Looks like we have to sell our puppy :(

[bounty5]

We got her at the beginning of the summer at a time when my husband worked mainly from home. Our circumstances are now changed, so looks like we have to sell her. I think we've considered all possibilities of holding onto her. But in case there is an angle that I have overlooked, I am appealing to mum's net... We've asked family and friends to look after her during the week and holidays (I work in a college, term-time only so am free in holidays), but no-one is able to take on the long term commitment. We tried 'borrow-my-doggy' - but that would be a bit patchy, unreliable, not fair on her and stressful for us. So we've found a buyer and met up with them... Assuming they are interested, she will spend a final weekend with us, then on Sunday it will be goodbye! Any last minute ideas before we take the plunge?? Or since a sale is looking likely, I would like to know if anyone has been through this before. My 12 year old will be especially upset - does anyone have any inspirational words that will help us through this difficult time?

[WalkingTed]

employ the services of a local dog carer.. many do pupy care visits through the day and then adjust the visits as the dog matures, eventually to a dig walker visiting and walking your dog or send your dog to doggy day care near to where you work.

its all very doable.

[WalkingTed]

excuse typos

[IfIWasABirdIdFlyIn2ACeilingFan]

I think we've considered all possibilities of holding onto her.

Umm, you very much haven’t.

Doggy day care: you either drop doggy off to day care in the morning like childcare or the doggy day care comes to pick up.

Daily dog walker: calls as many times a day as you want (and pay for) to walk and toilet dog.

Dog sitter: comes to your house and dogs sits, walks dog, plays with dog, feeds dog.

If you really can’t do any of those things then contact the breeder you bought from, they will have told you to do this when you bought it!

[fourpawswhite]

This makes me so angry.

You have not considered all possibilities. Not at all. You do not get a puppy and rehome it like this.

The Breeder should always be your first contact, assuming you used a reputable one they will take the puppy back.

That aside you could get a dog walker every day term time only. There is also doggy daycare.

[Namethecat]

My daughter has a dog walker, comes to the house ,collects dog, takes for a walk. Also they both drive so they take it in turns to go home during their lunch break and spend some time with it before going back to work.

[Disfordarkchocolate]

There are lots of doggy day care and dog walking options in most places, have you looked at this? Its the most obvious option. Why sell and not re-home through a shelter or the breeder? Are you best placed to find a good owner?

[Aprilshowersnowastorm]

Advertise her as neutered and I bet they don't bother.....
Doggy day care.
Or rehome and never ever get another ddog.

[fenneltea]

Agree with previous posters, dog walking is a big business now, there's bound to be one near to you that could walk your dog when needed, also lots of doggy creche places about.

I would never sell a dog unless you can do a thorough home check with vet references, even then, once you hand the dog over you have no further control, and anything could happen to it that would haunt you forever. At least a rescue centre would secure the dogs future for life and include proper checks, so giving you peace of mind. Please don't sell it.

[thaegumathteth]

Wow this is so so horrible and uncaring if you. You ought toku ou ashamed. Why on Earth are you selling her to some random? Have a heart.

[longtompot]

Have you always worked in college, or has that just started? I'm just confused as to why you would get a pup if you knew that during term times you couldn't look after it then? I'm not being goady, or trying to make you feel worse than you are probably already feeling, just wondered.

Anyway, have you tried a dog walker? My friends both work full time and they have a young dog. They find it helps. One of them does work from home occasionally.
How young is your puppy? Is it toilet trained? Do you collect your 12 year old from school, or do they make their own way home? They could do the after school care until either you or your oh gets home. If they would be that upset the pup needs to go, they would probably want to help to make sure puppy stays.
I hope you do find a way to make it work for you.

[Thankewe]

Pay for a ‘professional’ carer for the dog. It’s the only way to do it. If you rehome her you have no idea what could happen to her. You made a commitment so should stick to it.

If you can’t afford doggy day care then you should rehome her as soon as possible so she doesn’t get more attached but via a rescue.

[Reaa]

Doggy day car

Professional dog walker

Can either of you pop back during a lunch break?

[elfies]

Breeder .....always

[Namechangeforthiscancershit]

Two problems here. Firstly I don’t think you can have explored all the options unless you have no doggy daycare or dog walkers near you at all. I do live in a biggish city to be fair but I have tons.

Secondly, why would you sell the puppy rather than returning it to the breeder so that it can be responsibly rehomed?

[aperolspritzplease]

Please don't sell her - back to the breeder or a rescue centre.

I would be very surprised if there is no doggy day care or dog walking option though.

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

You’ve had your puppy less than 3 months. If you had bought him/her from a reputable breeder, that’s the only person they should be going to.

Did something drastically change with your husbands job?

[Asdf12345]

There are day care options but they may not be financially viable. If you have the capital available build a decent run and kennel for it outside, it may even yield a return boarding other people's dogs.

I'm not sure why there is such opposition here to rehoming it if you can't afford to keep it, circumstances change.

[spiderlight]

Please please please listen to the above. If you really cannot keep her, she must go back to the breeder (a reputable breeder will have stipulated this in their contract of sale). If the breeder will not take her back, approach local rescues who will do proper home-checks and home visits. Your buyers could be anyone and bait dogs are big business.

[Namechangeforthiscancershit]

I'm not sure why there is such opposition here to rehoming it if you can't afford to keep it, circumstances change

Rehoming is one thing, selling is another

[Canteverthinkofagoodone]

Our 12 year old walks our dog in the afternoons after school. Would it be an option to have a walker/neighbour pop in for an hour mid day to take her out for a walk/let her in the garden etc? Then 12y/o feeds/walks/ plays with her when home from school? I know dog walking & sitters are big business were we live, they usually charge approx £10per hour. I know it must be a hard decision to make but my 12yr old would be devastated if we ever had to do the same.

[IrmaFayLear]

FFS.

My dog as a puppy was a complete pain in the arse. In fact he was beyond awful. But once he was in he was in. The very thought of selling him. Unless a dog was vicious that wouldn't happen.

If circumstances really do change then I would contact breed rescue or local rescue. And by circumstances changing I mean serious illness that couldn't be foreseen.

I saw some poor chap listed on Gumtree and the reason was "upped my hours at work".

[NorthEndGal]

Are you having the issues with the puppy? It seems very soon to have given up, after so little time.

[thaegumathteth]

@Asdf12345 the reason for the opposition, at least from me, is :

• no mention of doggy day care / dog walkers etc explored
  
• selling the dog. To a random.
  
• no mention of the dogs wellbeing
  
• they got the puppy 3 months ago and are treating it like a commodity rather than a living thing

[IrmaFayLear]

does anyone have any inspirational words that will help us through this difficult time?

I have a few, but I won't share them.

But I would say DO NOT SELL YOUR DOG. Chalk up the loss of money to experience and ring a reputable dog rescue. Actually taking money and waving your dog off is sick.