Would You Give Up Your Dog?

[smkie]

Would I ever rehome a dog? Yes, if it were in the dog's best interest and would improve the dogs life.

If it were up to me alone, I would rehome Shiloh. As a matter of fact one of my best friends' parents would love to have her. She is house broken, great with kids, and already trained. They would provide her with an excellent one dog family. The only problem is my husband. She is his hunting dog and very loyal to him. She is dog aggressive to other females that is why our home is not the "best" home she could ever have. I do love her, and have had her since a pup, but I can also see a better life for her, now just to convince my hubby.

Now Charlie and Rocket fit our family and lifestyles perfectly, and that just intensifies the love I have for them. I truely believe there would be no way anyone else could improve their lives. I would never agree to rehome them.

that is what i thought i was doing..a better home. He tore himself up trying to get back I betrayed my best friend in the whole world.

 

[Julie]

that is what i thought i was doing..a better home. He tore himself up trying to get back I betrayed my best friend in the whole world.

I am sorry this happened to you and your dog. But I have known my friends' parents for 22 years, and I know Shiloh would be happier with them in their home with constant attention from a retired couple with a lake house. Shiloh's life with us declined after she started being aggressive towards Rocket. We have done our best, but they have to be seperated all the time. So that means some kennel time outside for Shiloh, and also her indoor time is mostly restricted to the basement. She doesn't get to come camping with us anymore. I cannot justify changing the way I include Rocket and Charlie in our activities, because Shiloh is the problem.....she will attack any female and some neutered males. So we do our best....but deep down I know she would be happier with this dogless family than the way things have had to end up.

 

[Elly]

We recently gave up our lab pup of about four months old. It was so very hard to do and was one of the hardest decisions we have ever made.

We just found Zoe too hard to handle and felt that we should find her a good home before she was too old. We did find her a fantastic home and she is well loved by the whole family. She is owned by the thirteen year old daughter as a graduation gift. Amazingly they changed her name to Elly

They have another lab and 50 acres of property for her to run on and is happy. So yes I would give up a dog if i truly believed it would be better off with someone else.

I think it would have been selfish of us to think we were the only ones that could make her life happy and not believe someone else could make her happier than we could.

 

[doberkim]

nope. not unless i was in a place where i could not physically care for them. i wouldn't give up a dog because he would be "happier" with somebody else. instead i'd change what i was doing so that he'd be that happy with me. (although i'm surprised mushroom hasn't packed his bags and moved in with his grandma of his own volition. he WORSHIPS her.)

neither of my dogs has worked out as a sport dog, and sometimes that frustrates me. there's so much i want to do and can't because my dogs aren't of the right temperament, but i got them as friends and family members first and working dogs second, and i feel it would be utterly wrong of me to "replace" them.

i agree with ever word of this one. never, unless i was physically incapable of caring for my dogs (in which case, i would hope my caretakers/family/friends would help out and then it wouldnt be an issue), would i consider giving up my animals.

have all my pets been the best choice? no - they are not perfect animals, they have had their issues. i certainly dont go out LOOKING for dogs with bite histories, dogs that are incontinent, etc - but i wouldnt have traded them for anything, and i would never just give them up. i have altered my lifestyle, stopped going to certain places, etc to accomodate them. i would never replace my dogs.

its also why you should carefully pick out what animals you bring into the home - if you have to rehome multiple animals, or have in the past, perhaps your household isnt the best place, or your choices arent the best.

once i get an animal, im in it for the long haul. even if it means not getting another one (and believe me, ive had what could have been my dream dobes offered to me at least 2-3 times - everything i could have ever wanted) - i would never do it to the detriment of my current animals, or the ones i had then.

 

[Toller_08]

Yes, if my dog was truly happier with somebody else that I know I would....depending on the dog. Tango, no, I would never in my life give her up. But then again, she and I are very bonded and I know she wouldn't truly be happy with anyone else but me. But, if Tia was my dog, yes I would. Its not that I don't like her, she's a nice little dog. She's just not my type of dog, and I don't really like having to deal with her on a day to day basis when my parents aren't home, as harsh as that sounds. She's not happy with me, and I'm not happy with her. Of course, I do things with her but I truly don't enjoy her as much as I do Tango or even the other 2. Even with her though, I'd never give her to just anyone. She's have to go to somebody who I kow really well..

 

[Jules]

No....I don't think I could give up T-Bone. How would I know that she would be happier with someone else? No. I couldn't do it.

 

[ihartgonzo]

I would never, ever give up either of my dogs. Gonzo, I wouldn't give up under any circumstances... even though a lot of people (in Flyball & such) used to tell me that I could not handle a dog with so much drive. I changed my behavior & my schedule to train him, because I made the commitement in adopting him. I would have only given them up if I couldn't possibly help him, at all. Or if he was completely miserable not being on a farm, or something along those lines.

I do feel it's irresponsible to give away a dog because you discover that the particular breed & it's tendancies don't fit you AFTER you buy the poor dog... or you don't want to go through a behaviorist and classes. Very irresponsible! But, there are so many individual cases that you can't just think of this in black & white. RD, for example, was 13 when she got Ripley; as far as I understand, she did not have a big choice in this and she was young, and she's the caretaker/trainer of Ripley now. IMO, both she & Ripley clearly could be happier if a one-dog, more quiet home with their friend took him in.

I do know 4 families who bought demanding puppies - 2 of them Border Collies, 2 Aussies - and gave them away by the time the dogs were 6 months old. Crappy. Especially since I warned every one of them, strongly! People just do not realize, they think that the dog will be "happy" after spending it's early months with them, and having to transition into a family that they have never met before. Oh well, we will just find a different breed and hopefully that one will work for us. They are not even thinking of all of the trauma the poor puppy has to go through, because they didn't look before they leapt, or because they don't feel like taking them to training, or had no plans for the future. One of the BC's mentioned was passed around, from the next family she went to, and she was a SHOW-bred dog with no drive... she just wanted some time & exercise. Some one I know from BC Rescue fostered her and finally found a dedicated family for her.

 

[stevinski]

even thinking about it makes me want to cry

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

NO! NEVER! I would go and live in my car if I couldn't keep my boy for some reason . However, I have a friend who has a 3 year old pug that I take care of when they go away and I have had her almost 2 weeks. They should have never have gotten her because they are always on the go with there 9 and 10 year old daughters and hardly have time for her. She isn't even completely potty trained yet because of laziness . I would keep her in a heartbeat because here she gets plenty of attention and is quick to get on my schedule and my ACD's when she is here and also has no accidents because I always watch her. She loves me and my daughter to and my Cai. I have offered to take her and the husband agrees to it but there kids don't. I understand they would be heart broken but she would have a better home with me.

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

NO! NEVER! I would go and live in my car if I couldn't keep my boy for some reason

Haha, I don't think you were being serious, but I would probably do something crazy like that... if the situation was that bad.

 

[MyIrishWolfie]

If that was the only option left...Yes, I would but I would have a very very hard time doing it...

That's exactly what I was thinking too...

 

[dr2little]

No...the thought makes my chest hurt. I have made plans for them in case something were to happen to Mike and I...but only if the worst happened. Believe me, I never forget my seatbelt for that very reason.
I know that my dogs are happy and there's nothing I wouldn't or couldn't do for them. Unless I was incapable of caring for them...
GAWD it would be like giving away a child.
I do understand others need to re-home though and respect and admire those who make that choice in the best interest of the dog.

 

[Southpaw]

No. They may be happier with someone else, but if they're not miserable with me I wouldn't see the reason to. Molly is friendly with everyone but she falls apart if she's not with us. Lucy could probably warm up to a new family.

My dogs (Lucy at least) may very well be happier with someone else...but they are also happy here. I know I'd probably be happier with another family too lol, but I'm not sad where I am.

The only reason I would rehome is if I couldn't care for them properly. I considered rehoming my rats, it became difficult for me to be able to play with them for at least an hour...and that wasn't fair to them. But I was able to find the time so I didn't have to.

But yeah...I would try and do what's best for the dog, but I wouldn't rehome one *just* because they are happier with someone else, because chances are they would be doing just fine with me.

 

[LabBreeder]

*Referencing the "living in a car" scenario*
When we were truck driving and had no home, we kept Tira in the truck with us. She "loaded" into an 18-wheeler very easily and "unloaded" just as easily. She got potty breaks and play time and slept up front on the floor. She'd sit in the seat and wait for us while we were inside eating/showering. It wasn't fun, but we all had a roof over our heads, food to eat and Tony had a job.

 

[Roxy's CD]

No one would ever take Roxy! ROFL, Nopers, maybe Red or doc but I doubt anyone else would want her!! LMAO

Hades anyone would love to have... BUT, I couldn't do it. RD is much stronger than I am and less selfish.. I'm selfish I want them all to myselves.. I could never give them away.. ever.. I'm a horrible dog owner! LOL

 

[elegy]

I do understand others need to re-home though and respect and admire those who make that choice in the best interest of the dog.

i admire even more the people with the strength and determination to make things work with the dog they chose even when things are difficult....

 

[Dani]

I couldn't give up Bear. She'd already lost one home before us, and ended up at a shelter. I don't think she would handle a new home well. She's very attached to us, and we are attached to her.

In the past, we have rehomed two puppies. I regret it now. We could have thugged it out.

I do understand that during dire situations, there may be no choice.

This isn't a pleasant thing to think about, lol.

 

[thewhitewitchone]

My life, at this point, would certainly be easier if I didn't have Chyna. Mostly it's the guilt I feel when I have to leave for work and leave her alone. I work weird hours and am gone a lot, though I do get to come home inbetween clients. I just feel like such a bad mom when I leave, even though she seems fine.
But give her up....NEVER. I'd give up my husband before I would give her up.

Pam

 

[casablanca1]

RD made me think. If your dog could lead a more happier life with someone else, would you give him or her up? Pepe I could give up. Since he's friendly overall with anybody and would adapt easily. Didi is another story. She doesn't warm up to a lot of people. And is miserable without me. I went on vacation for 2 months and all she did was hide under the bed the whole time I was gone She'll probably have a harder time adapting.

No. If giving her up would save her life, of course I'd do it. But otherwise, no way. I get guilty, of course, every time I go out at night and know she'll spend half the night watching the front door, and there's a temptation to think 'oh, she'd be happier if I was (fill in the blank here - a college student with tons of time, a 10-year-old boy with tons of energy, a farmer with tons of land, etc.) but she's happy.

 

[travelpet]

RD made me think. If your dog could lead a more happier life with someone else, would you give him or her up? Pepe I could give up. Since he's friendly overall with anybody and would adapt easily. Didi is another story. She doesn't warm up to a lot of people. And is miserable without me. I went on vacation for 2 months and all she did was hide under the bed the whole time I was gone She'll probably have a harder time adapting.

I actually have thought about this, as I have some health issues and worry that the girls will outlive me and what would happen to them. Trouble has lots of takers, but she's almost 11 and it's not likely that it will be a question for her. Coco on the other hand is like your Didi, very one-person devoted and even though she knows when I leave for work in the morning, I'm coming back in a few hours, she is very needy about my leaving her. I honestly don't think she could survive losing a second mom, especially if her older sister isn't there to give her security...so, no, I doubt I would or could give them up...I guess I don't really see how they could be happier elsewhere, they have everything here they want or need.