To consider rehoming dog

[Celtic1hair]

Looking for advice as to be honest I cant really think straight. We got a dog 4 years ago, small cavapoo after years of wanting one, did not go into it blindly, Ive had dogs all my life and am well aware of all of the needs and sacrifices needed. Unfortunately he is super anxious. Had seperation anxiety to the point I was genuinely worried he would have a heart attack after being left for 10 minutes. This went on and on, ripping doors, paintwork whilst scratching for attention. We have had 5 dog trainers who cant seem to manage him, hes now become ultra wary of strangers and if anyone comes to the door the barking is relentless. I literally cant have workmen into the house because of him, even when put into the kitchen I have to sit and hold him on a lead the entire time. One dog trainer suggested getting a dog for company and nothing has changed at all, just added workload to the whole issue. I have three children, and the dog is amazing with them, but they cant have friends over because of his behaviour, constant barking and if they come close even growling. My husband cant bear it, so Im bearing the brunt of his frustration too and we have had some awful rows. I adore the little thing but I cant carry on like this for another 10 years.

Thank you, this has summarised exactly what has been the final straw really. It's just been really difficult to separate the facts from emotion x

I think that is very unfair. He has a different perspective, he's probably fed up with trying to get the dog to behave appropriately and is fearful of what might happen next. Some people are just more pragmatic and deal with issues in that way.

I think the OPs husband could be the sensible one here! Ye have tried everything and nothing is working,one of ye needs to be realistic.
The dog needs to go, it’s been an awful experience for everyone. Look into rehousing and if they don’t think it’s possible then PTS.

Some of these breeds just get the worst bits of both, you have been very unlucky.
Good luck

There you go OP - a trainer has said it’s the best thing - believe her

lets us know if you hear fr the charities

You have no idea what your talking about - go away

shame on you trying to guilt trip OP

It’s incredibly hard when you know there’s a lovely dog inside the stressed out one. Mine is now asleep on the sofa next to me, but in the first year he was with us he bit all of us at some point, for various reasons.

Have a look at

https://www.honesthounds.co.uk/
(the story of atlas on instagram shows how much can be achieved)

and
https://pawsinnature.co.uk/

https://southenddogtraining.co.uk/

Animals behave in accordance with how they are treated 99.9% of the time.
If you watched "My cat from hell" with Jackson Galaxy you'd realise just how common it is for an animal's owner's partner to mistreat the animal (when she's not looking - it was always the man) because they didn't want the animal around.

On one occasion, a young cat was very aggressive and it recoiled immediately as soon as Jackson made a fist... Everyone watching knew what the cat owner's boyfriend was doing behind her back. No cat should recognise a fist.

Your being ridiculous

You have no evidence of that here. I'll repeat, it's very unfair to accuse a person of cruelty because a dog or cat is aggressive. My cat bit me years ago totally out of character. I had to have penicillin because of infection. Shortly afterwards he was very ill and had to be PTS. The vet said he had developed an illness very quickly and the aggression was him becoming ill. I loved that cat very much and never ever harmed him.

I would hope rehoming is good way forward OP, from what you're saying this dog has zero bite history despite giving very full on displays, and actually for some dogs it is all display and they don't progress to biting.

I know that is difficult to know for sure with your dog as it also sounds like you have done a great job managing them which will also be part of the picture.

Ultimately it sounds like your lives are being limited in so many ways, you've tried so much, and you don't have the support you need as a team to keep persisting endlessly (I say that as no bad thing, I think it sounds like you've reached a sensible position with regard to what is possible).

I do think sometimes a radically new environment for the dog where they are not constantly repeating the same learned behaviours they are presently doing, and a quiet life with low stress, gives them the chance to reset and learn different behaviours and I hope that is possible for your boy.

Thanks, I did download the Southend dog trainer app last week as part of my "give me one more month" so I've been trying to work through some of the advice there too. It so difficult, it would be so much easier if he had no redeeming qualities.

Be careful OP. They do not have a good reputation within the industry and are known for less than positive methods. Have a good following on SM so get recommended often and do have some good stuff to be fair…..but as an example were banned from a trade stand at crufts last time they wanted one.

I think it's way more unfair to put the dog down...
Hence why I brought this up.
It's been on my mind since OP's first post.

Btw, I'm not remotely concerned about politeness or niceties when PTS an animal is being proposed by OP and others on this thread.

Perhaps you could take the dog then. Seeing as you seem so sure of your ground 🙄

Obviously rehoming is the preferred option. But a lifetime of kennels or being passed from pillar to post is a far worse outcome for an anxious dog

I already have one rescue dog and two cats all of whom were very badly treated before I took them in. Go lecture someone else.

The onus is on OP to find a suitable home not just hand the animal to the first person who calls to the door. Then it won't be passed from pillar to post.

I know some people criticise Southend Dog Training, and it’s mostly because he’s very forthright. Crufts got annoyed with him because he uses vibrating collars at times, and because he’s outspoken about the cruelty of kennel club breed standards in flat faced dogs.

There’s also this behaviourist, she’s very holistic and gentle and works online;

https://laura-suckley-s-school.teachable.com/p/foundations-of-dog-psychology

Jeez just how naive would you have to be to think that the poster could find the dog a new home themselves or in any way be part of that process? As opposed to a rescue who have the skills and experience to do so?
And if that rehome fails - which it may well with the dog’s behavioural issues…. The dog is returned. Often many times. And if they can’t be successfully rehomed, they may be pts anyway
That’s the reality, as opposed to the Disney view of (some of)the wider population where the perfect home is magically available and they all live happily ever after

I suppose you think I'm dreadful too then. Truthfully, I don't care. I had to think of the damage that the dog could do to innocent people.

Not naive at all - it takes time and effort.
It doesn't sound like you're used to that idea.

If OP loves the dog, she'll make the effort.
She can put an ad up on a local classified site and do the vetting herself.
She can contact dog rescue centres and agree a process with them when they have a suitable candidate rather than stressing the animal out by locking it up in a kennel.

She has made the effort! How much more has the poor woman to do?

You clearly know nothing and are responding to what’s in your head because it bears no resemblance to the OPs situation which she’s been clear about

Find a suitable home for the dog!
That's what.
A dog is for life - it's not a toy.

If she's at the end of her tether, that's her own fault for not looking for a solution before now. That is not a reason to put the dog down or to dump it at a rescue centre. She's an adult not a child.

What a lesson for her children.
Dogs are disposable.

Flip the story around.

This dog is living with the wrong family and the solution being proposed is to kill it.

It needs a new home with the right family not to be killed.
It needs to be rehomed with a retired couple or a retired person living on their own who has the time to spend with the animal.
It's been bred to need a companion all day long.

Nice to see you edit your post to make an even bigger guilt trip on me. Just how do you propose I safely rehome a dog who is a potential bite risk and has behavioural issues when we can't get to the bottom of despite trying numerous methods? What exact information should I be giving these magical people who exist just ready to take a difficult dog, undiagnosed and untested on? Please enlighten me so I can avoid wasting the experts time. You are not here to offer any help, I'm happy to listen to any opinion, it's why I came onto the forum in the first place and nearly every single person has been so lovely with all different perspectives, but you honestly are just rage baiting at this point so I won't be responding any further to you, please leave.

Have you actually read all that she's tried? Sometimes it really is the end of the road. No one takes a dog to be PTS without a lot of soul searching and heartbreak. But sending a dog for rehoming is often impossible, doesn't resolve the issue even if the dog is given another chance and just puts off the inevitable.

Yes dead right OP

they clearly ah ent read your posts and don’t seem to understand how the world works - they must be living in their head