How do I go about getting rid of our dog?

Moms View Message Board: General Discussion Archive: Archive March 2005: How do I go about getting rid of our dog?

I just want to start out by saying that I typically believe that when you take an animal in you take them for life, but we simply can not deal with our dog anymore and want to find a new home for him but aren't sure how to go about it since we have never given a pet away before.

We wanted a dog and had wanted one for some time so last August we adopted Dodger from another woman who said that she was unable to take care of him due to a divorce. When we asked she assured us that he was house broken. Well, he wasn't and he still isn't. We have tried everything we can think of to train him for the last 7 months with very little luck and we are ready to throw in the towel. He has quit pooping on the floor, but he won't quit peeing on the floor despite all our efforts to train him. I have consulted books, the internet, and local trainers and followed the advice to no avail. He is five years old and I guess this is a case of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". Oh, he'll stop for sometimes two weeks at a time and then have a week or two where our carpet is his personal toilet. We are going to now have to replace the carpet in our living room since it was a near white and now has stains all over it because he is sneaky about doing it and sometimes we don't find where he's gone until we see the dried yellow stain and the carpet just smells bad despite the fact that we've had it steam cleaned FOUR TIMES in the last 7 months!

He is a Norfolk Terrier, but we do not have his papers because the woman we adopted him from couldn't find them, but he is definitely pure bred. The thing is, if we did manage to find someone to give him to (and we would give him away, not sell him) and they asked if he is house broken I would not be able to lie to them like the woman we got him from lied to us. Please don't think we are bad people, but how do we go about finding him a new home???

By Cat on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 11:29 am:

Norfolk Terrier Rescue Groups

Try finding one of these near you. I know how hard it is to get rid of a dog. We got rid of the Husky/Wolf hybrid we had in Panama, only to get her back six months later (by chance). There were so many stressors in our lives at that time, something had to give and we couldn't get rid of the kids! lol Good luck and {{{{{Hugs}}}}}.

By Jennln on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 12:00 pm:

Just a thought here...but have you brought him to the vet to be sure that his "peeing" issues aren't possibly an indication of an underlying problem? Our older dog Sadie had been housebroken for several years before she suddenly started peeing in the house again. I could take her out to go and about 10 mins after coming back in she'd be peeing on the kitchen floor. I had to crate her at night (something that's very hard for me lol) only because she would pee all over the place while we were sleeping. I called the vet who had me bring her in and it turns out she had a medical problem that was a fixable situation.
In any case, I'm sorry that you have to go through this..it's never an easy situation. {{{hugs}}}

By Reds9298 on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 12:20 pm:

Jennln, I was thinking the same thing. When he pees on the carpet is it deliberate, lik ehe hikes hi s leg or squats and goes or is it while he's lying around? One of my jack russells 'leaks' while she's relaxing and the vet gave her a very inexpensive med (actually an antihistamine I think) that she takes about every other day and the problem is gone. At any rate are you willing to have him checked out with the vet? That might be a good idea if you really want to keep this dog. Could easily be a medical issue.Also, is there any chance of making him an outside dog? Our dogs are so spoiled it would kill me to keep one/both outside, but if it was that or getting rid of one I would definitely set up something outside/garage, etc. Maybe something to consider for you?

By Heaventree on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 01:10 pm:

Rescues for purebred dogs are great resources. Good luck, I know this is probably a very difficult situation for you and your family.

By Tunnia on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 02:15 pm:

Thanks for the responses! I am going to look into finding a rescue group in my area. I can't tell you how sad it makes me to even consider giving Dodger away. He is such a great little dog in every other way. He's so happy, and perky and wonderful with the kids and cats. I will really miss him, but going potty on the floor on such a regular basis is a huge problem and I can't deal with it anymore. Dh feels the same way and has been pushing me to do this for a while now. Dk's will be heartbroken.

It's time for shots and I am taking him to the vet very soon and I will ask him about the problem, but I really do not think Dodger is having accidents. On the few occasions we have caught him in the act (it's rare because he's very sneaky about it) he was hiking his leg and all the spots on the carpet are at the edge of something (the couch, piano, fireplace, etc). Thankfully he is small enough that the urine falls short instead of "hitting" the target or my furniture would be toast as well.

Again, thanks. This is very difficult and not something I really want to do, but I don't know what else to do at this point.

By Reds9298 on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 02:42 pm:

I'm sure this is a tough decision - I'm really sorry. Even though our dogs are such a part of our families, when they're so damaging and ultimately expensive you just have to make that difficult decision because you can't afford to keep replacing carpet, furniture, etc.

Rescue groups ARE a wonderful resource. Good luck! Your doggy will find a great home!!

By Hol on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 08:31 pm:

I know how hard it is for your family, as I am going through the same thing right now. We adopted a little beagle recently from our local shelter. She is dog #3, which we didn't plan on. However, I volunteer at our local shelter, and I just couldn't resist her. She is soooo cute! She is mellow, kisses our cats, gets along well with the other two dogs, and they with her. She loves to snuggle. The vet said that she is about six years old. She is spayed and heartworm negative. (She has, however, been a 'Mom' at some point).

Sounds perfect, right? Except that she pees on our dining room rug constantly. Same as you, she will go out, spend a good amount of time out there, then come in and pee. The vet said that she thinks that she was a hunting beagle who was kept outside, so she doesn't know indoors from outdoors. I have been steam cleaning, too, but we are going to end up replacing the carpet. (she doesn't poop in the house. Never has).

I was talking to a dog groomer who rescues a lot of dogs. She fosters and places them. She said that there is an herbal preparation that you can buy at Petco. She couldn't remeber the name of it, but she said that she has had very good success with it. I am going to the city tomorrow, so I am going to go to Petco and see if I can get it. I guess they take it internally, and it is very safe.

Everybody's advice has been good. Just thought I'd pass along the info. I'll let you know how it works for me.

PS Is Dodger neutered? If not, he could be marking his territory. (he could be anyway, since he is sneaky about it). Also, have him checked out for a bladder infection.

By Reds9298 on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 09:15 pm:

Good idea about the neutering! That could make him do it. Hadn't even thought of that.

By Tunnia on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 02:53 pm:

Yes, he has been neutered. He is a rare breed and it is required that they be spayed or neutered when they are puppies if breeding rights have not been purchased (I think I'm remembering the rules correctly and that rule is to keep the breed rare?). After posting I started to waffled because I really didn't want to get rid of him and didn't make any calls, but he pottied on the floor last night and then again this morning so I'm looking up numbers today.

By Heaventree on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 04:43 pm:

Tunnia, have you thought of kennel training him? We when got our puppy at first she was only allowed out of the kennel to pee outside. It was hard because she did not like her kennel but this did help her learn that outside was for peeing. Anyway just a suggestion, I've never kennel trained an older dog, you may want to call a trainer for some advice if you are having a hard time letting her go they might be able to make some suggestions or google kennel training. Good luck, I know this must be really hard for you.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 05:19 pm:

Jasmine was already a year old when we got her. She crate-trained very easily and often spends time in there, of her own choice. She was in there a lot in the beginning, though, until we could trust her to go potty outside.

By Tunnia on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 05:43 pm:

Dodger is already crate trained. If we tell him to go to bed he does and part of the problem may be that he likes his crate so maybe crating him when he goes on the floor isn't really much of a punishment to him, but I don't know what else to do. I won't hit him or anything like that. We do crate him any time we leave the house and at night because we can't trust him to be out when we are not home or awake. The few times we have let him stay out of his crate when we've left the house he has pottied on the floor every single time. We take him out quit often, but he will sometimes pretend to go only to come in and go on the floor. It is really frustrating. BTW, I never did try to call anyone today. I guess I'm still hoping for a miracle or something.

By Jann on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 05:54 pm:

Have you talked to a trainer about this or your vet?