advice needed for good friend

[BassetLover**]

a good friend of mine has 4 dogs and has just found out she is 5 months pregnant with twins!
however i think she has just realised that she wont be able to cope with 2 newborns and 4 dogs as well as it not being fair on the dogs who are used to her 100% attention. she thinks she should rehome 2 maybe 3 dogs but cant make the decission which ones, i mean imagine having to decide what dogs to keep or rehome.

 

[bogolove]

That would be horrible to have to do. I could not do it. I mean, how do you decide which dogs to give up and which to keep? I know twins will be a LOT of work though. Are the dogs all older or are any of them puppies?

 

[EliNHunter]

Oh, that is just so sad. She sounds like a doglover, too. What is their breeds? That's just the kind of thing Rescue is set up for... to find GOOD homes and maybe she could still visit them once in awhile. What breeds? Mixes? Big? Little?

 

[EliNHunter]

That would be like choosing certain children one over the other... can't imagine. How about giving up one of the twins and keeping the dogs? Don't hit me!

 

[Renee750il]

Splitting up the dogs will cause them to grieve. It could even cause jealousy of the babies if she waits until close to the time for the babies to be born.

Straight up - I couldn't do it. The dogs would stay. Even if it half-killed me to do everything; besides, if they're adult dogs would it really be so impossible?

 

[EliNHunter]

Splitting up the dogs will cause them to grieve. It could even cause jealousy of the babies if she waits until close to the time for the babies to be born.

Straight up - I couldn't do it. The dogs would stay. Even if it half-killed me to do everything; besides, if they're adult dogs would it really be so impossible?

I agreee! I'd suck up and do it! There's no way I could ever give one of my four legged "babies" up... they're family members, too.

 

[Fran27]

So would I.

 

[avenlee]

Me too, i'd keep them. Rehoming of dogs causes so many emotional problems that people just don't realize. I'd give it a try for a least a little while. Having 4 dogs is a big responsibility in itself, so I'm sure your friend is experienced with keeping everything balanced? Hey, after four, what's two more? lol

 

[BassetLover**]

i felt the same as all of you, i still do, but her situation is different.
2 dogs are black labs, yoga is 3 years old, blaze is 2
she also has beccy a 1 year old caveliar ***** and sascha a very boisterous 6 month old border collie.
they all have great pedigrees etc and are house trained but at present require 3 walks a day and a lot of attention. sascha is undergoing a lot of training at the moment and she doesnt think its going to be fair on any of them to lose her attention and time. her husband works offshore and is away for 4 months at a time so she will be basically alone to cope

 

[Saje]

Wow that would be a lot of work. I'd do what Renee said.

What about getting a dog walker or having a nice big fenced yard for them to play in? I don't walk my dogs everyday but I do go out and play ball with them at least once a day usually more.

Other than that my suggestion, and I hate to make it, would be to give up the two youngest (preferably to the same home) since they will probably be the most adaptable and the least accepted in the pack. Maybe. What a situation! I don't like this thread.

 

[smkie]

I think she should wait..babies are not mobile for a year anyway..and dogs can be "arranged" to have their own area..and the babies theres..by the time the babies get older..the dogs will be older too..My mom had 6 children underfoot...all under the age of 4. We had dogs and cats too...the animals knew how to stay out of the way...and when the children had their down time was the animals coudl have their cuddle time. Since there are multi dogs they will have each other as well for company...I think that is what she should do. When u take a pet in..it is like a child and unless u have a physical illness or a death..u have made a commitment to stay together. The only difference would be if financial problems kept u from taking proper care..then of course they would have to go..she should if she has to part with them put in a request with all of the no-kill shelters and wait awhile ..in the meantime contact a few twin websites and see how they have managed. In the long run the dogs will get MORE attention from their little baby friends....that is just my opinion.

 

[bubbatd]

Tough situation for her. It will be a few months before the twins come home and until they are mobile I think she'll be able to cope. If the Cav and Sasha are a handful now I too would consider them finding a home together. Sasha is young enough to be able to adapt well and could be a problem at 2 yrs, with two toddlers. Let us know what she decides.

 

[Renee750il]

A three year old Border Collie could be a big help with two year old twins

The only way I would remotely feel comfortable would be going through my vet to find homes for them. Possibly if I knew an agency that would foster the dogs until homes were found. No kill shelters aren't always truly "no kill" so no way I'd go that route! All things considered, I couldn't do it.

 

[necterine0]

When u take a pet in..it is like a child and unless u have a physical illness or a death..u have made a commitment to stay together. The only difference would be if financial problems kept u from taking proper care..then of course they would have to go.

I have to agree there smkie

I had 4 kids..when my oldest one was 17 mo. old i had my second...when he was 13 mo. old i had twins..three in dipers at once.. no one to help me. i had animals and would never dream of getting rid of them.. it was a 24/7 job but it all worked out. She can do it she is just in a panic right now. Every one will be happy in the end. And what a nice group of furr babies for the twins to grow up with. I wish her luck and hope she makes the right decission.

 

[Fran27]

Yeah I agree. So what if they can only have a walk one or twice a day for a few months. It's a better compromise than giving them away. Besides, a walk won't hurt the babies I think.