What should I do?

So my roommate got a German Shepherd puppy a couple weeks ago. To be honest, I didn't think it was a very good idea since everything I have seen on German Shepherds says that they don't do well at all being left alone much. And he is gone 8 hours a day to work plus two grad classes. This puppy is very bitey and it is really frustrating my roommate. He is now convinced that he won't be able to keep this dog. I feel so bad for the puppy and she is a real sweat heart. I think she has turned a corner with me. She doesn't bite me nearly as much. So he just called me and said he was going to try to find her another home. I want to adopt her but if he is frustrated with her, I don't think it will help anyone. I am kinda pissed and I don't really know what to do.

Teething. Keep her. Now go have a beer.

N Sperlo wrote: Teething. Keep her. Now go have a beer.

I have been trying to tell him that. She isn't my dog. So I don't have any choice in the matter.

Shepards nip. Especially at ankles and legs when they want you to go somewhere. Get her some big rawhide chews. Don't let her chew on you. Keep her.

She's teething. Go to the big pet store and get a 15 dollar flavored cow leg bone. They are huge and do wonders. My Shepherd has ground through two of them in two years.

Edit: and like Mr Wacker said, thats what they do. Keep kids away. She will try to wrangle them.

Well if you adopt her, and you take responsibility for her, then how is it his problem anymore?

Any puppy is going to nip and chew. Tell him to give her a few more weeks to get through the worst of puppy teething (offering appropriate alternatives to human flesh for her to chew on) and then make his decision.

Find another home. If he doesn't want her, better to realize it now and give the dog a good chance at a good home. If you had really wanted a dog, you would have got one. You are emotionally attached to it, natural to want to keep it. What is truly best for the dog?

Nylabone is a super hard, nylon based chew bone. By its nature, the dog chews it into little rice sized kernels that slowly sorta peel off the bone as they chew. Theyre a good alternative to real bone, which can splinter into big sharp pieces.

Our husky is a very aggressive chewer, and has had the same Nylabone for about 6 or 8 months now. It keeps him busy, and the thing gets kind of a raspy surface after a while. The rough texture cleans their teeth better than a real bone. SO now his chompers are pearly white. Costs more than a real bone, but a teeth cleaning at the vet can be $80. Add to that the fact that its outlasted real bones by about 7 months, the cost difference is easily worth it.

You have a full time job, he has a full time job. It isn't right for the dog.

mtn wrote: You have a full time job, he has a full time job. It isn't right for the dog.

kennel training, it works.

sachilles wrote: Find another home. If he doesn't want her, better to realize it now and give the dog a good chance at a good home. If you had really wanted a dog, you would have got one. You are emotionally attached to it, natural to want to keep it. What is truly best for the dog?

That is my problem I do want a dog but right now I don't know that I could give it enough care by myself cause I am at work all day and out of town a lot of weekends. I don't know that it would be fair to the dog if I adopted her.

Do the right thing and get the dog to a place that can give it the care and attention it needs.

I had my dog for 5 years before I realized that I was being selfish with the dog by keeping it couped up in the house for 9-10 hours a day. She is much happy once I gave her to a family of a co-worker. Now she has kids to play with, another dog, a fenced in backyard and is much more socially apt now with people coming and going all the time in a family's home.

It is just really frustrating cause I tried to get him to look at dogs that weren't puppies and look at his schedule but it seemed to all just go out the window. I guess I didn't do a very good job of it.

I think you should start a political discussion with your roommate. Just not here.

Doesn't sound like the right fit for you now. And it's not so much the time issue, as the fact that your roomate doesn't seem to want it. Could that potential cause issues?

To me, the not being home thing isn't as big of a deal. There are a lot of people with dogs that work full time/go to school, etc... We just got a dog a month ago. My wife and I both work full time and our kids go to school. So the dog is in our basement (no, it's not some dark, creepy place) while we're gone. When everyone comes home, the dog gets a lot of high quality attention, and that makes him very happy.

So regardless of how much time you could spend with her, is it the right situation for your living arrangements now...and in the forseable future?

If you were closer to me I'd take her in......I love german shepherds

put her up for adoption while she's still got awesome cuteness.

4cylndrfury wrote:

mtn wrote: You have a full time job, he has a full time job. It isn't right for the dog.

kennel training, it works.

This. All of ours are kennel trained. Wife and I both work full time, and all 3 of our dogs are inside house dogs. The two older ones are free to roam the house, but the year old puppy is still caged while we're at work.

One Border Collie mix, one australian shephard/sheltie mix and the new one is a long haired German Shephard. The year old is in the nipping stage, but we correct her and she understands the instant we go to correct her that she isn't supposed to do that, but being a puppy she has a hard time controlling herself.

I agree your roommate is not the right owner for this dog. You should not be swayed by the urgency of his situation to adopt this dog out of pity. Get the dog you want when you are ready, find this dog another home soon.

yamaha wrote: If you were closer to me I'd take her in......I love german shepherds

I wish you could. I am getting attached to her and my roommate is just horrible with dogs.

If you aren't around don't keep a dog berkeleying the dog so to speak. It isn't fair for a dog to be left alone for hours on end, a dog really need to do a job or something. Sitting around all day isn't the type of life a dog deserves. Too many people get dogs for the wrong reason. Just like having a child but with fur and teeth.

yamaha wrote: If you were closer to me I'd take her in......I love german shepherds

^This...I have 5 dogs already but my GSD passed away 2 years ago and I've wanted another ever since. She's have a good home here and the crazy in my brain is ready to hop in the car and drive down there and get her.

Do right by the dog, if you need help locating a good home in your area let me know and I'll see what rescues I know that operate down there.

JThw8 wrote:

yamaha wrote: If you were closer to me I'd take her in......I love german shepherds

^This...I have 5 dogs already but my GSD passed away 2 years ago and I've wanted another ever since. She's have a good home here and the crazy in my brain is ready to hop in the car and drive down there and get her. Do right by the dog, if you need help locating a good home in your area let me know and I'll see what rescues I know that operate down there.

I wish you could come get her but she isn't mine. I am just worried my roommate will be to impulsive (like his decision to get this dog) and just give it to the first person who says they are interested. I am pretty torn up about this cause I have already gotten attached to this dog. She doesn't really bite me (not like she does to my roommate). She comes up to me and lays on my feet.

scardeal wrote: I think you should start a political discussion with your roommate. Just not here.

So wait, who is your dog voting for?