Wonderful, silly dog needs someone who's always home

[ws4ever]

A year-old blond schnauzer male (medium size, 60#) giant schnauzer/yellow lab mix, is sweet, happy, beautiful, playful and also able to settle down, walks well on leash, but is anxious and cries continuously when left alone. Is there anyone out there who takes their dog to work with them, or could do so, who could grant his wish to be with someone all the time? Did I say he was beautiful? Someone was going to evaluate him to be a service dog but apparently ran out of time. He’s making great strides in obedience. A totally sweet dog. Another dog visited, bit him, and this boy wanted to escort the other dog to his car!! Tiny space between houses here, so I can’t blame my neighbors for complaining. Please contact the blogmaster so he can connect us, if you would be the correct, loving home for him. No adoption fee, but I will make sure he goes to the right home.

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[Wednesday]

Poor guy. Have you considered a second dog, a playmate or daycare/walker? I know how hard it is to leave them and I often wish I had another dog to keep mine company when he’s home alone. Trying to convince my husband to let us have another dog, but not sure if we can handle another big one. Best of luck!

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[cjboffoli]

ws4ever: The “blogmaster” in this case would be a she. And generous though she is, she might actually be a bit too busy to intermediate in this matter. You might consider posting an e-mail address so interested parties might contact you directly as there are sure to be questions. Just replace the @ sign in your address with the word “at” to reduce your chances of getting spammed.

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[ALS]

Sounds like your dog has separation anxiety if he cries when left alone. If that’s the case, uprooting him is only going to make it worse. How about taking responsibility for the dog you decided to take into your life. Try crating, special treats when you leave, anti-anxiety medication, more exercise, etc. I don’t know what you’ve tried already, but ditching him is not the answer. At the very least talk to your vet and a behaviorist to see what their suggestions are.

It drives me crazy when people seem to think there are an abundance of homes out there for the dog they have decided to give up on. News flash: 5-7 MILLION dogs and cats will be euthanized this year in the US because there aren’t enough homes. Your dog has a home already. Don’t let him take a home that could be given to one of the animals that is going to die in our shelters.

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[ALS]

Oh, and if you insist on getting rid of him, please don’t rehome him yourself, as you have no way of adequately screening the new home. Statistically dogs who are rehomed once are likely to be rehomed again. Do you really want him bouncing around from home to home for the rest of his life… again, further exacerbating his anxiety? Take him to the Humane Society if you can’t take responsibility for him yourself.

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[JoB]

ALS..

with all due respect… people have been responsibly rehoming dogs themselves for centuries…

the key word there is responsibly…

I agree that it would be a lot better if people considered their dogs permanent members of the family instead of just pets… and expended more effort to keep them…

but assuming someone is not being responsible when they look for a new home for a pet they care about … for whatever reason… only compounds the problem.

Any of us who have invested the time and resources adjusting to life with one of those dogs who didn’t work out elsewhere knows that it can be a daunting and expensive task.

Some families simply aren’t able to cope with the emotional or financial stress that causes. It doesn’t make them bad people…

it’s better for them and for their pets if they find a home that works for them…

from Ws4ever’s post, it sounds as though they are taking responsibility for finding a good home for their irrepressible schnauzer.

this inn is full.. but he sounds like he would make a great companion dog for someone who is retired and needs an incentive to get out there and get some exercise…

in the meantime… perhaps doggy daycare or a dog walker would be a temporary solution…

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[ws4ever]

You’re right re the poor, wonderful guy. I’ve worked with him for 5 weeks, obedience and individual training, and am very attached to him but cannot ask my neighbors to put up with the noise. He would be the perfect dog otherwise, and I think could be trained for service dog. Thought I had a way to make this a win-win solution with the service dog idea, had appt. for him to be evaluated,then no contact from very dedicated person who does service dog training and connections. She may be swamped by helping other people. If anybody else has connections for service dog training, it truly would make sense for this boy. Someone who is basically homebound and would like his positive energy, needs items retrieved, etc. He has wonderful, silky fur and flops over so his tummy can be rubbed, wonderful smile. Not fair to him to lose his (now 3rd) home, because he is emotionally needy. My apologies, lady webmaster, for thinking you’re a guy, first, then asking too much. Interested parties, please call me at 206 901 1515, and I’ll make sure you can meet this wonderful boy. Peace. I’ve observed this community to reach out in other situations, have tried to solve this, and am just reaching out for possible other solutions. Thanks.

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[ALS]

JoB, I disagree. Rehoming your pets is not a responsible thing to do, when a little effort on your part could mean keeping them. I understand that there are sometimes extenuating circumstances, but 99% of the time, it’s lack of effort.

The problem is, in our society it has become acceptable to get rid of pets when they are no longer convenient. Until society says it’s unacceptable to do so, we will continue to have the problem with pet overpopulation.

If people would spay and neuter their pets, and take them on as LIFETIME commitments, we would not have a pet overpopulation problem. Period.

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[ALS]

The fact that this is his third home makes me want to cry, and just reinforces what I said earlier about dogs being more likely to be rehomed again and again once the cycle starts.

I stand by what I said earlier: it would be best if you can do right by him and keep him by working with his problems, but if you can’t, please take him to the Humane Society. They will adequately screen his home to make sure his next one is forever, and they will have in his contract that he would have to be returned to them if it doesn’t work out, so he doesn’t continue to be bounced around when his new owners decide he isn’t convenient anymore.

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[JoB]

ALS…

hard line aside..

does it really sound like Ws4ever didn’t make a little effort to keep this dog who has already been through more than one home?

by all means, condemn those who buy pets without a thought as to how that dog is going to integrate into their lives and then make no effort to train either the dog or themselves…

but don’t tar everyone who needs to re-home a dog with that brush.

I have spent a lifetime being the home for dogs who didn’t fit elsewhere…

and to be honest, the owners who re-homed their own dogs had more concern for the home and services that i could provide for their animal than either the humane society or the pet rescue organizations i have received animals from…

and they didn’t lie to me to get me to accept a pet they knew had substantial undisclosed problems as a pet rescue organization did with one of my current best friends.

yes.. i agree that everyone should spay and neuter family pets and take them on as a lifetime commitment….

but i can see that sometimes that commitment might involve finding them a more appropriate home.

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[ws4ever]

ALS, I’m with you. You’re right. He does have separation anxiety. I have tried all the things you suggest: exercise,crating, special treats, desensitization training with getting him used to being in a crate, but the second I shut the door he’s howling. No meds yet. West Seattle vet I contacted said he needs to be with someone all the time. Removing him from my home is another injury–I agree. I am looking for solutions that would make his life better instead of ditching him, have tried all the solutions, and am trying to match him with someone who’d benefit from his need. Again, Peace.

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[JoB]

if i wasn’t a stay at home person…

if i wasn’t a person who would give up having guests in their home…

if i want’ a person willing to take my dogs with me everywhere…

if i wasn’t a person who would be willing to invest substantial amounts of money in both training and vet bills…

we could not allow our current two dogs to share our home… and to enrich our lives.

and if i become more ill or am hospitalized for any length of time or if i require home health care…

we will have no choice but to either re-home or euthanize them.

life doesn’t come in easy to judge packages.

not even for people with both good intentions and commitment.

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[ALS]

JoB, sorry, too many years in rescue cleaning up other people’s messes has left me knowing better. Having to hold a dog and tell he’s good dog, and that I’m sorry there aren’t enough homes right before he’s put to sleep has left me tired of people’s excuses.

At the humane society, it’s listed on all their paperwork why they were given up. Most common reasons are “moving” and “new baby.” The most absurd and angering ones I ever saw were “cat wouldn’t stop eating houseplants” and “dog wouldn’t stop getting pregnant.”

I wish I was joking.

I think people should think long and hard about getting a pet, knowing it’s a 15+ year commitment, and that during those 15 years, they very well may move, get married, have babies, lose a job, etc. And be prepared for possible behavior issues. No animal is perfect. Don’t take on a pet unless you’ve thought through the possibilities of what caring for that animal might entail and are prepared to deal with it, for better or for worse.

To the OP, have you:

-Talked to your vet?

-Talked to a behaviorist (visit apdt.com to find a certified behaviorist)

-Tried increasing exercise?

-Tried hiring a dog walker or taking the dog to doggy daycare?

-Tried crating (some dogs have less anxiety in small spaces so they don’t feel they need to protect the entire house)

-Tried not crating (some dogs have anxiety in small spaces)

-Tried leaving the dog with an extra special treat that he only gets when you leave, so that in a way he actually starts to look forward to you leaving and getting that special treat?

-Tried anti-anxiety meds?

-Tried herbal remedies?

-Tried conditioning the dog to being alone by leaving for short periods of time and praising upon return?

These are just a few things I was able to think of in about 3 minutes. There are more options out there.

Bottom line: if everyone took responsibility for the pets they took in, there would be no homeless pets. If anything I post can help you keep your pet, then I feel I’ve done my part.

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[ALS]

ws4ever, you say you haven’t tried meds yet? Try meds!

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[ALS]

And I must say I’d like to smack the vet upside the head for suggesting you get rid of the dog BEFORE trying medication. WTF?

Again, 5-7 million dogs and cats will be killed in shelters this year because there aren’t enough homes. Your dog has a home – you should do everything in your power to help him keep it.

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[ws4ever]

Thanks, JoB and ALS, for sounding in with your thoughts and suggestions.

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[JoB]

ws4ever

i hope someone with a big heart and the desire for a constant companion calls you soon.

wish i could dog sit for you until that happens… but dog friendly was one of the lies the Shiba rescue i got one of my dogs from told…

and yes ALS.. i did visit the dog before i took her home and she accepted my little shiba boy who would have done anything to have a friend. Good for the two of them.. not so good for dog sitting another dog:(

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[leigh]

If you’re able to afford it, I would recommend taking him to West Seattle Dog Daycare. We’ve been taking our dogs there for years and Javier and Carol take wonderful care of them. It’s their home away from home.

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[ws4ever]

Finances! I just wish someone had been clear about his needs in the adoption paperwork. They think they are being kind to the dog to disguise difficulties, but they only decrease dog’s chance to find a lifelong home. He has a great, full-time dog buddy at home here, and they play well together. He wants a person full-time. Anyway, thank you for good suggestions. I’ll let you know if something helps, so someone else can benefit.

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[ALS]

I totally agree with you and JoB on disclosing any special needs when adopting out a dog, and I think some (not all) rescuers try to sugar coat any faults or issues in hopes of getting the dog adopted faster.

I am the opposite – in fact I have had people accuse me of trying to talk them OUT of a dog, simply because I am so upfront about their needs. But I would rather have a potential adopter walk away and have the dog spend more time in our rescue, than have someone get in over their heads and have it not work out. That’s not fair to the adopter or the dog. Dogs are resilient, but don’t think it doesn’t hurt them when they lose the family they know and love.

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[ALS]

Another thought, ws4ever — you mention “adoption paperwork” so I assume you got him through a rescue or shelter? Check that paperwork — most have clauses that say you must return the dog to them if it doesn’t work out and that you are not permitted to rehome him yourself.

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[service dog academy]

ws4ever – I am a service dog trainer and I hate to burst your bubble but no legitimate service dog organization will take a dog with a known case of separation anxiety. its one of the hardest dog issues to deal with when it comes to dog training because it requires 100% compliance with the training plan which usually involves never leaving the dog alone from several weeks to several months. just because a person uses a service dog it does not guarantee that the person will be with the dog 100% of the time. i tell all my students to make sure their dogs are OK with spending time alone and with family members. its important for the dog to be able to be alone so that if the person was hospitalized or incapacitated and unable to take care of the dog they could easily have someone else take care of it for them.

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[k]

my cousin has two dogs that suffer extreme separation anxiety. one of them actually EATS the furniture because of it. they were both rescues and no one knows their history. they have had professional trainers try to help to no avail. their doctor recommended “downer” or anti-anxiety meds, but they don’t want to medicate. a friend of theirs told them about thundershirts (don’t laugh). they were willing to try anything. IT worked! it worked so well, their dog is going to be on their website next month as a testimonial. i have heard of these before, but now that i know someone who actually uses them, i’m sold. http://www.thundershirt.com/

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[voodoo]

I am really just lurking on this thread, since I cannot take in the dog and have nothing to offer there.

However, the Thundershirt thing is very interesting. I have heard of similar therapies for kids with autism. I wonder how the mechanism behind it works.

http://www.especialneeds.com/autism-deep-pressure-weighted-clothing.html

(I’m not trying to derail this thread, either, I just find the similarity in the treatments fascinating.)

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[JoB]

K and voodoo

i have heard that thundershirts work for a lot of dogs

as do doggie packs for leash anxiety

i don’t know why

ws4ever

this might be worth trying. it’s a cheap enough solution if it works and they have a money back guarantee…

i am going to order a couple myself tonight

i have a couple of dogs that could use them

i would really like to be able to take them with me more places…

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[Author]

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