn’t leave her overnight usually just the day or even half depending on the weather! It’s really sad. If the teenager wants the dog be firmer….

Hrft but do not just allow him to roam, that's worse than removing.

Are there any retired or student people locally who could care for him during the day? Otherwise removing is the best option, but sad for everyone, dog included.
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The Dogs Trust have a helpline and a section on their website regarding re homing. They will not judge you and I think it is definitely the right thing to do.

I find this unbearably sad as he’s quite old
to rehome but absolutely agree the situation needs to change. It’s just not acceptable and your dog must feel awful having no choice but to toilet indoors. We’ve just rehomed a dog and I won’t leave her longer than 2.5 hours atm and I’ve built up to that. I am struggling to believe there’s no option but if there really isn’t then yes, contact a rescue as he’ll get more enrichment there atm. I do really feel for you but also wonder how it’s got to this stage. Brave of you to reach out though. Good luck.

Re getting the teenager to walk the dog-doesn't work. You can shoo them out of the door but you can't stop the teenager sitting in a bus shelter and texting her friends/being on discord/whatever. Found this out the hard way.

When people say they are getting a dog for their kids, I always ask if they want a dog themselves? If they don't, don't get a dog. Sorry.
Dog walkers and day care are expensive and your little dog needs company. Please find a breed specific rescue and rehome him. You'll get strop from the teenager, likely but it's still the correct thing to do.

Sad situation but rehoming would be best I think

leaving a dog trapped alone all day is cruel.

Can you take him to work with you ?
Can you let him sleep up in your bedroom so he’s not alone at night ?
Can you take him for a walk before you go to work and your teen has to walk the dog as soon as they get in from school and keep him company?
When teen is at their dad’s place can the dog go there too ?
And for the times he is alone can you set up a place he can go for the toilet , a tray with puppy pads ?
Because if you can’t or don’t want to do this then he needs a new home .
I only know of breed specific re homing and my own current dog is a re home .
I got him from a lady who couldn’t cope with keeping him and he’s had the absolute best life with us .
We are mostly home , he’s rarely left , he comes out with us a lot , if we do leave him it’s an absolute maximum of 4 hours and is usually less than that

I’m judging you and your kid. Get a dog walker. Go home at lunch. Reduce your hours. Animals aren't disposable. Step up to your responsibilities and so should your child. Are they out 7-7? I thought not.

Those of you who think elderly dogs are guaranteed to wake up the next day in a happy rescue home are deluded.

Yes in these circumstances it would be best to re-home him. How old is he and what breed?

In the meantime, have to tried Borrow My Doggy? People sign up to walk dogs for free. I used to walk a few myself prior to becoming a dog owner.

This is pulling on my heartstrings as I lost my soul dog in December and miss his company so much.

Rehoming sounds so easy - but what are the chances that anyone will want a 10 year old dog that pees in the house? Seriously? Get real.

I actually think you're being really kind to let him go to a better home. This is a difficult situation but he will be better off elsewhere and once you come to terms with it you will feel better too.

Xx

@TheFunDog he isn’t going to find a better home. He’ll be confined to a kennel in a rehoming centre or killed. He’s an elderly dog who gave his life to a family who can’t put themselves out to care for him. I hope this woman struggles to cope with the guilt and the lazy daughter. You don’t throw animals away like toys. ‘Rehoming’ is no panacea it’s the lazy forget about the dog option. Heartless and entirely avoidable in this case.
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So sorry this is happening. But sad as it is, I reckon you know the answer. Your pet will be better homed elsewhere where they’ve got more hours to care for them and have a brighter life.

Completely against the grain here but I wouldn’t rehome at his age. He will be left languishing in the kennels and it’s incredibly unfair on the dog as he won’t understand what he has done wrong.
10 years is such a long time to have a pet then to give them up.
I am assuming you get two days off per week just make sure you give him lots of walks and attention. Maybe invest in some toys that will keep him entertained while you’re out.

Also why are posters saying he will be better off being rehomed he won’t be, this is a senior dog which are notoriously harder to rehome. The amount of people who adopt and return is also a huge issue these days please don’t rehome him.

Your dog is weeing in the house because he’s left alone for 12 hours. Get some puppy pads at least so he knows where to go and you don’t have to clean up and think about smells.
Your teen is old enough to help care for the dog when they get home from school the dog can be walked and have company, if your daughter doesn’t want to do that then she has no say in what happens to the dog.

The dog will need to sleep in your bedroom, bring the bed up to your room it’s not fair he’s alone all day then a few hours after you get home you disappear again. If you’re on the road doing drop offs bring the dog with you, get a dog car seat and put the dog in that.

There’s much more you can do be doing for your dog whilst you decide if you are rehoming. If you don’t want to even try to do these things then you need to rehome asap and not keep thinking about it because that living little soul needs more than you can give.

What breed is it?

Re homing may be the best option. It is possible to re home a 10YO dog, but it does depend on his size.
Generally speaking elderly smaller dogs can be re homed. They have a longer lifespan on average and are easier to manage if they get older dog joint stiffness, etc.
A 10YO large breed dog probably won’t find a home easily.
Your 14YO gets no say if they are not helping your dog in his present, frankly cruel, situation.
In the meantime at least take your dog into your bedroom to sleep so that he has company for more than a few hours a day.