please help re:stray dog. Please dont read if squeamish

[AnAngelWithin]

ok so last week we found a dog in our area. Apparently from what I had heard, he had been running round the area for a few days. He still had a collar and lead on. Anyway, we took him in. cleaned him up, fed him and then rang the local dog warden. He came and checked him and said that he didnt had a chip thing in him and asked what we wanted to do. He said that we could either keep hold of him and if after 28 days the owner didn't come forward we could keep him, or he would take him to the kennels for the month. Anyway, we decided that we would keep hold of him cos he was such a sweetheart, and the thought of him being in kennels. So the dog warden left us his number, said any problems to ring him. And that he would come and check on us a few times.

So fast forward a week of having a totally loving dog in the house who wants nothing but to sleep and be loved. Fantastic with the kids. Eats hardly anything, totally house trained, a dream to walk and leaves everything in the kitchen alone, even food that drops on the floor....

This afternoon I went to get the kids from school. I was running late and rushed out the door, ran to school and got home. When I got home, what I saw just mortified me. I had forgotten to move the rabbit and he had got into the cage and ripped her to pieces. When I opened the door he was stood there with the remains of her head in his mouth. The children saw and screamed the place down (understandably) He has never even looked at the rabbit before. Totally ignored her. Its my own stupid fault I know for leaving her in there. I might as well have killed her myself and I am beating myself up something chronic about it, so please don't tell me how awful I am cos I already know. I just screamed so loud and opened the back door he bolted out. I tried to let him back in after I had cleaned all the kitchen of the blood etc, but he has just stayed outside. He has been barking like mad (which he hasnt done before)

I know I was stupid letting him stay. At the end of the day I didn't know him. But I am an animal lover and the thought of him being stuck in a kennel mortified him.

Anyway, I said to DH that I think we should get the dog warden to come and take him after all. I don't think he wants to part with him but he said he doesn't trust him with the kids now.

The children wont' go near him cos of what he did to their rabbit.

I;m just wondering what the dog warden will do with him, if he will get him destroyed? I have tried so hard to find the owners but they havent come forward yet.

i think he would eat the house in a month let alone 2-3 years!! you have the patience of a saint justustwo!

Angel, if the warden isn't interested, you could try looking at www.ukboxerdogs.co.uk/rescue.html (am useless at links) - it gives a list of regional boxer rescue centres who would be perhaps better able to find the best home for him.

i have to go through the dog warden don't i seeing as i reported to him? to warden has already said that he is ultimately responsible for the dog, even when he is in my care.

Frankly I have no idea, but they might be worth speaking to anyway, if only for some short term advice on dealing with him, and if they offer to take him, then the dog warden might be as happy to not have the bother. Just a thought.

angel, sorry if i came across snappy i certainly didn't mean to. if you'll read the end of my post i do sympathise with your situation. he's obviously a handful and keeping him when you can't manage his behaviour won't help him or you.

fwiw though over here i've almost never heard of a dog being left in the house while the owner is out, they live in gardens with a kennel or shed to shelter in and alot of people don't really let them in the house at all. it's certainly not cruel... they're alot happier and healthier than the few indoor dogs i've met.

ok sorry pinktulips. just been a very long day. i have been reading up on boxer dogs and apparently they don't like outdoor living as their thin cost makes it hard for them to adjust to the weather changes. I am not against dogs living outside. My husband is from farming and gamekeeping background, what I meant to say was that its more frowned upon in my area.

fair enough angel, i didn''t realise he couldn't be outside.

i hope you find a solution that means he gets a good chance at a home and well done for taking him in, most people wouldn't have.

i hope your kids are getting over their fright from the rabbit thing btw

i think they are bearing up. Even though they said they wanted to keep the dog, they have not been the same with him ever since the incident. Can't blame them really I guess. i think it was just because they are like me and didn't like to think of the dog not having a home. They miss the rabbit awfully.

AAW - I think you've done the right thing getting back to the warden. You didn't plan to ave a dog and this one obviously is going to take a lot of time and patience to help him be a good family pet.Time that you may well not have with your lo. Keeping a dog is not fair if you haven't got the time to dedicate yourself completely. And why should you? He isn't yours!

Pinktulips - how strange you have never heard of dogs being kept inside before. Are you in the UK? I have never heard of a dog being kept outside before. (well heard yes, but actually met a dog who lives in an outdoor kennel house all the time - no!)
Where I live (norther UK) it is absolutely the norm for family dogs to stay in the house while owners are out. In fact I remember a thread about where people have their dog's bed. Majority was in the kitchen apart from the lucky people who have utility rooms.

Angel, I think you have done the right thing, sad as it is. We adopted our dog from a shelter about 2 and a half years ago (a lab cross) and have been extremely lucky that he has been such a good family pet. He couldn't be left alone at all for the first couple of months as he became very distressed and the kennels had told us that with previous owners, he had been v destructive. When we began to leave him, it was for 1 minute then the next time for 2 minutes etc and he can now stay for 2-3 hours on his own (although he is hyper when we get home)

I'm a SAHM and he gets lots of walks and company and he is very 'respectful' of our cat (scared actually!) I do think it could have turned out differently though, and its given me a whole new insight into dog ownership.

OK PLEASE HELP !!!

the warden was unable to collect the dog yesterday so we had him for another night. I had to go to my ds's class assembly this morning so braved leaving him and left a note on the door for the warden saying I would be back soon. Anyway he obviously called as he left a note saying he would come at 1pm today to collect the dog. Anyway, in my rush and the chaos to get out the house on time to get ds there in time for prearaing for his assembly, i forgot to turn my radio off. Came home and the dog looked like he had slept the whole time I was out. Not a single thing touched. I don't know if it was a coincidence with the radio or what?? Now I am really torn and feel even more guilty. I've got til 1 to make my final decision.

really? oh god. now i feel awful thinking about getting rid of him when theres seomthing i could do to stop it. what would you do of you were me? honestly....

he is fine overnight. it must be a separation thing.

i love him loads now and i just hate the thought of him being shoved to another home because someone can't deal with him. he seems more than happy to plod around in the day, go for 2-3 walks a day, sleep all night, 2meals a day. I just feel as though I am being totally rotten to him pushing him away. How will he ever settle??

The dog warden thinks he is approx 3 years old. Though I have heard that boxers tend to stay puppies for along time?

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the kids are still wary of him understandably. DH doesn't like the destruction but loves the dog. I have discussed the crate thing with him and he refuses to go down that road with a dog.

angel, if you want to fix this problem then it is do-able. I've also heard of leaving the radio on for company, but it might be worth speaking to your vet as they usually have details of behaviorists you can consult with to help you rectify this behavior.

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