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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I guess you power through but certainly never get another dog.[/quote]

Yeah we don’t have to worry about that 😜 anyone else feel this way? No question I guess, just a vent. [/quote]

My mom did.  For more than 40 years.   She was not a dog person and actually had been bitten by a dog when she was a child.   But my dad loved dogs.   He always had to have two, and we grew up with Bull Mastiffs, which are not small.  Fortunately, they also were not super active, but imagine when they are sick and have accidents in the house, poop/diarrhea/vomit.   And my mom, who worked closed to home so she could be with us kids, took on about 90% of the work.

FWIW, my chore for most of my childhood was taking a wet rage to wipe "snuffles" off the walls and floors a couple times a week.   Those dogs drooled like fire hydrants, and when they shook their heads, that drool ended up EVERYWHERE.  On the dining room chandelier, even.

She kept putting up with new dogs, unfortunately.  I will say after one of the last pair passed away, my mom, for the first time, really enjoyed having just one dog.   That dog was older, and more sedate, but having only one made a huge difference for her.

I know you are doing most of the work.  I didn't see how old your kids are.   But the soon-to-be vet kid could easily take on a bit more of this work, right?  One kid feeds breakfast, one kid feeds dinner.   One kid walks the dog at least once a day, one kid vacuums Monday, one kid vacuums Thursday, etc.  Make a dog chore chart.   You will still have work, but it will be less, and the dog will benefit from the structure and attention.

And think through the behavior that bugs you the most -- when neighbors arrive?  That bugs me too, and I taught my dog to "settle" on a crate mat on command.   And eventually got him to do it automatically when the door bell sounds.   (Took about a year, but it has worked).

The last minute trips and boarding -- can't help on that one.   It's pretty much dog life.     Hang in there, I have total empathy.[/quote]

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