Have you ever had a dog you didn’t like?

[poiuytrewq]

I don’t mean long term as such but for some reason ended up with a dog who wasn’t “you”
The pick a dog thread made me think, everyone has such different tastes and likes.

I have, I think her story was posted here at the time.
Jess, a collie who’s owner I knew, the dog I found quite irritating and looks wise wasn’t my thing at all so I said hello to her most days but never encouraged her over or made a fuss of her.
The owner was taken ill and Jess was left alone in the house. She was let out and fed twice a day by relatives but after a while I decided I felt sorry for her so loaded her and her stuff up and took her home.
Was probably less keen on her in my own home. She didn’t like my other dogs and being a collie was very intense.
Few weeks in the owner died. I went ohh sh**
Anyhow, the relatives plan was a postcard “free to good home” in shop windows
She stayed.
She became “my” dog. Hung out with me, walked with me, curled up on the sofa with me and basically won me over!

In a million years I’d have never had her out of choice.

So stories of dogs you actually haven’t wanted or liked very much?

 

[planete]

Nothing permanent here, but I had one foster I would not have considered keeping. He was a small bull lurcher, bright but would not take no for an answer, either from me or the other dogs, could not be distracted or, only distracted momentarily, and would wait for you to think he had given up and sneakily go back to chewing the table leg for instance.

 

[Clodagh]

I had a spaniel, few years ago now. OH wanted a spaniel, got her as a puppy and I just never bonded with her, or her me. She didn’t acknowledge my existence and I really struggled to acknowledge her! I found her untrainable and seriously hard work, let alone the peeing everywhere when happy/sad/excited etc.
I sold her at a year old and he said she was one of the best dogs he’d ever had. He sent me a photo of her today actually, he’s on holiday with her. She is his shadow.
So a different happy ending to yours but she taught me that selling or rehoming a dog is not the end of the world, as long as you do right by them homes wise.

 

[Jenko109]

My current GSD x BC.

Before her I had the most amazing BC x labrador. We were so naturally in tune with each other and she was just the perfect dog.

So I got my current dog a short while after the other died and I think the shoes were perhaps too big to fill.

My current dog has not just naturally slotted into life like my previous one. She has been a challenge at times and I never felt the strong bond I had had with the previous one.

It honestly took a few years. Of course I loved her, but i wasnt in love with her in the same way and found myself somewhat resenting her reactivity and missed the ease of the previous dog.

Starting agility with her made all the difference and now my heart is filled with pride when she tries her heart out round a course for me, desperate to please and will completely switch off to other dogs around her while shes 'working'

Doing a sport together has really built the bond and I love the bones of her now, but that certainly has not always been the case.

 

[Goldenstar]

I had Yasmin my parents Lurcher she was no trouble apart from being a terrible bully with Pearl when she was little.
I always knew she missed home and missed my Dad who she loved and he loved her she witnessed his decline and he was subject to violent episodes she was old and sad having gone from being abandoned injured, we found her starving in a ditch near the A1 she had a home she loved and then lost it .
I was glad when she was gone.

 

[meleeka]

It’s taken me two years to warm to my current dog, a GSD. I knew her previous owners and rehomed her to FIL. He died, which left her with MIL, then she died so we ended up with the dog. I found her too clingy in the beginning and she was a bit spoilt so I wasn’t really a fan. After two years she’s much more the personality I like and I’m attached to her now. A lot was probably my fault as I think I fed her insecurities by forever telling her off (I’ve never shouted at her, but I think dogs just know when they aren’t loved) Feel a bit guilty writing that as she is such a sweet girl.

 

[Clodagh]

Doing a sport together has really built the bond and I love the bones of her now, but that certainly has not always been the case.

I completely agree that if you can work/play/ compete together it completely changes the way you look. I have an amazing bond with all the dogs that work for me.

 

[Red-1]

I have ended up loving them all, even Cracker-dog, who is not my type, who I inherited from mum.

Quite often I hate them for a while, until we all settle in together. Not them exactly, but the noise, fuss, poo etc.

 

[SadKen]

Had a jack Russell when I was little. He was a great playmate but did not meet 5yo me’s expectations of a dog. I wanted him to want to be with me and enjoy my company as much as I enjoyed his; he preferred dogs by a mile. I wanted to pick him up and cuddle him; he would bite. I wanted him to come back when called; he did not. I wanted to be his favourite person; my dad was, and even he was way down the list. I liked him and loved him because he was our dog but I will never have a terrier again, they’re too independent and the humour they provide doesn’t outweigh the downsides for me.

I have GSD now and they are 5yo me’s perfect dog. Except too big to lift.

 

[meleeka]

Had a jack Russell when I was little. He was a great playmate but did not meet 5yo me’s expectations of a dog. I wanted him to want to be with me and enjoy my company as much as I enjoyed his; he preferred dogs by a mile. I wanted to pick him up and cuddle him; he would bite. I wanted him to come back when called; he did not. I wanted to be his favourite person; my dad was, and even he was way down the list. I liked him and loved him because he was our dog but I will never have a terrier again, they’re too independent and the humour they provide doesn’t outweigh the downsides for me.

I have GSD now and they are 5yo me’s perfect dog. Except too big to lift.

Horses for courses isn’t it. My JRT was everything I love in a dog. She was brave and bold and independent and thought she could take on the world. She was never scared of anything. My GSD who I posted about above, is none of those things. I’m not a very physically affectionate person, so maybe that’s why.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Years ago I popped in to the RSPCA for another dog and said, give me a dog, any dog will do, except, perhaps not a terrier. Wasn't too keen on yappy dogs.
The man returned a minute later and placed a tiny black 12 week old bundle in my arms. Looking at the little scrap, I said, ' but it's a terrier'. He apologised and reached out to take her, but I shook my head and didn't let go. My policy was always the first dog in need of a home, is my dog, despite my preconceived ideas of a perfect breed.
Apparently, she was one of a litter abandoned at 4 weeks in a shop doorway on a freezing night. Some of the puppies died before they were found.
We had her for 16 years and she was deeply loved.

 

[Auslander]

Bruno nearly got sent back many times in the first year of ownership, as he was so difficult! He came from a rescue, after a pretty rotten early life, and he was a weird mixture of aggressive and clingy. I couldn't take him out in public, as he used to snarl and snap at people, he bit me several times when I tried to get him off the sofa, and he growled at me whenever I moved if we were sharing said sofa! He wanted to eat my cats, so they had to live upstairs and come in and out through my bedroom window, and he was a terror for barging out of the front door and legging it, which was a real problem, as my front door opened onto a small parking space and a fast rural road.
I didn't feel like he liked me at all, and I missed my old dog even more because he was so miserable the whole time. I agreed to some sessions with a behaviourist, who sorted all the big problems, and he started to grow on me as we both relaxed.
Nowadays, he is the sweetest, kindest, most loving goofball, and we are pretty much joined at the hip - I can't imagine life without him

 

[SilverLinings]

It's so nice that you stuck with him @Auslander , in your photos of him on here he always looks like he is happy with life, which is lovely after a bad start. He looks like such a distinguished old gentleman with his grey hair, he is a very handsome dog.

 

[AmyMay]

Jack came to live with us after his owners decided to move in to sheltered accommodation and couldn’t take him. I’d walked him for three years so knew him well. I was very fond of him (and Daisy adored him) so offering to rehome him was a no brainier.

He was very opinionated, could be aggressive (bit me and my niece) and was generally quite grumpy, and I spent the first six months of owning him sort of regretting having him. I was quite strict with him (he’d create all holy hell if you told him to get off a chair etc), and I do regret that. I also regret not appreciating how hard the move was for him ( despite him knowing us both very well). He adored my OH and tolerated me. He would make the most adorable cooing when being cuddled by my OH.

I only realised that I really loved him when he became ill. And the afternoon he crawled on to my lap for some love broke my heart.

We gave him a wonderful 18 months, but I wish I’d done some things differently. And next time I’ll try to be a more understanding person (we may be rehoming another ).

 

[Auslander]

It's so nice that you stuck with him @Auslander , in your photos of him on here he always looks like he is happy with life, which is lovely after a bad start. He looks like such a distinguished old gentleman with his grey hair, he is a very handsome dog.

He really is a delight = everyone who meets him thinks he's wonderful, and no-one believes me when I tell them how horrid he was at first!
He was stunning when he was younger, but he has aged pretty well too!

 

[SilverLinings]

@Amymay you are another owner who has done an amazing thing by providing a dog in need with a good home for life. Jack sounded like a strong character when you posted on here when you had just taken him on, but it always sounded like you were trying to do your best by him; the weight loss was amazing for a start. It is sad that he 'only' had 18 months with you, but that was 18 months where he was cared for properly, taken for lovely walks with another dog for company, was a healthy weight and had a stable home. And you did right by him at the end, which was the biggest and best gift anyone could have given him.

 

[Cortez]

Not for long.....

 

[SadKen]

Horses for courses isn’t it. My JRT was everything I love in a dog. She was brave and bold and independent and thought she could take on the world. She was never scared of anything. My GSD who I posted about above, is none of those things. I’m not a very physically affectionate person, so maybe that’s why.

funnily enough I’m not physically affectionate with people either- have a mr bean reaction to hugging- (but I do like to cuddle animals). I don’t like needy animals either, but I do like to be part of a partnership or team with my animals and our JRT did not require a partnership or team, at least not one with me in it he did give us hundreds of hilarious stories and I wouldn’t change him because of that and because now I know what I don’t want in a dog.

I always found this e-card funny.

 

[ArklePig]

Perhaps different to others as I chose her rather than ending up with her like some have. I spent the first 8 weeks of owning my dog wondering how I was going to tell people I sent her back to the rescue. She had a lot of challenging behaviour and sometimes I felt like she hated me, but she didn't, she just didn't know how to be a pet. I loved her from the moment I met her but she was a nightmare in many ways and I felt like I was letting her down. It got gradually better and we bonded more and more.

You could take her from my cold dead hands now, I quite honestly feel that I would die for her. We still have our moments but 95 percent of the time we live in bliss together.

 

[druid]

Yep, had him a year now. Have zero bond with him, don't like him much but he doesn't know that. He's nicely trained (he belongs to a client) but he does nothing for me as a working dog in terms of impressing me. He's a bit dim (not a bad thing in a spaniel), clingy as hell and I don't like his head. He's currently up for sale.

 

[honetpot]

To me dogs are like your children, you never know really how they are going to turn out, and you love them not matter how annoying and frustrating they are.
My last lurcher was completely self centred, like the worst boyfriend ever, ate all your food, and all he wanted to do was lie on the sofa,lolalty 0.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

funnily enough I’m not physically affectionate with people either- have a mr bean reaction to hugging- (but I do like to cuddle animals). I don’t like needy animals either, but I do like to be part of a partnership or team with my animals

This is me too. To be in sync with working your dog/horse is fabulous and my dogs mean everything to me but not in a sloppy way, I don't do 'furbabies', yeuk.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Interesting responses. I always felt guilty and not having liked her at first.
I can still say we never had that, or maybe she never had that complete adoration that I’ve had with previous dogs, maybe mostly Dougal my last dog.
I think it’s because she was adult aswell as not being my choice of dog.
It would in reality put me off getting another adult, which is sad and why the pick a dog thread made me think of this.
maybe I’m wrong there.
Has anyone got a dog as an adult and honestly felt the same way about them as their dogs from pups?

 

[TheresaW]

We got both Bo and Toby as adults. Bo as 4yo 4 years ago, and Toby at 7 last year. Bo is my dog of a lifetime. I love Toby as much as I love Luna who we’ve had since a puppy.

 

[Clodagh]

I don’t love Red. I like her, she’s a sweetie and I understand her tiring foibles are not her fault but I just struggle to warm to her. I am fond of her and think she’s amazing but love… no.

 

[JJS]

Interesting responses. I always felt guilty and not having liked her at first.
I can still say we never had that, or maybe she never had that complete adoration that I’ve had with previous dogs, maybe mostly Dougal my last dog.
I think it’s because she was adult aswell as not being my choice of dog.
It would in reality put me off getting another adult, which is sad and why the pick a dog thread made me think of this.
maybe I’m wrong there.
Has anyone got a dog as an adult and honestly felt the same way about them as their dogs from pups?

I’ve loved the rescues and re-homes just the same as the ones we’ve had from puppies. It’s never made a difference to me or made me feel like they’re any less bonded than the ones we’ve had from being small TBH, though, I’ve never had a dog I haven’t liked - although some have definitely been harder work than others!

 

[meleeka]

Interesting responses. I always felt guilty and not having liked her at first.
I can still say we never had that, or maybe she never had that complete adoration that I’ve had with previous dogs, maybe mostly Dougal my last dog.
I think it’s because she was adult aswell as not being my choice of dog.
It would in reality put me off getting another adult, which is sad and why the pick a dog thread made me think of this.
maybe I’m wrong there.
Has anyone got a dog as an adult and honestly felt the same way about them as their dogs from pups?

I’ve only ever owned one puppy, but rehomed 4 adult dogs. Honestly you probably couldn’t pay me enough to have a puppy again, so yes, I think you can feel the same about them if you get them as adults.

 

[CorvusCorax]

One JRTxLabxFoxhound that we rehomed and had a long and happy life with a new family and a GSD bitch who was physically sound and very pretty but very unhappy in the head and my mother elected to have her PTS, which I think was the right decision. We tried to rehome her but were told 'no one wants a dog like that'.

 

[Cortez]

Interesting responses. I always felt guilty and not having liked her at first.
I can still say we never had that, or maybe she never had that complete adoration that I’ve had with previous dogs, maybe mostly Dougal my last dog.
I think it’s because she was adult aswell as not being my choice of dog.
It would in reality put me off getting another adult, which is sad and why the pick a dog thread made me think of this.
maybe I’m wrong there.
Has anyone got a dog as an adult and honestly felt the same way about them as their dogs from pups?

Yes, absolutely. In fact the puppy I have just acquired and had for 4 months now, has a bit of heavy lifting to do to get to the same level as my two other dogs that I have had from 18mos and three years old respectively. She will get there, and is a dear thing, but the other two are definitely higher in my chain of affection.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Has anyone got a dog as an adult and honestly felt the same way about them as their dogs from pups?

My sister has. Her current collie/lurcher is her absolute world. She took her on at just about a year old and she is a lovely dog though not really my sort. Her previous pair were adopted as a pair at 6yrs and more of a pity acquisition. Dearly loved but not 'special'.