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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Rehomjng dog- no judgment please

60 replies

squishyegg · 19/08/2021 16:16

Hello.

We have a 1 year old miniature dachshund.

She is a bit of a nightmare and always has been but we dealt with it as much as possible.

We have paid for training but nothing seems to help.

Main areas are;

Constant barking
Nipping/biting faces
Peeing
Ripping up everything (furniture etc)

I recently had a baby and slowly been introducing them both with guidance from a professional.

Two times the dog had gone to nip the baby in the face. Luckily we've been there holding them both for it not to happen.

The dog is now living in the kitchen away from the baby and I in the lounge. Everytime we try to bring the dog in, she's hectic and tries to bite.

The barking is just annoying alongside the pee and as my partner is back at work 24/7 it's me having to deal with a baby breastfeeding, cleaning up after a dog and another child.

I just don't know what to do? The behaviourist came today and worked with her again and we are doing everything she has told us.

I don't want to rehome her as my partner and other child will be sad but the stress and anxiety it's causing is hell!

Any ideas?? We also are stretched to walk her two times a day, partner is too busy and I'm recovering from a bad c sec and sepsis. I said we could pay for a dog Walker but partner said no he will try to walk her but he hasn't so far.

Feel awful and I know I will get people bashing me for this but I'm just being honest and reaching out for help x

OP posts:
Original poster
squishyegg · 19/08/2021 17:25

Well I have just signed up to 'borrow my doggy' to see if someone can give her some more attention and stimulation than she is getting now.

She has a finding mat and yak chews. Lots of chews throughout the day!

Partner isn't walking her hardly at all and you are all right- this is the problem.

Now I am thinking I'm being lazy snd I should be doing more but I'm absolutely shattered. I am breastfeeding so solely caring for our newborn, looking after our other child, trying to clean the house when baby is sleeping. But maybe I need to do more! Who knowsZ

OP posts:
icedcoffees · 19/08/2021 17:38

You're not lazy! You have enough on your plate with a child and a newborn.

I would be very wary of using BorrowMyDoggy, by the way - if possible, please go for a professional dog walker with insurance and experience. Anyone can sign up to BMD - you have no idea how they'll treat your dog, how they'll manage her behaviour (barking), whether they can be trusted to let her off the lead etc.

Whitney168 · 19/08/2021 17:38

You don't need Borrow My Doggy, OP - you need a reputable, reliable, insured professional dog walker. Obviously there is a cost to this, but I'm buggered if I would ever let random folk on BMD take mine out.

I would also be discarding dog walkers who walk dogs in large groups.

Dacquoise · 19/08/2021 17:38

I am sure someone with more time would love to take on your dog. It sounds like she needs the attention that such a young dog requires which you are struggling to give her. They are basically toddlers for the first couple of years.

Can you make enquiries at your vets to see if someone would like her? Or your closest animal shelter. I often meet people when I walk my dog who have adopted and turned 'difficult' dog's behaviour around.

icedcoffees · 19/08/2021 17:45

I would also be discarding dog walkers who walk dogs in large groups.

Yes, I would agree with this too. A dog who barks a lot is not ideal in a group scenario as it can annoy other dogs and cause them to react. Solo or small groups would be ideal, though!

TheVanguardSix · 19/08/2021 17:53

She needs walking.
An unwalked dog is a miserable dog.
Rehome OP. I mean this kindly. Flowers
I’ve had a puppy and baby at the same time and it worked out really well. But it was a lot of hard work and dedication even with our pup, who was such a calm, easy to train, docile little boy.
So if it was hard work with an ‘easy’ dog, I can only imagine your stress… and pup’s.
It’s a sad outcome and it’s not the one you would assume you’d be facing. But dachshunds actually can be divas. A single person or couple with time and love on tap would be a great outcome for your little pup. Rehoming would be the loving thing to do.

TheVanguardSix · 19/08/2021 17:56

I can honesty say, I wouldn’t ever do borrow my doggy. That’s just not the solution here, OP, I promise.

Veterinari · 19/08/2021 18:04

Honestly no judgement here @squishyegg but if you don't mind I am genuinely interested in where you got her from and why?

What kind of breeder was it? You say you know the barking/anxiety and peeing are problems with this breed - bearing this in mind while choose a mini dachs? Why get a young dog whilst TTC (assuming you did)

Sorry I know those questions probably sound judgemental but that's not my intention. I see a LOT of people in your situation and it's difficult to get a real understanding of why people make the decisions they do. If we can better understand it, we might be able to give prospective dog owners better advice.

In terms of your dog it does sound like rehoming might be the best option. I'd suggest a breed specific rescue.

Unfortunately this is a big issue with unscrupulous breeders and impulse purchasing over the pandemic so there are lots of people in your situation but a breed specific rescue will be best placed to advise

NoSquirrels · 19/08/2021 18:15

The other thing about Borrow My Doggy is that it’s another thing to manage and you’re already overwhelmed.

Whereas if you pay daycare or a professional dog walker then it’s a service and they’ll be reliable and (hopefully) stress free.

I still think rehoming is the best in your situation. Not all dogs are temperamentally suited to family homes with small children.

Budsaway · 19/08/2021 18:16

I would probably rehome in your situation. I know a few people that have gotten Dachshunds in the past year or so and they have all struggled massively with destructive behaviour, barking, anxiety. I don't know much about them personally but they do seem to be a high-needs dog, probably not ideal when you have wee ones.

happydays2345 · 19/08/2021 18:21

Poor dog, please find a reputable rescue. The dog deserves better xx

Darklava09 · 19/08/2021 18:26

I feel your pain.

We’re rehoming our dog the weekend through a breed rescue. Ours is a frenchie and is hard work in terms of maintenance not so much behaviour. Ours has allergies and needs so much to make him comfortable every day… not only that when I’m at work he hates it despite DP working ag home. When I come back he wrestles for attention against my DS who is 9 and is incredibly needy to the point where he misbehaves to get attention. Like a toddler any attention is good attention!

I know being on mat leave when I’ve got my hands full is not going to work and then when we both return to the office he’s at home on his own a lot which isn’t fair. Despite it absolutely breaking my heart I know it’s for the best and from what I hear his new fosters sounds better than us Sad

Good luck with whatever your decision what I will say is age 1 is the worst but they tend to calm down more around 18 months

finova · 19/08/2021 18:58

@XelaM I have 14 guinea pigs and have kept them for 30 years! Never had a tortoise though….looked into it but the hibernation seemed complicated!

Jenjenn · 19/08/2021 19:00

We have a dachshund and she isn't an easy dog. Ours is relatively well behaved but only when we put in a lot of effort. There's no way I could have managed her when my dc was a baby!

Thisnamewasnttaken123 · 19/08/2021 19:06

I would rehome her OP.
It will probably be better for her.
Dogs are hard work and you just don't have the time or energy for her by the sounds of it.
It will be better for her in the long term.

Needapoodle · 19/08/2021 19:29

You don't need to be doing more. You're dp needs to be doing more.

Darthwader · 19/08/2021 20:27

I don't think you should try a behaviourist or anything else. I think you should rehome. You don't have time for the dog. He would be better off in a home that did have time for him. It isn't always best to hold on to a dog no matter what. If they would have a better life elsewhere then the kindest thing to do is to take them to a rescue centre and ask for help rehoming them. Rescue dogs are hard to come by at the moment. Plenty of people will want him. They'll give him to a household without young children and time to walk him. He'll be happy and you'll be happy and whoever gets him will be happy.

mumofthemonsters808 · 19/08/2021 20:38

Babies and young dogs are hard work, it can be done, but both parents must be on board, without this, the dog and you will be very unhappy.Have a good long think and see if your partner can up his game.

Yarnandneedles · 19/08/2021 20:40

I would rehome her. You’ve got this for the next 13 -14 years, if you’re not committed to her now I would contact dachshund rescue and let her go. Poor doggo 🙁

BunnyRuddington · 19/08/2021 21:06

I'd rehome as well. Sepsis is awful and that alone is a lot to cope with without having to revive from a c-section and have a tiny human to look after.

A charity like the Red Foundation specialise in rehoming Dachshunds and don't have kennels so your DDog will go straight to another home.

Skyla2005 · 19/08/2021 21:35

It doesn't sound like she's getting enough exercise! Have you tried taking her to a field in the morning and letting her run herself ragged. A tired dog is a calm dog

XelaM · 19/08/2021 21:36

@finova Wow, 14!! How do you manage the cage-cleaning? Or are they outside? We only have 2 and they live in our shed in a big enclosure but the mess the two little creatures create is incredible! It has to be cleaned several times a week. My daughter adores them, but they are hard work!

Sorry for derailing the thread!

finova · 20/08/2021 08:32

@XelaM
3 cages inside, (elderly) and 5 outside. Just do it between us. The children do water bottles.

AdventuresDownRabbitholes · 20/08/2021 09:06

I have a mini dachshund cross, and he was rehomed at about that age.

He needed a minimum of two hours walkies a night - preferably three - to keep him sane, and most of that was off lead. Anything less and I'd live to regret it. Four years down the line he's a lot calmer but the early years were hard.

As the saying goes, a tired dog is a good dog.

Scrap the idea of a housekeeper and send the dog off to a doggy daycare - which will probably be cheaper.

Failing that, rehome the dog - the Red Foundation is the breed rescue and has a long waiting list.

BunnyRuddington · 20/08/2021 09:09

Just wanted to add that it will be sad but if your DH isn't prepared to walk DDog, you shouldn't feel guilty. You have such a lot on and rejoining through a charity like the Red Foundation will mean that DDog is going to someone who has been vetted. The adopters usually have Dachshund experience as well Thanks