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.