Foxhound in an urban environment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We too have a foxhound, adopted during COVID. Adoption agency told us only that he was a hound mix but the subsequent dna test we did on him came back 100% foxhound. I admit the first few months were tough and we had a lot of the same issues you described, but after around 6 months things did get better. I think you have to understand that these dogs have not been domesticated and have spent their lives living in barns, so it definitely is an adjustment for the dog to move into a home. They are stubborn, but will obey commands if you persevere. We did not do any formal lessons or training but was able to get him to stop counter surfing and climbing up on the dinner table just by firmly telling him to ‘stop’. They are social and playful dogs so I would urge you to try and persevere with the dog park. Ours has 2 walks plus one trip to the dog park and that is just about enough to tire him out.
In the beginning he would not join us on the sofa and was not a lap dog but eventually he warmed to us and now curls up with us every night. All in all we are very happy with him and he’s turning out to be a great pet, but it did take a while for him to reach this point. Hang in there.

OP here. Thank you for this. I appreciate it. I definitely see that the exercise is key. Not just walking but serious running and hunting. Which is just hard because the latter is ideally off leash. We also have food aggression issues, like the kind where you can’t even give her a bone because for forbid she hides it in the yard and a ‘friend’ comes to play and they find it - all holy hell breaks loose and that dog friendship is over! Plus she gets motion sickness if we go more than 15 min, and yes we’ve tried medicine but it only works about half the time. Then we’ve got her sensitive skin so she chews her feet raw. I know this sounds like complaining it’s just she A LOT! But I really appreciate this list because I am going to redouble my efforts and maybe give dog parks another try.

[Anonymous]

You're going through a lot with this dog. I wonder if the feet chewing is anxiety based at all? I hope things improve anyway, best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Good lord just rehome the dog. It is just a dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good lord just rehome the dog. It is just a dog.

I wish I could but my kids would never forgive me. I fear I made this mistake and I’ve got to own it. Even if we are miserable.

[Anonymous]

Working dogs, like those bred to hunt, herd, or pull sleds, need a lot of mental and physical exercise. Also, dogs that have been in shelters are more likely to have issues with anxiety and “reactivity” (resource guarding or aggression toward other dogs). Working dogs are tough for first-time owners, and shelter pets can be too. I say this from experience having gotten a dog that’s both from Humane Rescue Alliance as my first pet.

It’s ok to say that this dog isn’t the best pet for your family. They do mellow with age, but your dog’s personality likely won’t shift a lot. It needs to be with someone who has the property and time to really exercise it well.

[Anonymous]

Also, adding on to my comment above: People have to come before pets. If the dog’s needs and your needs can’t both be met, do what you need to do to take care of yourself. You’ll be modeling good boundaries and empathetic, humane treatment of animals for your children.