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"You want a trained, obedient dog who respects you? Go. Now."
Great suggestion, but you seem to be overlooking the threshold fact that no one will be home ALL DAY. At best you'll achieve a sort of maintenance. At best.
I miss that part!
If no one is going to be home all day, then getting a puppy is NOT a good idea at all!
Well, unfortunately, dh has already purchased the dog for dd. This was a decision dh made and I'm just along for the ride. I wasn't planning on being part of the dog's training but I'm thinking dh may not know as much as he thinks (he grew up with dogs but they were working dogs. I grew up with dogs that chew everything and pee where they shouldn't.)
At this point, what I need is advice to make the best of this situation as it's not changing so advising a different breed or not getting a dog at all isn't helpful. I need to figure out how to make the best of this situation.
As to barking, I'm thinking the dog will be debarked as I can't have him barking at neighbors all day and from what I read here, I can't keep him in the house all day. Nice suggestion on doggy day care but I can't afford a day care bill for the dog. I never realized that you had to have someone home all day with a dog.
I'm thinking this is going to be a miserable experience for all but it's a done deal. I was hoping it could turn out decent but I see it can't. There is no way dh is going to tell dd she can't have this puppy. I guess this one will be chalked up to life experience.
Thanks for the advice. Too bad it just leaves me depressed. I was hoping learning about puppies would help. Instead it just confirms that this is a bad decision but it's already been made. Dh is convinced that the dog will be fine.
I'm going back to my orignal plan and just going along for the ride. I'll let them do what they're going to do and stay out of it. Hopefully, both of them will learn a lesson. I'm sad to say that that sounds like the best that can come out of this.
Thanks anyway.
Cancel the payment.
Do NOT get a dog!
You and your family are not even close to being ready and this puppy is going to suffer for it. Do NOT get a dog!
Edit: As to the "bashing" you think you're getting...watch what happens after you bring this dog home and that dog is treated the way you say it's going to be treated. This does NOT MAKE US FEEL SUPERIOR! I don't rightly care how YOU feel right now, I care about how that poor dog is going to feel. Your dh is full of sh**, not us.
I have worked with rescues and shelters for far too long to know how this is going to end up and there is nothing pleasurable about this, there is no "gloating", there is none of that. All I can feel is horrible and bad for this poor dog that will soon be coming to your household. You're going to have major problems with this dog and you're going to blame the dog. I can already see it happening. And debarking? Are you f-en kidding me!
Well, I'm told I can't leave it in all day so the alternative is leaving it out all day.
All of the breeders dogs are debarked. They seem no worse for the wear.
UGH. I am willing to put in the time to train it. That's why I came here asking for advice. Unfortunately, all I'm getting is bashed because it makes other people feel superior. Whatever.
As to this being a life lesson. If it's as much of a lost cause as everyone here thinks, that's what it will be. It is what it is.
I do not have the power to stop the sale. I only have the power to contribute to the dog's training. Since people here don't seem to want to help with that, I'm done. Your self edifying bashing helps no one on my end. Not me, not the dog and not my family. If it's hopeless, then it's hopeless. I was hoping to find solutions but I guess there are none to be found here.
Have fun beating a dead horse. I won't be returning to this thread.
1) Based on what you've said, I'm seriously wondering if the breeder is a reputable one.
2) No one has said you can't leave the dog inside. What people have said is you can't leave a puppy alone for 8 hours at a time. It's up to you to find a way to work it out.
3) People have given all kinds of suggestions on training. Mostly it has been either ignored by you or responded with reasons that particular thing won't work. Again, things CAN work but it's up to you as the responsible human to find a way.
4) No one at all gave you negative responses until your "solution", rather than looking into what good advice was given, was to respond by saying it's never going to work so I'll debark the dog, stick it in the backyard and let DH and DD deal with it. You indicated you were washing your hands of the situation.
I'm not sure what you were looking to hear. A puppy is not a cat. Sorry. It's just not. It will require specific things that are different from what you are used to. You will most likely have to make adjustments in your schedule, your thinking and your life. If getting the pup is non negotiable, then you'd best start changing your attitude. Something will have to give.
Seriously, I came here for help. Telling me to stop the sale isn't going to work because dh has declared that you're all full of crap.
You asked for advice (it's in your title) and that is what you got. You just don't like the advice you got. And apparently your DH doesn't either.
You received some wonderful advice here and I think it's a shame you aren't going to take it. Especially re: NOT de-barking the dog. Really? Your solution is to subject an animal to an unnecessary medical procedure because no one will be home and you're just going to toss him in the backyard by himself all day. He's a dog not a iguana. He deserves love and attention not to be subjected to de-barking.
p.s. I feel sorry for your poor old cat. He should be allowed to die in peace. Instead he's going to be in a house that's in an uproar with a new, unfamiliar animal.
This is week 20 for my puppy. I am just starting to feel like I am getting to know who this dog is and what makes him tick and what his schedule is. When he was 11 weeks old, he was a baby still. In those times, I posted a note on the wall about the crate schedule taken from a book (New Skeete monastery puppy training book). It didn't work for us. Our dog is sociable and needs people. In those times he spent a lot of time outside with us. Looking back, I know now 11 weeks old is too young to leave in the cage without a 10 am break and a noon break, so the 2:30pm the earliest is more of a 6-month plus dog schedule.
Ours was nippy, too - and the nippiness to the point of tearing your pants wile jumping up into the air when walking. It is eradicated by this time, just wanted to mention that nipping and mouthing can be something much bigger than cuteness. We have one - his favorite - chair gnawed on the bottom - its very old so no big deal. No shoe gnawing, TG.
The last 11 weeks have been a hell of adjustment, let me tell ya! It's work.
She said she's not coming back to the thread. I just hope she takes the advice to keep an open mind and positive attitude toward this dog, rather than resenting it because it was forced on her. Poor puppy.
When we got our puppy, I worked full time. So he was alone during the day. He was outside in the yard with toys, a dog house, and two dogs on either side of the fence he could socialize with...so...I don't think working full time precludes people from having a puppy or a dog. We spent time with him in the morning, and full time at night and on weekends. I worked hours with him on training him. But it was fun. And the kids loved it. He was so smart, to challenge him I would have the kids hide in the nieghborhood and he would go find them. He loved it.
But a puppy or dog requires commitment to training, grooming, and constant attention. He went every where with us...he loved the car...
Dogs love people. Having a well trained dog is wonderful....but it requires a lot of time.
I suggest she keep a journal on the dog forum so we can see how the puppy and the family are doing. I think the first 3 weeks will make them or break them.
[quote=jasper... but it requires a lot of time.[/QUOTE]
And Jasper, it requires a willingness to learn the basics. That just simply isn't going to happen with a few posts on an internet thread, however well intended those responses may be.
The OP came into this with an understandably poor attitude (her husband basically told her to pi$$ off), demonstrated no willingness to grasp what people where trying to say, and left with a huff when there wasn't a simple two paragraph answer to her (very large) question. People write books on the subject, for heaven's sake.
I'll say two things in closing. First, I don't think I've ever read a thread (anywhere) where *everybody* that posted was essentially on the same page and delivering the same message, albeit from their own perspective and life experiences as you would expect. I congratulate you all for coming to the same conclusion, ie, that the dog's welfare comes first. Personally, I take great comfort in that. Multiple thumbs up to y'all!!
Second, her lack of experience and unwillingness to roll up her sleeves precluded a 'quick' fix so the totality of the message was lost on her. Unfortunately it will be a beautiful puppy that will suffer the results and I'd be willing to bet that the daughter leaves without her and the pup eventually winds up in a shelter.
I would be happy to be proven wrong.
Z
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