Dog owners, I have a predicament..

pitbulllover

I know I'll catch some flak about my point of view but I say there are compromises that need to be made in relationships. Why do YOU have to make the compromise? If the dog sheds and jumps on your furniture or you think you may not "gel" with it, I say let someone with a large lot adopt the dog. Your bf can be the one to make the compromise. It's a big dog, he would probably be happier with more room to run anyway.

Ok.....Go! :-)

I hope you are not a pet owner. There's nothing worse than someone who thinks living creatures are disposable.

How'd you get "disposable" out of me thinking it might be better for the dog to have more room to run?! Are you serious or just trying to be funny in some twisted way?

I've had Dogs all of my life, good ones that are well taken care of and loved. There is nothing worse than someone that makes gross assumptions. Dogs are not disposable, but they certainly don't trump a relationship with someone you love. If they love each other, they'll do what's in the best interests of the unit as a whole, whether that be spend time training the dog, or find the dog a loving home.

Dogs and religion, you can't breath those topics without someone thinking your point of view is wrong. lol! Sad and funny at the same time. She asked for opinions didn't she?

Most people that have dogs love them like they're family. In the same way that you wouldn't expect someone to give up their child for a relationship, you can't expect them to give up the dog either.

I have no idea what to do about shedding... I love long haired dogs but I always adopt short haired ones because there's so little grooming involved (I obviously love pit bulls, and they're usually what make up the majority of dogs at shelters anyways). I let mine on any furniture she wants because she doesn't shed much.

Lizabee84

I have a lazy lab. He is 3 years old and playing fetch for more than 5 mins is a chore. On the other hand I have a schnauzer that is the entergizer bunny on crack. I have to bring him run down the street at least every other day and play fetch with him for at least a hour a day. You will really have to dedicate time to exercise with him. We use a baby gate with a added lock since they figured out how to lift and push it. Make sure you brush him often. I just have to sweep daily to get rid of the hair. Good Luck

PinkiePie07

I have a little lhasa apso and talk about massive amounts of shedded hair. What we do is we bought a brush that specifically targets the undercoat. It helps with the shedding problem and keeps our Lhasa and long haired cat feeling pretty great in the summer. I've also shaved my dog before, since her hair does grow insanely long. I have a little buzz cutter, or whatever they're called, and when I use it on her, I make sure to use the biggest guide they have just so I can leave enough. This helps tremendously with the hair, but I've found it never completely solves the issue. We've bought these neat furniture hair removal things and they work great. I can't remember what they're called off the top of my head, but if you're interested I'll look it back up. We've also put furniture covers on everything. If it gets too bad we just whip them off and clean them up.

kritik

Baby gates work great. If the dog has been crated in the past, it is best to crate him. But, if he hasn't, then just use a baby gate to keep him from going where you don't want him to go.

BethicaJ

There is a device you can buy that would have him wearing a collar while you're at work. You place a mat in front of the furnature or in the doorframe that gives a vibrating sensation to his paws when he steps on it to detur him from being where you don't want him to be when you're gone. The one I've seen, the collar beeps when they get close then buzzes when they actually step on it. It makes a good deturrent. I've seen this used by the trash can to keep dogs out of the garbage.

bigphatcat

As the owner of two dogs my opinion is to train the dog not to go on the furniture. Pet gates will work good at first, but who wants them around all the time?
Also since the dog is new to your life you must establish a "pecking order" with the dog. Dogs by nature are "pack animals" and have a rank within the pack. Pack animals will be lead by an alpha dog and then there will be an order of other dogs. By the nature of the dog he/she will challenge you over a period of time to be above you in the pack, but with time and training he will come to understand that you are the master. Once the dog understands that you are the master he/she will be more obedient to you.

BTW...this is NOT cruel, it is how the dog prefers to live...if you don't believe me look at ANY good training website

tabbydog

My mother has these flat, hard plastic sheets that are picky that she puts on her furniture to keep the dogs off. They work well, and they are nice becuase they are small and light and easy to put away if you are having guests or something like that. As for the shedding, one of my dogs is a chocolate lab and he sheds like crazy. the only thing that really works is to spend 5-10 minutes brushing him every day. I think this can be your boyfriend's job when he gets back.

I think you seem like a really nice person to try to make the dog work in your life. I could never live without at least one dog. Who knows, maybe you will become a dog person!

ETA: The picky things that my mother has came from PetSmart or some place like that. They are specifically made to keep pets off the furniture. Good luck!

k011185

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

I own a grooming shop, I get countless people wanting to shave labs/goldens/other large double coated breeds, Please do not do this!
Cutting off the guard hairs, (the longer silky top coat), usually means it will not grow back. What you get left with is the fuzzy undercoat, which grows in thicker every single time the dog gets shaved.
Eventually it gets so thick you cannot brush it and it will literally fall off in clumps leaving your dog with big bald spots and skin conditions. (I see this ALL the time!).
Also, the double coat acts as insulation for the dog. It keeps him cool in Summer and warm in Winter.
People think it is a quick fix for shedding, which it is... for a couple months. Until you realize that they shed twice as badly once it grows back and you have ruined their coat.

*rant over*

Baby gates work great, just take some water for him if you're going on a walk, and a warm bath, blowdry and brush out with a furminator works great for shedding. (warm water loosens the hair, but never brush or comb while the dog is even slightly damp).

Devlyn_P

I have a cute australian cattle dog I rescued. Trained my dog but I also gave her a soft dog bed to lay in. She basically just wants to be wherever I am. Now the hair is ridiculous during shedding season and I have no solution for that but I still love this dog

Eaglesfanintn

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

I own a grooming shop, I get countless people wanting to shave labs/goldens/other large double coated breeds, Please do not do this!
Cutting off the guard hairs, (the longer silky top coat), usually means it will not grow back. What you get left with is the fuzzy undercoat, which grows in thicker every single time the dog gets shaved.
Eventually it gets so thick you cannot brush it and it will literally fall off in clumps leaving your dog with big bald spots and skin conditions. (I see this ALL the time!).
Also, the double coat acts as insulation for the dog. It keeps him cool in Summer and warm in Winter.
People think it is a quick fix for shedding, which it is... for a couple months. Until you realize that they shed twice as badly once it grows back and you have ruined their coat.

*rant over*

Thanks for this. I hope people read it. I had always heard it was bad to shave labs - I never thought of doing it with mine. We brush her and get her groomed and vacuum. yeah, I have dog hairs inside my shoes, on my bed, on my couch still but I would never shave her.

tabbydog

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

I own a grooming shop, I get countless people wanting to shave labs/goldens/other large double coated breeds, Please do not do this!
Cutting off the guard hairs, (the longer silky top coat), usually means it will not grow back. What you get left with is the fuzzy undercoat, which grows in thicker every single time the dog gets shaved.
Eventually it gets so thick you cannot brush it and it will literally fall off in clumps leaving your dog with big bald spots and skin conditions. (I see this ALL the time!).
Also, the double coat acts as insulation for the dog. It keeps him cool in Summer and warm in Winter.
People think it is a quick fix for shedding, which it is... for a couple months. Until you realize that they shed twice as badly once it grows back and you have ruined their coat.

*rant over*

Thanks for this. I hope people read it. I had always heard it was bad to shave labs - I never thought of doing it with mine. We brush her and get her groomed and vacuum. yeah, I have dog hairs inside my shoes, on my bed, on my couch still but I would never shave her.

Yes, when I vacuum the house I vacuum the lab too. Much to his dismay! :laugh:

niss63

I guess the polarized opinions are to be expected when it comes to something people care about. You've received some good advice in some of the previous posts, so I'll not beat a dead horse, but I would like to make a couple of points:

Crate training is a good thing. Yes, any dog can be crate trained. If the dog reacts negatively to it, you can trace it to some other issue that has not been dealt with, such as separation anxiety, or something similar. Fix that and the dog will adjust well to using the crate. It is truly a safe place for the dog. Working 9 hours is fine for the dog to be in the crate, as long as he gets about 30 minutes at lunch to stretch his legs and run around.

Gates work great as long as the dog can't break them or jump over them. If he jumps over them, avoid the temptation to tie him to a long leash in the enclosed area. Too many dogs hang themselves from leashes attached by well -intentioned owners.

Outdoors in a secure fenced yard is best. Don't have one? Move to a place that fits your new lifestyle. Leave the dog outside during the day until you get home - just make sure water and shelter are available. Also arrange for water and a towel to be available to wash and dry the dog's paws when he comes in from outside, when it is wet and muddy.

Don't shave the dog - any dog. A rough coat can be trimmed, but smooth coats shouldn't even be trimmed. Frequent brushing will minimize the shedding.

Forget about trying to walk or jog with the dog to tire him out. You'll tire out long before a lab does. A walk just takes the edge off - that isn't a tired dog. Fetch is good, but I'd suggest teaching him "hide and seek" for those days when you can't go outside. A mentally exhausted dog is as good as a physically exhausted dog.

Bathe the dog about once a week.

Follow your vet's advice on scheduled visits, healthcare and heartworm and flea/parasite control. Miss this one and expect to spend $$$$.

Read up on dog training. It is harder to train the humans than it is the dog. One thing you mentioned was scolding the dog for being on the couch and how he slunk away, proving "he knew he was wrong." This is a classic error we humans make in understanding dog behavior. He is responding to the energy that you are giving off - not his misbehavior. Learn a little dog psychology to help you understand things from his POV.

Your dog can be trained to do almost anything. He'll be able to learn about 150 different commands. The real limit is your imagination in teaching him. Sit, down, heel, fetch, come, off, kennel, wait, etc., are just the beginning. You can also teach sit pretty, stand, stand up (hind legs), walk (hind legs), spin around (hind legs), play dead, roll left, roll right, let me see (means be still as I'm invading your personal space to check ears, take temperature, look in his mouth, etc.), get busy/go potty (makes them potty on command so you aren't standing out in the rain while he sniffs out the latest doggy news), etc., etc.

If it becomes a real problem, you may end up having to re-home him. Not the best, and certainly not what I would advise in most situations, but in some cases this is the best solution for the dog and the people involved.

Last thing that really bugs me is what you said about it being the boyfriend's dog, but he is staying at your house and you're caring for him - why? The boyfriend made the commitment to the dog and should be the primary caretaker. If you aren't careful here, you could end up resenting the dog because you end up being the primary caretaker of a dog that you really didn't want.

Dogs are wonderful creatures. Yours will win your heart if you give him the chance. And there is no better friend to talk to when you need to complain about your boyfriend.

HTH