Friend rehoming due to depression

[Anon645]

My friend is suffering from pretty brutal depression and has been for a number of months. She has young children and a 1 year old dog. At the moment she is contemplating rehoming the dog as she feels her depression leaves her unable to cope with him. She feels extremely guilty as I know she loves the dog and she is very affectionate ate towards it. She doesn't have any family to mind the dog and I already have my own pets and family so can't take the dog on for her.

Does anyone have any advice? At the moment the dog is having a walk twice a week as that's all she can do. She's also not got the energy to train the dog beyond what she's already done as she's so low and fatigued.

Any advice?

RSPCA wouldn't do anything. What breed is it? 1 year old is still an adolescent and this would be detrimental to development-dogs can truly sense depression too. Would she be okay with you explaining the situation to some neighbours (you could even say 'ill' rather than 'depressed' who may help, take the dog out a couple of times a week?
I have had quite severe depression at times and it is truly awful-and I didn't walk my dog as often as I would normally, but still one a day at least because, you just have to especially with certain breeds. How come it isn't toilet trained?

I can't say for certain, but I'm fairly certain thar the dog isn't toilet trained because of her depression. She was making efforts to train initially but I think her depression has slowly crept up day by day until the point its at now , and during this time she's given up due to how she feels.

The poor dog is 1 year old and not even toilet trained? And rarely gets taken out... I feel so sorry for him. Hope she can rehome him, she is not giving him any kind of life. But not many people would want a 1 year old dog not even toilet trained which is the most basic training.

As awful as depression is, it’s not fair to drag another creature into it. It’s not the dogs fault the owner can’t get out of bed, all it knows is it’s needs are not being met.

100% in the rehome camp and sooner rather than later.

This is a very sad situation.

I hope you can find somewhere for this poor dog to go. I feel desperately sorry for this dog and this woman.

You don't have a clue @Killingoffmyflowersonebyone about depression. But the end result is this poor dog needs a better life.

I would simply start by ringing Cinnamon Trust and then Rescues. Don't over think it.

@sunglassesonthetable I likely know more than you - I was sectioned for it. So back off and learn to read - it's literally in my first post, which is the first post in this thread.

Regardless, my point stands: nothing excuses abusing an animal which is what OPs friend is doing. Nothing.

Well @Killingoffmyflowersonebyone there's no accounting for who shows empathy eh?

Doesn't sound like anyone wants to be making this dog suffer. And no one is looking for an excuse.

Thank god for OP helping out and trying to sort out the situation, rather than melodramatics and unhelpful judgement.

@Killingoffmyflowersonebyone

Especially as he isn’t even house trained at a year old.
It’s probably a large heavy breed that pulls as well, and the poor dog gets no exercise which will exacerbate his behaviour problems.
There is a woman locally who took on a dog from a background like this and it took so much hard work on her behalf to rehabilitate him as he’d not been socialised either and was a complete handful.

That was many years ago
( He’s a veteran now) when dog’s homes weren’t rammed to capacity.

Unlikely anyone will take on an un housetrained adult dog.
when there are so many clean ones looking for new homes.

Her dog is a jack Russel mix.
She's informed me she's put the dog for sale online now. It's very stressful trying to help and knowing what to do

Speaking of empathy.

Theres also no need to tag someone twice, works fine doing it the once...you okay hun?

She's trying to sell a one year old dog that's not even toilet trained? Who's going to pay for that? Why doesn't she rehome it to a rescue who will work on the issue and vet potential homes?
What is happening to her kids if she can't get out of bed for half the day and can't walk the dog even once most days? How are they being looked after? How do they get to school/preschool? I'd be very worried for those poor kids.

Theres also no need to tag someone twice...you okay hun?

Relax. Not intentional.

This is really sad BUT I wonder how she'll feel once the dog is actually gone. I've been depressed in the past year and my dog is what has saved me. The companionship and love have lifted me up on really bad days. Maybe if she could get daycare a on Rover or BorrowMyDoggy (cheaper than conventional routes) a few days a week it might help to alleviate some of the stress.

@Anon645

What's the logic of selling her dog? That seems a stretch.

Exercise helps with depression. And at a later stage a dog/pet could be a very healing companion.

But this dog can't really hang around waiting for this poor woman to get a bit better to make the most of having a pet. Currently it's not working.

Selling a JR mix is a recipe for disaster.

The type of person who will buy one that isn't trained isn't likely to be a good person who wants a pet.

I know this isn't down to you op, but I would be advising her to get the poor dog rehomed through a charity rather than try and make a hundred quid by selling the poor thing to a dog baiter.

It's not necessarily cruel to only walk the dog twice per week if it has access to a decent garden, but from what it sounds the dog toilets in the house?! That's terrible for everyone! Jack Russells are such smart dogs it's shocking not to have toilet trained him. And now she put him up for sale - a poorly trained dog that is likely to attract dubious buyers. Doesn't sound like she cares very much for the dog.

@XelaM it really is. It’s a young and energetic dog. It needs socialising, it needs to sniff things outside its own garden, it needs to run around and burn off energy. A garden becomes quite unexciting quite quickly if that’s pretty much all you have access to. This dog would be so much happier living with somebody who can dedicate time and energy to it.

No one will buy an adult Jack Russell mix that isn’t house trained !
That’s so bloody abhorrent.

She should at least try bona fide dog rescues- otherwise that poor animal will suffer.
Animals are let down so badly by their selfish owners.

Like PP I fear for the children, too.
A rescue is the only way to go to ensure any decent future for this unfortunate dog.

Dogs drag many people out of bed and out of the wallowing of self pity -
Exercise is good for dogs, children and owners/ parents.

Could your friend pay someone to call and collect the dog for a walk each day?

If she doesn't take the poor dog out how is it supposed to be toilet trained?

Could your friend pay someone to call and collect the dog for a walk each day?

She hasn't the money for this.

She's allegedly found someone on a site called pets4homes that will buy the dog, ans is unfazed that it isn't toilet trained...

I mentioned a breed specific rescue to rehome but she wants to sell the dog to recoup her money back that she used to buy it originally. Well , half the money.

She said she paid £500 for the dog initially and someone is offering her £300 so she'll be making half the money back.

£300? That’s highly suspicious.