Need to vent

[pigsmakemesmile]

God it's been awful here at the house. This Saturday, someone abandoned a really nice dog in the parking lot at PetSmart. To make a long story short, we took the dog in as a foster temporarily. He's a lab/shepherd mix, knows commands, looks healthy, not neutered, no food aggression and gets along well with our dog. Yet, he cries easily when you leave and follows you around the house. He bit a store employee after he picked him up and through him around his shoulders to bring into the back of the store at a time they where extremely buisy. Last night my daughters friend came over and jumped on my daughters bed and spooked the dog and he nipped her in the face but didn't draw any blood..no abrasions. My husband went off the deep end and he ranted and raved about this dog, the messiness, all of the other 11 small animals, past midnight lastnight, then continued on about the dog when I got home from work at 7pm...worked since 9am. The dog knows his commands, loves affection and likes to be around people. Today he actually seems to be doing a lot better and I think it's because he's getting more aquainted with the family. However, my husband went and called the Dog Warden, and now I'm worried sick about what will happen to this dog. While at work, I called every rescue known to man in our area and out of our area, sadly they're short on fosters and have no
room. We called back another rescue to tell them well trade swap this dog for a smaller dog as we have a tiny house and this dog is just so big. He is really a good dog, just don't know what else to do. On top of all this, my house is just a disaster.

[WheekiePiggy123]

I don't understand how someone could just abandon their dog any old place it's so sad. Thats so nice of you to have taken the dog in for now! I hope you're able to find a home, rescue, or foster home for him. I would just be careful with him if he has already nipped or bit a few times. I hope everything works out good luck!

[pigsmakemesmile]

What we decided to do is until the situation changes, that is we swap him for a much smaller dog, or we find a rescue, I don't want the warden to take him, we're not gonna allow friends and visitors to the house for safety reasons. My gut feeling says, he'll be alright around people, but, I'm just gonna play it safe for now and use common sense until the situation somehow resolves.
Thank you for your reply

[Wheekie]

You are such a great person to go to all that trouble. I think animals are worth it,too, but alot of people wouldn't be bothered. Kudos to you!

[pigsmakemesmile]

Just wanted to update on the saga of the dog. He has finally settled down. His true self is surfacing and he really is a very good boy. He spent much of the day sleeping. He goes where ever Fred, our Bassett, goes. My 2 daughters and I had a family pow-wow and talked to their dad and expressed our concern of his plight if the Dog Warden picks him up. He just needed some time to figure his place in our home and to get comfortable with us. However, he is a biiiig dog, we're in a tiny house. So we called Camp Papillon and what we're gonna try and do is a dog swap. They'll try and swap a small dog for Cody. This way, we're still fostering a dog. I hate to see him leave but will enjoy him while he's here. What I thought I might do is have him meet his new foster parents then slowly move him into his new environment, it could be a while. I have to be careful with my pigs, he looked like he wanted a snack when I held Popcorn. I made a boundary for him not to cross when I have a pig in my arms. He is extremely/strictly forbidden to enter the pigs' room. I'm leaving for Florida next Thursday, I'm a little nervous about leaving as I'm concerned it'll be then then that something will go wrong.

[Megan]

I went on the Camp Papillion website and it looks like they will be able to find him a great forever home. You're lucky to have found them. And Cody is lucky that you found him that day. I don't understand how people can be so lax and uncaring when it comes to animals. As a mother to 3 dogs, 4 cats, 3 horses and 2 guineas. (most rescues) I understand how easy it is to fall in love with an animal needing a home. Good Luck to you and your family in your upcoming journey with Cody.

[Amsley246]

Aww, that's so sad. I have almost the exact same type of dog. She's a golden lab/sherpard mix, but you can't really she's part shepard at all. She's almost 5 now. Back when she was a pup she liked to nip. She never bit, just nipped, almost like she was trying to pinch you and she was quite hyper most of the time. She's also a total coward ! She's calmed down a lot now that she's older. She adores my 3 year old and is very protective of him (follows him constantly). Hard to believe she loves him to death now after back in the day when we first brought our son home from the hospital, she was terrified and wanted nothing to do with him !

How old do you think that dog is? Maybe he will grow out of this? I hope all goes well for you and your family as well as the dog!

[pigsmakemesmile]

I just wanted to update about this abandoned dog thing. I finally got him into a rescue 2 weeks ago. I've been checking on PetFinder to see his listing. It's there but not much else about him. Anyway, I had to take an emergency 4 day trip to Florida as we learned my Mother in law was diagnosed with a rare lung cancer and is in stage 4. We just had a 10 day vacation there this June and no one including he,r new she was terminally ill. We returned Sunday night to find just one disaster after another. My 2 grown girls, didn't care for the foster dog very well and he urinated, saturating my downstair-carpeting to the point if I cannot get it professionally cleaned, it may have to be removed and replace. They left the house a mess, 2 inch thick dust bunnies comprised of dog hair. My pigs weren't cared for properly as I was assured they were. I lost it...I went off the deep end between that and my mother in laws' illness, I went berzerk.
I called the rescue and pulled him then called the DogWarden to come and get this dog. This was on Monday morning. Come night time when I got home, the only being that greeted me was this foster dog...Cody. I started feeling guilt ridden then broke down and cried. I love this dog...I want him but I don't. Between all these animals, small house, ill relative, full time job and 2 kids who I can't count on to help and just do the opposite, I'm beside myself. My husband, then decided to lend a hand and call around. The Pike County humane society said they would take him in...it's a no-kill shelter rescue and supposedly different than most shelters as the dogs are very pampered there. Padded kennels, outdoor times etc. So I went on their website, then called them to learn more about this facility. Cody is special and I don't know why, came into our lives. He's just so affectionate. I made them assure me they'd notify me when he was adopted so I can have some closure. the office I work in is closed this week and I left to go home to bring Cody to the shelter. It's a 50 minute commute. Half way there, I stopped. I had this gut wrenching feeling about leaving him there. My daughter was with me crying about the trip there and leaving him and felt the same as I. I turned around and went back home with Cody. I got in contact with another rescue to assist me in getting this dog adopted. We'll probably have him for a while. I guess I'm just gonna have to make it work. He's just such a beautiful good dog. I want assurance he'll be placed well. ugh...so stressed. On top of that, we noticed he has a wound on his rear left paw....he's been licking it frequently and it looks a little red....just what I need on top of all this...another vet bill. We'll have to take care of it before something worse develops....he has an appointment this Friday night at 630. This dog, makes rounds everynight. He likes to sleep on the floor, he'll get up check on Fred, our Basset then go back to his spot. He's is housebroken, that is when he's not ignored when he shows he needs to go out. Knows all his commands. Just a sweet dog and it pisses me off even more that his previous owners just "dumped" him, like dirt and didn't even have the decency to leave a collar with a name tag.

[cherrytop108]

i am sorry that sounds just plain-down right unair! you shouldnt have have all this bad-yucky stuff laid on you! i feel bad and if i could help i would!

[juliaaa]

I'm really sorry to hear all this bad news, especially about your mother-in-law I know how hard it is not to get attached to a dog, especially one that is sweet and loving and dumped into an undeserving situation. I hope everything will work out okay, and trust that you will find him a great home.

[pigsmakemesmile]

I had posted an add in our local paper for our dog and had 3 calls this morning. The add appeared this am. Of the 3 calls, one person came tonight to see the dog. She fell in love with him. We chatted for well over an hour and I felt very comfortable with her. Cody has has an appointment tomorrow night with our vet for an infected paw and rabies vaccine. It turns out she uses my vet. After the vet appointment, I'll be driving Cody to her home to see Cody's new environment and meet her dogs and family. Cody seemed very comfortable with her and was lying on the floor beside her before she got up to leave. I'm going to really miss this dog and am relieved I held on to him. I haven't had any success with the local rescues, I thought I'd try placing an add to see if I can rehome hime myself. I've never done this before. I have a good feeling about his new soon to be home.