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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Loving a dog enough to let him go

July 25, 2011 9:47 a.m. Drewsifer Dork

I come to guys with a serious moral quandary. We have a beagle/foxhound dog named Bucky. He's a little over a year old and still super full of energy (which I'm sure will stay the same for many years). Here's my problem.

We also have a 3 month old Baby who is obviously the main focus of our attention. So when I'm home during the day, I can't take him out to walk or play very much. and I have a new job that's going to require me to be gone for 42 days at a time. And while my Mother-in-law will be here helping my wife, neither of them are really dog people.

I love my dog so much. But we don't have room for him to play, and for right now we just don't have the time to give him the attention he needs. So my question is, is there a point when you have to love a pet enough to let them go to another home?
July 25, 2011 9:51 a.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

I think if you're feeling that you can live up to your end of the bargain with your pet, it might be time to find him/her a good home. It's not an easy decision but I think it's a matter of what's good for the dog.

If I were you I'd start looking for a good home for him before the pressure to do so gets to the point that you'd have to lower the standards because it's gone from "we should find him a new home" to "we really need to find him a good home".
July 25, 2011 9:53 a.m. RossD SuperDork

I gave my 4 year old lab/retriever mix to a family of guy at my work. Not only is it better for my old dog, it's better for me. I'll still ask about her and her stupidity, but I don't think I need to see her, I'd probably well up.

I am single, work usually 9 hours a day, work 40 minutes from home, and by the time I would get groceries on the way home, I was gone for 12 hours. Not good for the pooch. Now she has a nice fenced in yard, another dog, and kids coming and going to play with. And now I have my indepedence back.

It's hard, but easier since I knew she was going to a good home.

She has a better life now.

Dolly's puppy picture:
July 25, 2011 9:57 a.m. Karl La Follette Dork

Walk dog around neighbor hood see if you can find someone close , so you can visit . Don't forget to mention the $100 bucks in free dog food that goes with dog
July 25, 2011 10:01 a.m. RossD SuperDork

Yeah, the family I gave my dog to, got everything I had for for her. No money involved.
July 25, 2011 10:05 a.m. triumph5 SuperDork

In a word, yes, as the above posters have pointed out. Thankfully you're not doing the "we'll just drop you off here" in the middle of nowhere, or inner city.

When I was in high school, I worked for company that serviced pools at the eastern end of Long Island. Every year, we'd find "the summer pet" wandering around or dead when we'd go and winterize the pools. It'll hurt for a while, but, you're doing the right thing. And maybe you could go for a visit!
July 25, 2011 10:05 a.m. N Sperlo HalfDork

Give him to a family member or a good friend. If that is not possible you can always visit the house of the person taking him and make sure you are putting him into a good home. When I see someone hurt an animal, I feel homicide is nearly justifiable.

When you find an acceptable home for your pup, doing charge a "rehoming fee." Many loving homes will not pay them. I wont because I'm giving the dog that you love a good home. I'm not buying them from you.

I only take dogs that need a new home. I don't buy them. I will gives a rescue group money
July 25, 2011 10:13 a.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid HalfDork

Make sure you find a home for your dog. DO NOT let yourself break down and send the dog to the pound. If it comes down to nobody will take it, look up local foster groups and do an owner surrender.

As a dog foster that's the best advice I could give you in this situation. It sucks to let a pet go like that.
July 25, 2011 10:14 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

Can you fence the backyard and install a doggy door? Giving them the freedom to come and go, and to handle their business on their own really improves things for both dog and owner.

I see a young pup and a young baby as a great pairing, as the kid will be able to grow up with the dog. Kids need dogs.
July 25, 2011 10:54 a.m. Karl La Follette Dork

You also might consider the security of your family when your away , i hear tell dogs make awesome watchdogs .
July 25, 2011 11:07 a.m. N Sperlo HalfDork

Dave and Carl bring good points. Isabelle, my German Shepherd/ Australian Shepherd mix is a fantastic guard dog. Its hard to believe when her 100 lb ass falls asleep on my lap. If anything is out of the ordinary, she lets us know. Quickly.
July 25, 2011 11:07 a.m. Drewsifer Dork

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Can you fence the backyard and install a doggy door? Giving them the freedom to come and go, and to handle their business on their own really improves things for both dog and owner.

I see a young pup and a young baby as a great pairing, as the kid will be able to grow up with the dog. Kids need dogs.

We live in a townhouse right now, so our backyard is a 5x5 piece of grass. We'll be moving in about 6 months. There's a doggy day care we take him to twice a week to play with other dogs that he really likes. The problem is my wife and mother in law don't like to take him when I'm gone (which pisses me off the no end).

I don't want to give up my dog. But at the same time, I know sitting inside all day, and getting enough activity isn't good for him.
July 25, 2011 11:39 a.m. Karl La Follette Dork

get rid of Mother in law first its the dog then your cars then youdog sitters near you
July 25, 2011 1:48 p.m. Mental SuperDork

Another bit of advice.

If you look for a home that isn't a friend or family member, do charge the re-homing fee. Peaple tend to treat free things like free things, and a dog should not be treated as such, especially one you care for. This just screens peaple coming to your door wanting one of those summer pets mentioned before, or even worse; scumbags looking for bite dogs.

My weenie dog came that way, but he "waived" the fee when he saw how my other dogs lived.
July 25, 2011 2:11 p.m. Drewsifer Dork

Karl La Follette wrote:

get rid of Mother in law first its the dog then your cars then youdog sitters near you

So get rid of the person who's offered to live with us, for free, and help take care of my son, for free, while I'm gone? Sorry man, as much as I love my dog my human family comes first by a long shot.
July 25, 2011 2:30 p.m. Karl La Follette Dork

Sorry man nothings for free by a long shot ,,,,,,,, somebody gave me a 14 by 70 mobile home trailer for free once <<< note to self do not accept free trailer s unless they are spartans or airstreams >>
July 25, 2011 3:10 p.m. N Sperlo HalfDork

Mental wrote:

Another bit of advice.

If you look for a home that isn't a friend or family member, do charge the re-homing fee. Peaple tend to treat free things like free things, and a dog should not be treated as such, especially one you care for. This just screens peaple coming to your door wanting one of those summer pets mentioned before, or even worse; scumbags looking for bite dogs.

My weenie dog came that way, but he "waived" the fee when he saw how my other dogs lived.

I know I said it once before, but few animals are treated like mine and when I look for a pet, I don't even call the people asking for a re-homing fee. I just can't afford it. I WILL make sure the pet stays healthy through the vet. You're choice, but you turn off good people as well when you do that.
July 25, 2011 5:31 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

N Sperlo wrote:

Mental wrote:

Another bit of advice.

If you look for a home that isn't a friend or family member, do charge the re-homing fee. Peaple tend to treat free things like free things, and a dog should not be treated as such, especially one you care for. This just screens peaple coming to your door wanting one of those summer pets mentioned before, or even worse; scumbags looking for bite dogs.

My weenie dog came that way, but he "waived" the fee when he saw how my other dogs lived.

I know I said it once before, but few animals are treated like mine and when I look for a pet, I don't even call the people asking for a re-homing fee. I just can't afford it. I WILL make sure the pet stays healthy through the vet. You're choice, but you turn off good people as well when you do that.

While I respect your opinion I agree with Mental. Its not to say that the rehoming fee can't be discussed once I know you and how you will take care of the animal, but its a good way to weed out the folks who will not take care of the animal right off the bat.

Pet ownership is not cheap. Over the past 3-4 years alone my vet bills are in the tens of thousands of dollars. If someone can't afford a small rehoming fee they probably cant afford good veterinary care either. Many times my deal is I will refund the rehoming fee once you bring me paperwork from your vet showing you had a full check up and got the pet established with a vet (this is especially true when rehoming parrots, I wont do it without a guarantee of a vet visit). Again, that's not to say I wouldn't drop the fee for the right person once I got to know them, but its a good starting point. If it scares off a few good potential homes that's something I will live with over the larger amounts of bad homes it tends to screen out.

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