I don't know what to do

[sj257]

We have a small/medium sized cross breed who has just turned 2, we've had her since she was 8 weeks. When we first got her she was great and we made great progress with training and attended puppy classes, however when I started working full time things went downhill. She isn't a bad dog but all the training has gone out of the window and I can't cope with her. We have a baby due in 8 weeks and I was convinced we could sort it out but time has just gone by so fast I'm really starting to panic about how she will react to the baby. I know in my heart that she's not happy as she isn't getting the attention she needs and I feel awful for it but I can't see a way around it now. The thought of rehoming her makes me so sad as we are the only family she knows 😞 I know she deserves better though.

[LizzieMacQueen]

Would your friend with the one dog take yours along too to give you a break?

Borrow my doggie is a good suggestion and if you're on facebook could you throw a request out there for a (free) dog walker if you don't have the cash to get a professional.

The car thing is a pain though, I would prioritise the money to get a dog behaviourist to tackle that specific fear.

[sj257]

Trionic, I asked the vet about medication and she said the only time she would prescribe it would be if we were going on a long journey as it takes so long to start working, she said it wouldn't be worth it for every day use... 😕

[TrionicLettuce]

The Stugeron I use is the human stuff. They, both 12kg-ish whippets, get half to three quarters of a tablet (depending on the journey length) and get it an hour before travelling.

[sj257]

Ahh OK then, might be worth looking into! Ah I love whippets :-) x

[Shriek]

She does sound like she's goung through the need for training reinforcement phase! Great timing!
Do your recall training around the house. Get a favoured treat and use a new word or a whistle and start when shes right next to you use the word/whistle to get her attention andbimmediately treat her. Increase the distance around the house/garden. Use this to increase exercise like up and down stairs in and out of house. Do loads of reinforcemrnt. All this can be achieved in one day. She will enjoy the attention rewards and exercise. Then take hrr to empty fieldto practice it and walk around other dogs until shes bored of them and ignores them. Keeping her attention on you.

Where's your partner in all this? Is he not taking any responsibility here? Every time he nips out for a paper or beer for example or takes DC out.

[Blackfellpony]

She's proberbly jumping up as she's excited to be in the living room as it's a novelty, make it boring for her to be in there and her space needs to be the most fun place in the house. Have you got longs and puzzles things like that?
Our dogs only get attention when calm, if they are nipping or jumping we ignore them completely so they learn that it gets them nowhere.
Could you afford a dog walker even a few times a week?
Even going outside and chucking a ball is better than nothing at all.
Is she good with other dogs? Lots of the training classes around here run clubs and things weekly where you can let them play and run off steam together and it's usually really cheap and you just have to watch from a distance incase of trouble.

I know how difficult it is, I was pregnant and had 2 German shepherds to walk but I think your DH needs to step up and help. Why is he not walking the dog?

To be honest I think it would be quite crap to get rid of her when she's done nothing wrong, she's doing what 2 year old bored dogs do when shut out all day.