Dog owners, I have a predicament..

Options
1234568

Replies

  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
    Options
    We used a baby gate but our dog used to jump it....we ended up having to build a plywood gate lol
    Training him to stay off of the furniture would be better, just be consistent, every time he gets up you firmly tell him OFF and kick him off the couch (not literally!) once he is off make sure you praise him.
    Something odd that we (and two other friends) have found works is to put tinfoil on the couch cushions, it doesn't LOOK nice but they don't like it and it helps with the initial training to keep them off.
  • rainunrefined
    rainunrefined Posts: 850 Member
    Options
    Petsmart has a "furminator" option that basically removes their undercoat. We use this a few times a year for our 90lb lab and it does wonders. As for the furniture, we used pet repellant on our couch furniture to train her to stay off. It worked for the most part, but she will get up on the couch when we are at work still. As for walking the dog, if he never goes on walks for long periods of time then yeah he will get exhausted. But, if you walk him often his endurance will build just like yours and eventually he'll be out walking you! Good luck :)
  • kpopa
    kpopa Posts: 515 Member
    Options
    Finally, a silly question. If I take him walking for a long period of time, is he going to get exhausted? :laugh:

    A tired dog is a good dog! :)
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
    Options
    Uhh put him in the yard... If you have a medium to large size dog... It is cruel to keep them locked up in house...
    not everyone can put their dogs outside, cruel is a strong word, he'll adjust to being indoors and the long walks will be what he looks forward to as soon as he hears your key hit the door! One suggestion when you need to leave a dog indoors is to leave a radio or tv on so he hears voices and won't feel so alone.
  • jpsgrl
    jpsgrl Posts: 32 Member
    Options
    Another way to combat the hair issue is to have the dog shaved. Now, not shaved to the point that the poor little fella is bald, but a nice close cut. We have a full blood yellow lab that sheds an enormous amount of gorgeous blonde fine hair beginning in March and lasts through the summer it seems. Inititally both my husband and myself thought shaving this animal would be an outrageous idea as we live in Texas and the summers can be brutal, we worried about him getting sunburned. The dog absolutely loved and still loves it. The moment you bring them home they roll all over the place and can actually feel the wind on their skin. While this won't help with the couch resting situation it will make the vaccuuming and the leftovers on your couch no longer a problem.
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
    Options
    We used a baby gate but our dog used to jump it....we ended up having to build a plywood gate lol
    Training him to stay off of the furniture would be better, just be consistent, every time he gets up you firmly tell him OFF and kick him off the couch (not literally!) once he is off make sure you praise him.
    Something odd that we (and two other friends) have found works is to put tinfoil on the couch cushions, it doesn't LOOK nice but they don't like it and it helps with the initial training to keep them off.
    awesome advice!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
    Options


    I understand giving a dog that you can't handle because you didn't do your home work and realize that it would need more room to run or more attention than you thought to a shelter because it truly would be in the best interest of the dog but to just toss away a loving buddy because you're "compromising" for someone who you don't even know if it's going to be a long lasting relationship? And then what happens when it ends? You're left without a girlfriend AND your dog.

    I find it hard to see how this view from the poster in question amounts to anything other than viewing animals as disposable. 'It no longer suits me to have you, so I'm going to give you to someone else'. Yeah, that's comodification and disposability, right there.
  • 20More
    20More Posts: 45
    Options
    Our baby gate works great for our chocolate lab. This may sound mean to some, but it sounds like a big dog. To get him to quit trying to atempt the furniture, set a mouse trap on each piece you dont want him on. Our trainer suggested it and once she heard it snap (it didnt get her) she doesn't try anymore. It worked for training in the kitchen also. No trying to get food off the counters. I used to set one there if I was cooking and had to leave the room momentarily. Warn your family and friends. We had explain that we don't have mice to my sister in law:)
  • mslack01
    mslack01 Posts: 823 Member
    Options
    We have a baby gate and confine our dog to the kitchen while we are gone. Mine doesn't get on the furniture but we have never allowed her to do so. She tried occasionally but we always make her get back on the floor. For your furniture, you could cover it with old sheets and I have also seen in some catalogs these pads you can buy for your furniture to protect it from dog hair and scratches.

    The dog probably needs and wants a long walk. It usually helps to keep them from being destructive.
  • FatassFairy
    FatassFairy Posts: 166 Member
    Options
    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.

    that would probably be a good solution if you dont like the hair. get him a nice shave down , he will shed but the hairs will be tiny.
  • TinaCleg_cancel
    TinaCleg_cancel Posts: 276
    Options
    I have two English Springer Spaniels and they stay in the laundry room for about 8 hours a day. It is a large room, but they can not have free run of the house because they would also get on furniture and tear things up! This keeps them safe and does not allow them to have bad habits. We love these dogs, but also the house.
  • pitbulllover
    pitbulllover Posts: 98 Member
    Options
    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
    Lizabee84 Posts: 353 Member
    Options
    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
    PinkiePie07 Posts: 103 Member
    Options
    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
    kritik Posts: 110 Member
    Options
    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
    BethicaJ Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    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
    bigphatcat Posts: 7,843 Member
    Options
    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
    tabbydog Posts: 4,925 Member
    Options
    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. :wink:

    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! :smile:

    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
    k011185 Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    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
    Devlyn_P Posts: 294 Member
    Options
    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 :)

Categories