help, this dog is ruining my life!?

Question

my father bought my son a welsh corgi for christmas. this was a little over two years ago. the dog was a puppy at the time and we lived in an apartment. the dog ruined our carpet and we had to more (i paid over a $1000 for carpet replacement). the dog has an anxiety disorder, an immune diffencicy that doesn't allow him to supress the mange parasite (about 300 bucks for medicine, 3 times a year). you can't have his nails trimed without being put to sleep (vet wont even do it, puts the dog under too much stress) and continues to go on the carpet even though he gets taken out constantly. constant barking.....i could go on forever. training hasn't helped. i don't want to give him to anyone else becasue of the expense they would have to take on, but i don't want him to be put to sleep (vet suggestion). help. oh, and my dad won't take him. please don't suggest that, we've already tried that route. he blames us for poor training. whatever.....help please. for the sake of the dog.

Answer 1

Speak to a person at a breed rescue. Since you don't want to actually work on training him. There should be a corgi rescue near you somewhere. BTW dad is probably right.

Answer 2

I think there are some excellent suggestions here. Crate the dog and keep him off the carpet to start. Change foods if you haven't already. See a second vet. Sometimes another vet will have a different approach. See a dog behaviorist. Some trainers board the dog while they train. Might be a thought and give you a rest and maybe a fresh perspective.
You didn't say what your son thinks of the dog? He might be the one who should be walking his dog on concrete for long walks at least twice a day. The Bach remedy is helpful; works for people too. Some of the antidepressant meds are being prescribed by vets for dogs with anxiety.
Sounds like you need to vent, then try some of the suggestions posted here. You've already decided to keep the dog. Might as well accept this dog as he is. Acceptance doesn't mean approval, you know.

Answer 3

This sounds really tough. If you've really tried proper training for the barking and peeing, I don't know what to tell you.
Have you tried to litter box train him inside?
It sounds like he has a lot of medical issues that can't be avoided.
As far as the nail clipping you can try over time to get him over this. Touch his feet and play with his nails for a few seconds every day. Do it for longer and longer each day and eventually touch him with the clippers and work up to clipping a nail or two.
If you didn't ask for this dog then I would be furious with your father.
If you do make the decision to euthanize, which I think is extreme, make you father be there when it is done. A dog isn't a gift for a kid, it's a life change and long term commitment!
If you would like to find him a new home, advertise him as a corgi in need of patience and medical care. There may be someone out there who really loves corgis and can commit the time and energy. You may be able to advertise through a corgi rescue group.
Also, I know that quite a few corgi's are de-barked. This is a very controversial procedure, but if it's life or death for the dog, maybe you should talk to your vet about the option, or maybe a new vet. Your current vet, who recommends euthanasia due to inconvenience sounds like a jerk to me.

Answer 4

Well, if you live in the UK, you can bring him to me.

Unfortunately, it seems I live on the other side of the big pond. As to the mange problem. Buy a bottle of Surgical Spirit and a bag of cotton wool. Dunk the cotton wool in the Surgical Spirit and make sure you clean the area where you think he has mange. You add a good quality Aloe Vera Gel and seal in the cream with liquid patroleum or vaseline. He doesn't suffer from anxiety disorder, but from what you tell me, he is cheesed off and perhaps somewhat disoriented, because his body is itching and maybe some parasite is bothering him.

You obviously will need two people to handle him, but there appears a serious trust issue which makes it difficult to communicate with him. Vets are not allowed to force animals against there will to treat them, hence the full anaesthesia. Point is, how much exercise does he get and where do you walk him? Concrete floors invariably file the nails, but if he is overweight and his nails growing too long, it may be difficult to clip them. If he is regularly exercised in the woods, he should not have such problems.

Please understand, without taking this the wrong way, there are people out there who do not care how much they have to spend on their dog in order to get it healthy, but I understand that money can be a hurdle when one is struggling.

The constant barking could be a sign of so many things. Again, is he on a chain, is he indoors, is he sleeping alone, how much attention does he get? Corgi's can be very alert and territorial, I know, as I have 3. They never barked though, till 1 who had been placed, was returned home. It took me 9 months to reprogramme him. He's been back 6 years and as happy as Larry, but he was transformed into a barker. He is fine now. Again, I have to stress the nutrition.

In your case, maybe start with some rescue remedie Bach Flower remedies or Valerian in his water. Also, add some St. John's wort in his food. He obviously is exhausted and entirely stressed out. He is frustrated, because you are not hearing what he is saying to you. I wish I could come over and help you. But perhaps you are able to start with these basic suggestions.

Answer 5

Ok, dog with big problems. And anxiety too by the sound of it.
We look after a spaniel who has a lot of probs after an accident. He is obsessive compulsive and partially incontinent, So our care has to revolve around what he can cope with not what we think he should cope with. It works. He can be a fun dog if we work with his problems, and we adapt routines so we all feel less stress.
You need help, get a dog behaviourist to come and work with you and the dog. Get an anti bark device like the bark buster and trim the nails by making sure the beastie spends a good deal of time walking on pavement or concrete. Restrict the dog to non carpet areas or a crate until you have the behaviour issues under control. I think master corgi is using his urinating issues as a dominance behaviour because it gets him so much attention and trips out. You dont say how long you walk him for. Try loooong walkies...a tired dog is a quiet happy dog! Good luck and pay no attention to the unkind things people have posted....it is sometimes hard to know how to deal with a high strung hound and they are not an easy breed.

Answer 6

I have a hard time believing that he has an anxiety disorder. They are a working breed and need A LOT of mental stimulation and physical activity. If they don't get enough exercise they can be incredibly destructive. And it's NOT their fault.

If your Dad claims poor training, it makes me think that maybe you tried a little and then gave up. It also sounds like he picked the wrong breed for you and your family.

What's done is done. If you really want to do what is right by the dog (now), I would look into a Welsh Corgi rescue and see if they can take him and find him a home that understands what he needs.

Answer 7

Well, chances are, your father purchased this poor dog from a pet store. Pet store puppies come from puppy mills, which causes a whole host of problems.

There's not much you can do about his sickness, but if you are not already, I would suggest feeding him a holistic food, such as Wellness, Canidae, Innova, or California Natural.

Nearly every dog can be trained. Have you tried clicker training? It might be helpful in housebreaking him.

Sounds like this dog has major problems. Is it possible that the dog has a brain disorder? Without meeting him, I can't tell you for sure, but it seems possible that the dog is just "mental", due to poor breeding and poor treatment in the early stages of life (before you got him).

Find a behaviorist who has worked with "problem" dogs in the past, and get a professional opinion.

Answer 8

perhaps he needs more training. Are you doing the training yourself, or did you get professional training? Some dogs require more training than others. I would suggest you pick up Dog Training for Dummies cuz it really helps understand dog behavior and psychology. If all else fails contact Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer.
I wonder how old your son is. If you murder this dog because he's an inconvenience to your pocket book and eardrums what lesson are you teaching your child?
I feel very sorry for your dog.
If you don't want to bother rehabilitating your dog of it's problem behaviours then I would suggest finding a no kill shelter or a corgi rescue where he has a chance of finding a familly that wants him.

Answer 9

First off, why did you let your dad buy you a dog? Pets are the worst presents. It's like giving baby chicks at Easter. For the sake of the dog and your pocket book, bring your dog to a rescue shelter and kiss it good bye. Then do not get another dog. Some people are just not meant to have dogs or cats or birds or anything else until the are emotionally and financially ready. Pure breed dogs almost always come with big dollar problems. And never let your dad buy another animal.

Answer 10

i am VERY, VERY sorry. i love my dog so deeply, i, too, couldn't give him up no matter what.

poor training may have something to do with it, but the dog clearly has major medical issues. i had a dog that i lost this year due to medical reasons. it just seemed like there was no reason for me to have to kill him (i will NOT mince words - he deserves that at least), but i could find no solution. it was one of the worst situations of my life, and i do everything i can to put it out of my mind

please - do what is best for the dog. find a GOOD other vet to give a second diagnosis. can this fellow have a good life? if he can't, you must let yoru love for him overcome your grief.

i hope to heaven you find a better solution

Answer 11

1. He needs a LOT of play and exercise to get rid of the anxiety.
2. A high potency vitamin supplement may help the immune deficiency.
3. I have never had my dog's nails trimmed.
4. Consult Cesar Milan "The Dog Whisperer" guy on TV. And maybe he has a book that can help.