Dog owners, I have a predicament..

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  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    A couple of days of driving him off the couch, and your b/f on the same page, the dog will obey...But I'm afraid for your relationship. This guy is not gonna give up his beloved dog. Hope everything works out though!

    Seriously? You're afraid for the relationship because her bf won't give up his dog? And if you were in the same predicament you'd say "See you later doggie!" For someone else?

    From someone who had a beautiful German Shepherd dumped at the end of their street because the owner didn't want the dog I am livid over this comment!! I would never expect anyone to give up an animal for me. When I started dating my husband he had a dog. I was by no means a dog person at this time but never would I ever have asked him to give her up for me. To say that you're afraid for her relationship because of this is ludicrous. You don't know either one of them or how their relationship is and I give kudos for her for welcoming this animal into her house and accepting him along with her boyfriend.

    Would you have said the same thing if say he was moving in with a child? Probably not.

    A dog is for life!!!! it's a living being

    How can you condone such a thing!!!!

    I can assure you my husband would go before anyone of my 5 (yes you read that right) Siberian huskies :D

    I really don't get people. :shakes head:

    Oh, and the dog that was left at the end of our street was a very lucky dog indeed because he found the best house to start barking at: Ours. Every time I look at him I think "How could someone do that to you?" Granted he needs to be trained and we are going to send him to Doggie School but he's a good, sweet boy.

    ETA: I friggen LOVE huskies!
  • gleechick609
    gleechick609 Posts: 551
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    I confine my dogs with baby gates while I am at work. They have free range to our foyer and kitchen. However, my dogs do not shed so we do not have a hair problem! You may want to consider furniture slip covers that you can wash to remove the hair or invest in a bulk supply of lint rollers! Next time you get him groomed, ask for a puppy cut.
  • MelAb8709
    MelAb8709 Posts: 140 Member
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    My boyfriend has a 105 lb. yellow lab who sheds like it's his job. He's also one to end up on my bed/the couch. So, I cover the bed with an old sheet when I go to work, and I put the coffee table on the couch to keep him off of that. (Or, cover the couch with another sheet). Sometimes turning the furniture around so that it faces a wall works, not sure if you have trouble keeping him off of chairs as well.

    Bigger dogs tend to get worn easier than little dogs. Sometimes I take my boyfriend's dog jogging, and he's only up for a couple miles before he's pooped. Another thing to exhaust him is raw bones - go to your local pet store (normally bigger stores like Petsmart don't carry them) and buy a frozen bone. They're usually leg of some animal. It will literally take him hours to chew on it, and then he will be tuckered from all that work. Just don't leave him with the bone while you're out of the house - if the dog is a very strong chewer he may be able to bite off shards of the bone which may injure him if he tries to swallow. So you just have to keep on eye on it and throw it out when you see he's starting to bite off shards of bone.

    Another thing - you say you have a son - how about taking them both to the park and letting your son run around with him, throw a ball or a frisbee or a stick. Exercise for everyone!
  • kmcgaw
    kmcgaw Posts: 93 Member
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    Lots of great advice for you and your new canine roommate. lol Costco has great dog beds and are reasonably priced. Give him his own bed at the new house. Most dogs behavior can be curbed with consistency, so this shouldn't take long. Also, a tired dog is a happy dog and will get into less trouble, easier to train etc. As far as hair goes, unfortunately, that is just part of owning a dog and despite your efforts, there is no easy solution. You can minimize it with brushing outside, but you might as well get over it early on, because dog hair is brutal. He sounds like a great dog that has been the centre of his owner's life for awhile, so remember that he is also adjusting to the new life and you too.

    I read a great book from a dog's perspective awhile ago called, The Art of Racing in the Rain. I highly recommend it if you are a reader. It tells the story of a family (starts as a dog with single male owner, meets wife etc.) from the dog's eyes.

    Dog's are amazing creatures who just want love and attention, so have fun with your new buddy and enjoy making him a part of your new family dynamic.

    Good luck!
    p.s. My hubby and I own two dogs and are in the pet industry.
  • Froggy1976
    Froggy1976 Posts: 472
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    I keep my German Shepherd in a crate during the day. He really doesn't mind, it is like his house. He gets in there on his own in the evenings sometimes, with the door open of course. It takes a little adjustment period but it really isn't as cruel as it sounds and the furniture is safe from being chewed on.
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
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    first - YES. Long walks are essential - he needs LOTS OF EXERCISE. Most labs respond pretty well to training - I have one training method/deterrent I like & works for most every dog AND cat. Get a water bottle, when they jump on the furniture say NO firmly & squirt them in their face. They don't like it & will stop. After a while, you don't even have to squirt them, just show them the water bottle.
    Gating is good you could also get a cheap washable slip cover & go ahead & let the dog on the couch but some ppl don't like this idea.
    MY pets ARE family (tho cesar doesn't like this philosophy) and can go where ever I go, but that's just me and probably NOT the best way to train dogs since they walk all over me & nobody wants a lab that walks all over them.

    The more exercise & training you give him the more he will love & respond to you. Labs are really great obedient & smart dogs. He will obey you out of love & loyalty and give his life to protect you.
  • MelAb8709
    MelAb8709 Posts: 140 Member
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    Dogs are actually den animals, which means that they enjoy being kenneled. My Yorkie enjoys the safety of his kennel. I let him sleep with me at night, but every morning, I let him out before work, then he runs in the house and straight into his kennel without being told. I come home after work before the gym to let him out, and as soon as he is back in the house he runs straight to the kennel. Anymore I don't even tell him to Kennel, he watches me, sees what I am doing and runs into his kennel when he knows I will be leaving. The house is just too big for him to be in without me, it makes him feel unsafe and he gets ornery, causing messes. I realize Yorkies are much smaller than your dog, but I know of a lot of people with larger dogs that kennel their dogs all day as well. He'll be ok, I promise :)

    Trust me - not all dogs enjoy being kenneled. It would be absolute torture for my dog - evidenced by the bloody teeth as she tried to gnaw her way out of the kennel. If he's not used to being kenneled, don't you be the one to start.
    A baby gate might help, but if the dog is big enough he will probably just jump over it or bust it down. Your boyfriends dog sounds like he's a mix of some very smart, determined breeds, if he wants out of the baby gate area he'll get out.
  • foot2wood
    foot2wood Posts: 149 Member
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    I just bought the "Furminator" de-shedding tool, shampoo, and conditioner as well as a new Bissell pet hair eraser vac for the shedding and i walk my dog daily either one several mile walk, or a few 1 mile walks and he sleeps like a baby(he's 10 months old) and when i leave him home, for 8 to 11 hours sometimes, he's never disappointed me. So i'd suggest frequent grooming and walks that tire him out so he sleeps while you're not home. Good Luck....
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    A couple of days of driving him off the couch, and your b/f on the same page, the dog will obey...But I'm afraid for your relationship. This guy is not gonna give up his beloved dog. Hope everything works out though!

    Seriously? You're afraid for the relationship because her bf won't give up his dog? And if you were in the same predicament you'd say "See you later doggie!" For someone else?
    A friend of mine got rid of her dog for her first husband. A couple weeks shy of their first anniversary, he informed her that he wanted to continue living with her, but wanted a divorce and an open relationship.

    She should have kept the dog.

    I'd never give up a pet for a man. And I wouldn't be with a man who would ask me to.
  • kirstyg1980
    kirstyg1980 Posts: 302
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    baby gate and confined to a certain room is the best bet

    the other thing you could consider is a kennel and dog run for the garden if you have one

    A dog should not be crated for longer than 4 hours at a time regardless of the size of dog or whether it likes its crate or not, one of my dogs can destroy a crate with her teeth in 10 minutes flat
  • slimy72
    slimy72 Posts: 12
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    Gates are great! Also if he seems to be shedding a lot there are lots of supplements that can help. When I give my dog a no shed oil supplement and brewers yeast she hardly sheds. When I don't she sheds like crazy. Good luck, I am an animal lover and the hair drives me nuts. Something that helps for me is a roomba vacuume. I can set it to run every day while I"m at work and it keeps things cleaned up for me.
  • happypath101
    happypath101 Posts: 534
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    One of the reasons I'm here is that my sweet old dog passed away. I didn't think I was burning many calories walking her, but low and behold 10 pounds snuck on after her death. YES! Go for big, log walks/runs with the dog. You'll poop her out and burn a bunch of calories for yourself. Plus the mental health benefits of a dog walk cannot be understated. As far as the furniture, if the boyfriend let's her get up on it, then you've got a challenge ahead of you. I suggest getting a great dog bed for her. Make a big fuss over it. Present it to her with a great treat, e.g. chewy bone, after said long walk. She'll probably have a good, long nap on it. If you're lucky, it will become her preferred spot.
  • sunrise611
    sunrise611 Posts: 1,868 Member
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    I don't have a dog and never did but might get one some day and would be faced with the same dilemma. I also worry about the floors and furniture.

    I also think it's terrible to keep a dog in a crate overnight or for long periods of time and like the idea of a baby gate.

    That's what I would do.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    I've taken my black lab mix out for hours, and she came home exhausted. Yes, you can wear them out... and he WILL love you for it. Labs love to walk.

    As far as the dog hair, my little girl's hair isn't all that long so she doesn't have a shedding problem, but I resigned her to be an outside dog anyway because she is so hyper. She is always knocking stuff over and breaking stuff. So when I moved I had a nice-sized pen built for her in the backyard and got her nice big dog house. I still walk her though so I can get exercise and so she doesn't get bored. It works for us.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
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    You basically sound like my boyfriend when I had my Samoyed. He hates dog hair, hates stinky dog breath, and is a clean freak. Which is ironic, given that he doesn't clean anything..

    Off-topic. Anyway, making it a rule that he can't be on the couches, beds, etc., is a good one. Our dogs aren't allowed on the furniture, and after a few times of them jumping up and us shooing them off, they got the picture, and didn't do it anymore. We also did have a dog gate for places that we wanted to keep them out of, like the laundry room, bathroom, etc. It's actually pretty helpful, because they have their space, we have ours.

    And is his dog spot-trained? Like if you say "Go lay down", does he have a spot, like a bed or crate, he can go to? A lot of dogs find crates or beds where they have a designated spot very helpful, because it gives them a sense of place, and safety.

    Good luck! Honestly, pets are one of those things that I would never ask anyone to get rid of, unless there was some sort of danger along with that pet. If the dog is just kinda smelly and hairy, you can work around that, and although you might not like it, recognizing that the animal is important to your boyfriend is super-important in accepting him and who is is, since his pet is part of who he is.
  • Jreneewright
    Jreneewright Posts: 87
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    i have a lab boxer mix and she sheds like crazy!! i love her and she is an inside dog now but when im gone she likes to sleep on the furniture. i have found it easier to just pick up those slip covers for my couch and stick them on when i leave and snatch them off when i get home. keeps the hair and the puppy smell out of the furniture.. they also make special blankets you can get really chean that just drape over your couch or chairs for dogs.. it will protect it....

    i know it can be a pain but the pup is def worth it! i love my baby but hate the hair! i have to just find ways to avoid it.. lol
  • SlimSammy2012
    SlimSammy2012 Posts: 893
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    Let me start off by saying that I am NOT an animal lover. I have never wanted a pet but my boyfriend is moving in......and has a dog. I have a son and his dog is like his child so it was just a no-brainer to me that this would be a situation where I would have to give a little. My boyfriend is only here on weekends for the next couple weeks but the dog is now staying with me. I'm a bit of an obsessive neat freak and I am trying to adjust to the dog hair, the stinky breath, him tracking stuff on my clean floors, etc.

    My issue as of now, I cannot keep the dog off my furniture! He is a Black Lab/Spaniel/Rot mix and has terrible long, wavy, black hair and sheds like crazy. We even had him groomed a couple weeks ago and the hair is just collecting on my couches, bed and hardwood floors. Even though I do not like animals, I do not have it in me to keep him caged while I am at work for 9 hours a day. For now I come home on lunch to let him outside and he stays off the furniture when we are in the house.. My boyfriend has suggested a baby gate to keep him confined to the kitchen/laundry/mud room. Has anyone else overcome this issue or have suggestions?

    Finally, a silly question. If I take him walking for a long period of time, is he going to get exhausted? :laugh:

    My Ex Girlfriend would complain that my pants smelled like dogs and she couldn't stand it. I mean she really made a big stink (Pun inteneded!) about it. I made sure that I changed my clothes before going to her house. Oh, By the way, I never made a single comment about how her hair, clothes, house and car smelled like an ashtray! She smoked!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I don't have a dog and never did but might get one some day and would be faced with the same dilemma. I also worry about the floors and furniture.

    I also think it's terrible to keep a dog in a crate overnight or for long periods of time and like the idea of a baby gate.

    That's what I would do.

    You need to learn more about dogs. They're den animals. They feel safe in crates.

    If I didn't crate my minpin at night, no one in the house would sleep because she barks at everything that moves. She's happy to go in, usually goes in by herself before we even get up off the couch to go to bed.
  • dalmiechick45
    dalmiechick45 Posts: 164 Member
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    the baby gate is a great idea, and make sure to have your fella spend lots of time combing him... mine shed like crazy, but I just have to work harder to keep the house tidy, one of those floor swiffer sweeper vacs works nicely too (on hard surfaces and tile)....

    Also, do try for your man's sake to like the dog a little :) that dog will protect you and your son to his dying breath! I sure hope you can learn to like him a little bit...

    ohh and those thing Johnson makes, the pet shedder thing that looks like two rolls with a plastic blue cover... gosh cannot think of what its called... and also, have the fella pitch in too... if you can clean, so can he....

    also, I bet your little boy may like brushing and combing the dog too... and it sure is a good way to teach him to care for other living things...
  • _ylime_
    _ylime_ Posts: 661 Member
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    Gates are great! Also if he seems to be shedding a lot there are lots of supplements that can help. When I give my dog a no shed oil supplement and brewers yeast she hardly sheds. When I don't she sheds like crazy. Good luck, I am an animal lover and the hair drives me nuts. Something that helps for me is a roomba vacuume. I can set it to run every day while I"m at work and it keeps things cleaned up for me.

    I had a roomba... and then we got our second dog.... the roomba didn't stand a chance.... :noway: :laugh: So... if you get one... make sure the dog understands that it is not a toy... :flowerforyou:

    Lots of good points on this thread... EXERCISE (lots of it), more frequent brushing, consistent training when you guys are home... it will take some time, but he will adjust!

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