Prepared for a pasting...

[WineAndPizza]

On Sunday we picked up an 8 week old Jack Russell from a good home. We saw him with both parents and brothers and sisters. He has howled a lot the first couple of nights. I was at home with him all day Sunday and Monday (left him for about half an hour on Monday). We have a crate for him which he seems to be happy enough in. I have never had a dog before, my fiance has always had one at home growing up.

We both work, and I am back to work today. I am really concerned that we won't be around enough. I know we should have thought more carefully before collecting him, but I didn't anticipate how awful I would feel about leaving him alone all day. I am away from the house for 10 hours daily. My fiance works 5 minutes round the corner and is able to come home at lunch to let him out and exercise him, but he is only working in the office about 50% of the time and on the days when he isn't, there is no-one who will be able to go in to see the puppy.

When I left him for half an hour on Sunday (I just went to sit in the garden where he couldn't see me) he whined and cried for about 20 minutes before managing to break into the lounge where he seems happier. He wees and poos whenever we leave him alone but is generally doing it on a pad by the back door.

We are getting married in 3 months and have a lot on at the moment. We will be away for almost the whole month of June and although I think my fiance's parents will take him it seems very unfair on the puppy.

We are thinking about returning him to the breeder. I feel absolutely awful about this and I know I have made a big mistake. Can anyone offer any advice on what we should do?

OP if you haven't already done so then, yes, I would just call AllDogsMatter. I often bump into their volunteers walking their charges and they seem caring and professional. They could give you advice if they were unable to take your puppy immediately. I know they do take in dogs which are abandoned, whether at local vets or in the parks near by.

Pinot what an odd thing to say...I wanted advice on whether we should return him to the breeder or take a different route and that's what I've got. Why on earth you think this is an attention seeking thing I honestly don't know but I can assure you it isn't.

Thanks yesbutnobut, we are going to give them a call today. We'll work it out until they or another rescue can take him.

Do not go to battersea dogs 'home' they pts if a home isn't found

Bad advice

Ok thanks HairyLemon, we are going to try All Dogs Matter and Dogs Trust on the proviso that neither will pts and we will be contacted if that situation arises.

I suspect that a little jack russell puppy would be rehomed very quickly, due to their cuteness.

We recently rehomed a dog from the Dogs Trust, and I can testify to how careful they were to ensure that we were the right home for the dog, and that she was the right dog for us.

Firstly, your title is wrong. You clearly aren't prepared to accept a pasting.

Secondly, if you'd have spent 5 minutes on these boards before you got the poor little thing you'd have established that you clearly don't have the necessary sense to be allowed to own a dog. Dogs aren't "things" they have feelings, emotions and are capable of thought.

You have asked for advice and you have been given advice, i'd like to advise you to never put a living animal through this situation again. A self imposed ban on animal owning would be the responsible thing to do and i sincerely hope that you make a hefty donation to whichever no kill rescue is prepared to accept your abandoned pup. I'd also like you to advise hmrc about the greeder you got this pup from. Lets hurt them in the pocket so that no more dogs are brought unnecessarily into the equation.

Al0uise, regardless of the fact that my title actually says 'prepared for a pasting' not 'prepared to accept a pasting', I think I actually have accepted one. I have not objected to anything that has been said to me other than that this is attention seeking. I also asked somebody not to suggest to me I should have a goldfish when I have stated several times that I have no intention of getting another pet. I don't know why you have also gone down the route of telling me I shouldn't get another pet when I have stated several times that I have no intention of getting another pet.

I have also said that I know we have made a huge mistake, have been thoughtless and irresponsible and massively regret our decision. I don't see that your comment has any value at all apart from trying to make me feel shit - I already feel shit. You cannot make it worse.

Thunderbolt - thank you, I will let you know how we get on and can I say once more thank you to those who have provided constructive advice on how we can make the best of this awful situation which I know is of our own causing.

Thunderbolt kid has been through something very similar iirc. Under a different name obviously.

So OP, what have you done about the pup today? Have you contacted the rescue? Have you spoken to your friends father? Are you any further ahead?

WineandPizza - I can't condone what you have done BUT please as others have said act fast and get this poor puppy into a sensible home ASAP. DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH IT AND TRY AND MAKE IT WORK because it never will in your current situation. I waited until I was in my forties with both me and husband working from home before I even considered bringing a puppy (who is not that disimilar to a human baby) into our lives. I know a lot of people on here wont condone this but if you could give me some idea of your whereabouts I do know a few people looking for a puppy at the moment. A good friend of mine's friend has just lot her beloved JR this week due to old age and is completely devastated and maybe if a puppy came up needing a home she would be interested - she has been toying with getting another JR for months but didn't want to upset her aged dog before now. It would be the absolute life of riley for the dog....alternatively I would consider taking on another pup rather than see it go to Battersea or the like. I know everyone says rescue, rescue, rescue but sometimes I think that is another layer of upset for the dog when a loving home could be found via other means. Of course you would have to vet, vet, vet the environment you were sending the puppy to, but it doesn't have to be all bad by finding alternatives to rescue. Rescue in my opinion do a great job but often they limit the options for a healthy happy home so badly it is a wonder they ever rehome.

Please let me know where you are

Hi all, we left messages with a couple of rescues yesterday and are waiting for them to contact us. We also have a few re-homing options: one elderly lady who is looking for a JR pup (through my friend's father), my fiance's colleague who has an older dog and is looking to get a puppy, and finally the friend's father may look at taking him in (he has two dogs already but needs to clear it with his wife). Hopefully one of them will make a decision before the weekend or we'll hear back from the rescues. My fiance's colleague is coming to look at him tomorrow.

If he does go to one of the homes with dogs, or to a shelter, will we need to keep him with us until 2 weeks after his second jabs (i.e. a month from now)?

Spam, we're in North-East London if that is any good for you.

Hello :) Good that you have now got a plan in place.

You have received some lovely and good advice on here, but equally some people have been very harsh with you. I don't know why these people see fit to basically bully people on these forums when (hopefully) they wouldn't do it in real life. Especially as you came on here recognising your error and looking for advice. Maybe they are closet bullies in RL?

Anyway - I really hope you find a good home for your little chap. You have done the right thing in recognising the problem and rectifying it quickly.

Good luck :)

PS I have a pup and a cat so I know how difficult it can be xx

Thanks Battery - very much appreciate your kind words and support. I do know that I deserve a hard time over this but I was thinking yesterday if people knew how genuinely absolutely devastated I was over this they might not think I was such a horrible person. I know I have done something awful for this puppy but it was out of thoughtlessness, not malice, and we are trying to sort it out asap. We have only had him 4 days so far and I think he is happy. It is honestly breaking my heart to let him go, and to think we have been so irresponsible. It has put me off owning a pet for life.

Really appreciate all the great advice I've been given and fingers crossed we will find him a great new home soon. Will keep you all updated. If someone could let me know about the jabs thing that would be brilliant.

When we decided to get him it was under the understanding that he'd be able to come into my office a couple of days a week (as other people bring dogs in) and to my fiance's a couple of days a week. The directors at my work have since put an embargo on any more dogs coming in as they feel there are enough already. It would be fine for him to go to work at my fiance's but obviously not for another month as he can't go out yet, and it wouldn't be every day. We honestly didn't just make a split second decision to pick up a cute puppy and now can't be bothered with him. We didn't do enough research and didn't make 100% sure of all our facts before we got him though, and didn't think enough about what else we've got going on in our lives that would be impacted by the situation.

Anyway...BeerTricks or anyone else do you know about the jabs situation? If we are going to be keeping him for another month I would really like to be prepared for it.

Sorry x posted - anyone else?

OP Where do you work that they let you bring a dog?

Bit mean if some can take dogs in and others can't.

Good luck with rehoming him.

I work for a pretty small company and the owners all have dogs so it's been a pretty open door policy (or so I thought). My fiance is at a smallish company but there are a lot of people who commute quite a way in and bringing dogs in seems to have become accepted - there is a yard they are kept in (most have crates but are not shut in, or left in them all day).

I have just been looking online and the advice I've found seems to be that he would be ok around other dogs as long as we know they have been vacc'd, it's unknown dogs that you have to be careful of. Hopefully this would mean he could be re-homed sooner rather than later.