Re-home a dog

It is with much regret that I've decided that I have to do something with one of my dogs. He is a neutered 3 1/2 year old boxer/sheepdog cross. He is fine around me and my wife most of the time, but too many other problems that leave us with no choice.
1. People are afraid to call as he barks and jumps up on them.
2. We have to keep the front and back door locked all the time, as he jumps up and opens them.
3. He barks constantly at any car/person that walks past our house. We have a new-born in the house...just dozing off, and he barks like mad then!
4. I also have a Samoyed pup, a year old, and she has become afraid of him. Totally submissive to him, afraid to eat in case he takes her food. I have to stay with them every feeding time, or else he will take hers too.

We have tried everything, plenty walks etc, but he is just a very hyper dog, and definitely not suitalble around children. I wouldn't have it in me to have him put down, as I have grown very fond of him. So I'm left with no option only to try get him re-homed. I'm in Tipperary, so I'm sure there's somewhere close by. But I don't know how these places work. If he is not re-homed after a period of time, does he get put down? Is it possible to ask them to try re-home him, and if they can't to ring me and I'll try somewhere else? Or what about dog pounds? Ideally, a big open farm with plenty of space to run around, and no children...that would be perfect. Please help, as I want to do something soon, eventhough I'm going to miss him terribly.

cocker5

slookie wrote: »

It is with much regret that I've decided that I have to do something with one of my dogs. He is a neutered 3 1/2 year old boxer/sheepdog cross. He is fine around me and my wife most of the time, but too many other problems that leave us with no choice.
1. People are afraid to call as he barks and jumps up on them.
2. We have to keep the front and back door locked all the time, as he jumps up and opens them.
3. He barks constantly at any car/person that walks past our house. We have a new-born in the house...just dozing off, and he barks like mad then!
4. I also have a Samoyed pup, a year old, and she has become afraid of him. Totally submissive to him, afraid to eat in case he takes her food. I have to stay with them every feeding time, or else he will take hers too.

We have tried everything, plenty walks etc, but he is just a very hyper dog, and definitely not suitalble around children. I wouldn't have it in me to have him put down, as I have grown very fond of him. So I'm left with no option only to try get him re-homed. I'm in Tipperary, so I'm sure there's somewhere close by. But I don't know how these places work. If he is not re-homed after a period of time, does he get put down? Is it possible to ask them to try re-home him, and if they can't to ring me and I'll try somewhere else? Or what about dog pounds? Ideally, a big open farm with plenty of space to run around, and no children...that would be perfect. Please help, as I want to do something soon, eventhough I'm going to miss him terribly.

Do you mind if i ask what have you actually done to try and calm him down? except from walks?

my cocker was mental too we got a trainier in and she recommended we cycle him... which we did and after 2 months he was a totally different dog.

Have you looked at what food you are feeding him? dog food can be a huge cause of hyperness and negative behaviour etc :rolleyes:

you said you have a new pup and a new baby they are 2 massives changes in such a short space of time... have he always been like this or just recently?

if he's always been like this then unfortunately you should have addressed these issues a long time ago, but im sure this behaviour can be addressed with teh help of a professional.... have you looked into a behavioural specialist?

The jumping up and barking can easily be addressed with consistent training

ppink

slookie wrote: »

We have tried everything, plenty walks etc, but he is just a very hyper dog, and definitely not suitalble around children.

What have you tried?

Pounds I think give a few days before pts, rescues are mostly chock a block and busy trying to save pound dogs too i'd imagine.

it sounds like you have made your mind up but honestly I have to say our dogs had no's 1-3 of what you have listed also.

Edit to add: did you get this dog from a rescue originally?

I take him for cycles too, me cycling and him on the lead beside me, maybe twice a week, 4 miles or so. He is just very hyperactive. Someone recommended a trainer here from Waterford. Rang her and chatted, and she agreed to come to Tipp - €25 per week, for an hour a week. She came the first day and taought him basic things like sit, stay etc...stuff which he knew already. Biggest problem is he is very highly motivated by food, and if there is no treat for him, he won't obey. The second week, she was teaching stay, and leave it, when he kinda got excited and let out a growl. She panicked straight away, and said " Get a muzzle on him straight away". She was scared ****less! I had no muzzle, so for the last half hour she was telling me what to do, and I was training him! I had 4 sessions pre paid for, so after that I e mailed her, said I felt it wasn't working, and she refunded me half the money. In hindsight, she was obviously a waste of time, travelling up from Waterford, 70 miles, and back down for €25!
He has always been like this, and I know it's all my fault - first pet and I didn't know how to handle him. So I accept completely that alot of this is my fault. I got him off a neighbour when he was a pup, and I know of someone else who got a pup too, and he turned out the same.
I would love if there was a person like Caesar Milan, or yer one off "It's me or the dog", who would come to the house, witness his behaviour, and help me solve it. I know alot of it is that I need to be trained too, but I need someone proper to show me.

salsagal

Slookie, it sounds to me like you've two choices: either face the fact that if you surrender him to a pound, you're essentially signing him away to be put to sleep. Pounds and shelters, as mentioned, are currently chockers and if he's got behavioural problems, he's less likely to be rehomed before they have to kill him.

Alternative, is use public forums, as Boards/FB etc to see if someone can recommend an animal behaviourist in your area. It sounds like you already know that the solution lies in behavioural training (for you and the dog).

If you liken it to having a medical/physical problem yourself, it's often the case where trying more than one or two specialists is required before you find someone who can help solve the problem properly.

Don't give up! It seems like you're trying to do the right thing...so maybe a bit of perseverence will pay off dividends and you'll reap the rewards:-)

ferretone

Would just add that you don't have to be face-to-face with someone to get great advice and learn how to implement it. Some great animal behaviourists do give superb advice over the phone if you live too far away, and really top-class experts often write very good books, which, if used in conjunction with finding the right person to confer with when you come across a difficulty, can produce perfectly good results. Anything by Karen Pryor is an excellent start, for example.

meoklmrk91

Hi OP,

I have a Boxer so I think I know a little of what you are going through, but you have mixed two highly intelligent breeds that need a lot of exercise to tire them out, sometimes with my fella I think I could spend 12 hours a day walking him and he wouldn't tire out but do something that occupies his mind and he's wreaked after it. Now I know plenty of people might look at me and call me mad when I call a Boxer intelligent, but they really are, that madness comes partly with being a Boxer and partly due to the fact that they are bored off their minds and need something to occupy them.

For instance I took him to a training class last night, 1 hour and he snoozed the whole way back in the car and fell into his bed last night. I think they just take more work than other dogs. Are you in North or South Tipp, I am in Limerick so might be able to recommend some people.

I have had a behaviourist come to the house before and I think it did help, the training sessions are more something for me and him to do for fun and in the hopes of getting into agility in the future.

cocker5

slookie wrote: »

I take him for cycles too, me cycling and him on the lead beside me, maybe twice a week, 4 miles or so. He is just very hyperactive. Someone recommended a trainer here from Waterford. Rang her and chatted, and she agreed to come to Tipp - €25 per week, for an hour a week. She came the first day and taought him basic things like sit, stay etc...stuff which he knew already. Biggest problem is he is very highly motivated by food, and if there is no treat for him, he won't obey. The second week, she was teaching stay, and leave it, when he kinda got excited and let out a growl. She panicked straight away, and said " Get a muzzle on him straight away". She was scared ****less! I had no muzzle, so for the last half hour she was telling me what to do, and I was training him! I had 4 sessions pre paid for, so after that I e mailed her, said I felt it wasn't working, and she refunded me half the money. In hindsight, she was obviously a waste of time, travelling up from Waterford, 70 miles, and back down for €25!
He has always been like this, and I know it's all my fault - first pet and I didn't know how to handle him. So I accept completely that alot of this is my fault. I got him off a neighbour when he was a pup, and I know of someone else who got a pup too, and he turned out the same.
I would love if there was a person like Caesar Milan, or yer one off "It's me or the dog", who would come to the house, witness his behaviour, and help me solve it. I know alot of it is that I need to be trained too, but I need someone proper to show me.

OP…

Please don’t give up on him yet… the pound will put him to sleep within aus if not rehomed and the shelters are bursting at the moment, I know it seems like a pain but if you invest (and I mean time wise) in him you WILL reap the rewards, it will take 2 months or so but you will see a difference in him if you try.

With regard to the cycling, I was advised to cycle my cocker 20 mins 5 times a week for one month, then 3 days per week after that.
I was told this would help release his pent up energy and then the 3 days a week would help maintain this etc…. it honestly worked a teat and he loved it! within 2 months we had a completely different dog, chilled out and happy…. Which means we were happier too.

You have a mix of two very intelligent breeds so therefore he will require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. What about throwing the ball around and training him to fetch and return? This will help relax him.

Also what dog food are you feeding him? Many dog foods can lead to hyperactivity in dogs – honestly this is worth looking into to.

With regard the jumping up on people… what do you do when he does this?
I was told by my trainer to turn my back straight away – do not talk to the dog or say anything etc…. he would learn that by jumping up I turned away (not what he wanted), therefore his jumping up lead to a negative result, it took a few weeks but he learned.

You could also try the water approach – fill a coke bottle with water, pierce the lid and keep it in your hand… EVERTIME he jumps up squirt him, he DEF won’t like it, do this over and over again and he will cop on…. The water method also works to help stop him baking.

I promise you with adequate exercise and training he will be ok, you just have to invest the time in him and it will be worth it.

My cocker was the devils pup when he was 15 months, like a total nightmare, jumping up, barking like a mad man, wrecking the house etc…. I did all the methods above cycling him 5 days per week, the water thing and truing when he jumps up etc., I changed his food… after 2 months he was a total different dog, he is now 7 and has never reverted to his bad behaviour, he is a pleasure to have in the house now and we would never ne without him.

You will only get out of a dog what you are prepared to invest and if you put the time in he will get better, while it seems a lot of hassle at the moment it will be worth it.

Where are you based? Maybe someone can recommend a proper dog trainer, not to teach him basic commands but how to tackle his behaviour etc.

**Vai**

That trainer you got in sounds like a waste of space. You need a proper behaviourist or plenty of time and patience to train him properly yourself. Ideally it should have been done before your child arrived.

If it comes to it I would try rehome him yourself, making sure to disclose all issues to anyone who is interested in taking him. Sending a dog to a pound is generally a bad idea. You might have a non-kill shelter/rescue around your area that could take him. Good luck with it.

Thanks for all the replies lads...gonna give it a right shot and try discipline him starting today. Simple little thing earlier...he always barks like mad when i bring out the strimmers. Today I bought it out, made him go to other end of the lawn, told him lie down and stay. Took 3 times before he eventually stayed, and I was able start it without him going nuts. If that was last week, I would have just been shouting "Shut up Ollie" Lol

cocker5

slookie wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies lads...gonna give it a right shot and try discipline him starting today. Simple little thing earlier...he always barks like mad when i bring out the strimmers. Today I bought it out, made him go to other end of the lawn, told him lie down and stay. Took 3 times before he eventually stayed, and I was able start it without him going nuts. If that was last week, I would have just been shouting "Shut up Ollie" Lol

Fair play for trying to retrain him... With a little bit of consistent training and patience you will see a different dog - best of luck hope it all works out for you!

Do people mind if I ask questions and advice here? How do I stop him from barking? Every morning, when my in-laws next door are going to work, he goes nuts barking as the drive down the passage between the 2 houses. He is always in his pen at this hour, and now the Samoyed has started copying him (and trust me, she has the most annoying shrill bark imaginable!) When they are out during the day, they run down along the passage barking at cars too. So annoying!