Sweet dog, no time for him...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you crate trained him? Sounds unlikely from the situation you describe. Dogs sleep 18-20 hours a day. They are perfectly happy to be in a crate for hours at a time, especially a crate in a quiet location with a covering that makes it a safe dark space like a den - like wolves make in the wild. A crate keeps the dog from chewing everything. It keeps the dog from being up in your shit all the time, and not letting you breathe.

But yeah, you’ve got to walk the dog at minimum once a day. That requirement can serve not only to teach your kids responsibility and empathy for another living thing - it can also teach them great habits like regular physical activity, rain or shine.

This is not an appropriate amount of time in a crate for a dog.

My goodness how dense are you? I didn’t say to keep the dog in the crate for 18-20 hours! I said dogs are perfectly fine to be in their crate for hours at a time. And that is absolutely true.

You idiots who think crate training is cruel are dense about the instinctive nature of dogs and you are usually the azzholes who drop their juvenile dogs at the shelter after the puppy cute has worn off and they’re eating your shoes.

Maybe it’s your writing skills that are lacking then.
I have nothing against crate training. We have fostered 18 puppies. None of which slept for “hours at a time in a crate” so definitely not an azzhole here!

[Anonymous]

OP, it's time to have a talk with the kids. If they won't walk the dog and scoop poop or go play with it outside, the nice dog gets rehomed to kids who will take care of it. You and your dh have too much to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it's time to have a talk with the kids. If they won't walk the dog and scoop poop or go play with it outside, the nice dog gets rehomed to kids who will take care of it. You and your dh have too much to do.

This. One month trial period.
If you are in Arlington, AWLA will find that pup a home in a week or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You either all need to step up as a family or let the dog go to a more loving home. You can do that without sending him to a shelter though. Why are they allowed to pull his tail? Teach your kids how to treat animals! Would a midday dog walker help with the exercise the dog needs? Or send him to doggy daycare a couple of times a week..

+1

[Anonymous]

Our dog is 13 months old, I have a teen and a tween.

For the last several months he gets a dog walker on Mondays and goes to Daycare on Thursdays. That made a huge difference.

My kids each needs to take him out for a significant walk at least once a week and they both spend time playing with him every day. I do a decent walk every morning (1.5-2 miles) and that is good for both me and the dog. As he has gotten older the later two to three walks do not need to be that long but they often are. DH's schedule is unpredictable but he take the dog out several times a week. I usually take the dog out at least twice a day (including my morning walk) but it is occasionally three times.

What kind of dog do you have, how old is the dog, and can your oldest handle the dog on a walk? 9 seems young to me.

[Anonymous]

OP can you answer what breed and the dogs age?

I would do doggie daycare and see if that helps.

I disagree with PP’s about kids that age walking a dog. Too young IMO. Mine are 10 & 12 and I don’t allow if.

Kids that age should be able to play with the dog in the backyard, however. My kids play fetch with ours, to wear her out.

[Anonymous]

As previous poster asked, what is the breed? Getting the wrong breed for your lifestyle can be a huge mistake. Given that no one seems interested in exercising the dog, yet companionship and affection are desired, sounds like you need a small companion/lap dog. If instead, you have a larger sports or work oriented dog (a spaniel, retriever, shepherd, etc.), you are going to go insane.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for all the great suggestions and perspectives. The dog - whippet mix- will be a year in May. Very friendly, loves to play, and cuddle... I don't crate him, but will tie him to the dinner table, if I need a moment. I did tell the children, that he will go if they don't pitch in, and that seemed to wake them up; getting them to do anything at all, has been a struggle in this pandemic - it's like a n endless lazy Saturday, and no one wants to go outside, screentimes, etc...
Looks like we will hold on to him, continue the threat of giving him up to make sure they all lend a hand, and maybe add a neighborhood dog walker to the mix...

Thanks, and wish us luck...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for all the great suggestions and perspectives. The dog - whippet mix- will be a year in May. Very friendly, loves to play, and cuddle... I don't crate him, but will tie him to the dinner table, if I need a moment. I did tell the children, that he will go if they don't pitch in, and that seemed to wake them up; getting them to do anything at all, has been a struggle in this pandemic - it's like a n endless lazy Saturday, and no one wants to go outside, screentimes, etc...
Looks like we will hold on to him, continue the threat of giving him up to make sure they all lend a hand, and maybe add a neighborhood dog walker to the mix...

Thanks, and wish us luck...

Ugh, with a whippet mix that dog needs a ton of exercise! He definitely needs stimulation, long walks, jogs, etc. Get the dog and the kids outside especially with such nice weather there should be no excuse.

[Anonymous]

I hope we can find this thread the next time someone posts about how she doesn't want a dog but the kids do so she's caving.

If the dog is nothing but a burden, you shouldn't have a dog. Let it go bond with someone who will be genuinely enthusiastic about adding to the family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for all the great suggestions and perspectives. The dog - whippet mix- will be a year in May. Very friendly, loves to play, and cuddle... I don't crate him, but will tie him to the dinner table, if I need a moment. I did tell the children, that he will go if they don't pitch in, and that seemed to wake them up; getting them to do anything at all, has been a struggle in this pandemic - it's like a n endless lazy Saturday, and no one wants to go outside, screentimes, etc...
Looks like we will hold on to him, continue the threat of giving him up to make sure they all lend a hand, and maybe add a neighborhood dog walker to the mix...

Thanks, and wish us luck...

Ugh, with a whippet mix that dog needs a ton of exercise! He definitely needs stimulation, long walks, jogs, etc. Get the dog and the kids outside especially with such nice weather there should be no excuse.

I'm not familiar w/the breed but just happened to see a whippet pop like 60 balloons in 30 secs on Jimmy Fallon last night, lol. They definitely look like an energetic breed.

[Anonymous]

Get another dog and then they will keep each other company.