Inspired by "Puppy Problem" - What to do when there is a personality conflict w/pet?

[beckmrk04]

Ahahaha...perfect!!! We show more commitment to the family dog than to our spouse.

Well, to be fair, you should know a bit more about your spouse when you bring them home, than when you get a dog... And dogs generally have the same personality for life- spouses, not always so much...

 

[gris gris]

I am currently contemplating A for my boxer mix. I love this dog. She is incredible, very exuberant but that's the breed. She has recently become extremely protective of me. She actually bit my DH the other night and that is why we need to go the A route. I was right there. My DH didn't do anything threatening. When she started growling, he stopped, spoke softly to her to let her know it was him. Never raised his voice, his hand or anything. She just jumped up and bit him on the hand. Didn't break skin but.... Its also not the first time she's growled or snapped at him. He feeds her every day. Not sure what the problem is. We had a long conversation and he said that if she hadn't started this behavior he was willing to drop the money on a private trainer to work with her to get her a little less exuberant (i.e. no more jumping). As we have a small child, I have to agree with my DH even though its breaking my heart.
That being said, I am not going to drop her just anywhere. There is a NJ boxer rescue group that I have been looking at today. I want to contact the people this evening.
She is a wonderful dog and will be great for a couple or an individual that can truly work with her and figure out this behavior. Trust me when I say this is not an easy decision but I need to worry about my daughter first.

I can't even imagine how difficult this is for you. I wish we could take her! We're dying for a boxer. What is she mixed with? The problem in our house is that our dog (male) is very protective of me too and our vet said we probably shouldn't get another dog while this one is around. But if we really want to he said we need a submissive female. Good luck with the rescue place.

 

[Jynohn]

Unfortunately we were in a situation like this several years ago. My husband likes to hunt occasionally and wanted a bird dog badly. On an impulse, he went out and bought a German Short Hair Pointer. This dog was a HORRIBLE fit for our family. She was destructive, chewed everything in sight (well beyond puppyhood), barked incessantly and was the most hyper dog I've ever seen. It wasn't her fault, it was DH's for not researching properly to make sure it was the right breed for us.

We did everything we could to make it work, including consulting trainers and behaviorists, and DH would go out every night after work to just let her run in the field and burn off some energy. She was just the type of dog that was bred to have a job (hunting) she wasn't happy unless she was doing it.

We eventually came to the conclusion that it wasn't working for us, and no one, including the dog, was happy. It was time to find her a new home. I'm involved in Great Dane Rescue myself, so believe me I felt guilty about this decision. Under no circumstances would we have turned her over to a shelter or rescue, we just knew we had to find a home for her that would be a better fit. We went back to her breeder for help and a few months a man called us who was the perfect match for Oreo. He was an avid hunter who worked outside and could take her with him all day. Long story short, we still keep in contact with him and it's been a happy ending for everyone. Our house is a lot calmer, the guy has a great new companion, and Oreo has a wonderful new home where she can do what she was bred to do.

I'm not proud of the fact that DH bought a dog without thinking it through more clearly, or that we had to eventually admit defeat, but I am happy that we were able to find a better situation for her. I really don't consider it abandoning her as we waited months until we found the perfect new home and would have kept her forever if necessary. Sometimes things just don't work out, and as long as an owner is responsible in finding an appropriate new home, rehoming may be the best solution for everyone (including the dog.)

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I can't even imagine how difficult this is for you. I wish we could take her! We're dying for a boxer. What is she mixed with? The problem in our house is that our dog (male) is very protective of me too and our vet said we probably shouldn't get another dog while this one is around. But if we really want to he said we need a submissive female. Good luck with the rescue place.

We don't know what she's mixed with, if at all. The shelter we got her from call all of their dogs "mixes". She came from a no-kill shelter that rescued her from a kill shelter in WVA. She is typical boxer personality and the pretty fawn color. She's got a beautiful expressive face. But way too protective of me. This morning she got upset that I was leaving. She was barking and snapping at my coat. It turned my back to her to show her that she wasn't getting attention (per the training books I read) - she tried to bite my butt!! I've never been so grateful for my big butt. She couldn't get a bite sized piece. We broke the news to our DD. She's upset but understanding - asked for a gerbil. Thanks for the good thoughts.