Y'all, I can't stand the dog.
I don't like the licking.
I don't like the smell.
I don't like having dog hair absolutely everywhere all the time.
He chews on everything. My favorite recliner. The dining room curtains. The mat by the back door. My gym bag. Syd's jacket. My antique dining room chairs. I've sprayed them with the bitter apple spray and that works for all of about ten minutes before he's back at it.
The kids get scared of him when he gets in one of his moods: running around frantically and barking. This could just be his way of "playing", but it's annoying.
He bites when he's excited which is at least twice a day. He hasn't broken skin yet, but it's just a matter of time.
I can't put him in the back yard because he digs. And digs. And digs. We have have gigantic holes all over the back yard. I'm half hoping that he'll dig out under the fence and run away.
I know I'm a horrible person. Who doesn't like dogs?
This month long experience has just proven to me that there really are "dog people" and "cat people." I am most definitely a cat person.
The kids really want to keep him, but is it fair to keep him here when I absolutely hate him? Do I break their hearts because he irritates the heck out of me? Will getting him "fixed" solve some of these issues?
Ryan says we should take him for training (read: I should take him for training), but I don't even know if I want to invest time and money in that.
Go ahead - tell me how horrible I am. I can't feel any worse about the situation than I already do.
2024
5 months ago
Get him fixed, get a book about basic dog training, and EXERCISE him. He is a ball of energy with no outlet. A leisurely stroll will not work with him, I'm afraid. He needs to get tired from physical activity. But....if you dislike him this much you probably should try to find him another home. The hair isn't going to go away, the licking probably won't either and the chewing will (in time) but until then you will love everything he destroys. Sorry it isn't working out, it just seems like this dog isn't the best fit for you but that doesn't mean that NO dog is. :(
ReplyDeleteUgh, Jana. I'm so sorry that it's not working out the way that you'd hoped. I agree with a lot of what Fran said: exercise, exercise, exercise. He needs to be run ragged most every day. Most of the bad behavior that you're seeing (aside from the licking and fur!) is likely related to a lack of exercise. Do you have dog parks nearby? And yes to training. Check out the training at PetsMart. Also, get the WHOLE family involved in the training. It's everyone's responsibility--not just yours. Dogs are so much work and take much patience but, if you can make it through these rough patches, he'll repay you ten-fold. Trust me.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's no fun. At first I thought maybe it was just you adjusting to a dog. It took me a while with ours. But he sounds very ornery too. That's a whole other set of problems. I hope things work out for the family.
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