Relinquishing a Dog. . .

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We have a dog we rescued almost 2 years ago... We still dont care much for her. She is very wild and just seems to make having dogs difficult. (We have 3) However, we took on this responsibility and we will see it thru to the end. The kids love her and she was probably abused before. She doesnt "fit" too well with the other dogs but they dont fight so it works ok. She is a difficult dog to say the least but we agreed to care for her and that is what we will do! So far our free rescue dog has had parvo ($1200.00 treatment) Severly allergic to fleas ( monthly expenses- flea meds, shampoos, pills ) has torn up her fair share of items ($$$????) But when you get her alone she is fun and playful.. I have mixed feeling about her everyday but I know we will never get rid of her.

Dogs require obedience and behavioral training - ALWAYS. Have you paid for a trainer and behaviorist to come in and see what is going on? Dogs are not the type of animal a person should just get and HOPE their dog acts well.

Also, keep in mind most dogs from the Rescues are from formerly abusive households...

There was nothing more disgusting then my neighbor going thru dogs like toilet paper - always wondering why her dog wouldn't walk on a leash well, wouldn't listen, would poop everywhere, would jump on everyone - DUH - because you didn't bother to get basic training for the dog!! Makes me wonder how many dogs were put down because of my neighbors ignorance and neglect.

If you really want to give her another chance, when the rescue league contacts you, tell them about the situation and see if they can suggest a dog trainer to help with the issues. Depending on what breed of dog she is, rehousing can be easy or difficult. I had to rehouse a min pin, but he was so cute, that I had many offers to take him in. You can also look for other rescue leagues on www.petfinder.com or you can place an ad.

A few years back we had to give our dog to someone at "the farm". Yes, we actually gave him to a friend of my husbands who lived out in the country. We were really heartbroken about it, and yes we loved the dog too he just didn't fit in. The dog is so much happier now, and the owner is still pleased that he has the dog. I know it is hard to get past the guilt.

I got a chihuahua right when I moved and the day my daughter had surgery. she never really got the hang of pooping outside and no one was home for 8 hour periods. when we were home no one felt like walking her - to keep her from pooping in house she needed to go out every hour. She was the sweetest thing but we didn't give her the attention she deserved. after we had a dog sitter watch her for a weekend who "fell in love" we decided to give her up. she now is a pampered pooch. while sometimes I still feel sad, and my youngest -the one with the sugery- still misses her a little i now she is in a better place. It turned out great for her - not 8-9 hours in a crate.. and owner that loves her!

it may be hard - but if she's not a fit - send her back...she needs to be in an environment that works for EVERYONE....

you shouldn't be having a conversation about the dog more than once...if she's not fitting in, she's not fitting in...

I know it's sad - but you are doing yourself and her a dis-service by keeping her.

We kept two puppies from one of my dog's litters and they were great, but three Mastiff/Danes is a lot of dog. One day out of the blue, my friend asked that if I was ever looking for a new home for my puppy (actually grown dog at this point), would I please consider them.
I would gladly have given them my hubby's puppy, but giving up mine was another story. I stewed over it for a few days and decided that she really would have a more attentive home and gave her to them. It was very hard and I cried the whole day, but I never regretted it. They gave her a great home and she loved them. My friend called me last week (five years later) to tell me that the dog died from a sudden illness and we cried together on the phone.

I would say that giving her back may be the hard thing to do, but it is probably the best thing to do. It will be tough, but I never regretted my decision to put her best interest above my own grief.

I'm a pet lover and have a hard time giving up any of my pets (hence why we have so many). But my mom keeps telling that "it's a dog", or "it's a cat" and that people need to come first.

Dogs/pups that we have given to new owners, I missed them for a day or 2, but after that it was out of sight, out of mind.

Specify that she go to a house with no other dogs.
Specify that she go to someone who knows how to train/handle Aplha dog types.
Work with your local humane shelter, they should screen people.
We had to rehome a dog. He was just too bouncy, too much energy for us. He needed a farm, so we got him one. The new owners loved him.
I put an ad in the paper with $40. That way I knew whomever was taking him really wanted him and was willing to take good care of him.

Good luck and I do hope your find a good home for her.

We have three as well and at one point we were going to get rid of her because she wouldn't stop drying to dominate our smaller dog (he is one of those major pushovers) she actually tore a hole in his ear from a bite. We gave her to a friend who had a lot of land, but she didn't want to stay (she cried and cried and cried LITERALLY). So, we sat down, and discussed it. Well after some better training, and kennel re-arragements it works for us. She is so wonderful, and she doesn't try to dominate anymore (I think thats partial to her being fixed too). One thing I will say though is that we will probably never have three again after they pass... two is enough, and we will probably not get another herding mix (she has some heeler in her) because its their instinct to grab and bite.

So in conclusion we made it work, and yes it did take work. But, it teaches our children about responsible pet ownership, and what you can do to help an animal who is a little too crazy!!

What kind of training are you offering the dog? Are you walking the dog every day? Dogs NEED walks. (Not a fenced yard, a walk.) Many dogs become restless and act out, when they don't get a daily walk. It turns into aggressive, anxious, dominant, or jittery behavior. Is the dog getting mental stimulation? Are you teaching it commands, or tricks?

If you are giving a dog back, because you are not doing them above...that's wrong. YOU are not meeting it's needs. Dogs can't magically become obedient and part of a family. They need leaders. You can't expect them to just fit in, and know what to do. They need exercise and training. Dogs shouldn't just have to "fit in," humans should do the work required. They are not humans, they can't reason to change to fit into a group. They have to be taught. It takes work.

I'm thinking about giving my aunt's dog back to my cousin. She passed away and we said we'd care for her. Our other dog gets along with this dog too. My trouble is the wetting on the carpet daily (and pooping). We take them outside often and put the food/water up at night. My aunt's dog is needy and possessive of bones/rawhides from our other dog. My kids like to play with both but the growing around the bones bothers me also. We've had her since November. So I keep thinking she's been moved around a lot and lost her "mom", my aunt. So not sure what we will do. Our other dog is a rescue and we love her.

I had to end and work. So I wanted to finish.

We only wanted one dog to begin with. So when asked about the 2nd we said yes without thinking things through. It's not the dogs fault per say but it's not a good fit for us anymore. We make it work but I'm sure my aunt's dog would be better with a relative that has no other pets. This dog needs one on one and it's suffocating me and my allergies. Our kids wanted a dog and I grew up with them outside so inside dogs are a lot more work. You will know what you have to do and go from there. Just wing it, that's what we are doing in the meantime.

How long have you had her? The dogs need to work out their pecking order amongst themselves, most likely.