I finally got a dog for the family. It is the worse decision of my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did you want a dog? Dogs are pack animals. You are part of her pack. Of course she wants to be with you!

You do not have the right temperament for a dog. Hopefully your family members are nicer and dog people.

OP here. Fair enough, I may not have the right temperament for one. I am very much an introvert and thought it would actually be a great idea! However, I get no break from her. I am very nice to her. I do not know why people assume I am not? Do we never find our kids annoying or needing a break from our kids? No one even answered my questions, what helps? We put our kids in aftercare and summer camps…. Would doggy daycare help?

Remember how your kids are after a day of summer camp, when they're 'tired, but wired' and strung out on popsicles and too much time with their friends? That's how dogs get after "doggy daycare".

Better plan: Crate train your dog so you have some built in "go chew your kong in your crate" time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So some advice here…dogs will latch onto to the person who feeds them. Get your husband or kids to always feed the dog not you. Get them to play with the dog and give them treats, The dog will view you as a less desirable member of the pack. If the others are around it will follow them.

The dog should grow out of peeing on guests in a few weeks or months. It’s a thing with some young dogs when they get really excited. If you are expecting guests take them potty right before the guests come over.

Or just crate your dog when you have company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did you want a dog? Dogs are pack animals. You are part of her pack. Of course she wants to be with you!

You do not have the right temperament for a dog. Hopefully your family members are nicer and dog people.

OP here. Fair enough, I may not have the right temperament for one. I am very much an introvert and thought it would actually be a great idea! However, I get no break from her. I am very nice to her. I do not know why people assume I am not? Do we never find our kids annoying or needing a break from our kids? No one even answered my questions, what helps? We put our kids in aftercare and summer camps…. Would doggy daycare help?

Yes. Daycare/nannies/someone to care for your dog so that you can do your own thing, just like you did with your kids.

These (daycare, specifically) are a recipe for behavioral issues that will make poor behaviors even worse but I'm never surprised to see them recommended here.

I wouldn’t do it every day, but we’ve always used doggy daycares for travel and never had any issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give it back.

OP here. She has a good life. We are doing everything we need to do for her. I just find her annoying. Not sure that is a good enough reason to return her is it? She doesn’t know I find her annoying, I assume. She is very excited every time she sees me be it I am gone for work, get off the toilet, etc.

I don’t know you but I already hate you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give it back.

OP here. She has a good life. We are doing everything we need to do for her. I just find her annoying. Not sure that is a good enough reason to return her is it? She doesn’t know I find her annoying, I assume. She is very excited every time she sees me be it I am gone for work, get off the toilet, etc.

I don’t know you but I already hate you.

You need help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is how my husband talks about the dog and we’ve had him for five years.

I feel this way about small dogs… our dog is large and intimidating and I feel he is a superb security system and so he is worth it to me personally. I don’t get having a dog whose only purpose is to be cute.

Do you live in a shitty neighborhood?

?? Burglaries can happen in any neighborhood and a dog is a great deterrent, even a small yappy one. A larger dog also needs to go to the bathroom less often and I find ours generally less needy.

[Anonymous]

I LOVE dogs, but I know not everyone does.

I agree you could crate train your dog, but I find it hard to put a dog in a crate when we are home and awake. My dog only went in at night and if we left the house while she was still a puppy.

Your dog needs LONG walks. Also mental stimulation. Get toys with flaps that you have to refill with treats but is still good for their mental stimulation. Get a lick mat and freeze yogurt and peanut butter on it. Stuff kongs. The more mental stimulation a dog has, the more settled they are, and the more tired they can be later! Puppies have a lot of energy, your dog will calm down, but probably not for another 9 months. So do what you can for now, it’ll be ok and this stage is not forever

[Anonymous]

I am the same. When my dog and cat pass on, I will never own another animal. I don't understand why people are ok with following an animal around and picking up its poop. I got the dog because I love seeing people with their animals (the cat we inherited) - but I hate the smell and I especially hate having to plan my day around walking the dog. I have one hour in the morning before work - I could either lift weights and run or I can take the dog for a walk. But I have to walk the dog so my own health suffers. When I sit down to watch a movie in the evening, the dog wants to play. I'm a slave to the freaking dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We all wanted a dog and we finally got one. It was the worse decision of my life. Why do people have dogs as pets? She is very…. Pointless? She just walks around and follows me all the damn time. I have to plan my entire day around her shitting, peeing, etc. I feel like a slave to this animal. I planned on calling off work tomorrow. I need a break! However, the thought of being home with this dog all day, after the weekend, is a no go. The family helps but I am her go to person. She is 9 months. Does it get better? Doggy daycare needed? Longer walks so she leaves me the hell alone after? She isn’t even a hyper dog. She is just always freaking there. I would much rather have 5 more kids to one dog. How do I try to like my dog? It’s been two months and I just view her as annoying. I am ok with you telling me I am a harsh person if I am but please also tell me what I can do to help her and me.

No, I don't think your derangement will get better.

Poor dog.

[Anonymous]

OP: You just do not have the right temperament to be a dog owner/parent.

I love dogs. I have several dogs all of whom we adopted as puppies from shelters. I devote most of my life to them.

My favorite cartoon is a one block piece showing a man standing on a cloud before a dog sitting on a throne. The man is in heaven and says to the dog: "You mean... ?"

To which the dog on the throne replies: "Yes, your entire species is dyslexic."

To me, dogs are God's perfect creation. However, I understand that there are a lot of folks who think otherwise.

OP: Your temperament is not suitable to be a dog parent/owner. That's okay.

As a sidenote: We found it easier to own two dogs (similar aged male & female) than to own just one. In fact, we have two such pairs. Fortunately, the pack acts as a family, with me as the leader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give it back.

OP here. She has a good life. We are doing everything we need to do for her. I just find her annoying. Not sure that is a good enough reason to return her is it? She doesn’t know I find her annoying, I assume. She is very excited every time she sees me be it I am gone for work, get off the toilet, etc.

I don’t know you but I already hate you.

You need help.

New PP- I feel like the dog needs help! All it wants to do is be around its person, and the person seems totally annoyed by them.

[Anonymous]

As this thread demonstrates, many self-proclaimed “dog people” are in fact, as another PP astutely observed, just emotionally stunted adults. The absolute vitriol with which some of you are speaking to OP, who sounds like a normal person and a perfectly adequate dog owner, is actually insane. I would be willing to bet that the majority of you who are concerned about this puppy’s “suffering” due to OP finding it annoying while taking excellent care it are not vegan, ie you’re (statistically) most likely absolutely fine with other animals experiencing *actual* suffering but enjoy the opportunity to get on your high horse and bash OP.

Tl;dr - they’re not actually your kids, folks. They’re just dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I LOVE dogs, but I know not everyone does.

I agree you could crate train your dog, but I find it hard to put a dog in a crate when we are home and awake. My dog only went in at night and if we left the house while she was still a puppy.

Your dog needs LONG walks. Also mental stimulation. Get toys with flaps that you have to refill with treats but is still good for their mental stimulation. Get a lick mat and freeze yogurt and peanut butter on it. Stuff kongs. The more mental stimulation a dog has, the more settled they are, and the more tired they can be later! Puppies have a lot of energy, your dog will calm down, but probably not for another 9 months. So do what you can for now, it’ll be ok and this stage is not forever

OP here. Thank you for this. People are hating on me but I don’t see it as any different as someone coming online and asking for help for their crying baby or when they will sleep through the night, etc. I am asking for advice so that hopefully the feeling of being annoyed will lessen. What is a good amount to walk her? She is 20lbs. We do 20 minute walks every two hours. We do not have a fenced in backyard. Would it be best to get one to help burn more energy? Even when the kids take her out, I have to be out there because I don’t want her running off. I don’t like the idea of a shock collar. We put her in the crate at night with no issues. Putting her in during the day seems so sad to me. She just stares at me. I can’t see putting her in at night and then during the day at times too? We have a deck that has no stairs. We chill out there but again, don’t want her to be unsupervised so I have to be out there too. Most people are saying she will grow out with this and I will keep going. We are getting her trained next month. She knows sit and come. She just pulls at the leash. Again, I think she needs to run but we have no fence. No, we never had a dog before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: You just do not have the right temperament to be a dog owner/parent.

I love dogs. I have several dogs all of whom we adopted as puppies from shelters. I devote most of my life to them.

My favorite cartoon is a one block piece showing a man standing on a cloud before a dog sitting on a throne. The man is in heaven and says to the dog: "You mean... ?"

To which the dog on the throne replies: "Yes, your entire species is dyslexic."

To me, dogs are God's perfect creation. However, I understand that there are a lot of folks who think otherwise.

OP: Your temperament is not suitable to be a dog parent/owner. That's okay.

As a sidenote: We found it easier to own two dogs (similar aged male & female) than to own just one. In fact, we have two such pairs. Fortunately, the pack acts as a family, with me as the leader.

OP here. I appreciate this. I am not hurt by people being real honest with me. You can cut me up, it’s ok, it’s online and it’s anonymous. I may not have the right temperament because I would not devote most of my life to my dog. However, I am also not going to give up so easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the same. When my dog and cat pass on, I will never own another animal. I don't understand why people are ok with following an animal around and picking up its poop. I got the dog because I love seeing people with their animals (the cat we inherited) - but I hate the smell and I especially hate having to plan my day around walking the dog. I have one hour in the morning before work - I could either lift weights and run or I can take the dog for a walk. But I have to walk the dog so my own health suffers. When I sit down to watch a movie in the evening, the dog wants to play. I'm a slave to the freaking dog.

OP here. This is my problem too. I want to work out in the morning, like intensely when the family is asleep but she needs to be walked. Then if she doesn’t poop, I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t poop in the house. She is not a dog that I can run with as she is small. That is why I asked another poster how long should I walk her to tire her out enough so that I can come home and work out?