When would you recommend rehoming?

[crazedACD]

I would say this is hypothetical, but it's really not.

Now I'm not a 'professional dog trainer' by any means, but I do try and help my customers the best I can when they come into the store. One woman in particular has had trouble with a puppy she adopted from Day One...I believe she was told it was going to be a Lab/Beagle, not too big, and turns out it is a Lab/Great Dane..and is quite large. The puppy was playing too rough with her Corgi, was pulling, knocking down the kids. We got that all sorted out, gave her some books to read, recommended ob training, all went pretty well!

She stopped in a few months ago and told me the dog had randomly eaten her living room furniture...he had been fine previously/not destructive. I recommended crating and working up being alone until he has proven that he won't be destructive. I believe I've seen her once since then, all was well, no more problems.

She stopped in this week....he ate her second set of living room furniture, has been getting worse and worse, and went partially through a wall. The dog has been intimidating/bothering her partner, although he doesn't display the same behavior with her. I asked her about crating him again and she was concerned about him barking and whining in the crate. We went over some different SA techniques and she got some Rescue Remedy, she may look at something from the vet to help with anxiety.

The woman just isn't a 'big goofy dog' person. She would be fine with an easy dog I think, but personally? I just don't think this dog is the right dog for her. She doesn't completely 'get it', I don't think.. And it's not like I (or any other trainer) would be able to help the dog much without actually living with the dog, if she isn't willing to put the time or take the steps to fix the issues. She is willing to throw money at the problem, but if she doesn't understand what she is doing...she's not going to get anywhere.

Would you recommend rehoming to someone more dog savvy? Or do you think maybe a professional trainer could break everything down for her?

[AdrianneIsabel]

Only the owner can make that choice, I am comfortable with rehoming when it is no longer a positive environment for the dog and the owner.

I would recommend her to a trainer first though.

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

Only the owner can make that choice, I am comfortable with rehoming when it is no longer a positive environment for the dog and the owner.

I would recommend her to a trainer first though.

This.

[Fran101]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

Only the owner can make that choice, I am comfortable with rehoming when it is no longer a positive environment for the dog and the owner.

I would recommend her to a trainer first though.

This.
I recommend rehoming when the down-side of owning that animal (the work, the training, the exercise that is necessary to keep the dog happy and healthy) is not longer seen as "worth it" in comparison to the rewards (love, companionship of that dog)

If they don't see it as a labor of love worth doing..it's not going to get done and that dog WILL suffer one way or another.

Sometimes it's just a bad match. One that could potentially be dangerous even.

[Taqroy]

Originally Posted by crazedACD

Would you recommend rehoming to someone more dog savvy? Or do you think maybe a professional trainer could break everything down for her?

I'd recommend a behaviorist. Honestly, without a behaviorist we would have had to re-home Tipper. And the things the behaviorist gave us to do? Really not that difficult. I followed a lot of advice from friends (both online and IRL) before we went to a behaviorist and I really really wish we had skipped that and gone straight to a behaviorist. It would have saved me a lot of heartache.

ETA: And if behaviorist isn't an option or not something they're willing to do, then yes I'd be comfortable with rehoming to a better fit.

[milos_mommy]

It totally depends on what the owner is willing and able to do. I know people who weren't looking for a big, rowdy, high energy dog, but that's what they ended up with and they stepped up and a got a trainer and became more active and dedicated more time to the dog and all turned out well.

I know people who researched a breed, got a dog of that breed, dog was ever-so-slightly not what they expected (slightly more fearful of strangers, slightly more energetic, etc.) and they just couldn't handle it.

If she is willing to work with a trainer, adapt her dog-handling techniques, and step up to give the dog the exercise it needs, I don't think rehoming is the best option.

If this dog is going to be crated most of the time, she is unable to adapt her training techniques to suit him, etc...and he's getting yelled at, set up to fail, and locked away, then rehoming is probably a good choice.

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by Taqroy

I'd recommend a behaviorist. Honestly, without a behaviorist we would have had to re-home Tipper. And the things the behaviorist gave us to do? Really not that difficult. I followed a lot of advice from friends (both online and IRL) before we went to a behaviorist and I really really wish we had skipped that and gone straight to a behaviorist. It would have saved me a lot of heartache.

ETA: And if behaviorist isn't an option or not something they're willing to do, then yes I'd be comfortable with rehoming to a better fit.

This is much how I feel about it.

[spiffy]

We dog lovers know how wonderful these animals are. Unfortunately, there are instances when the personality of the dog does not jibe with the personality of the owner. An expected ideal owner/pet relationship would turn into a bad partnership.

A trainer/animal behaviorist would be the first option but if things do not turn out for the better then rehoming would be the next best recourse.

[adojrts]

It is a hard call for us online, we don't know the dog nor the owner. But it sounds like the owner is seriously failing the dog and will continue to do so. Some folks are just not skilled, don't understand and frankly are unwilling to change any of that. If the woman wasn't going to step up and train/manage the dog after it destroyed the furniture and wall the first time, she isn't going to now. Rehoming the dog before it does becomes worse and/or hurts/kills itself might be the best option.