Seeking advice

[Parajaka]

I'm a student that is moving back home. I have an 8 year old pup (pomeranian) that has been my sidekick since he was a few months old.

My issue is that he is not welcome at home, and my other option (which I'm currently doing) is living in a rented room. Here he stays in my room for 8 hours a day while I work, and then it will be longer when school starts back. Of course he would get out to play, but time would be minimal.

I cannot fathom finding him a new home. He means the world to me, but home is where I need to be. I've found a boarding place ran by a retired lady where he would get all day attention and play. The problem is, I'd be paying to keep him there 7 days a week and only be able to take him home every other week for a visit. Even doing this would be extremely hard on me, but the only positive thing I can think of is that he would be loved on all day rather than in a room all day. Then the negatives come to mind where I wonder if he can take to a new surrounding without me. I've only seen him be happy with two people, myself and my mom. What if I'm not there if something happens to him? His 9th birthday is this year and I always worry about that.

It's an extremely difficult situation for me. Choose between keeping him in this rented room with me, where I am not happy, or choose to board him where I can at least visit him. I welcome advice.

 

[smkie]

AT first I thought I wasn't going to answer this question. It hit much to close to a huge sadness in my life. If I could only have one thing that I would go back in the past and undo, it would have been to not re home my dog for very much the reason you posted above.

Charlie would have rather slept 8 hours a day, and lived downstairs instead of with the whole family just as long as I came down to visit him. He would have waited, and the time of my life that I couldn't be there would have passed in time. I should have waited. My Charlie tore himself up trying to get out and come home. So that is my experience. If your dog is 8, and has been your sidekick, I think the dog would rather 4 hours of you with quality, than full time. Will probably sleep most if it patiently.

 

[Parajaka]

AT first I thought I wasn't going to answer this question. It hit much to close to a huge sadness in my life. If I could only have one thing that I would go back in the past and undo, it would have been to not re home my dog for very much the reason you posted above.

Charlie would have rather slept 8 hours a day, and lived downstairs instead of with the whole family just as long as I came down to visit him. He would have waited, and the time of my life that I couldn't be there would have passed in time. I should have waited. My Charlie tore himself up trying to get out and come home. So that is my experience. If your dog is 8, and has been your sidekick, I think the dog would rather 4 hours of you with quality, than full time. Will probably sleep most if it patiently.

I really don't know if my pup has that kind of attachment to me. I've been away for a couple of days where he was left with family that he has lived with, and he was fine. I can't say how he would do with a stranger or if he would take to them.

I'm not happy where I'm currently at, and that's not good for me while being a student. I know he's not happy being in a new place alone for most of the day.

I could never actually rehome him, and the most I'm willing to do, if I can find the right place, is long term boarding where he will still be apart of my life. Even doing this kills me, but the stress from being in an unhappy living situation is taking a toll on me.

 

[smkie]

THen there is your answer. I hope everything works out fine for both of you. Charlie and I were very attached. He thought of himself as my guardian and saved my life twice. Once from drowning, and once from an intruder. I have always felt I failed him. That living situation didn't last one year before I would have had us all in a better place. I just didn't know that at that time and thought I was doing the best thing ever for him. He went to a farm, with a man and three sons. They hunted and he was a field trialed lab. I had told them he could not be kenneled, would not accept being kenneled, that he had always been a house dog and part of the family. I think they kenneled him. He had to be put down because of the damage that he did to himself trying to escape.

 

[Grab]

I can only answer what I myself would do..there'd be no way I'd move somewhere that my pet wasn't welcome. Home or not. Renting a room would, for me, be the better option. But that's just myself...for me, there couldn't be a more unpleasant situation than living somewhere without my pets

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I can only answer what I myself would do..there'd be no way I'd move somewhere that my pet wasn't welcome. Home or not. Renting a room would, for me, be the better option. But that's just myself...for me, there couldn't be a more unpleasant situation than living somewhere without my pets

You have to do what you have to do though. Maybe the OP can't afford to rent a room. I know I sure can't which is why I still live at home. But all my animals are more than welcome here.

 

[Grab]

It sounds like the OP is already renting a room, though. Unless I read wrong. And if paying for long term boarding is not an issue, i assume it wasn't a financial problem (unless boarding is way more reasonable there than here)

 

[Parajaka]

I'm renting a room right now, but I am not happy here. Unfortunately, finding a new place won't fix that. Moving home is something I feel I need to do.

So, I'm left with a tough decision: stay where I'm not happy for my dog, or move home where I'm happy and have my dog basically fostered and see him every weekend or every other weekend.

 

[milos_mommy]

Thing about this:

Will you be happy if you move home WITHOUT your dog. I know unhappiness can be personal, but look into if it's REALLY your living situation that is making you unhappy.

Is it possible to rent a room closer to home, so you'll be near your family, but still keep the dog?

8 hours a day is not too long for an 8 year old dog to be alone if he's getting playtime and all the care he needs otherwise.