Dog owners, I have a predicament..

thoshowski

He will get exhausted after a very long walk, mine always does, but he will find the most comfortable place to sleep...the bed or the couch. I definitely recommend the baby gates. If you are coming home at lunch to let him out, he won't mind being confined to the mud room for a little while. As for the dog hair, I recommend a swiffer or variety of such. I swiffer daily, and the clumps of hair I get are disgusting. I have an 8 year old Chocolate Lab and I wouldn't trade the world for him. Those are the things I decided to deal with to have him, but I am a dog lover.

downinaggieland98

Crate train him!! I have a dog that's nearly 100 lbs and when he sees I am about to leave for work, he goes upstairs and crates himself. No accidents when I get home and he is happy. I am a huge animal lover and I always thought it was mean to leave them crated, but it's his safe place, and it's zero effort to clean up after him.

When you are home, just be constant in your discipline to let him know it's not ok. Good luck!

fbmandy55

Thanks for all the great replies!

I do exercise him everyday, even if it's throwing a ball in the back yard (he actually drops it at my feet) or taking him to my dad's to run and play with their dog. He get's plenty of walks, but I was concerned about taking him on LONG walks and possible even hiking our local river trails. I'll try to easy him into it.

Like I said, he is a good dog but it's just a very hard adjustment for me to make. I'm not really happy about it but I'm giving it a lot of effort!

rml_16

He get's plenty of walks, but I was concerned about taking him on LONG walks and possible even hiking our local river trails. I'll try to easy him into it.

A dog that size will be fine. Just make sure he has constant access to water. Overheating is more of a concern than the exercise itself, especially for a part rottie!

_ylime_

oh... this doesn't help so much with the shedding... but if "dog smell" bothers you I would reccomend trying this grooming spray... it smells like baby powder... I LOVE IT! My dogs smell great and their coats and super shiny... we also give them a brewers yeast / garlic suppliment... helps with shedding and deters fleas... seems to help....

http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Pet-Baby-Grooming-Spray/dp/B0002AQ8X6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334762187&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Brewers-Yeast-Tablets-Garlic-1000-Count/dp/B00025K10W/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1334762431&sr=1-1

ladybg81

I am a HUGE dog person. I have 4; 3 Boxers and a beagle. My youngest, Zoe is about 4 months old and stays in a kennel all day. I don't feel bad about it at all because I come home and my house is the same as I left it. Nothing chewed up or messed up. My other 3 have free reign of the house all day. They are over the chewing puppy stuff so no issues there. Having a dog, whether you like them or not, is just dirty. Their dogs. Their gross. But I love 'em! I used to be a real neat freak and I finally just got over it. My house is not dirty by any means but there is always hair floating around or something. They are not allowed on the furniture, my husband hates it.

I agree with previous posters about the kennels being their safe zone. We crated our other 2 boxers as well and when they knew we were leaving, they'd mosey on back to their room, get in their kennel and sit there until we gave them their treat and closed the door. Most nights they would even sleep in it with the door open. All 3 of my Boxers love(d) it. My Beagle however, ugh, nightmare dog.

LabRat529

One more comment-

Those saying the boyfriend should give up the dog for the sake of the relationship- it makes me smile, but not for the reasons you might suspect.

I was once dating a guy, getting really serious, and he told me I'd have to get rid of the dog or get rid of him. Guess who I said good-bye to? Best decision I ever made. My dog doesn't put conditions on his love.

SlimSammy2012

Oh yeah, one more thing....A spray bottle with water in it! Squirk the little guy everytime he does things you don't like, like getting up on the furniture and stuff....I have three pugs and all I have to say is "I'm gonna get the water bottle"

seebeachrun

It's a lot to take on but it can be worth it.

1. baby gate - great way to confine him to certain areas of the house while you retrain him; right now he is trained to get on the furniture

2. dog blanket - buy a blanket specifically for the dog; pick one you like and that won't show his fur too badly (wash it every week or two); when you allow him out of the gated area and near the furniture, slowly train him to only sit/lay on his blanket; over time you should be able to train him off the furniture completely and onto his blanket on the floor; it is slow going but worth the investment if you can't stand the fur on the furniture; at the very least training him to lay on the blanket will confine most of the fur and dirt to one area; my dog is 5 and is still obsessed with HIS blanket which was actually mine from a trip to Vegas where I broke my knee and needed it for the plane ride home

3. walks/doggie daycare - Wear him out! The more tired he is typically the better behavior you will have. Walks usually aren't as dirty as leaving him out in the yard for an hour or two to roll/run in the dirt. Extra bonus with doggie daycare is that most will bathe the dog before they come home for an extra fee.

4. brushing - try to brush him 2-3 times per week (outside!) to cut down on the loose fur

5. change his food - most dog food is crap and vets are bad about recommending the crap food; buy better food and the dog will be healthier and you'll see a reduction in shedding; I switched to buying gluten free for mine and his flaky skin went away and now his coat is always shiny and velvety soft plus he has been seizure free for over year with no meds! http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/about/ http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/

SyntonicGarden

Gating and confinement will work. Training the dog to stay off the furniture will work better.
Don't mean to read more into this, it sounds like the intro of a dog into your life is not something you and your boyfriend have discussed.

I agree with OP. Talk to your boyfriend and come up with a training strategy that works. It's important that you both agree on where the dog can and cannot go, because if he lets the dog onthe couch when you're not home, then the dog is going to get confused and be sneaky about it, sit on the couch, and jump off when it hears you coming in. Same thing with the bed... And you both have to be consistent.

I agree with baby gates. The other things that helped me were a broom and a spray bottle. When she was a puppy and I caught her doing something, I'd spray her with plain water. Just make sure that NOTHING but water goes in the bottle. Eventually, I got to the point where I could spray the empty bottle and the noise would make her move.

The other thing that you might want to consider is covering the couch while you're training the dog not to go on the furniture. At least this way, you'll have all of the hair in one spot and you can wash it. Either a flat sheet or a couch cover (from a place like Domestications or Wamsutta) would work too.

When we leave the house, I put a broom (or a yard stick, or something else that she doesn't want to sit on) on the couch. She has her own soft bed to lay on. Sometimes he'll forget to close the bedroom door, so I'll come home to find a wrinkled, warm, dry spot on the bed. Rather than get upset, I've just learned to put a flat sheet over the bedspread. It's easier than getting mad at him for leaving the door open and at her for just wanting to sleep somewhere that's soft and smells like us.

Bikini27

Keeping animals off of furniture when you aren't there is something I have never mastered and have learned to let go of. Place sheets and blankets on the furniture to protect them and thank the Lord above that the dog isn't destroying your furniture.

I do keep my dogs confined to an area with a baby gate while I am at work. I keeps them from finding new things to get into and honestly, they sleep 90% of the day.

And yes, walking him will help wear him out and build a bond between you, meaning he's more likely to listen to you when you call him or give him commands. Also, work on basic training to further build the bond and trust. Any dog lover will tell you that having their SO love their pet as much as they do is similar to a SO loving your child as much as you do.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

SyntonicGarden

Someone else mentioned brushing. There's an amazing tool called a Sheddin' Blade. It's a weird saw toothed thing that's more gentle than a wire bristle brush and does a great job at removing hair that's already fallen out, but not off of the dog. Way better than a brush.

Bikini27

One more comment-

Those saying the boyfriend should give up the dog for the sake of the relationship- it makes me smile, but not for the reasons you might suspect.

I was once dating a guy, getting really serious, and he told me I'd have to get rid of the dog or get rid of him. Guess who I said good-bye to? Best decision I ever made. My dog doesn't put conditions on his love.

Glad I didn't read those posts :noway: Some people's children, I swear. :grumble:

Amen to that. My dogs were there first and they will be there when the man leaves. :smokin:

Bikini27

Thanks for all the great replies!

I do exercise him everyday, even if it's throwing a ball in the back yard (he actually drops it at my feet) or taking him to my dad's to run and play with their dog. He get's plenty of walks, but I was concerned about taking him on LONG walks and possible even hiking our local river trails. I'll try to easy him into it.

Like I said, he is a good dog but it's just a very hard adjustment for me to make. I'm not really happy about it but I'm giving it a lot of effort!

You're a good woman, keep at it :flowerforyou:

cls_333

I have 3 dogs, love them all at least as much as my kids. lol I find the kids make more mess, so maybe it's a good way to get used to what will come. The gate is a great idea, spend money to get one that always stays in place (screwed in doorway), and swings open easily with the push of a button, it is worth it! I also have blankets they know are theirs for the couch, and they stay on them. Another thing that works great for me is keeping "dog" towels by all doors, to wipe their feet when they come in. Keeps that dirt off the furniture! I run 10+ miles with my dogs, and I can't wear them out, so you will never on a walk. Good luck...if you let him, he'll become your best friend!

fbmandy55

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!

:laugh: This is funny because I smoke (outdoors) and I think my house is starting to smell like dog too! I have a friend with a small indoor dog and I can hardly stand to go in her house without gagging because of the dog smell. I don't want to be that person!

120859

If the dog stays in the house all the time except for going out to use the bathroom or go for a walk with you and then just right back inside the house then shaving the dog is the only way to go. I have a lab border collie mix and she sheds like crazy. I am like you, I simply can not stand that long hair all over everything. I would never have picked this breed of dog because I can not stand the hair that she sheds. My daughter rescued her from a rescue group and brought her home so that is how we got her. Any way long story short she gets shaved to the skin every 4 weeks. In other words her hair is cut shorter than a normal labs hair every 4 weeks. You would not believe the difference in the amount of hair that is in my house now. Don't get me wrong, she still sheds but the hair that she sheds is less than half the length of what she was shedding before she got shaved and so in other words you can hardly even see it at all. One thing that helps with keeping them off the furniture or all of it is choose a chair or end of the sofa that is ok for the dog to be on and make that the only place the dog can sit on the furniture at. Each time the dog jumps on another piece of furniture say no and direct the dog to the spot that is ok for the dog to sit. The dog will soon learn this is my chair and only go to it. To keep that chair clean they do sell pet covers that actually fit the chair like a chair cover and you can get them in colors that match your chair so it is almost unnoticeable that it is a chair cover. The dog will learn this is their chair and only go to this chair. Then just take to cover off and wash it once a week. Washed and dryed all the hair comes off into the washer and dryer vent and it is fresh and clean to put back on the chair. I always vacuum my dryer vent out and that keeps any dust from flying into the air when you clean the vent. They are actually called pet chair covers so they are easy for you to take off and wash. Until you can get one of the chair covers that will look neat you can use a large throw and the softer the better as that will make the dog want to be on it. Cover the back, arms and seat of the chair so that no part of the dog touches it then take the throw off once or twice a week and wash and dry it. You will be amazingly surprised if you follow this how much cleaner your house will stay and how the dog will learn, ok this is my chair and automatically go to it and stay off of all the rest of the furniture.

I think this will help keep any problems down between you and your boyfriend over a dog that he obviously loves. Also, the more you walk the dog or exercise him, the less time the dog will become bored home alone and tear up something.

htmlgirl

I don't have dogs but I have 2 cats and they shed. We just bought new couches last year so I bought some couch covers that way I can easily wash them when they get fur on them. Maybe you can do that until you can train the dog not to go on the couch.

rml_16

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!

:laugh: This is funny because I smoke (outdoors) and I think my house is starting to smell like dog too! I have a friend with a small indoor dog and I can hardly stand to go in her house without gagging because of the dog smell. I don't want to be that person!

I have two cats (at one point three) and a small dog and a relatively small house -- townhouse -- and it doesn't smell. And I know it doesn't because when the cats leave a particularly special gift in the litter box, I can tell! lol

Anyway, if you keep the house clean (I vacuum every other day) and keep the dog clean and healthy, your house shouldn't stink.

rml_16

Oh! And if you have a bagless vacuum, drip some essential oil on the foam thing on top of the filter. If you have a bag vacuum, drip it onto each new bag. When you vacuum, it fills your house with the oil's scent.