Experienced Dog Owners: I Need Advice

[Christine]

We are a little sad tonight after just discovering our little friend has a tumor.
It's too bad they have such a short lifespan. (Around two years.)
He is a shy, but good little guy.

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Oh I'm sorry. It's so hard when these things happen. As much as my daughter's guinea pig as been a bit of a pain (he requires LOTS of care), I do love the little guy and think he's super sweet. I'll be really sad when his time is up.

 

[Christine]

So this thread has now become my emotional support thread for this dog. I did go to work yesterday but just felt like crying whenever I thought about it.

I know I shouldn't torture myself, but I have been checking the rescue's site (plus they are in my Facebook feed). I was really, really hopeful the dog was adopted out quickly after I left as her photo/bio didn't make it back onto the site as they update it several times a day. So I was really starting to think, okay she got a new and better home. But, yesterday her photo popped up on the available list. Then a few hours later, the group put out a Facebook post looking for "urgent" fosters for about 10 of their dogs (most seemed to be their long term dogs) and she was on there. That was a sure setback. They also had a video of the dogs playing in the yard yesterday morning and she was out there playing.

As I said, I know I shouldn't look but I don't think I'm going to be able to "rest" on this until I can see she has been adopted or fostered.

 

[Hrhpd]

No jsmith it is not. It is recognizing that animals are not things to be gotten and discarded and they have feelings. The idea that dogs or other animals do not experience emotion has cost many more animals their lives.

Jsmith is absolutely correct. Dogs experience emotion, but not like humans. Thinking that they cannot bond to new owners is dangerous anthropomorphism.

We would never have successful service dogs if dogs did not adapt being taken away from their homes at young ages. Think about it, a service dog spends its first year bonded with its puppy raiser family. They are then taken away at 1 year old and sent to school for months, so they bond with their trainers. After completion, they are finally paired with their forever home, whether it be the person needing the service dog or the family that adopts the dog after it failed service dog school. So these dogs have been through 3 homes before they are 2 years old and due to careful and selective breeding for even temperaments, they make the transitions just fine.

Many rescue dogs are not carefully bred as Jsmith referenced and have iffy temperaments. It is poor breeding, causing anxiety and other temperament problems in dogs, that is causing people to think dogs have emotions like humans and resort to anthropomorphism. It is not a trait of the species, a well bred dog or a dog in the wild has a stable temperament.

 

[Sarah'sMomfrom PA]

Christine...I was just on the Homeward Trails website and they have some really cute dogs! Which dog did you end up with and again, you are doing the dog a favor by giving him/her up if you think that it wasn't a good fit. Someone will give the dog its forever home so don't feel any guilt over giving the dog up. I have never fostered a dog because I don't think that I could give them up once they lived with us but that is me. Overall, I think that fostering is wonderful if someone could do that but I have a feeling that if I fostered, I would have a houseful of dogs that I couldn't give up and my husband might not be too thrilled since he is retired and is home with our 2 babies all day!

 

[Christine]

Christine...I was just on the Homeward Trails website and they have some really cute dogs! Which dog did you end up with and again, you are doing the dog a favor by giving him/her up if you think that it wasn't a good fit. Someone will give the dog its forever home so don't feel any guilt over giving the dog up. I have never fostered a dog because I don't think that I could give them up once they lived with us but that is me. Overall, I think that fostering is wonderful if someone could do that but I have a feeling that if I fostered, I would have a houseful of dogs that I couldn't give up and my husband might not be too thrilled since he is retired and is home with our 2 babies all day!

Look for "Heidi." On Facebook they have also asked for her to be fostered. There is also a video yesterday of a few dogs in the yard and she is one of them (might be on their website too but their Facebook page is where all the action is). I gave them some more pictures to use but they continue to just use her Russell County VA shelter pic which doesn't show how pretty she really is.

 

[kidshop]

Since many of you live in my same area, do any of you in the nova region have a vet recommendation? I have found in the Fairfax and chantilly areas vet prices are high IMO. Which is all relative of course, but I want to make sure to have a good vet, and one who is sensitive to costs as well. I have been using the vet the rescue used and they are nice, but not very convenient for me to get to and I felt a little gouged when I went. They also didn’t seem to love that I wanted to get my heart worm meds online though I gave them the opportunity to match the price. Why would I pay (a lot) more for something just to get it from them? It may just be me not owning a dog before and a puppy is very expensive with all the shots and procedures etc. I know that part gets better.


I just need to find someone I am comfortable with and trust.

 

[belleatdisney]

I used to volunteer for a rescue.

Christine, you did the right thing. No rescue wants the dog to harm another pet. Now they know a bit more about her personality. They will find her a good home. Don’t beat yourself up.

 

[Christine]

Since many of you live in my same area, do any of you in the nova region have a vet recommendation? I have found in the Fairfax and chantilly areas vet prices are high IMO. Which is all relative of course, but I want to make sure to have a good vet, and one who is sensitive to costs as well. I have been using the vet the rescue used and they are nice, but not very convenient for me to get to and I felt a little gouged when I went. They also didn’t seem to love that I wanted to get my heart worm meds online though I gave them the opportunity to match the price. Why would I pay (a lot) more for something just to get it from them? It may just be me not owning a dog before and a puppy is very expensive with all the shots and procedures etc. I know that part gets better.


I just need to find someone I am comfortable with and trust.

Well, I am down in Woodbridge so you probably don't want to come here! But I do think it's hard. I've been in this area for 25 years and vets and their pricing have changed drastically. My vet retired 6 months before my 18 y/o dog died and those last 6 months were awful going from vet to vet.

My coworker is getting ready to try the VCA vet in Fairfax (near George Mason) so I'll let you know what he thinks.

 

[kimmar067]

Hounds are great dogs, that said they are hunting animals. Rabbits, squirrels etc are prey.....

...so are terriers.....they are 'ratters' - that is, they have been bred for hundreds of years to go into holes to flush out any kind of varmints.....

 

[clutter]

Since many of you live in my same area, do any of you in the nova region have a vet recommendation? I have found in the Fairfax and chantilly areas vet prices are high IMO. Which is all relative of course, but I want to make sure to have a good vet, and one who is sensitive to costs as well. I have been using the vet the rescue used and they are nice, but not very convenient for me to get to and I felt a little gouged when I went. They also didn’t seem to love that I wanted to get my heart worm meds online though I gave them the opportunity to match the price. Why would I pay (a lot) more for something just to get it from them? It may just be me not owning a dog before and a puppy is very expensive with all the shots and procedures etc. I know that part gets better.


I just need to find someone I am comfortable with and trust.

It's a high cost of living area - all the vets seem to be high. I go to Pender, but they can be hit or miss depending on the vet you see. But they have been good about getting meds online. I took my neighbor's dog to Caring Hands in Chantilly. They seemed to be a little less expensive, and the staff was great. I liked the vet we saw. Other than that, it's a frequent question on our neighborhood facebook group, and no one seems to have a good answer.

 

[Hills4diz]

Jsmith is absolutely correct. Dogs experience emotion, but not like humans. Thinking that they cannot bond to new owners is dangerous anthropomorphism.

We would never have successful service dogs if dogs did not adapt being taken away from their homes at young ages. Think about it, a service dog spends its first year bonded with its puppy raiser family. They are then taken away at 1 year old and sent to school for months, so they bond with their trainers. After completion, they are finally paired with their forever home, whether it be the person needing the service dog or the family that adopts the dog after it failed service dog school. So these dogs have been through 3 homes before they are 2 years old and due to careful and selective breeding for even temperaments, they make the transitions just fine.

Many rescue dogs are not carefully bred as Jsmith referenced and have iffy temperaments. It is poor breeding, causing anxiety and other temperament problems in dogs, that is causing people to think dogs have emotions like humans and resort to anthropomorphism. It is not a trait of the species, a well bred dog or a dog in the wild has a stable temperament.

When you are speaking with a breeder's tongue is all that I need to understand your and jsmith's point of view. You and I and Jsmith will simply have to disagree as I have over 27 years worth of experience dealing with abandoned birds that people like your self objectify their existence.

 

[2Kds2K9]

Regarding vet care, Sully Animal Hospital in Centreville is pretty reasonable. Also know that you can question and deny tests. We’ve gone to Pender for years, but will question tests especially if the vet is new. We also get our pet meds at Costco. My dog is currently on thyroid meds and it’s $6.99 for 60 pills at Costco vs $37 for the same from the vet.

 

[Hrhpd]

When you are speaking with a breeder's tongue is all that I need to understand your and jsmith's point of view. You and I and Jsmith will simply have to disagree as I have over 27 years worth of experience dealing with abandoned birds that people like your self objectify their existence.

What the heck are you rattling on about. A breeder's tongue?

1) I am not a breeder
2) I win, I have been training and showing dogs for over 40 years.
3) Where the hell did you get that I objectify animal's existence? Weird. Sounds you like prejudge with a very, very broad brush.

When you assign human traits to an animal, you are doing the animal a HUGE disservice because it blinds you to understanding the unique needs, instincts, and behaviors of that species or even individual animal. Unless you understand that each species is unique, you cannot provide the very best care for an animal.

 

[jsmith]

When you are speaking with a breeder's tongue is all that I need to understand your and jsmith's point of view. You and I and Jsmith will simply have to disagree as I have over 27 years worth of experience dealing with abandoned birds that people like your self objectify their existence.

The very fact that you equate birds with canines and humans indicates that you simply have no understanding of the difference in species. And I am not sure how recognizing that canines and humans don't process things the same is 'objectifying anything. I am not a breeder. I have more than 40 years experience with both dogs and horses-which are NOT the same, do not think or function the same and should not be handled the same. My dogs are my heart and they are treated significantly better than most peoples children-but they are dogs, they think and act-and re act like dogs not people. If I were a bird person, which I am not-birds belong flying in the sky not living in my house-I would treat my birds like birds, not dogs, horses or people. As Hrhdp stated you need to understand the needs of each separate species and treat them accordingly. I rather think that you have a great deal of difficulty with that concept.

 

[cabanafrau]

The very fact that you equate birds with canines and humans indicates that you simply have no understanding of the difference in species. And I am not sure how recognizing that canines and humans don't process things the same is 'objectifying anything. I am not a breeder. I have more than 40 years experience with both dogs and horses-which are NOT the same, do not think or function the same and should not be handled the same. My dogs are my heart and they are treated significantly better than most peoples children-but they are dogs, they think and act-and re act like dogs not people. If I were a bird person, which I am not-birds belong flying in the sky not living in my house-I would treat my birds like birds, not dogs, horses or people. As Hrhdp stated you need to understand the needs of each separate species and treat them accordingly. I rather think that you have a great deal of difficulty with that concept.

I'm really curious what it is that you're basing your assertion that your dogs are treated better than most people's children?

I'm fully prepared to accept your word that you take excellent care of your dogs. I'm not prepared to accept that qualifies as being superior to the treatment most people give their children.

 

[jsmith]

I'm really curious what it is that you're basing your assertion that your dogs are treated better than most people's children?

I'm fully prepared to accept your word that you take excellent care of your dogs. I'm not prepared to accept that qualifies as being superior to the treatment most people give their children.

Hmm I forget that inflection is an important part of communcatin that gets lost online-Sarcasim- since the poster who was accusing my of objectifying birds had equated the dog the OP returned to the shelter to a 10 year old child and I told her she was anthropormophizing-it was in no way meant to be taken as literal.
They are dogs-they working dogs who do wounded warrior therapy and compete in numerous events. They get top quality vet care and food, and yes they sleep on the bed but they are still dogs

 

[cabanafrau]

Hmm I forget that inflection is an important part of communcatin that gets lost online-Sarcasim- since the poster who was accusing my of objectifying birds had equated the dog the OP returned to the shelter to a 10 year old child and I told her she was anthropormophizing-it was in no way meant to be taken as literal.
They are dogs-they working dogs who do wounded warrior therapy and compete in numerous events. They get top quality vet care and food, and yes they sleep on the bed but they are still dogs

So are you staking your claim to caring for your dogs better than nearly everyone because someone online accused you of something, that's the point you were making?

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Good morning everyone. I need some quick advice right now as I'm sort of in a panic.

Yesterday, after a 6 week "search" I adopted a rescue dog. Unfortunately, I went against just about everything I set out to do. I wanted to get an older dog (around 2-3 years old). I had been looking at greyhounds but there is a shortage right now. The greyhound rescue I was working with also was not thrilled about my work schedule or my guinea pig (understandably).

I have been visiting a well-respected rescue each weekend since early December. They pull dogs from high kill shelters, meat trade rescue, as well rescue efforts in Puerto Rico. They have a good mix of dogs and puppies, they are assessed, and many are in foster. I had tried for a few dogs in foster; however, the fosters are not very good about responding and it was just going nowhere. I found one little dog (beagle mix) last week that seemed good but he was found to have a leg issue so they were putting any adoption on hold. My point of this is they seem like a very good rescue who cares for the dogs.

So I went back up there yesterday because there were two adult hound mixes that looked promising from their bios and pictures. When I got there, they were large type hunting hounds and way more energy than I could handle and definitely not a good fit for our schedule. There were many very cute, smallish rescue puppies from Puerto Rico but they have been roaming in a pack for the last 3 months.

There was one dog there, a hound mix, that was 6 months old, that had been brought up from a no-kill shelter in rural Virginia. Since they were no kill, not sure why she was moved but she arrived last week, she was spayed on Friday and I got her yesterday. She was very calm and sweet. She still is. I found this link for her on Facebook and I guess she was a stray that came in down in SW Virginia. Moved her quickly up to northern VA where I am. https://www.facebook.com/russellcou...7812903039058/518927318927616/?type=3&theater

But....she seems fixated a bit on the guinea pig and I believe she will kill him any chance she gets so the guinea pig is being sequestered in a room that's off limits. This has upset me so bad, I cannot convey it well enough to you. My husband just thinks I'm nuts. I think it's a little PTSD because many, many years ago one of my dogs killed a smaller dog I had and was found to have a very high prey drive. I don't fault the prey drive, but OMG, my guinea pig! How stupid could I be.

The dog went into her crate well last night and slept quietly for the most part. I did not sleep at all.

Today, she is getting more brave around the house. When I showered, I put her back in her crate and while she couldn't see me, she had a fit. I got her calmed down and she is up in her crate snoozing now while I'm downstairs typing this.

Honestly, I don't know what I'm asking, but I am scared to death to go to work tomorrow and leave the dog all day long. I am planning on hiring a walker midday but now I'm thinking it's just not enough. It has been so long since I had a very young dog and I don't know what's normal and what's not at this point.

I am considering returning the dog today but my heart is breaking. Does anyone have any advice. Please be kind! I can't take harsh right now even though I probably deserve it.

I had a small bird and I worried initially about my dog hurting it and eventually it was the bird that chased the dog around lol. A good dog will learn which animals are part of the family. Can you get the dog trained? A trainer? Some places come to your home also. Bringing the dog back seems sad. But if I thought the dog was going to really kill it, I probably sadly would but first would get the dog a trainer in house and see what they thought. Some shelters I have seen by me allow fostering that way you can see how the dog is with other pets, kids, etc.