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I agree with everyone else. Don't beat yourself OP. You did the right thing. The dog deserves to go to a home where he doesn't have to deal with a crate. It doesn't mean you are bad owners; just that you have different life circumstances than what that particular dog can adjust to.
I agree with whoever suggested you consider a calmer breed. Spaniels are typically high strung, high energy dogs and need a lot of physical and mental stimulation. I have Great Danes and one of the big (!) advantages to them is they spend most of their days and nights unconscious on the couch. Many smaller dogs are like that too. Good luck on your search for a special friend!
No, but crate training works wonderfully with a lot of dogs. There wouldn't be millions of dog training sites and books that advocate crate training if it wasn't a good training aid and a safe place to leave a dog (who isn't crate phobic) alone. Many see it as their "room" or "bedroom" if they are crate trained PROPERLY and KINDLY.
But, there are dogs out there who don't need to be in crates. I've had five dogs who have been fine with being alone in the house. Two of them tore up tissues at first (one liked tissue boxes, the other scavenged from the trash can!), but they were puppies, and soon got over that.
A rescue group should be able to guide you to a dog who won't destroy your house when alone.
You did the right thing, I'm sorry that happened to you. We had similar issues and had to return a rescue. I felt bad but knew she wasn't the right fit. Almost a year later we found the perfect dog for us. Keep your chin up
OP, I also say don't beat yourself up. You truly gave it a good try and hopefully the dog will find a home where someone will be with him at all times.
Now I have a question and I'm not sure if anyone really knows the answer for sure, (honestly, I'm just curious)
but what usually causes a dog to even start being anxious in a crate? What has happened with these dogs previous to being rescued that has caused such trauma to their emotions?
do you think they are they left in a crate too long?
or maybe they are they thrown in there as a form of discipline and they see the crate as a "bad" place?
or do some dogs just have personalities they are born with, that can't handle being in a small space like people with claustrophobia?
One of my rescue Chihuahuas had been a puppy mill breeder. She lived in a small cage 24/7. If I had tried to put her in any small enclosure, crate, carrier, etc. she would have freaked out. Even when her dental was being done I stayed at the vets with her so she wouldn't have to be put in a cage afterwards.
Is it possible your rescue was a breeder and kept in a cage? Also some people use the cage as punishment which will make a dog hate them. Some dogs like them and will go in them even when the door is open. It just depends on the dog and their previous crate experience.
I had to return my dog to the rescue group a few weeks ago and I'm really worried about him. I told them about his specific food needs, told them that he needs to eat a specific number of times a day or he'll lose weight, and provided them with a couple of months worth of food, but they said they wouldn't be able to feed him as often as I said he needs to eat. When I checked his online profile today (as I do daily), I saw he's already lost 20% of his body weight within the several weeks that he's been back with them! Are they planning to just let him starve to death?
They claimed that there was a lot of interest in him. Then why has he still not been adopted? Oh right, because they lie about almost everything.
They told me he'd go straight into a foster home rather than into boarding. Apparently he's very unhappy, which I doubt would be the case if he was actually in a foster home because he loves all people. So I'm pretty sure they lied about him being in a foster home and he's probably sitting in a cage somewhere, which is horrible for any dog but especially for a social dog who lives to be with people.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they lie like crazy since they left out certain important facts that should have been disclosed before I adopted him. Long story short, he was making me physically ill from stress (months of nausea, stomach pain, and no appetite).
In my opinion, they're a pretty horrible rescue group. No behavioral evaluations or vet checkups prior to adopting dogs out. They cut off contact once you return a dog, which isn't okay if the dog isn't totally healthy. I already feel really bad and reading this dog's profile is heartbreaking, knowing how happy he was before (not to mention the weight loss...he must be almost skin-and-bones thin now).
I had to return my dog to the rescue group a few weeks ago and I'm really worried about him. I told them about his specific food needs, told them that he needs to eat a specific number of times a day or he'll lose weight, and provided them with a couple of months worth of food, but they said they wouldn't be able to feed him as often as I said he needs to eat. When I checked his online profile today (as I do daily), I saw he's already lost 20% of his body weight within the several weeks that he's been back with them! Are they planning to just let him starve to death?
They claimed that there was a lot of interest in him. Then why has he still not been adopted? Oh right, because they lie about almost everything.
They told me he'd go straight into a foster home rather than into boarding. Apparently he's very unhappy, which I doubt would be the case if he was actually in a foster home because he loves all people. So I'm pretty sure they lied about him being in a foster home and he's probably sitting in a cage somewhere, which is horrible for any dog but especially for a social dog who lives to be with people.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they lie like crazy since they left out certain important facts that should have been disclosed before I adopted him. Long story short, he was making me physically ill from stress (months of nausea, stomach pain, and no appetite).
In my opinion, they're a pretty horrible rescue group. No behavioral evaluations or vet checkups prior to adopting dogs out. They cut off contact once you return a dog, which isn't okay if the dog isn't totally healthy. I already feel really bad and reading this dog's profile is heartbreaking, knowing how happy he was before (not to mention the weight loss...he must be almost skin-and-bones thin now).
I tend to have issues with many rescues but I think you might be being a little unfair here. I know this is going to sound mean, but you returned him. I am assuming that is because he had issues in your home. You don't know if isn't in a home, you are only assuming he is in a cage. Unless he has an underlying health issue, they might be trying to break him of that nonstandard feeding schedule. A normal dog will not starve themselves, eventually he'll figure out that he better eat when the food is there instead of at his convenience. Hopefully, the right human soul mate will find him but sadly not all dogs end up being suitable family pets, including ones that have loving dispositions but can't manage to figure out how to live inside a house.
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Sometimes you just have to quit because no solution appears feasible for both dog and human.
We returned our first dog, who was a young adult male, extremely smart, and fearful of abandonment but coupled with a strongly dominant personality. We went to obedience school with him, taught him a lot of "commands", but neither of us was the right owner for him. That dog demanded a keeper who was always in charge--none of the alternating lead roles that my husband and I live by. Four months later we returned the dog with a detailed note listing all the "commands" that he knew, along with a plainly stated warning that he had to have one unaltering Lead Dog.
I bet the shelter deleted the warning about dominance.
But he did get readopted. We knew because someone called us asking for microchip history. That dog deserved an experienced, dominant owner, and we deserved our normal lives back. When we later got another dog, the experience was very different, and we all fit together beautifully. Then when we got a female companion for him, an adult, we went through 9 months of adjusting to each other before she was really bonded with us, but we thought we could get there. And we did. Let it go, and choose more carefully next time.
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