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puppy has to be rehomed

137 replies

alisha29 · 27/05/2009 20:50

i brought a 12 week old puppy but she keeps attacking my dog and biting my kids dont know what to do with her any suggestions im getting desperate

OP posts:
CountryGirl2007 · 28/05/2009 22:28

Would you consider attending puppy training classes with her? as well as having the help of a professional dog trainer telling you exactly how to train you're puppy, it's also fun for you and the puppy. (because you get to socialize with other dog owners while she gets to play with the other puppies!)

Maybe you are just feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment, but if you persist you will end up with a lovely well trained companion, althought Jack Russells are naturally a feisty breed anyway.

alisha29 · 29/05/2009 03:46

i have actually looked for puppy trainers in my area but their doesnt seem to be any

OP posts:
Madmentalbint · 29/05/2009 08:00

If you do decide to rehome her, please go to a charity to help you, rather than try and do it yourself. A charity will home check and follow up your dog in her new home to make sure she's being well cared for. If you advertise a pup 'free to a good home' or similar, she will probably fall into the wrong hands.

If you're still considering keeping her ask your vet about puppy classess. My veterinary surgery runs their own groups and there are hundreds of ads on the notice boards for different training groups, behaviourists,etc. There must be someone near you!

I'd also recommend The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey. I don't think I could have survived my dog's puppyhood without that book. It will help you to understand your puppy's behaviour and it gives you ways of dealing with it. I can't recommend the book enough.

The Perfect Puppy

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

alisha29 · 29/05/2009 09:53

i have asked the vet for classes already and the nearest ones they can give me are miles away plus i know what free to good home means that anyone will have her and i would not do that i will be checking their homes first and asking for money for her and giving it to charity

OP posts:
KingCanuteIAm · 29/05/2009 09:59

Alisha, if you are going to give the money to charity why not cut out the middle man and let Dogs Trust handle the whole thing? THey will get a home in no time and the fees they charge will more than cover the costs, meaning they will get the excess to help support another dog who will be there longer term.

Madmentalbint · 29/05/2009 10:03

It also means that if the new owners have a problem, the dog will be returned to the rehoming centre, rather than back to you. The rehoming centre will also help find training classes for the new owners - which you obviously wouldn't be able to help with. The people at the rehoming centres are very experienced in vetting new homes - I'd leave it to the professionals if I wanted the best chance for my dog.

alisha29 · 29/05/2009 11:05

i will be rehoming her myslef

OP posts:
Madmentalbint · 29/05/2009 13:34

Fair enough. The poor puppy could well end up being moved from pillar to post but as long as you're happy

I do sometimes wonder why people post on forums asking for advice if they don't intend to listen.

KingCanuteIAm · 29/05/2009 13:36

I hope you manage to get somewhere good for her Alisha.

FabulousBakerGirl · 29/05/2009 13:36

alisha29 - people are trying to help and you are not listening.

Why did you post?

I would do what the prvious poster said if I was you. If you truly care about the dog and want to help a charity, that is.

WriggleJiggle · 29/05/2009 13:43

Please use a charity to rehome the puppy. Honestly, they will do such a better job. I don't mean that in a bad way, but I know from experience.

We had pedigree puppies we tried our best to find them GOOD homes. One of them went to friends of ours - they had helped to look after the mother and puppies before they were ready to leave home, they thought very seriously about the 'getting a puppy' issue, it all seemed great ... but we eventually had to take the puppy back.

FeelMuchBrighterToday · 29/05/2009 13:45

Wish I was more like KingCanute and could concentrate on being supportive and laying own feelings aside in interest of helping you and the pup, but can't help wanting to scream WHAT ON EARTH WAS THE POINT OF THIS THREAD

These centres know what they are doing when it comes to understanding and managing the effects upon animals of rehoming, they know how to analyse and interpret not only the dog's behaviour but also the prospective owners and how to facilitate a good match. The success rate is pretty high for most reputable organisations. If you can't even cope with a puppy for four weeks what on earth qualifies you to secure for her a permanent, loving home?

Am I being a judgmental bitch? I just feel so strongly about this sort of thing and you seem so determined to avoid the most advisable course of action here.

KingCanuteIAm · 29/05/2009 14:00

Well, the op wanted reassurance that rehoming was best for her pup, we have all come round to her way of thinking and agree that it is best in this particular situation.

Next we tried to offer advice on how best to do that (unasked for I believe), the op dissagrees on our views of this and is going to do it her own way. I don't see anything will be changed by getting angry with her, it is unlikely she will change her mind because a load of internet people get cross.

If I am honest situations like this do make my blood boil, I do get cross about them and I usually make that clear but, with this one, I am pretty sure that nothing I say will change the ops mind and venting my anger at these situations in general (not just the ops) will not help her, me or the pup.

I am not normally this calm

FeelMuchBrighterToday · 29/05/2009 14:05

Well it's something to be proud of anyway! You are being the most helpful, credit where it is due .

BelleSeuss · 29/05/2009 14:17

If you want to rehome your puppy PLEASE use a charity - they have trained home assessors that will match your pup with a suitable home.

This will stop the same mistake happening again - your pup will go to a good loving home.

Charities will not put a pup down - it will be rehomed very quickly.

Be responsible here...

alisha29 · 29/05/2009 18:52

i have decided i was a little bit harsh before i have thought and im not going part with her i will be putting in the work and making her a happy pup thankyou for all your advice even if i took it personal but i shouldnt of because you all dont know me thanks for bringing me back down to earth and making me relise i love her after all

OP posts:
KingCanuteIAm · 29/05/2009 19:27

Right, that is fantastic news, I am really glad you want to work with her

Sooo, do you want some suggestions of things you could try with her?

alisha29 · 29/05/2009 20:00

yes please kingcanuteiam and i promise i will listen

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alisha29 · 29/05/2009 20:13

any tips for biting ankles??

OP posts:
KingCanuteIAm · 29/05/2009 20:27

Ok, Bella is best at this sort of stuff but here is my tupennceworth!

Biting, ankles, hands or anywhere; a stern no and then offer a toy he can chew on straight away saying "here you go" or whatever in an up voice. The idea being to show him biting people gets a bad response but biting toys gets a good one.

Spend plenty of time playing with toys with him during the day, even a couple of minutes is better than nothing. Start teaching him very basic commands, sit, down and so on. Do few minutes at a time regularly, it will keep his mind occupied as well as stopping him trying to get your attention by nipping.

Excercise, little and often, even just gettinghim to trot round the garden with you with lots of encouraging words and so on will focus his mind on you without the nipping.

Tell the children to be calm around him, when they run and shout he does the same, but hi version is jump and nip - because that is what puppies do. Tell them to walk, stand still, talk calmly when he is in the room. If he runs up to them they are to stand still and wait to see what he is doing, if he sniffs them they can walk off, give him a pat on his back and carry on, if he opens his mouth they have to give the firm no (deep calm voice) you should always be there to back that up if needs be.

Get a crate, or even a cardboard box that is his place only, this is his spot to be calm, the dc don't go there and no games are played. Encourage him to go there with his chews or bones to reinforce that this is a relaxing space.

Hoepfully Bella will give you some more ideas but those are my thoughts to start off with!

FairLadyRantALot · 29/05/2009 20:31

, people, I was told that when I talked about my little problem that people were only so nasty in their response because I posted it in the wrong section, aka, posted in AIBU, and had I posted in pet section I would have been given support.....now, I must say, the op might aswell have been posting in AIBU for the roasting she got ....

JRT are quite "difficult" dogs, aren't they and they need to be trained very well, well, so, my dh said....he also says that they are not great with young children and are more of a one-man-dog....but I do not know how true that is....

Op,I suppose you have decided to keep the puppy, seeing you are asking for tips on ancle biting...no idea what to do, but as KingCanute is here, I suppose you will be getting good advice, soon

KingCanuteIAm · 29/05/2009 20:41

TBH fairlady, I think it is quite an emotive subject and you did get quite a roasting (I think I gave my fair share of it ). The op here got one too, I have tried to be supportive - perhaps I have learnt a little from the behaviour I displayed on your thread. again.

I hope things are going well in the FairLady household though.

newpup · 29/05/2009 21:00

Alisha29 make absolutely sure you can and want to commit to your puppy. It is hard work, some pups/breeds are harder work than others.

JRT are definately quite a hard breed to train. I have 2 friends with them and they both have children. They have both struggled to train the dogs at times but have perservered and the dogs are lovely family pets.

I would just be constant regarding the nipping. My pup got ignored for a few minutes every time she nipped and a stern no! If she managed a few minutes playing without nipping she got loads of praise. She soon learnt that humans do not like nipping but do like playing with her.

I wish you lots and lots of Luck,

have fun!

alisha29 · 29/05/2009 21:13

i have tried the stern no it just seem s to make her do it more and turning my back on her she just keeps doing it, she can sit when told and follows me round the garden but i will keep trying i will get their in the endthankyou.

OP posts:
KingCanuteIAm · 29/05/2009 21:23

Stern No does get them coming back at first, you need to be firm enough often enough for her to get the idea. It does take time and JRT are a tenacious and self centred breed so it will take longer with her than with any other dog (especially a collie who are quick to learn anyway and are very keen to please).

The thing with teaching her commands isn't to get her do learn it as such, it is to keep her mind occupied, so keep on practicing anyway. If she gets sit start trying a silly one for her like "Close" start with her sitting in front of you and then use a treat to lead her all the way around you legs to the left side of you and into a sit (do it in stages if need be). Basically just anything that will keep her listening to you and enjoying it. Use lots and lots of treats, even when she can do something, still treat her otherwise she will just think "well what is the point then" and stop doing the things she already knows IYSWIM! Do a couple of sits, try a down or two then practice a bit of Close, end on an nice easy sit and that will do, till next time. Make it twice or more a day if you can, it only takes a few minutes, vary it and (incase I didn't say it) keep up the treats

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