Help me find a home for my dog

[lmj]

I feel really really terrible but I think I need to find a new home for my dog. He is a samoyed/ border collie mix and is very cute. He is not a bad dog, I just don't have time for him. I have three kids 7,5, and 2 and I work full time. The dog does not like my husband so he just hides all day until I get home from work. I come home and the kids are going crazy and the dog is looking for attention. I already feel like I just don't have enough time to get everything done and spend the kind of time I would like to with my kids. I just don't have enough energy left over for the dog. I just find all I do is yell at him. I also spend a lot of time cleaning up after him.

I really think I would like to find a home for him but I feel so guilty. I have posted on online classified ads, but I don't know what else to try. Any suggestions?

Anyone in the southern New England area looking for a dog? He is about 2 years old.

 

[Kallison]

No suggestions -- but I think you are doing the right thing by trying to find him a home where he can get more attention. Why don't you post ads in the veterinarian offices? Good luck. I completely understand why you need to find him a new home. I told my kids we could not get a dog until my youngest was in 1st grade. I never could have handled it before then.

 

[adamak]

Try to contact your local no-kill shelter and see if they can help. Don't just dump the dog in any regular shelter, because they'll get killed in 2 days or so. Check out http://www.PetFinder.com. Maybe put up some flyers around your house, or at the vets, or at your local petstores. I'm so sorry you've to give him up. Good luck.

 

[peg2001]

I hope that you do what is best for you and your family. Please consider if there is any way that you could keep the dog. Growing up with a pet is wonderful for children. Is there a teenage neighbor anywhere who you could hire to give your dog a long walk just before you get home from work? This would exercise the dog, gives him attention, and he would hopefully not be so energetic and demanding when you walk in. In a few years, your eldest would be able to take over dog walking activities, if your neighborhood is safe for that.

Is there a reason your dog doesn't like DH? Can this reason be worked on? For example, can your DH feed the dog and take over some of his care? If it is because your DH doesn't like the dog, that is another story!

You sound like a person who is doing the best she can but is a bit overwhelmed with responsiblities. I understand! I work full-time and have DD2 and DD5, along with a dog, 4 cats, and 3 aquariums.

Can you elaborate on what you have to do to "clean up" after the dog? Is he having accidents in the house or chewing and tearing up things? Since he hides anyway when you are not there, is there somewhere (laundry room, spare room) you can isolate him where he can have a comfortable place to lay and some chew toys? This would minimize accidents and destructive behavior.

Peggy

 

[MinnieMe2]

BE VERY CAREFUL..... Not everyone who answers a classified ad is really looking for a pet. There are some who want to find a 'bait dog' to train other dogs to fight. (The bait dog will eventually be killed by other dogs, but not until he/she has suffered enormous pain). Labs will send people out to answer classifieds, too, to find animals they can use for experimentation.

A no-kill shelter is definitely the place to start. If your dog is good around little ones, it will work for him in finding a good forever home. There should be a no-kill shelter somewhere in your area, but I don't know R.I. One suggestion: go to www.greatpets.com and click on 'Visit Our Message Boards'. Go to 'Help!........Dogs' and post your question there. I'd be willing to bet someone will be able to help you out, either with a name or a phone number.

Your dog sounds fine, but border collies are high energy and need a lot of training. It could be the border in him is what's causing your 'messes'. Not your fault, you have a very full (and exhausting) schedule. But it's not your dog's faulty either .

Hope this advice helps you out. Good luck!

 

[Jenzebelle]

I really wish you would not give up your dog.
When you get a pet, you are making a committment for its life- to love it and treat it as a family member. How would you feel if you were torn away from the only family you have ever known?

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but this is a very passionate subject of mine.
If you truly honestly think giving your dog away is the best thing for the dog, then here is a list of local shelters and rescues

http://web2.petfinder.org/pet.cgi
If the list doesn't pull up- just click on shelters and rescues and enter your zip code

I urge you to please not give the dog away to just anyone and please PLEASE research any facility or person you give the dog to.

 

[Kallison]

I just want to mention that we got our lab at 11 months from the shelter. He was given up by a family with an only child, both parents worked they kept him crated all day. He was a mess when we got him, 85 lbs. of undisciplined dog. He chewed everything in sight, we couldn't even walk him on a leash. He got kicked out of obedience class for being "disruptive" to the other dogs! He is now 3 1/2 and a great dog, but we had the time and energy to devote to him. Giving him up to a better home is not necessarily a bad thing. Sammie now has his own couch, bed in our room and a neighbor next door who walks him every day for an hour and takes him to his house while I'm at work. I know he has a better home with us than his original owners.

 

[Kermit]

A lot of pet stores have bulletin boards where you can post ads. That might be a good place, since people are already there shopping for pets and obviously care for them.

I'm sorry this dog didn't work out for your family. I'm sure that it's been hard for you to come to this decision. It's true that many people don't realize that a commitment to a pet is a life-long commitment, but it sounds like you've thought this through and are really trying to do what's best for the dog.