I might have to re-home my dog but dont know if i an go through with it!!

[fifisworld]

I have a 12 month old boxer dog who is lovely, but since i had ds2 i cant take him out during t he day on my own with a double buggy as he's really quite strong when he's on a lead and i cant manage him.
As a result of this ive just been letting him in the garden until dp gets in and one of us stays with the ds's while the other can take him out.
I feel like its not fair on him as he should be out more and should be taken for several walks during the day but i cant take him.
Is it fair to just let him in the garden when he should be out for runs etc or will he be ok with it until ds1 is able to walk distances which probably wont be until the end of the year at the earliest?

my boxers live with two cats and they still ate my pet rats though they have never growled at a human or my baby. majority of dogs will hunt and kill small animals i am afraid, that is a risk you take with any dog. though growling at kiddies is unusual for a boxer as they are very people orientated.

Well my dogs never ever growled at anyone, he's a lovely dog.
He hasnt been quite as bad with his pulling, still cant manage him with a buggy. We tried yesterday but dp came with me, just as well as i only got to the end of the street and couldnt manage anymore.
Just really need to tackle his weeing inside when he's been out

countrygirl - We did research the breed very well before we got him. I was fine with the single buggy but since i had ds2 in dec i need a double and its too heavy and awkward with the dog aswell.

fifi, the weeing inside could be indicative of a health problem, although it is probably anxiety. I would get him checked over just to rule it out.

I have a few snippets of advice, probably repeating whatever has been said already.

With regards to the pulling, try this - i saw the guy on dog borstal doing it and thought, what a prat, that'l never work - well i soon ate my words, i tried it with my dog. You need to be sans buggy for this though, have him on a fairly lose lead, when he pulls, quickly turn and walk the other way, then keep doing it, so that he basically has to look to you to avoid being yanked left right and centre, soon he will be walking wonderfully because he is anticipating you turning round abruptly. It works a treat, no tugging no strength needed.

The hyper boxer - um, well no real advice there, he is a boxer, its what they do. Incredably patient with kids though. You could speak to your vet about this - how old is he? Some people advise castration if he is getting a bit to big for his boots, but i would only use this as last resort. Whilst you are talking to your vet, ask about a DAP diffuser. What it is, is a plug in like an air freshener that releases doggie pheremones into the air that calm dogs down. The pheremones are that produced by whelping bitches. You need to give them two weeks or so, i had one for my mental rottie (he was a rescue and MAD!!) and it seemed to work, although it coudl hav just been him settling down. The DAP might help with the piddling pete problem too. AGain, do get that checked by a vet, he might have a wee infection or something.

ah, just read he is only 12m, thats a teenager then, he may well calm down, but now would be a good time to consider the castration if you are going to chose that route.

I have to admit i was CRAP about taking my rotties out, never had any problems.

He sounds like a normal boy to me, and bloody lovely. FWIW, if you do decide it is too much, he is a DOG, he wont suffer if you rehome him to a nice new home. You'll miss him though, so give him a chance if you can.

fifi, i really wouldnt worry if he is getting one good walk a day from DH, thats enough, some might argue otherwise but honestly, he will be OK, you say he can play etc. He is going to be such a great friend for your children. My friend has just lost her boxer, he was mad too, he grew up with her four boys, i reckon the poor dog only used to want to go out for a walk to get a rest

oh, poor bunny, but dont beat yourself up over it, you did what you thought was best and all ended well for the dog in the end. Which is better than if you hadnt have taken him in.

My first rottie loved my rabbits and cats, the cat would sleep in his basket with him and i would happily leave him in the garden with the rabbits, who would constantly nip the backs of his legs My neighbours would knock on my door with "OMG your dog is out with your rabbit!" I KNOWWW he was one in a million though. My second rottie and the little jack russell i have now would gobble them up and look round for seconds.