Question for any dog experts. In our separation/divorce process by ex moved into an apartment last year that doesn't allow any pets. It's one of the more affordable places in our community and he can't afford anything else. He was going to re-home his dog when he moved but he kids flipped out so I agreed that she could stay behind in the family home with me and the kids. She is "his" dog because I am not a pet person and don't do anything to care for animals. And this one I actually didn't even agree on, he just went out and came home with her. But it's been 9 years, and she's a cute little dog who we all love, the kids feed her and play with her and she cuddles with me and sometimes sleeps with me, so it's fine. We have a fenced-in yard so she has never really been trained nor has there ever been a routine for walking her as she can just do her business in the yard. She's a rat terrier and that breed is known for running so whenever she spies an open front door, she takes off and roams around the neighborhood. She doesn't come when she's called and comes back home when she's good and ready to. This happens an average of once a week when the weather is warm and the kids forget to make sure the doors close behind them or someone leaves the garage door open or whatever. She's also a barker and barks like crazy whenever someone comes to the door or passes the house.
We are moving into a rental home this summer that is on a main road without a fenced in yard. The owners of the home live in a home connected to this one but the two houses are separate and don't share walls. They are dog people and have two small dogs of their own. My concerns are that my dog won't get along with theirs, will bark non-stop, will be miserable only being walked a few times a day instead of being able to just come and go in the yard, and will dart out the door onto the main road and get hit by a car.
I have scheduled an evaluation with a trainer for a few weeks from now to see if they think she can be trained to adapt to being in a house in close proximity to other dogs and on a main road without free access to the yard and also come when she's called and get along with other dogs off leash. There is a dog run in the yard so she will be able to run around outside but because she doesn't come when called and isn't socialized to play with other dogs, I can't take her to a dog park and let her run free. I feel so bad thinking that she won't be able to safely run free again when she's had 9+ years of being able to go outside and run around and chase squirrels whenever she wants to.
Has anyone been through a similar situation of having to give a dog a lot less freedom? Is it even fair to do this to her? It seems so mean but then I think it's only for two years (I should be able to buy a house again 2 years after our short sale goes through), lots of dogs don't have fenced in yards, and it would be less traumatic for her, I think, than having her go and live with a new family.
I think that if she has a dog run (I assume you mean some kind of pulley rope with a leash attached so she can actually run a bit, not just a medium length leash attached to a stake in the yard), then she will be fine. If it's not a long pulley-type dog run, buy one.
I think the trainer is a great idea for getting information on the best way to introduce her to the dogs next door.
Forget about trying to "train" obedience into her. If she was a dog that was receptive to this, it would have happened already, & the likelihood of your accomplishing it to be adequate for keeping her safe without putting other precautions into place is low. That doesn't mean she wouldn't benefit from some form of training, so by all means, meet with the trainer & find out what you can do to make the transition smoother, especially in helping her to adapt.
Regarding keeping her safe, these dogs are notorious for having a mind of their own, & an impulsiveness to darting. Since there is a fenced run in the back for her, I am assuming you can leash-walk her to it & it will be secure for her to stay in? If not, & the backyard is a problem, consider getting a temporary fence. We have the green garden fence (comes on a roll, & is put up on metal stakes that are stuck in the ground.) There are a variety of heights & colors, it is easily pulled up, and because you stake the ground before hooking the fence, you can make it any configuration that you need.
Regarding doorways in your house, you can get some type of gating for inside the house. What would probably be most ideal is a dog exercise pen that you can arrange in a semi circle around the doorway, with either a short height that you can walk over, or a higher pen with a gate that you open, once the door is securely closed.
Garden Fencing: http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=83...
Exercise Pen: http://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Exercise-Pen-30-Inch-Black/...
These are just examples - the ex pen you might even be able to find on Craigslist in your area, but can also be gotten at most pet stores, & even some places like Walmart or Fleet Farm/Tractor Supply.
Hope this helps! T. :)
If you have no fence, she needs to be leash-walked. Period. Do NOT let her run loose. Your kids will be heartbroken when (not if, but when) she gets run over.
So sorry you are going through this. I'm glad you are having a trainer come to discuss.
Off-leash training and "come when you're called" is really the last, and most difficult, aspect of training. It's not reliable for a very long time, and you simply don't have the time to do that. Moreover, upsetting the dog's entire environment by putting her in a new home is guaranteed to throw off any training you could possibly implement.
Dogs bark when people come to the door - that can be a good thing. Not stopping is another program. I have a terrier now (4.5 years) and had one before her (14 years) and the barking didn't stop. You can consider a bark collar. You also may have to install automatic closers on the doors. The dog is just not going to run free - accept that. She's going to be on a leash or on the dog run, period. She's housebroken and she is perfectly capable of going for hours without being outside.
I think re-homing a 9 year old dog who's already been through some changes is going to be very traumatic for the dog. She's considered a senior dog and her options are limited even if you find a great shelter (there are several in this area - message me if you want to). It may be easier to acclimate her to a new house which at least will have her family in it. In fact, it's a problem to leave a small dog in a fenced yard anyway - they are favorite prey for big dogs, hawks, and coyotes. Maybe you can install a smaller fenced enclosure for her that's also protected above from predators. Good luck.
Honestly unless you had 3-4 acres before, a fenced yard is not so great for a dog. Your dog is small but all dogs need to get out of their yards. We have a fenced yard but still walk our dog all the time. A yard gets boring for any dog. So as long as your dog can learn to hold pee/poop until she is walked and you regularly walk her, she should be fine. Getting her to come to you when she's off leash is probably a tall order at this point given her history. That's a hard thing for many dogs to be good at 100% of the time. But maybe she can learn to get along with other dogs in the dog park. Dogs off leash are much better about not fighting usually. Leashes make them defensive. And lots of dogs bark at the doorbell or when someone passes the house. That's natural. My dog comes when called and gets along fine with other dogs off leash bc they kind of work out who is dominant but he barks like crazy at the doorbell and all.
when we moved from a house with a fenced in yard and a doggie door for the dogs to be in or out as they wanted they had to ajust to using tie outs since there was no fence we all got used to it. they did well with it and now we have fenced in the yard so the dogs can run free in it, but we still lack a doggie door.and the dogs are still ok with it.
i would keep her, train her and play with her and walk her often. she will ajust, it may not happen right away but she will get used to it and be ok for those 2 years.
I really respect you and been through a hell of a situation with your ex and his daughter. I am not bashing you just concerned about this terrible situation from my experience with rescues and animal hospitals.
- This dog should have been trained 8.5 years ago and everybody is old enough to shut the door.
- Your dog could be killed or severely injured...are you prepared to spend thousands of dollars to help him or just go ahead and euthanize him.
- He doesn't listen because he's not trained and you leave the door open. - - Do you and the kids look for him right away when he gets out. How much time does he just run free?
- Have the dogs meet each other to see if they get along before you move in. We did that last time we adopted our shelter dog. The dogs that live there will probably be alpha.
- Yards without fences are just crazy. Dogs to not need to run the neighborhood (that's just wrong).
Good luck , C.
So glad you have a trainer coming! It's time to train your dog and your kids! They will need to put her needs first. Great life lesson!! The kids HAVE to shut the door or the dog could die. Very simple concept. The kids flipped out at the idea of giving her away. Just think how they would feel if she got hit by a car. Closing the door to keep our dog safe was something we taught our son since he could open a door.
They will also HAVE to learn how to leash her in the yard on a regular basis and walk her. Dogs love walks. She will be happy exploring her new neighborhood (safely on a leash). You are not a pet person but you have a pet, so it is time to gain some control in your home.
I have to tell you that I think that it's time to get your dog a new home. She won't be retrained. She's too old for that. She'll run and end up either getting hit by a car or won't find her way home, and someone will pick her up and take her. And THAT'S the best scenario.
This same thing happened to my sister's dog. She can't talk about it to this day. The not knowing was really awful for her.
She will adapt. This is a teeny dog- is there a long hallway inside where she can chase a ball? Terriers can have a high prey drive, ie love to chase! If she is missing her real squirrel chases, you can give her a sub indoors for a while.
You could ask your landlord about installing some self-closing hinges on the doors leading outside. Not foolproof, she can still dart out, but they help as you can't leave the door open by mistake.
Terriers can be like little kids, much nicer to be around if you burn off their energy every day! Walks, yes, but you can also play with her!
Good for you for stepping up and helping your kids keep their dog. Many karma points for you :)
You should build a dog run at the new place. Ask the landlord to go half with you and you'll leave it there when you move.
Put it against the back of the house where the back door is. So when the kids go in and out it will keep the dog in a fenced in area.
Everyone in your new place MUST understand this dog will be car stupid. They won't have the foggiest idea about traffic and that they are going to die. You and your family must understand dog outside means dead dog. Period. So they have to take measures to go in and out into a fenced area.
You can use chicken wire, pig wire, chain link, etc...plus 6 posts. One for each corner and a couple to do a gate out into the back yard. This way if the kids are going in and out they can use this door and if dog gets out they have a chance to grab it and put it back in the house.
