BusynMember
Well-Known Member
I just felt a need to follow up, although it makes me sad.
After looking and looking for a safe place for our babies, who have started peeing and pooping in our house non-stop, we finally, finally found an adoption place that keeps unadoptable dogs for their entire lives. I don't believe my dogs are necessarily unadoptable, but together they do not work and they need more room than we have in our small rental house (without a fenced yard). They are doing their business in the house and fighting with one another. So.....as soon as they come to the top of a waiting list, we are going to pay $150 a dog to get them into this wonderful place, which we visited. The dogs will get more activity there than they could ever get here, the volunteers are very involved (the chief volunteer is a vet) and there are many acres for the dogs to run. The only euthanize (as even no-kill shelters do) for dogs who are terminally ill or so aggressive that their volunteers can't get near them. Neither applies to my dogs.
I actually got a tip by asking for help on Craigslist. About eight people wrote me about this place. Most volunteered there and were most enthusiastic. A "surprise" visit by us confirmed their happiness. We spoke to the head of the organization. The $150 doesn't even come close to covering the care the animals get...if they are sick, they get good vet care and if they are not spayed/neutered, they get that done too (mine are).
This, however, is one of my saddest Christmases ever. Every time I come home, the dogs jump on me with wagging tails, not knowing, of course, that they won't be here much longer. And although I know they will have a better life there, it is still hard. We were told that they should have spots by January.
My little chihuahua/****zu mix has to be seperated from the other three dogs because they are sometimes mean to him and because I don't want him to pick up their bad bathroom manners.
Yes, I tried a trainer. Yes, I tried EVERYTHING I could have, but the dogs are a pack and together they just don't work and we already replaced the carpet for the landlord. Next is the tile. IF he saw the house, he would make us rehome the dogs tomorrow rather than us just doing it our own way and to the best place we could find.
Anyhow, it WILL be a big relief once they are settled in at their new home. It is hard to clean up pee and poop all day long. Plus one dog is territorial about the house and visitors can't come over without his going after them so he has to be crated. Then he barks for their entire visit. We don't have a basement so the crate has to stay upstairs while the dog barks nonstop. We have stopped inviting people over.
Anyhow, that's our sad story. I always used to get on people who gave up their older dogs, but now I understand, although I don't think that dumping them at a pound, where they will be euthanized, is a good answer.
Thanks for reading my vent.
After looking and looking for a safe place for our babies, who have started peeing and pooping in our house non-stop, we finally, finally found an adoption place that keeps unadoptable dogs for their entire lives. I don't believe my dogs are necessarily unadoptable, but together they do not work and they need more room than we have in our small rental house (without a fenced yard). They are doing their business in the house and fighting with one another. So.....as soon as they come to the top of a waiting list, we are going to pay $150 a dog to get them into this wonderful place, which we visited. The dogs will get more activity there than they could ever get here, the volunteers are very involved (the chief volunteer is a vet) and there are many acres for the dogs to run. The only euthanize (as even no-kill shelters do) for dogs who are terminally ill or so aggressive that their volunteers can't get near them. Neither applies to my dogs.
I actually got a tip by asking for help on Craigslist. About eight people wrote me about this place. Most volunteered there and were most enthusiastic. A "surprise" visit by us confirmed their happiness. We spoke to the head of the organization. The $150 doesn't even come close to covering the care the animals get...if they are sick, they get good vet care and if they are not spayed/neutered, they get that done too (mine are).
This, however, is one of my saddest Christmases ever. Every time I come home, the dogs jump on me with wagging tails, not knowing, of course, that they won't be here much longer. And although I know they will have a better life there, it is still hard. We were told that they should have spots by January.
My little chihuahua/****zu mix has to be seperated from the other three dogs because they are sometimes mean to him and because I don't want him to pick up their bad bathroom manners.
Yes, I tried a trainer. Yes, I tried EVERYTHING I could have, but the dogs are a pack and together they just don't work and we already replaced the carpet for the landlord. Next is the tile. IF he saw the house, he would make us rehome the dogs tomorrow rather than us just doing it our own way and to the best place we could find.
Anyhow, it WILL be a big relief once they are settled in at their new home. It is hard to clean up pee and poop all day long. Plus one dog is territorial about the house and visitors can't come over without his going after them so he has to be crated. Then he barks for their entire visit. We don't have a basement so the crate has to stay upstairs while the dog barks nonstop. We have stopped inviting people over.
Anyhow, that's our sad story. I always used to get on people who gave up their older dogs, but now I understand, although I don't think that dumping them at a pound, where they will be euthanized, is a good answer.
Thanks for reading my vent.
I know it's hard... But you did a great job finding a home for them.
He is trained to a potty pad in bad weather and it is avery good boy.
