Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Those expressing concern over how the dog will adapt to losing it's family are detrimental to dogs sitting in shelters right now. The dog will bond with the members of it's new home, and nobody should think that adopting is a risk because somebody else had the dog first.
Is there anything like "Shared Custody" of a pet? Maybe this special Dog could somehow be available for the son to continue a relationship? I tend to always try and look for a solution where love between an animal and family is concerned !
While OP may feel he can't give enough love and nurture to this beloved dog..This Pet doesn't care..Animal's lap up the love when they can..and feed off it..regardless if it hours/days or minutes..Animals really don't define love that way!! Loyal is the only description I feel right now by OP..THUS the dilemma!!
Those expressing concern over how the dog will adapt to losing it's family are detrimental to dogs sitting in shelters right now. The dog will bond with the members of it's new home, and nobody should think that adopting is a risk because somebody else had the dog first.
You know I am you biggest fan and see eye to eye with you 99% of the time. But I dont see that here. Maybe its location, but I really believe people who take responsibility for a pet need to see it through...and not for the pets sake but for the issue of pet over population. You have to keep your pet. And you have to spend the money, make accommodations, and make it work. Millions...or more are being put down a day from irresponsible owners. It has NOTHING to do with if the dog could love another...of course they can, they are dogs. But it has everything to do with how many "others" are out there to take them.
In my book, apart from DANGER, you adopt or buy a dog, you are on the hook for making it work.
Is there anything like "Shared Custody" of a pet? Maybe this special Dog could somehow be available for the son to continue a relationship? I tend to always try and look for a solution where love between an animal and family is concerned !
While OP may feel he can't give enough love and nurture to this beloved dog..This Pet doesn't care..Animal's lap up the love when they can..and feed off it..regardless if it hours/days or minutes..Animals really don't define love that way!! Loyal is the only description I feel right now by OP..THUS the dilemma!!
The basic needs of the animal can't be met on a sustained basis when the only person who is able to care for those needs isn't home for over 10 hours a day, five days a week, and presumably gets at least 6 hours of sleep every night, 7 nights per week, AND has a real actual human son to take care of during the time he is awake and at home.
Love is not all you need, when you're someone's pet. You need someone to walk it, and feed it, and change the water dish, and bathe it when it gets dirty, and take it to the vet when it's sick. If you don't HAVE the time available to do all of these things, then you need to find someone who can.
So I've found myself in a difficult situation and could use some solid feedback.
I am a single parent and work in a hospital which means my hours can be pretty demanding, more so now then two years ago. After the divorce my spouse kept our dog and at the time I attempted to compensate for my son by getting him a new dog.
Like most kids he doesn't really have much to do with the dog. He loves the dog but not interested in playing with him or taking care of him. We are currently in an apartment so he has to be walked and so on. My commute is currently dreadful, over 1.5 hours due to traffic which puts me leaving in the morning at 6 an returning home at close to 7. By the time I get home I'm spent. I prepare dinner, walk the dog, clean up the kiddo and just drop into bed.
So the dog doesn't get nearly as much attention as he should which is not good at all for dog. We just recently decided to make a move into a new part of town and found the perfect house to rent. Great schools, cuts my commute from 1.5 hours to 3 minutes (within walking distance) and has kids everywhere which he has zero in our current living situation. The catch....no dogs.
Of course my son when asked says he wants to move but not if it means giving up the dog. As the adult it's my job to to what's best which is not always inline with the child. Having more free time together, Tons of kids to socialize with right out his front door and a better school district are all things that are very difficult to turn my back on.
By the way I have a very close friend with kids and a house that would love to take the dog so it would have a great home.
Thoughts?
Your kid sounds pretty spoiled and dreadful and your dog will be better off in a more caring home. Tell your kid to get over it and give the dog to your friend.
You know I am you biggest fan and see eye to eye with you 99% of the time. But I dont see that here. Maybe its location, but I really believe people who take responsibility for a pet need to see it through...and not for the pets sake but for the issue of pet over population. You have to keep your pet. And you have to spend the money, make accommodations, and make it work. Millions...or more are being put down a day from irresponsible owners. It has NOTHING to do with if the dog could love another...of course they can, they are dogs. But it has everything to do with how many "others" are out there to take them.
In my book, apart from DANGER, you adopt or buy a dog, you are on the hook for making it work.
That's ok HFB, we can disagree 1% of the time.
We got our dogs when the boys were young, knowing full well that the bulk of the responsibility for their care would fall on us parents. Now the boys are gone, and the dogs are still here. We can't leave our Golden to travel, she's too old to board. But, for the pleasure she's given us, it's a small price to pay. It would break my heart if these pets were kept inside for 12-13 hours a day without human interaction.
I think parents who get their kids pets thinking they will handle 100% of their care are short-sighted. Some rare children will, but lives get busy, and the pets take a back seat to friends, school, sports, etc. The OP was definitely short-sighted here, but I think his intentions were good.
I just don't see the point in leaving his son for 12-13 hours a day either, which is what the commute is causing. I read the other threads about moving for a better social life, but he also wants a better school for his son, a shorter commute, and kids around for his son to play with. Those are all legitimate reasons to make the move, and under the circumstances, make a lot of sense. It's unfortunate that the dog must be rehomed, but the dog will adjust, and will likely have a better life with a family around more often than the OP is.
I didn't even read anyone talking about the dogs feelings. Points were bad example for child, bad for the dog over population problem, irresponsible pet ownership, maybe damaging to a child who has lost so much, suspect motives, easy way out...etc. Maybe I missed it but I didn't see anyone claiming the dog had human emotions
I'm not going to dig through 9 pages to find it, but that's where a lot of the hand-wringing over "re-homing" was centered.
I think most people agree the worse example is to blow off 3 hours of mom/dad being present in kid's life daily for a dog. Don't see how dumping Rover on a friend is contributing to overpopulation.
I agree with irresponsible pet ownership, but what's done is done. Never should've got the dog, sure. Emotional trauma to the kid, sure. None of those tip the scales for me, or most people, it seems.
We can come up with alternate scenarios all the lifelong day, but that's true of any thread. Maybe this parent wants a rubber stamp to dump Spot, and could find a place close to work that accepted pets, or maybe not. Speculating like that is just a waste of words.
It certainly sounds like rehoming the dog where it would get more attention would be in the dog's best interest. Let your son meet the folks who will be taking him and see the new home.
Those expressing concern over how the dog will adapt to losing it's family are detrimental to dogs sitting in shelters right now. The dog will bond with the members of it's new home, and nobody should think that adopting is a risk because somebody else had the dog first.
Over the years we have had 2 "rescue" dogs which were true family pets and lived or in one case still living with us into their old age. They were great family pets AND housebroken the moment they walked through the door.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
