Really need to do something with the dog.

[Dogneedsahome]

I have a staffy, or rather it's my dp's and always has been. We have had the staff since he was 14wks. I'm not a dog person never have been and my DP knows this. When we got him we lived in a flat but had our own massive garden about 150m x 40m so really big for him and the kids (we have two, very young)

we talked it over at length for months before we got the pup as he had always wanted one. That it would be my dp's, he would walk it everyday despite our large garden, as we also lived close to a park. He would pick up all poo's & pay any vets bill etc. as I said I'm not keen on dogs as I didn't grow up with them and I just prefer cats (we have one cat also) I worked part time, my DP full time.

Fast forward 2 years, we have moved house (been here a year now) we have a significantly smaller garden we both gave up our jobs so we could live here. The distance to commute wouldn't be worth the money we'd earn to stay in our jobs. My DP has been looking for work constantly and have finally got one and starts soon.

Problem is:
he stopped walking the dog way back when we lived in our flat probably about 2months after we got him the novelty wore off. It wasn't so much a problem as we had a big garden then. He hasn't kept up with flea treatments. I am fed up of being bitten fortunately they only seem to bite me though. He hasn't trained the dog, it doesn't know sit, no, paw, or any of the obvious. I've tried walking the dog a few times when I've felt sorry for it, but as he not used to being walked he pulls and it's really hard for me. The dog has eaten so many of mine or the kids things which my DP has not replaced though he said he would, which is frustrating enough.

We argue constantly with him not walking the dog, not flea treating him after a lot of nagging he brought some cheap supermarket stuff but it didn't work. You can now just see them covered over him(he's white) and i feel sorry for the poor thing) I nag to take him to the vets but he won't. The dog doesn't leave our garden for weeks at a time unless it's to come inside at night as I don't want him in to infest our home. Again.
Him not picking up the dog poo's, as I said we now have a tiny garden and with two kids it's disgusting.
I'm pregnant and due in a couple months, so with 3 small kids soon and my DP starting work soon I'm not going to cope I'm angry with my DP and the situation it's got to.

He a lovely dog, soft and playful, just my DP is lazy and too tight to pay for him. I don't need to be flamed for this, I'm at the end of my teather already and have coped as best i could. and am just looking for advice as to where is the best place to rehome him. As its obvious he'd be better off elsewhere.

OP I've just remembered - I have about 6 frontline treatments here which you are welcome to if you promise to treat the dog with them asap (passed onto me by my Mum when her dog died but we already have our dog on a flea programme through the vet)

Right, I've just checked, it's three sachets and each sachet lasts 8 weeks so should keep your dog flea-free for around 6 months. Sachets are suitable for dogs between 10 and 20kg.

Yeah, me too.

You were both working when you got him. So he was home alone all day, a puppy.

As for the fleas, get hold of him & pick them off him! (Wet your fingers first.)

I mean, get rid of them manually as well as treating with Frontline. DH went to the vet's this week to get Frontline & the vet said that fleas are becoming immune to it, so it's not incredibly effective. Still good for ticks though.

you both gave up workand moved house even though you had two children and two dogs?
wow

Ok I get that it is a form of neglect, I counted 7 fleas crawling on him earlier, They move quickly so it does look like there's loads, tbh I don't know if that's a manor infestation or not. To me it is. I just know that I keep getting bitten and I've seen them in the home. So to me it's lots. He doesn't scratch at all though or even seem to notice them.

miranda I worked part time 5 hours a day, 4 days a week. I had family look after my children usually at mine, he wasn't on his own the whole time. It wasn't an issue. And the security of having a dog around was needed where we lived.
Fiofio- yes if u lived where we did you would have too.

One dog.

where did you live?

So you got this dog for security? Did you encourage it to be aggressive? presumably as it never goes out it has never been socialised and thus will at the very least be dog aggressive.

I really, really hope you can rehome it but its not looking good.

Most of what I'm thinking has already been said It won't be easy to find a home for your boy, so please be prepared to keep him for however long it takes, and see if you can make his life more comfortable in the meantime.

You don't say if you have treated the house for fleas- more than 90% of fleas don't live on the animal, they live in your soft furnishings/ in carpets/ in cracks and crevices- that is where they lay their eggs, and the largest part of their life cycle takes place NOT on the dog. As such, your house will be infested, whether the dog is mostly out or not. And your "cheap flea collar" is unlikely to be effective on your cat in the face of a full blown infestation- I've seen lots of fleas co-existing happily with flea collars!

Fleas also carry tape worm, so any worming regime you use should cover for both round and tapeworm, in both the dog and the cat.

It no doubt sounds like a huge effort, but it's not actually that hard in reality to walk a dog when you have children, especially if you do get a gentle leader. At one point I had 2 very energetic dogs, a DH away from home for months and 3 children under 5- getting out into the park with them all was actually a good thing! Exercise and fresh air for all of us, and we made some good friends along the way- worth a shot? I know it was supposed to be your DPs responsibility, but you might be surprised at the benefits of getting out with them all for an hour or so a day.

I'm trying not to be flamey, but I can't help but feel with your DP, and all dog owners of his ilk. Best hope he never gets bored with the rest of you...

i agree re fleas, my dogs have never had them because i use that drop stuff. You can buy it most supermarkets it's a couple of quid is it bob martins or something? and then you can get powder if you are infested to sprinkle on floor and hoover
I do find your whole attitude a bit irresponsible though about everything, giving up p work having more kids and not looking after a dog and I don't often say that

Can people please stop suggesting to put the dog to sleep. That is not the answer here.

what misery said.

This dog was bought 'for security', it is untrained, it has not been socialised, it is a breed with a huge amount of negative associations already.

It is therefore highly unlikely to find a new home. It's 'owners' are unwilling or unable to care for it.

What is the answer then?

I have a stuffy btw. Got her as a puppy from a rescue. There is no way I would have chosen an adult male untrained and unsocialised dog.

the op need to man up and look after the poor thing, not kill it because theqy cant be arsed.

I take it you don't want to take up my offer of 6 months worth of free frontline OP?

OP, I get that you definitely want to rehome your dog, but maybe there are some things you can do to improve this situation while you're waiting for a new home or a rescue place to become available (because it could be a long wait, if you're doing this responsibly and not handing the poor thing over to just anyone).

For the fleas, can your DP ask the vet about Advocate? This has worked well for ours. He might need a worming tablet as well. Is he up to date with vaccinations? If you get that sorted maybe he can come back in the house. Is he house-trained properly?

Would you be able to find time to take him for even one walk a day, maybe before you go to work in the morning, or in the evening after the kids are in bed? I know what a pain it is trying to walk a dog that pulls on the lead, but that is a very common problem that can be sorted with a bit of persistence (people on here will be able to give advice) and will be easier when he's getting a bit more exercise and is used to going out. And if he can poo on walks then that's less of it in the garden! Maybe a bit of basic training as well if you can - doesn't have to be fancy tricks or anything, just sit, stay, leave, come here etc.

I know you don't see it as your responsibility to do any of this, as it's supposed to be your DPs dog, and he's gone back on his word about doing all the training, walking etc. But I wonder if you might consider doing it for the sake of the dog, and also because it might improve your chances of finding a home for him. An untrained, unwalkable dog covered in fleas and unused to living indoors is not exactly an appealing prospect for most families.

Oh, and has he been neutered? This would definitely be worth doing IMO, especially if you might be rehoming privately. Some places will do this cheaply if you're on a low income or receiving benefits.

Disgraceful. Frontline will cost you around £20 for six months of protection. A worming tab around a tenner every three months. A brisk walk twice a day will take no more than an hour (maybe less, I have no experience of a staffy's exercise needs). Your partner is an abusive idiot.

Of course they should do the right thing and take care of the dog, but as they have not done this in two years, I think it's clear they won't.

So what's the answer?

I've had a skim through the thread, has anyone suggested a foster home? I'm on a dog forum that has people that constantly go out of their way to foster dogs that are in need when rescues are full. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link to the forum but I could put a post up there and see if anyone in the area would take on the dog for a while or maybe even permanently? I think alot of these people work closely with shelters and many take dogs from shelters that are at risk of being put to sleep.

I am (was) not a dig person cat died dh and teen Dcs wanted one BUT I always knew I would be the one left looking after him. I
Adore him he's my baby lol and I hate any form of cruelty to ANY animal. I have attended loads of training spent ages researching best breads and attend vet regularly for flea/ worming etc. we are by no means rich but if you have animals they cost money and one shouldn't ignore that fact. Why buy a staff? Was it some firm of status thing!!!!! Nobody forced you to get this animal you are just as responsible as your other half. I don't know how u sleep at night.

Firstly my DP is at this moment at the vets right now, he is upto date with vacs, we've done frontline- it didn't work, I've done the house with powder too.
It wasn't brought essentially for security my DP wanted a dog, that was it. I was sold on the idea that in the area we did live a dog in the home was hell of a lot better than not. I think anyone who has a staff knows they're not aggressive in anyway at all anyway. It is not a "status" dog I think I would look pretty ridiculous walking with two small kids and a staffy.

I think people think I'm the reebok classic wearing type from a high rise block of flats or something. Far from it I can tell you.
It has been socialised my DP's family has dogs. He has stayed there sometimes for upto a week at a time on occasion. He is a gentle dog. I'm not forceful with him or anything, I just don't whilst I can see the fleas all over want him running around or laying in my living room. Kitchen, dining room, hallway I don't strictly get stressed over.

Now it's just a case of sorting fleas then rehoming him. Fostering sounds great. Keeping him isn't an option I don't want to walk him everyday no matter for how long the walk would be, I am sorry if that upsets people but it is honest. I don't want the responsibility for it, I never did. And as big as I am at the mo I can just about manage to take me son to the park and play group, let alone run round when I get there. It's not an option.