The Dog

[Iheartcoffee]

Get another dog, so they will always be a pack. They need a pack.

I absolutely agree with this. The key will be to get a much younger dog, preferably a puppy, so that you do not have to worry about a new adult dog trying to dominate the current dog. Your dog’s behaviors sound like they are occurring due to loneliness. A 2nd dog can solve a lot of the loneliness and anxiety problems.

Do you have the space to build a dog run? If you build a nice dog house and you have a fenced in space you may be able to allow your dog to stay outside while you are gone while still providing sufficient shelter in case it rains or the weather gets bad. Simply being outside more may provide the dog with more stimulation, and it eliminates the indoor bathroom issue.

 

[severus68]

yes. i honestly do. because i never anthropomorphise animals-- even my beloved dog Cora.

crating the dog for 11 hours a day is hardly " the height of cruelity." it’s a pretty bad plan. but the dog was freaking out when it wasn’t crated, too.

furthermore, i don’t know if dogs can “smell death.” but i DO know they CAN NOT contemplate their lives. ever thought, “gee. things ain’t what they used to be.”

OP, if you can’t find a rescue for your dog’s breed, have your dog put down. nobody needs those problems. maybe in your area there’s a vet who will do a housecall euthenasia/ removal so your dog is home when it dies.

I disagree with all you say. No dog would want to be human and being humane and understanding and loving dogs is not anthropomorphising them. I do know my “beloved” dogs feel and love. Their lesser intellect should not make them disposable like toys.I would not get rid of any of my pets. I take, keep them and love them for life.

You are making assumptions about that poor dog and looking at it as a nuisance and a problem to be gotten rid of like garbage.

 

[Walking_Home]

monicatholic:

yes. i honestly do. because i never anthropomorphise animals-- even my beloved dog Cora.

crating the dog for 11 hours a day is hardly " the height of cruelity." it’s a pretty bad plan. but the dog was freaking out when it wasn’t crated, too.

furthermore, i don’t know if dogs can “smell death.” but i DO know they CAN NOT contemplate their lives. ever thought, “gee. things ain’t what they used to be.”

OP, if you can’t find a rescue for your dog’s breed, have your dog put down. nobody needs those problems. maybe in your area there’s a vet who will do a housecall euthenasia/ removal so your dog is home when it dies.

I disagree with all you say. No dog would want to be human and being humane and understanding and loving dogs is not anthropomorphising them. I do know my “beloved” dogs feel and love. Their lesser intellect should not make them disposable like toys.I would not get rid of any of my pets. I take, keep them and love them for life.

You are making assumptions about that poor dog and looking at it as a nuisance and a problem to be gotten rid of like garbage.

---

ditto.

 

[JackieMom]

yes. i honestly do. because i never anthropomorphise animals-- even my beloved dog Cora.

crating the dog for 11 hours a day is hardly " the height of cruelity." it’s a pretty bad plan. but the dog was freaking out when it wasn’t crated, too.

furthermore, i don’t know if dogs can “smell death.” but i DO know they CAN NOT contemplate their lives. no dog ever thought, “gee. things ain’t what they used to be.”

OP, if you can’t find a rescue for your dog’s breed, have your dog put down. nobody needs those problems. maybe in your area there’s a vet who will do a housecall euthenasia/ removal so your dog is home when it dies.

I agree. At the end of the day, it’s a dog. We should never be cruel to animals, but the dog isn’t having human thoughts and emotions about its life and/or an impending rehome or euthanasia. Many people on here have successfulky adopted older dogs. My guess is that within a few days, a dog can settle in anywhere that food is provided.

 

[polki]

My dog is 5 yrs old and has increased anxiety when he is not given enough stimulation and exercise, which seems to be your situation. Bringing a baby into this situation is a recipe for disaster, IMO. I think it would be best to re-home the dog.

You can go to www.petfinder.com and find an animal rescue near you that would be able to find someone to take your dog. I don’t know where you live but in the US a lot of rescues will take dogs in and ship them to parts of the country where they will find a loving home, at no cost to you.

Good luck. It sounds like you love your dog, but you must do what is best for all involved. An anxious dog is an unhappy dog. A tired dog is a happy dog.

 

[PennyinCanada]

I have 3 small dogs and it’s winter here. They do not get walked for 6 months of the year. If you have a bigger dog and a fenced yard, exercise her with a ball or frisbee in the morning before you leave her. At least get her tired, then feed and potty break, then leave her for the day. Walks are hardly exercise for mine, the leash holds them back and a walk is too slow. With a yard, you’ve got space to run and it’s safe. To say you can’t walk them for what ever reason, well, I don’t walk mine either. lol

You might try a treat ball to feed her her kibble. She will have to push the ball around to get the kibble to come out, and it will exercise her mind at the same time. You can do this while you eat your breakfast, brush your teeth, etc. It’s great for a rainy morning when you can’t play ball in the yard.

Please rehome her. Many people would be happy to skip the puppy thing (I’ve never gotten a puppy yet) and they can give her the exercise she needs to calm down. She’s not a write off. Give her a second chance with another family. The 3 I have here were all adults when they came here and it works for me. Talk to your vet for suggestions on rehoming. Good luck.

 

[monicatholic]

You are making assumptions about that poor dog

this the opposite of true. in fact, i’m making NO assumptions, NO immaginations, NO assertions and NO projections of human-ish-ness about the dog. the dog’s irrational soul does not WARRANT assumptions about how it “feels”.

 

[severus68]

this the opposite of true. in fact, i’m making NO assumptions, NO immaginations, NO assertions and NO projections of human-ish-ness about the dog. the dog’s irrational soul does not WARRANT assumptions about how it “feels”.

That is YOUR OPINION.

 

[Jade17]

To the OP - there are a lot of ideas on here, but a lot of them are terrible. Please, please consult with your trusted vet or a trainer for the best advice, and to discuss your own ideas for your dog. It’s what they’re there for. Best of luck to you and your pup!

 

[monicatholic]

That is YOUR OPINION.

again, the opposite is true. it is the teaching of the church that animals DO NOT posses rational souls.

 

[severus68]

again, the opposite is true. it is the teaching of the church that animals DO NOT posses rational souls.

Actually it was St Thomas Aquinas who said animals do not have immortal souls. I find some people I have come across/met to be rather irrational. The Church does not tell us what to believe about whether animals go to heaven for instance. Then there was Christ who said that not a sparrow falls that God does not know of.

You are entitled to your opinions but they are just that - opinions.

 

[monicatholic]

here is a nice little something which supports my mere ‘opinion.’

catholic.com/blog/todd-aglialoro/the-fidoist-heresy

 

[severus68]

here is a nice little something which supports my mere ‘opinion.’

catholic.com/blog/todd-aglialoro/the-fidoist-heresy

Good for you then.

 

[akela135]

this the opposite of true. in fact, i’m making NO assumptions, NO immaginations, NO assertions and NO projections of human-ish-ness about the dog. the dog’s irrational soul does not WARRANT assumptions about how it “feels”.

Dogs (and other animals) do experience emotions, although I would argue they experience them to a lesser degree than humans. Regardless of whether or not they experience emotions it doesn’t follow that one has the right to treat a dog poorly. Even if the dog’s soul does not “warrant assumptions about how it feels” that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reflect on how ones behavoir harms ones own soul.

I don’t want to generalize but I’ve noticed a trend in my own life. I’ve seen people get dogs and then when the going gets hard abandon them to the shelter. I’ve seen these same people get married and when their marriages grow hard get divorced and also start to neglect their own children when parenting was harder than they thought it would be. I know a good number of people who aren’t this way as well, so this is in no way a judgement on the OP who I see as doing everything they can to keep their marriage strong, however the number is large enough that I have wondered about this trend in the past.

They have done studies where they found people who have pets have greater empathy for other humans that people without pets. I wonder if all this is because we train our souls in small ways? If we practice caring and understanding in small ways then it is easier for us to be caring and understanding in big ways?

I would encourage the OP to do everything in their power to help their dog, even when the going is hard, to help train their soul to be strong enough to weather other hardships.

 

[monicatholic]

Dogs (and other animals) do experience emotions, although I would argue they experience them to a lesser degree than humans. Regardless of whether or not they experience emotions it doesn’t follow that one has the right to treat a dog poorly. Even if the dog’s soul does not “warrant assumptions about how it feels” that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reflect on how ones behavoir harms ones own soul.

you may argue that, but emotions require the capacity for self-contemplation. animals do not possess such ability.

and of course it doesnt give anyone a right to treat the dog poorly. i already asserted the dog should be released from this circumstance. if anyone is arguing the dog’s circumstance is appropriate, it’s not me.

CCC 2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.

note: to suffer needlessly. the owner does not want the dog to suffer needlessly. and if it put down, it would be to end the entirely needless and non-redemptive suffering of the poor dog.

the controversy began when i questioned another poster’s ***utmost ***sympathy for the dog. why not feel equally bad for the owner?

They have done studies where they found people who have pets have greater empathy for other humans that people without pets. I wonder if all this is because we train our souls in small ways? If we practice caring and understanding in small ways then it is easier for us to be caring and understanding in big ways?

it’s entirely possible people who are generally kind are the same people who will more readily have pets?

 

[LSK]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT PUT YOUR DOG ON CRAIG’S LIST

I am begging you.

There are people who watch for these kinds of ads. They grab the dog and use it for ‘bait’ dogs while training other dogs for fights.

We had a group busted for this in California. They had ‘adopted’ 85 dogs from Craig’s List ads. These dogs, raised for years as family pets, were tossed into rings with viscious fighting dogs in order to ‘raise their game’.

I understand your family comes first. If you cannot find a rescue or no kill shelter, have the animal put down.

Please NEVER get another dog. Anyone who would crate their dog for up to 11 hours is not a responsible dog owner.

Congrats on the new baby.

 

[monicatholic]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT PUT YOUR DOG ON CRAIG’S LIST

I am begging you.

i second this. re-homing fees don’t guarantee anything.

Please NEVER get another dog. Anyone who would crate their dog for up to 11 hours is not a responsible dog owner.

so much indictment of character. so little time. OP, don’t get another dog because it sounds like your life isn’t set up for a dog. no indictment-- merely observation.

 

[gh4]

I keep checking this post hoping to hear that there has been some kind of resolution for this dog and his family. Is he staying? Is he getting a buddy? Did you find him a home? Have you made a decision?

 

[severus68]

Dogs (and other animals) do experience emotions, although I would argue they experience them to a lesser degree than humans. Regardless of whether or not they experience emotions it doesn’t follow that one has the right to treat a dog poorly. Even if the dog’s soul does not “warrant assumptions about how it feels” that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reflect on how ones behavoir harms ones own soul.

I don’t want to generalize but I’ve noticed a trend in my own life. I’ve seen people get dogs and then when the going gets hard abandon them to the shelter. I’ve seen these same people get married and when their marriages grow hard get divorced and also start to neglect their own children when parenting was harder than they thought it would be. I know a good number of people who aren’t this way as well, so this is in no way a judgement on the OP who I see as doing everything they can to keep their marriage strong, however the number is large enough that I have wondered about this trend in the past.

They have done studies where they found people who have pets have greater empathy for other humans that people without pets. I wonder if all this is because we train our souls in small ways? If we practice caring and understanding in small ways then it is easier for us to be caring and understanding in big ways?

I would encourage the OP to do everything in their power to help their dog, even when the going is hard, to help train their soul to be strong enough to weather other hardships.

Well and kindly said.

 

[severus68]

I keep checking this post hoping to hear that there has been some kind of resolution for this dog and his family. Is he staying? Is he getting a buddy? Did you find him a home? Have you made a decision?

Yes, please OP. My apologies for rashly judging and hope and pray the problem has been resolved for both you and dog.