Dog Is Too Much Work

Oh I hear you loud and clear. I have two German Shepherds and although they are well behaved (they are older), they are a lot of work. I am SO done with dogs at this point. I'm sick of the hair, the mud, the feeding, the POOP and now (with the humidity) the smell.

So, I understand. But, in truth, if you want the dog to be a respectable part of your family, then he needs some boundries and training. Both of my dogs were in training when they were younger. I took our older dog (now 12) to the advanced level and I used to be able to walk her without even holding the leash. We took our dogs to TOPS in Grayslake. They were really, really good. They don't focus on food as a reward but rather on correcting unwanted behaviors with a leash and collar AND rewarding with praise and affection. Their thought process is that we want our dogs to obey us because that is what they are trained to do - not because we have a treat in our hand.

Both of my dogs are allowed in certain parts of the house. Mostly, the kitchen and living room. They don't go in the boys bedrooms (they have carpeting) and will come in our room once in awhile when we let them.

With the nice weather we have been taking our boys and the younger dog for walks at night. Dogs need some exercise in order to keep them out of trouble. They have all this energy that they NEED to burn off (especially at only 2) and if you don't burn it off with exercise - they will find a way to do it themselves.

Good luck.

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Sounds like your dog needs DAILY EXERCISE, training and daily brushing. Petco offers reasonably priced classes. Don't count on your husband... leave him home with the kids and go train or exercise your dog. Dogs need daily walks.

Get a crate and when people come over crate the dog. Try giving her a special treat in the crate to occupy her so she doesn't bark.

Have you had her for two years? If so, you're going to have to do a lot of "un" training. Both Labs and Shepherds are smart. If your bedrooms are on the second floor, train the dog to not go on the second floor. Use a gate, use treats.

Switching her food to a high quality brand or raw diet might also help with her energy level and maybe the shedding.

I understand you're frustrated, but this dog is a life that you welcomed into your family. You have to make time for her. All dogs shed. Labs and shepherds tend to bark. Dogs can live 12 - 15 years. These are the things people need to think about before they get pets. So many animals are in shelters because people do things on impluse and don't think! Pets are a huge commitment, they are work. The work is reward with unconditional love.

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One recommendation that I haven't seen so far for the vaccuuming/shedding problem is getting a Roomba, the robotic vaccuum. It's expensive for an initial investment (approx $300), but if you get Model 560 you can schedule it to vaccuum at specific days/times. I have a 13 month old daughter, two dogs and two cats (I won't ever have this many pets again!). Needless to say, hair is a constant issue in our house. The Roomba didn't solve all of the problems, but it's allowed us to vaccuum more often while doing less work.

A quick tip for buying one, if you can't get one through Cosco or another discounter, wait for a 20% off coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond. Their prices before the coupon were comparable to most places we shopped, but the coupon made a huge difference.

Good luck!

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I am a mother of 3 and work full-time. I wanted another dog sooo bad after having to put our second one to sleep. My choice came down to a Weimeraner. Little did I know how hyper and how much attention they need. It has been very overwhelming. She also likes to jump. I always thought shockers & kennels were not the way to go. Little did I know that it would give me back some of my sanity :) The shocker really isn't a shock. It feels like when someone touches you and there is static electricty. It has saved a lot of aggrevation and worked very well. We only use it as a last resort and to correct the bad behavior. Good Luck!!

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One thing that will help before any training is a daily walk. Put the kids in the stroller & all of you will benefit by getting some time outdoors.

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I put our dog on the treatmill everymorning regaurdless if we are planning on going for a walk that day or not. He always goes with us for walks. He wears a Halti so he can't pull...a lifesaver! A well exersised dog is a well behaved dog. I also bought a shaver from PetSmart and shave him down every spring. He has Golden Retriever in his so he is a big shedder!

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