I cannot stand our gentle labrador retriever

[Anonymous]

Get a roomba and let it run every day! Brushing with a furminator brush and a Kong zoomgroom helps. I have a golden retriever that I loooovvve, but I don't love the shedding. She's our second retriever and we had 2 shepherds overlapping with the retrievers over the years. We're a dog house for sure.

Could you brush her outside and let your daughter brush with the zoomgroom rubber brush at the same time? I do this with my 4 yr old grandson. He stops to hug and kiss her, etc. My daughter used to help when she was little. Giving a few liver treats helps with the bonding.

I'm sad for your situation. I didn't think I was a dog person and hated our first dog's puppy stage when my husband decided we needed a dog years ago. I slowly bonded and they're my best companions. My daughter became a vet tech and has her own shepherd. Maybe you could try to make it fun for your daughter?

Or, maybe you can find someone that would love your dog into her retirement years. My friend just took in an 8 year old retriever when she heard it was going to be euthanized because the owners were "done" with her.

[Anonymous]

This is pretty much the worst thing I've read all day. OP, do you really feel that you "cannot stand" an innocent animal simply because it sheds? Remember that the dog did not ask to be a part of your family. I have a kid about the same age, and also have a large dog who actually sounds a lot more high maintenance, and who sheds a lot. I always teach my kid to treat the dog well, and the kid is finally starting to bond with the dog it's in the past year or so--it's really sweet to see. .

I think pets are great for teaching empathy to kids, and also great for teaching only children that their needs have to be balanced with someone else's is in the house--however, it's hard to do that if you don't model it yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, OP, do you get your dog groomed very often? It can help with the shedding. And does the dog have the run of your place? Maybe you can have a dog-free room - your office or bedroom - where you can minimize the hair.

+1 at least have her groomed every time you board her. You could hire a neighbor kid to brush her a few tims a week if she really is that gentle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are some of you recommending that a 9-10 year old dog be rehomed? I'm just as heartbroken as the rest of you that he doesn't have a supportive family and is by OP's own admission a perfect dog. I assume he has a decent quality of life if no love. It seems like rehoming would be really stressful on the poor guy.

Why not hire a dog walker/sitter to take the dog a couple of days a week? I also agree that a dog free zone in the house would be a good idea. But labs need to be with their people. They would be miserable shut out of a room and ignored. It doesn't sound like Op is ignoring the dog - not at all. She just isn't enjoying the dog. Getting a break from the dog every now and then might make the whole situation more doable for Op.

[Anonymous]

Seriously. I will take your dog. Love dogs.Already have 2 dogs, one sheds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously. I will take your dog. Love dogs.Already have 2 dogs, one sheds.

OP here. I would be open to rehoming the dog, if we find a family that appreciates her more than I do. I think my husband would not object.

[Anonymous]

You take your dog outside 3 times a day? Re-home the dog. Poor things needs to do its business more than 3 times a day.

[Anonymous]

Regime the dog before she gets a minute older. There are people who will take her. Your kid your life comes first. It's hard on both you and the dog to be in such a small space.

[Anonymous]

Rehome

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are some of you recommending that a 9-10 year old dog be rehomed? I'm just as heartbroken as the rest of you that he doesn't have a supportive family and is by OP's own admission a perfect dog. I assume he has a decent quality of life if no love. It seems like rehoming would be really stressful on the poor guy.

Why not hire a dog walker/sitter to take the dog a couple of days a week? I also agree that a dog free zone in the house would be a good idea. But labs need to be with their people. They would be miserable shut out of a room and ignored. It doesn't sound like Op is ignoring the dog - not at all. She just isn't enjoying the dog. Getting a break from the dog every now and then might make the whole situation more doable for Op.

The op doesn't love the dog and the kid is picking up on that's and doesn't love he dog. At 9 she can have many years in a family that loves her and cuddles her all day every day. I know several people who adopted older dogs. OP- check on your listserve and maybe a lab rescue place (lost dog ranch and others) and see if there is interest in fostering/adopting your dog. She sounds like a sweet one and I'd take her if I didn't have a 1 year old with allergies.

[Anonymous]

OP, I can relate. We have two dogs that I don't particularly care for. DH and the kids wanted them, so I gave in while I SAH. I started working again about a year later & DH travels all the time so on top of basically being a single mother 75% of the time, I have two dogs to take care of. I'm also annoyed with the hair on the furniture, the need to constantly vacuum, the barking when they see a squirrel or something walk by the window, etc. I've tried to be a dog person, but I'm not. People think you're a horrible person if you don't love dogs. It's not like I abuse them or anything, I'm just not a fan and feel like they make my quality of life worse, not better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I can relate. We have two dogs that I don't particularly care for. DH and the kids wanted them, so I gave in while I SAH. I started working again about a year later & DH travels all the time so on top of basically being a single mother 75% of the time, I have two dogs to take care of. I'm also annoyed with the hair on the furniture, the need to constantly vacuum, the barking when they see a squirrel or something walk by the window, etc. I've tried to be a dog person, but I'm not. People think you're a horrible person if you don't love dogs. It's not like I abuse them or anything, I'm just not a fan and feel like they make my quality of life worse, not better.

OP here. Thanks for your empathy. With a 4-year-old kid, a job, a husband and a household to manage I am already the last person on the list to take care of. I feel like I deserve to be considerate about my own needs at least a tiny bit.

But then I feel like a bad person, because our dog could not do anything better. In contrast to other dogs in the building she doesn't bark, jump or salivate. When we pass other dogs on the street, ours just walks by silently (with pulled-in tail). When I see how badly some of our neighbors' dogs behave, I would definitely not put up with that.

[Anonymous]

I also get you OP. And I don't even have the excuse that my husband wanted the dogs. I got them. But I feel like they are a net negative. They track dirt into the house. They shed. They bark. One of them chews things. If I could find someone who would take good care of them, I would give them up in a heartbeat.

I take good care of them but I very much wish we never got them.

[Anonymous]

I'm not understanding how you don't have a Roomba yet!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the replies.

Regarding the age of the dog, I am not sure as she is a rescue dog. She must be around 9 or 10.

Putting her in doggy day care would not help at all. She doesn't cause me any problem or take up much time at all. She just lies at my feet all day long. I work from home. I just cannot stand the hair.

A doggy day care would be too frightening for her, too. She is very shy.

My husband works very long hours at a hospital and would not be able to take care of the dog.

I would never put her in a shelter, that would be too cruel. She would not deserve that.

It's warm now, take her to a groomer and get her all over the body 2 inch long trim. Some people leave the tail natural, some trim the 'fringe' off. It will help with the hair issue.

Poor dog, she feels she is not wanted and has to live with it. Just heartbreaking.