I am considering rehoming one of my dogs....would she be better off?????
I have an almost 4 year old corgi that I've had since a pup and I am wondering if she would be happier in a home with only one other dog and with someone that is home alot...she has separation anxiety but does not chew or wreck things...she is just so "needy" when we get home...she is a loving well trained dog but when I look at her I feel like she misses out on what she needs...we promised to always keep her because we took on the responsability but is this fair to her??? I guess I'm just looking for some thoughts for what would be best for her as I feel bad either way...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Thanks...I know she is happy and I know I would be sad...everytime we have thought of this we never did go through with it...I just really want to do what's right for her...I won't make any fast decisions as this has been a very emotional week for me!
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Permalink Reply by christy fry on
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I would keep her but like Katy says it would kill me to rehome any of my pups so she'd be staying if she was mine =) she looks happy in the picture.
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Permalink Reply by Sky and Lyla on
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To begin with, I definitely think you need to make the decision that is best for you and your sweet girl, and I can't be the one to tell you what that choice is. However, I will offer some things to look in to before rehoming, in case they could be helpful.
First of all, I highly recommend Tamar Gellar's book "The Loved Dog." She gives lots of good ideas for "games" you can play with your dogs. I play some of them on the couch while I watch TV, but it gives my dogs the kind of attention they need from me and get out some energy.
Also, look into doggy day cares in your area. Back when I was working full time during the day and taking grad school classes 3 nights a week, Sky was a pup and had severe separation anxiety and more energy than any puppy I'd ever met (and poor guy, I was gone a lot and probably should have waited to get a dog until I was done with school, so not his fault!). I found a dog day care and made a point to put into the budget each month enough money to let him go once or twice a week. It was expensive, but so worth it to have a calm, happy dog when I got home! It also made it easier on him to not be in a crate all day and he was much happier and more manageable on days he did have to stay in his crate since it wasn't an every day thing. A cheaper alternative to doggy care is a high school or college student that could come let the dogs out and give them exercise and love while you are at work. I paid a college student for a while to do that with Sky as well, $30/week for 2 or 3 days a week, and she would do her homework and watch TV while playing with Sky. It was great for her because she got paid to do homework and I got someone to play with Sky for cheaper than day care. Unfortunately for me, she moved away after that semester, so I was left paying for daycare, but he loves that, so it is worth it to me.
Good luck and I hope you are able to find a good solution. I know how tough that can be! If you do end up needing to rehome her, please carefully research whoever you give her to and go so far as to do a home visit and consider making them sign a contract saying they will give her back to you if they ever can't keep her (as opposed to her being dropped of at a shelter). I am sure you know these things, but I just had to throw that out there! Good luck and keep us posted!
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Actually...I have that book but stuck it away and forgot about it until now...I dug it out! I actually think I have a DVD that goes with it also! We live in the boonies...60 mi. from any doggie day care but I do have a friend who might take her on my long days...she is going there this weekend as we're farming out dogs to family and a friend and have someone coming in to watch the rest of our animals....this is the 1st weekend in a couple years we get to "get away". I know about contracts etc. and I really don't want to give her up but wonder if she would be happier...it never hurts to remind anyone to "be careful" finding a perfect home isn't always so perfect! Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Jane,
To even consider rehoming sounds to me like maybe you already know the dog is not as happy as she could be in your home. You do have a lot of dogs, and many dogs thrive in a pack situation: my Jack is independent and happy-go-lucky and the more activity, the happier he is. When we had one dog I knew he was not the happiest dog, though he had a good life and never acted out. Having another dog in the house has just made him that much more content. You have the opposite situation and while as I said many dogs thrive in a pack, others find it not to their liking.
If you feel your lovely girl is just not suited to the situation, then by all means find a better one for her. If you feel a few tweaks to your routine would be enough to make her really truly happy, then that would be great too. Since you breed as well, of course your primary mission is to make sure each dog you have ends up in a great environment, whether that is with you or someone else.
When we got Maddie, from the same breeder we got Jack, she said she likes to place her retired dogs in homes where they are one of one or one of two because they just thrive on the extra attention she simply cannot give them. And she primarily places adults into homes where she has already placed a puppy, as then she already has a relationship with the owner and knows they are going to a good Corgi home.
Just a thought, but much as I love my dogs I do know that if I thought one of them was not really as happy as he/she could be in my home, and the situation was not easily fixed, I would not hesitate to rehome.
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Beth, that is really good advice. It's a fine line to walk- making a lifelong committment to a dog, but at the same time loving them enough to do what is best for them!
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Just another thought: you said this,
"she is a loving well trained dog but when I look at her I feel like she misses out on what she needs."
It really sounds to me like you already know the answer to your question, in your heart.
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Permalink Reply by Deanna on
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Hi, Jane! I recently had to re-home one of my Corgis, Ladybug, because I knew she wasn't happy. As a matter of fact, she was terrified all the time of the alpha female, Topaz. Topaz had been attacking her every chance she got without provocation. When I came home, Ladybug just clung to me, making Topaz attack her even more viciously when they were out of my sight. I've already received emails on how well Ladybug's doing at her foster home awaiting placement. She's out of harm's way and thriving. Is this maybe not necessarily a "needy" behavior so much as it might be a dominant behavior one of your other dogs is displaying against her when you're not around? If so, then even considering re-homing her is a start in the right direction for her. She appears to be tiny, like Ladybug. Topaz was actually twice Ladybug's size. Therefore, Ladybug had not a chance to defend herself. I miss Ladybug, but I knew it was in her best interest to go to someone else's home where she could be alpha -- or at least have a couple of boys to flirt with -- LOL! -- She really got along great with Dooley and Frankie -- so the adoption/rescue is concentrating on putting her with a loving family that has no other females. Just a thought here.
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HI Deanna,
I don't believe that any of my others are picking on her as she has been this way since we got her (she's my2nd corgi) BUT I will do some alternate switching to see if that makes any difference. I usually keep my dogs separated
in 2 or 3 groups when I'm gone but I will try some other type separations. Rainy plays very nice with the others and she will put them in their place also. She is not a tiny dog she's probably "normal" From the day I picked her out and she just cuddled up to me and seemed to say "save me" ! She is good with other dogs but doesn't care for pups.
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Hi, Jane -- I just read this AFTER I messaged you. This is a great idea to help you observe different patterns of her bonding or playing or just being with others! It's obvious from all you've written that the two of you are bonded, so take time to watch, pay attention, and just don't make a sudden decision until all facts of the situation "smack" you in the face -- LOL! And they will, Rainey will let you know!
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Permalink Reply by Wendt Worth Corgi's on
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Just my own experience that I will tell you about might help you. My first Corgi was use to not getting alot of attention from the previous owner but traveled all over with them along w/the other dogs. She was given to me for my daughter. At the time I only had 3 dogs. She was very needy but that was okay. When I realized she wasn't the quality I wanted and started to bring in new stock I noticed a change in her. She was still happy but felt it wasn't fair to her since the attention would be less then what she deserved in what I was doing. My daughter agreed which was shocking since she was only 4 yrs old at the time but I think she saw that Mesa wasn't the happiest as she could be. I found a wonderful lady in VA who was into horses and very dedicated to her animals. We hit it off and told her to come out and visit but this was no gaurantee she would be getting the dog. All depended on how they reacted w/one another. Well, not only did her and I hit it off so did she and Mesa. That was 4 yrs ago and we still talk to this day and in her photos she sends me I can see that sparkle in Mesa's eye and a smile again. She is truly happy and not for a moment do I regret my decision. As hard as it was to make the decision, it was the right one. So if you have just an inkling of it, more then likely it is the right one. You know dogs and your intuitive to them.
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Jane, I wanted to let you know, too, that dogs are very good at bonding with their new families.
It took all of two weeks for Madison to be completely attached to us. I am sure she would be thrilled if she saw her old owner again, but she greets us happily when we come home, looks back to make sure we're following if she's out walking in the woods with us, jumps up to cuddle and follows us around to see what we are up to.
Dogs, as you know, live in the moment. Unlike people, they won't feel abandoned and wonder what they did wrong if they end up in a new home (assuming it's a good one). Maddie was a bit nervous for the first week til she figured out her place in the new family, but she has settled right in and is a happy dog.
She does not suffer separation anxiety, but she too is a "needy" dog who has to be in your pocket all the time you are home, and I do think she enjoys her new situation very much.
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