Okay call me a bad person if you want to, but I hate this dog with a passion! He's annoying, completely untrainable, and did I mention annoying? He goes pee & poop on the floor and despite every attempt on mine & my husband's part to try to break him of the potty habits, he still does it. He keeps us awake at night. If we let him sleep out of his kennel he jumps on everybody all night and wakes us up. If he sleeps in his kennel he wines all night and wakes us up. We let him out to potty, he comes back in, waits til we're not looking, and goes on the floor. He even has been known to pee on my husband's side of the bed occasionally.
He's 4 years old, and has been with us since he was a puppy. I had resolved to put up with the potty issues (however reluctantly- but we don't have carpet in our house for it to soak into), but now that we are expecting another baby at the end of the year (I'm 7 weeks), I'm thinking I need to cut some stresses and get rid of the dog. I'm concerned about the added stress but I'm also concerned that the baby will eventually pick up a little doggy toosie roll and chew on it. Yuck!
The only hang-up is that this dog is absolutely ADORED by my eight-year-old daughter. He sleeps with her most of the night, she carries him around like a baby, she is always holding him and kissing him (and four years later she has not lost interest in this annoying little brat). She calls him her 'son', things like that. She even takes pretty good care of him.
What do I do?? What would you do?? I want this dog gone but I don't want to break my girl's heart!!
Any of you who say that a chihuahua is untrainable has obviously never had a chihuahua. Every book that I have read has said that yes, after the puppy phase (which lasts 1 year), the chihuahua, especially in the area of potty training, tends to be un-trainable. Everyone I know who has or has had a chihuahua tells me that they have the same problem I have. This is not unique to me or my ability to train a pet. I have two other dogs who are perfectly potty trained. And Jo, rude, I do have a crate, and I did do my research before getting the dog, as I always do. I just happen to have a particularly stubborn chihuahua who did not respond well to his crate training. Don't get me wrong- he doesn't pee or poop in the crate, so he CAN hold it. He is literally choosing not to. He is holding it until we aren't looking and going on the floor. Anyway- I asked for advice, and I got that, so thank you for those who offered the advice. Of course, the unwelcome judgments mixed in could have been saved.
I don't see how you can "get him gone" without breaking her heart, can you?
You know what they say...."no bad dogs....just bad owners" "Bad" in the sense that this dog needs serious training. He's not going to wake up O. day & scratch at the door.......
What exactly have you done (since puppyhood included) to train him to behave properly? Or have you done any formal training?
How exactly have you trained this dog? Most dogs respond to good training. The saying that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners is pretty true in my opinion.
My daughter has two rescue dogs and she took them to Petsmart and then found Bark Busters. If you haven't seriously tried a good training program, this one is for you. It works. In just one session she learned so many things about her dogs that she had never known. And she even works at her dad's veterinary clinic, so she already knows a lot.
Personally I don't think you can just "get rid" of a family pet. Especially one your daughter adores! How would you even do that? Euthanize it? Sell it to someone else so THEY have those problems? Dump it in a shelter where it will never get adopted because of its problems?
ADDED: I have a 19-year-old chihuahua. She's trained very well. Call Barkbusters.
I couldn't do it. My kids love our dog so much, it would just break their hearts. I would invest in some serious dog training, and also get your 8 year old even more involved in cleaning up the dog's accidents. It's great that she loves him so much, but she also needs to experience the hard parts about keeping him, not just the kisses and cuddles.
Oh my.
My cousin has a dog like that. But they don't have kids. No one can stand her dog. I think they just feel sorry for it so they don't get rid of it. They even tried a trainer and dog behaviorist, but the dog is still a big pain.
Anyway, your daughter is attached to this dog.
When I was a child, my Mom got rid of a dog of ours without telling us. One day we come home from school and the dog was gone. She told us she gave our dog away, because we already had a dog and this dog was so hyper etc.
Well, we really hated her for doing that. And the memory of it still lingers. Though I don't "hate" her for it anymore. But as a child you remember things like that. And then the ideas you have of your Mom, after. It can affect your relationship, with your daughter.
Even my Dad was upset with her.
Maybe try getting a dog trainer for it?
Before deciding.
But talk to your daughter first.
Don't get rid of the dog instead look into a professional dog trainer. try to think about it this way, if your eight year old daughter peed on the floor when she was four would you get rid of her? (probably not because she is part of your family, well so is your dog). Take the dog to ummm.. PetSmart? and try their training program, as for the baby eating doggie doodoo watch the baby and the dog. If it whines all night get it a doggie door so it can come and go, maybe invest in an outdoor indoor dog kennel (access through a small window in your house) then the dog will be free to "go" wherever it feels like it wants to.
As for getting rid of the dog, when you got the dog you took on the responsibility of said dog, and said dog's wellbeing. You took the dog into your home, and by doing so the dog became part of your family, if you wouldn't get rid of a child which you found annoying or who had accidents in your house, then you have answered your own question, Don't get Rid of the Dog! No matter how annoying or untrainable it is it is still part of your family.
I'd want to get rid of the damn dog too. However, I suggest that you give this your best effort and get a trainer for this dog. Your daughter is on clean up duty from now on. If you get a professional opinion that the dog is untrainable, then you can move on from there....
I love dogs but always feel people come first.
That being said, since your daughter is very good with him (wow) I'd be reluctant to get rid of him completely. There has to be a better solution.
Do you have a mom or relative (without little ones) who could take him for a while?
Is it possible to corral him up in a very small area of the house, with pads, preferably away from your bedroom so you don't hear him all night?
I'm not a fan of doggie Prozac either, but has that been discussed with your vet?
Have you read about "small dog syndrome?" Chis are notorious for this. Here's a link about the syndrome: http://dogbreedinfo.com/articles/smalltoydogs.htm
I hope DVMMom will chime in with some ideas for you too.
Bless your heart - he sounds like a real pain in the butt. I hope you guys can think of some good solutions. You're all he's ever known so I know deep in his heart he appreciates you. <3
Have you ever really done obedience training with this dog, and kept consistant with it? 4 years is a long time for it to be behaving this way. I know chi's can pee when they get excited.
I am usually against getting rid of animals for convenience, but after that long and it isn't working, than you aren't a totally horrible person if you rehome him. You need to be upfront and honest about his issues though, so the family who adopts him doesn't end up dropping him off at the pound where he will most likely be considered unadoptable and then euthanized.
Your 8 yo daughter loves this dog and takes pretty good care of him! Good for her. Instead of getting rid of the dog and hoping she gets over it (you don't know she will, even if she tries to be "good" and say she understands), can you make it a win-win and send the dog to obedience training with your daughter as the trainer? You would be affirming her developing sense of resonsibility, she would learn something that will last her a lifetime, and hopefully you will all be happier for it.
It sounds like you need to work with a professional trainer. And that means the family works with him/her - not sending the dog off to doggy boot camp. That results in a dog who listens to the trainer but not the family. If the dog is not aggressive - then almost any other issue can be managed if you devote the time.
The dog needs to learn to be obedient otherwise DD is old enough to clean up after it.
The dog stays in her room full time except for DD taking it out to go do it's business until it she is so tired of cleaning pooh and pee that she begs you to get rid of it.
Updated
The dog needs to learn to be obedient otherwise DD is old enough to clean up after it.
The dog stays in her room full time except for DD taking it out to go do it's business until it she is so tired of cleaning pooh and pee that she begs you to get rid of it.
That's so sad. But, why don't you ask your daughter help with the cleaning up so she knows. Having a baby is really tiring, and baby need clean place to crawl and play. If this dog make you and baby stressed out and tired, I'd say family come first. You need to talk with your daughter, explain the situation. If she is wiling to take responsibility, the dog stays. If not, advertise the dog with friends or family where your daughter can visit sometimes. Priotize the baby, she will need a happy mom, not a tired one.
My late dog had an ovarian cancer and she peed smelly blood all the time for a year. It was not good at all, my mom was threatening to throw her away,but she stayed because me and my father cleaned it all the time till she died. I think they were very flexible,because if it were me now, I will prioritize the health and cleanliness for my family first. I feel thankful, though that they didn't throw her away, that dog was a joy after long and stressful school hours.
If your dog goes in the house and absolutely can't be potty trained, then get peepee pads. Maybe he'll go on that... Have you gotten professional help for the dog?
DON'T SURRENDER THE DOG TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you MUST get rid of him, (which I'm TOTALLY AGAINST) surrender him to a chihuahua rescue~
Good luck!
I agree with hiring a trainer. Almost all dogs can be trained. Some are challenging, yes, but unless they have some sort of mental defect, they are trainable.
A friend of mine is an excellent dog trainer with Sit Means Sit in Fort Worth. His name is Eli Vega (pronounced like the name Elise, but without the -se). You can look him up on Facebook, too, if you're on it. His Facebook page is under Sit Means Sit Fort Worth.
His email address is ____@____.com
Anyway, if your daughter is in love with this dog, you need to make a concerted effort, with a quality professional trainer, before you get rid of him. If he's still peeing and pooping everywhere after that, then I agree, the health and safety of the family, especially the baby, needs to come first.
Good luck! And call Eli! He's fabulous! :-)
I would keep the dog. Your daughter loves him! You can't do that to her, she will be absolutely heartbroken. Have you tried getting him trained by a professional? Some dogs are just irritating. Trust me, I have 3!! I always contemplate giving them away, but I would never actually do it. They are my fur babies!! They didn't ask to have me as an owner, it would be wrong to just pawn them off on someone else. Who knows if this new person would love and care for them the way I do!! You have to be consistent. My lab whined for a year in her kennel, but finally got used to it. Now they don't have to be kenneled at all (:
I'd get rid of the dog. Maybe wait a little while after the baby is born and things have settled back into a regular routine then get a new dog.
Your daughter may not be happy at first, but with a new baby in the house she may move on from the dog faster than you think.
For the record ... I HATE those ugly little rat dogs. but my advice isn't based on that ... much ... it's based on your stress level and the ability and desire to continue to have this dog around.
