Should I get rid of my dogs?

Question

I have three dogs. The first I got 6 years ago, another one just a year ago and another just a few months ago. The second dog we got from a puppy mill and couldn't stand to leave her there. 4 months after we got her, I had a baby and now she does not listen to a thing I say. She's intolerable and we are losing patience with her. The third dog was adopted from the humane society. He was a sweetheart and a good dog from day 1, but now is starting to pick up bad habits from the second dog. Dog 2 barks all the time and now so does Dog 3. My baby is now crawling everywhere and I have my hands full - not so much with the baby, but with the dogs. We love them so much and enjoy spending time with them and feel guilty about getting rid of the last two because of their recent bad habits since the baby arrived. They are good with the baby and he (now 10 months) enjoys them greatly. Should we get rid of them or try extensive training? Our hearts are breaking!!

The first and second dogs are female and fixed and the last is male and fixed. The problems aren't just barking. It is Dog 2 digging, eating diapers from the garbage, jumping on the stove or kitchen table and eating things - WHILE I'M STANDING THERE!! They just don't listen. They look right at me when they do bad things! :(

Answer 1

You should definetely check out some training options. Try an In Your Home trainer...I dont know where you live but try www.betterdog.com They can Really help!

Answer 2

From personal experience -- try the training first -- it will surely help dog 2 and can't hurt dog 3. If you don't give him/ them a chance, you will regret it for the rest of your life and be wondering "what if". You've got a lot on your plate, but let hubby do the training class. As an immediate measure, a little home training: If you can isolate dog 2 in a small room, carrier, or kennel most of the time -- let him out only when you or hubby can keep your eyes on him (15 minutes at a time?) -- reward him every 3 to 5 minutes for SOMETHING when he is not doing anything bad -- immediately back in isolation the second he does something bad -- and so forth. I think you'll get some quick relief. If he's smart (and it sounds like he is) then he'll get it fast AND you're showing the other dogs they can't do those bad things either.

P.S. If this doesn't work, you don't have to adopt out all 3. Once 2 is removed from the situation, 1 and 3 should be pretty easy to get back to where they were.

Answer 3

The reason for their behavior is this, now that you have a baby are you still walking the dogs daily for at least 45 Min's a day? Are you just letting them play with each other? If so that is your problem, dogs need to be walked and played with daily for about 45 Min's everyday, discipline, feeding and affection, I would highly suggest getting some video's by the dog whisper, Cesar millan, he is great and teaches us how to handle dogs and issues that arrive that can be corrected in minutes, while baby is sleeping watch some of his video's that can be bought in a book store or if really busy go onto his website @ cesarmillan.com and read and watch some of his pod's, that for sure will help you decide if you want to keep the dogs, and their behavior can quickly be resolved by his tactics, he does wonders and you can learn a lot from him, and besides, you sound way to kind and have a heart for these animals and I know if you did get rid of them when you could have corrected the behavior it would only make you feel worse. I know how it is to have a baby and puppies running around - your husband as well. Just look him up and you will see what I mean. I am positive this will help you. Good luck and there is a silver lining on the cloud, you just have to reach for it. :0)

Answer 4

If you really want to keep them and try to make it work, start with the barking. I'm not too fond of the bark collars, because I don't really like how it shocks them. I just got a new puppy and she barks soooo much! So i did some research, and i found a no bark monitor! I found it on eBay for about 40 bucks. It works like a charm! You just set the monitor somewhere near the dogs, or mount it on the wall and everytime a dog barks, a hi-pitched correctional tone sounds. It's irratible to the dog, so they will learn that if they bark, then an awful sound will then follow.

After that is taken care of, I would look into trainers that can "train" you to train them. I'm sure it will be tough with the baby boy. But with some work, it will work!!! It takes time :)

Answer 5

Raising dogs really has many similarities to raising children. Consider this a life learning experience and get it right with the dogs so that 17 years from now you will be pround of your daughter or son because you had done some darned good parenting. Your baby AND your 3 dogs need your attention--but not at the same time. This becomes an exercise in juggling your shedule around them as well as normal household chores and possibly even work. You need to make time for play with the dogs and the baby as well--but not at the same time.

The behavior from your dogs that you describe is typical of dogs who are jealous that another dog or a baby has joined the household and are upset over the amount attention that they are no longer getting. In their heads, ANY ATTENTION from you is better than NO ATTENTION. They will continue their antics and likely become more destructive in the house until you establish yourself as the one in charge and also establish some basic household expectations and rules. Sounds like raising kids, doesn't it? You can quickly and easily get them on a routine and control their behavior by using crates when you are not actively engaged with them separate from the baby.

I am guessing before the baby, your dogs were your babies and they have just been moved down a few notches. This becomes important to them and may lead to some aggression toward the baby that can easily be prevented .

Dogs need a routine to function best and cannot be given free access to the house. If you are not using crates for confinement, start doing so. When you are busy with the baby or with meal preparation or house work, they should be in their crates. They should be in their crates at night and a good 6 hours during the day--but make those 6 hours consistently the same time each day, so they settle in for the duration when confined. You will notice that they not only start to seem more engaged with you in a cooperative way when not crated, but they will also start to just go to their crates on their own when you are busy with something in the house. But that latter behavior starts after you set the groundwork.

You will need to set up a schedule so that baby gets baths, feeding, and one on one attention while the dogs are crated. But when baby is napping, which it should also be doing for a couple 2-3 hour times daily, you are either doing your chores or doing something with the dogs. You probably can take them for a 20 minute leash walk together once a day and they will think they have gone to heaven each time. When they get home, they get a treat and go to their crate for a few hours so you can address other household matters or the baby. They also get a lot of satisfaction from just having you toss a ball for them for 20 minutes--the key is that you and they are doing something together.

In the evening, try to set aside an hour when adults, baby, and 3 dogs are together --watching television, perhaps. Try not to sit on the floor or play games until you are confident that they can be trusted to no longer have an interest in stealing, knocking over, etc. After a few weeks, popcorn and a movie at home would likely work. Use the popcorn as a treat. It becomes a game. Say a dog's name and tell it to "sit" --one kernel of pop corn tossed at it to catch is the reward. Suddenly you will have regained your power over them--and they will love you for it.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

What do you think? Would you be better off with 1 dog? 2 dogs? I have 3 rescues And they are a hand full. Can you afford obedience training? Only you know what is best. Can you give the dogs the attention they deserve? If not you should probably pick one that you believe is adoptable, and give it a new home. It would tear me in two giving any of my dogs away. But if I was having the problem you are I'd have to do it.

Answer 7

Uh you don't get rid of pets because you have kids now - they were your first responsability before the child came along - and should still be your responsability - they are acting out just like if you had othre children to the new addition to the family - you wouldgive another child away if you had a childe who acted out & poorly because of a baby would you ?

Call a very good trainer in - it will cost you if you want or retrain your dogs yourself - don't let them misbehave at all - its like training a child give them an inch they take a mile - stick to your guns & your responsabilities - spend some time with your dogs they feel left out and ignored - walk them even if its not as long as you use to walk them - playfetch - give each personal time -

Its work but they are your responsabilitity. If you sadly do chose to rid of them :( NEVER send a animal to the local Pounds look up no kill shelters/ rescues
It will all work out fine

Answer 8

It is not advisable too get rid of your dogs, since most dogs get depression when they are away from good owners. Instead, I would suggest that you give each one of them an equal amount of attention, since the dogs are probably jealous of the baby. If you can't pay attention too them, I'd suggest maybe training or do something too keep them entertained, such as let them watch the AnimalPlanet. If none of those work enough, take them too a doggy day care. Keeping a dog might be useful too, as you won't have too hear your kid complain about not having a dog, andthe dogs might even be playmates for the child when the baby's older.

Answer 9

I would try the extensive training since you already have the dogs and care about them so much. If that doesnt work, it might just be too much to handle for you, i cant imagine a baby and 3 dogs!!! If u want to take them to a place they wont be put down at call 856-642-0004..its the animal sanctuary in mt. laurel. They take surrendured animals but will NOT put them to sleep or give them to a shelter. They will either adopt them out or have them go to a foster home till they get adopted. That should ease your mind quite a bit if you end up having to give them up.

Answer 10

The worst thing i ever had was a dog teach the other dog bad habits. It is hard to break them from their habits on your own. So i would get try extensive training. But from now on i would stop the bad habit from the get go or you'll be in hot water again.

Answer 11

I am tired of people who adopt too many pets and they get "annoyed" that they actually have to take care of them, and then get rid of them as if they are disposible. You took on this responsibility, and it is a responsibility for life. Just get the youngest puppy training. A responsible dog owner would train it's dogs to not bark. If you can't do that, you should never have gotten dogs, irregardless of whether you are planning a family, I know plenty of people including my family that has well behaved and well taken care of pets and a baby. They might simply be jealous, and that is easy to over come. If you do get rid of these dogs, don't ever get pets again, you are not qualified to own them since you just get rid of them if they don't act like perfect decorations.

Your dogs sound out of control, and that is your fault. Your kids will be that way too, if you don't start putting down your foot, training your pets and teaching your children. I mean if htey do it right in front of you, you havent made it clear you are queen of your house -- you need to do that with dogs. I suggest you get training so you can handle your pets.