I do believe my wits end has been reached...

Lady La La

Lady La La

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 September 2010
Messages
3,087
Location
Essex
Visit site
So many things. Where to start :(

Tyson - I cant cope with him and need to stop kidding myself that I will ever be able to. He is too much dog and, special snowflake or not, I need to have a serious sit down and re evaluation of my/his life in general. Cant carry on like this.. going to end up hating him. I find myself day dreaming about how easy life would be if Bryony was our only dog - HORRIBLE, NASTY, SELFISH thing to admit too, but it's true. I feel ***** for him and I feel ***** for me.

Bryony - Cant figure out what the hell is wrong with her. Her ears are thick and inflamed and she's still scratching them. She's still itchy all over. She STILL, despite being wormed and having her anal glands squeazed etc, will not leave her bum alone, licking it all the time. She has started to develop spots around her mouth that she is itching now too, and her paws are bright red and sore - she wont leave those alone either. We've been backwards and forwards to the vets a million times and she has had tablets, antibiotics, ear cleaning fluid, ear drops, stuff to wash her feet with... the list goes on. We have changed her food 100 times, tried her on RAW, tried her on fish, tried her on JWB kibble, tried her on other kibble... no difference. Piriton tablets in her food make no difference - Vet keeps telling me to change things about her diet/life style but nothing seems to be working, and each time we go to the vets we come home with £100 worth of stuff to try and none of it makes a difference. I just want her to be well, poor love :( What started off as a bit of mild itching that I wanted to get checked out seems to have manifested into something horrible.

I dont know what I'm expecting any of you to do... I just... I dunno. Wanted to vent. :(
Someone cyber slap me and tell me to sort myself out. I feel like crying.
 
Have you got a trainer for Ty? I felt like this with Dex not so long ago, (and still do at times) but the trainer has helped massively!

Poor bryony pops!! bathe her in something soothing perhaps? Camomile or summat..... would have thought the vet would have made you try the changes for longer....
 
Ahh Lex I feel like this with Tyson constantly. The sad fact is, If didn't know it would be impossible to find Tyson a new home, I would have given up and done it months ago. No one would take on a Tyson dog. No one wants a dog that cant be let off its lead, and who cant be left in a house without being crated because it chews stuff, and who needs 3 x the 'normal' amount of exercise per day as your average dog.
I know that I have him now and I'm stuck with him - I love him dearly, I know it doesn't sound like it, but I do... I just know that its hard hard hard hard. He goes training and he's bloody good, picks everything up quickly and really enjoys having a job to do... It just all goes to pot at home because I'm not around very much durin the day and then, come the evening after I've walked him for 2 hours and done the horses etc it's time for bed - so no training really happens. Its my fault, I know - he just exausts me.

I've washed B in just about everything I can get my hands on. Its like shes just totally uncomfortable in her own skin. It must be horrible for her :(
 
Tyson - do you think he would be better off in a home that has someone at home more? Some dogs simply do not do well left alone for long periods of time.

Bryony - could she have mange??
 
Oh dont give up...... but I am pretty sure you could rehome him to someone if you really thought this was your only option. What about getting a dog walker so you have more time to do training? or would the expense be too much? Friends/family that could help?

So hard when you love em but they are not the dog you signed up for...........
 
Sounds like you have a lot on your plate:(

Could you try something like cani-cross for Tyson, or running him off a bike or even a scooter? That might cut down the time you need to spend on straight exercise and give more time for training. Maybe ask Cyrus or Blackcob about how to get started?

Also, can you incorporate training into your walks at all? What are you working on at the moment? Maybe people on here might have some ideas on little exercises you can slot into your walks?
 
amymay said:
Tyson - do you think he would be better off in a home that has someone at home more? Some dogs simply do not do well left alone for long periods of time.

Bryony - could she have mange??
Click to expand...

Undoubtedly yes Tyson would - but a magic home like that just isn't going to come along for him. We lived in and ran a pub at the time we agreed to take Tyson on, and when our circumstances changed, along with my job etc we worked out fairly quickly that Tyson wasn't coping well being left alone durin the day - We got him Bryony, spent ££££'s on an outside kennel and employed a dog walker, as well as providing him with a morning walk and a lunch time walk ourselves, and then a 2 hour walk in the evening after work. I've tried everything I possibley can to make our situation at home work for him... and I feel like I'm failing every step of the way.

Bryony - No visual signs of mange (I always assumed mange would show itself in one way or another?) and vet doesn't seem to have considered it a possibility yet. Worth looking into though, getting desperate.
 
Your vet would need to do a skin scraping for the mange.

And you probably would be able to find a home for Tyson - perhaps via a breed rescue site??
 
Last edited:
Spudlet said:
Sounds like you have a lot on your plate:(

Could you try something like cani-cross for Tyson, or running him off a bike or even a scooter? That might cut down the time you need to spend on straight exercise and give more time for training. Maybe ask Cyrus or Blackcob about how to get started?

Also, can you incorporate training into your walks at all? What are you working on at the moment? Maybe people on here might have some ideas on little exercises you can slot into your walks?
Click to expand...

Already tapped the mighty black cob for help with the bike thing. I've taught him his left and right and bought him all the right kit, harness, bike thingies etc... but we just cant seem to crack it. I am still trying with him, but 98% of the time he carts me off sideways at stuff and I fall off. He carted a personless bike all the way across the park after a jack russell and I still couldnt bloody catch him - snapped the peddal off my bike and everything.

When I walk him I do it on a long line usually, and try and keep his focus on me with treats and my voice. we practice stays and waits out in the park and he is learning 'with me' which I use to try and get his attention on me if I've spotted another dog... some days hes great, other days hes Tyson - but no amount of exercise ever seems to change the way he is at home.
 
Last edited:
Lady La La said:
I want to, just haven't figured out how best to control Tyson once Im there!
Click to expand...

Honestly don't worry about that, I don't think I touched Dax the entire time I was there last year, depending on the numbers it might be possible for him to just thunder around the whole time and knacker himself out.

I was thinking that if MM has an old bike we can borrow I'll bring all the gear and Dax can take him for a run up the lane to show him the ropes. :)

And if she likes him I'll take him home but my OH might leave me. :eek:
 
blackcob said:
Honestly don't worry about that, I don't think I touched Dax the entire time I was there last year, depending on the numbers it might be possible for him to just thunder around the whole time and knacker himself out.

I was thinking that if MM has an old bike we can borrow I'll bring all the gear and Dax can take him for a run up the lane to show him the ropes. :)

And if she likes him I'll take him home but my OH might leave me. :eek:
Click to expand...

He will try and climb all over her at first - she will probably ***** herself!
Also, OH's are over rated, Tyson dogs are where its at. :rolleyes:
Take him. take him.take him.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim..take him.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim..take him.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim.takehim :eek:
 
Lady La La,

very few would have the courage to open up with your first post. Well done. Every now and then, even the smart assed amongst us, hit a brick wall!! You're not alone. :D

It would be near impossible, even for the most experienced, to offer an opinion, by internet. The vital point which any advisor would need, would be to watch you, and your dog, and whilst you're together. That way, a realistic assessment could be reached. The only thing which can be cured by internet viewing, is a computer. It doesn't work like that with dogs, generally!

If you'd like to PM me, and if I can help you, then I will. We aren't a million miles apart.

Alec.
 
lexiedhb said:
Can you get calmers for dogs, like you can for horses.
Click to expand...

No idea, but it'd have to be some pretty powerful stuff to knock the Tysinator out. Perhaps I'll whack him some sedalin :p

Re the skin scrape, the vet has taken one, it wasn't specifically for mange but I assume they will test for anything likely to cause her itchyness? I thought maybe it could be flee's but the inside of her ears etc and the spots around her muzzle wouldn't have caused that, I dont think. We've sprayed the entire house for fleas though, just in case.
 
Lady La La..do not despair..I have been in your shoes..I have 3 dogs and 3 horses, I'm single and run my own business..when my youngest dog started growing into a Tyson, bless him, exactly same issues...I felt on the verge of a breakdown constantly.

The problem with a dog like Tyson is he demands so much of your attention and energy..I was a Vet Nurse for 20 years so I am very experienced and knowledgeable with dogs but my 'Tyson' nearly broke my spirit.


My advise for you would be to:Get some Serene-Um Calm tablets from Pets at Home, they are about £20 for a months supply and well worth it. Start Tyson off on one extra tablet than the rec dose on the box. In a week you should see him being calmer.

Once he is calmer, and this may sound weird..but actually cut down on the amount of walks he gets..the routine he is in now is keeping his adrenalin (stress hormone) high pretty much all the time, as he is anticipating activity and he sounds like one of those dogs in who excitement or anticipation of excitement (walks/feeds/you coming home etc) actually activates his stress hormones and feeds his levels of anxiety.

He sounds like he would be better with an early morning walk for a good hour, but in a controlled manner..not just running around wildly, but lead work, 5 minutes sessions practising his training, engaging his brain , not just his body. My 'problem' dog (huge lad) also wears his dog back pack with a large bottle of water in each side to add weight. This means the exercise he does get is more demanding of his stamina, so he isn't exercising for longer, just harder. He also feels he has a job as often , as part of his training, he hast to stop, I unload the waters (always keep the weights level) and he has to wait as I have a drink, and then he has his drink, and off we go again.This one piece of equipment has made a big difference in his behaviour and attitude. Of course, he will have to be trained to carry a back pack but that shouldn't take longer than a few days.

Have lots more tips for you and can offer you some real help, pm me, you are not alone. You have inherited a dog with issues, I really feel for you as you obviously love him. Think of him as having a form of autism almost, it is now recognised that some animals do not learn how we expect them to, for lots of different reasons..he doesn't sound a bad boy, but very very anxious and stressed, through no fault of your own, he may have been born with neurotic tendencies that need careful management.We have to find the key that opens Tysons mind, and I will help you. Where do you live? I could assess him for you and even help you possibly place him with a specialist breed welfare group if he really does prove to not be able to rehab to become a manageable pet.No promises, but there is always an answer somewhere, I learnt from bitter experience after breaking my heart actually making the appointment to take my beloved but quite frankly dangerous dog(to everybody but me) to be euthanised..I asked one last question, to the right person, and we had 5 more years together, and he became a much easier dog (still never was a 'normal', sociable pet type dog, but with careful management he loved his life with me, and ten years after I he passed on, I know he had a happy life with me, and he taught me hard lessons that will stay with me forever)

If you can hang on, the relationship you would have with this dog will be much more rewarding than with a 'normal', easy dog..it will be hard, but no harder than all you have already been through with him...in fact, you should start to see results quite quickly and start to feel much better about him, and him about himself and the world.

Please pm me , even just to talk to somebody who knows how torn, stressed and worn out you feel xx
 
Can't offer any more advice re Tyson than you have already had, but well done for admitting you are struggling, I think everyone on here knows how hard you have tried with Tyson. I do have a bike you could have a practice on if you are coming to the meet up and I have a pretty secure kennel and run so if he was proving a pain I don't think he would be able to get out of there, to allow you to relax for a bit.
Re Bryony, I would ask your vet if he feels it is time for a referral to a skin specialist to sort her problems out if all the other drugs, elimination methods etc have failed. You do have to persevere with those first though, not sure how long you have given the changes in diet etc.
 
Alec Swan said:
Lady La La,

very few would have the courage to open up with your first post. Well done. Every now and then, even the smart assed amongst us, hit a brick wall!! You're not alone. :D

It would be near impossible, even for the most experienced, to offer an opinion, by internet. The vital point which any advisor would need, would be to watch you, and your dog, and whilst you're together. That way, a realistic assessment could be reached. The only thing which can be cured by internet viewing, is a computer. It doesn't work like that with dogs, generally!

If you'd like to PM me, and if I can help you, then I will. We aren't a million miles apart.

Alec.
Click to expand...

I know, I dont really know what I was hoping to acheive by this - I just felt like venting my frustration a bit. I usually just PM CC or Cayla and they send me on my merry little way back to doggy school with stuff to work on - but I think the brick wall that you mention has been well and truely hit this time :( Sometimes I have to leave the room and count to 20 because my dog has wound me up that much, that's not right is it :(
I will PM you, I certainly feel like I have nothing to lose...
 
Are you kidding me? Henry winds me up like that regularly - ok less now than he used to, but he can still tip me right over the edge! I've been known to fling the lead to the floor and walk away from him half way through a walk! The times I've been at the point of taking him back to the rescue centre and leaving him there! The tears I've cried! The damage I must have done to my tooth enamel through clenching my jaw! The bruises - yes really - from digging my nails into the palms of my hands! You really, really are NOT alone on this one and please don't ever think you are!

All I can tell you is, when they do get it, it is wonderful, even though you are always waiting for the next amazing trick they come up with to send you prematurely grey:rolleyes:

Your Dog mag this month and last month had a couple of articles on stress in dogs, if you would like I can try to find and scan them for you.
 
Leah3horses said:
Lady La La..do not despair..I have been in your shoes..I have 3 dogs and 3 horses, I'm single and run my own business..when my youngest dog started growing into a Tyson, bless him, exactly same issues...I felt on the verge of a breakdown constantly.

The problem with a dog like Tyson is he demands so much of your attention and energy..I was a Vet Nurse for 20 years so I am very experienced and knowledgeable with dogs but my 'Tyson' nearly broke my spirit.


My advise for you would be to:Get some Serene-Um Calm tablets from Pets at Home, they are about £20 for a months supply and well worth it. Start Tyson off on one extra tablet than the rec dose on the box. In a week you should see him being calmer.

Once he is calmer, and this may sound weird..but actually cut down on the amount of walks he gets..the routine he is in now is keeping his adrenalin (stress hormone) high pretty much all the time, as he is anticipating activity and he sounds like one of those dogs in who excitement or anticipation of excitement (walks/feeds/you coming home etc) actually activates his stress hormones and feeds his levels of anxiety.

He sounds like he would be better with an early morning walk for a good hour, but in a controlled manner..not just running around wildly, but lead work, 5 minutes sessions practising his training, engaging his brain , not just his body. My 'problem' dog (huge lad) also wears his dog back pack with a large bottle of water in each side to add weight. This means the exercise he does get is more demanding of his stamina, so he isn't exercising for longer, just harder. He also feels he has a job as often , as part of his training, he hast to stop, I unload the waters (always keep the weights level) and he has to wait as I have a drink, and then he has his drink, and off we go again.This one piece of equipment has made a big difference in his behaviour and attitude. Of course, he will have to be trained to carry a back pack but that shouldn't take longer than a few days.

Have lots more tips for you and can offer you some real help, pm me, you are not alone. You have inherited a dog with issues, I really feel for you as you obviously love him. Think of him as having a form of autism almost, it is now recognised that some animals do not learn how we expect them to, for lots of different reasons..he doesn't sound a bad boy, but very very anxious and stressed, through no fault of your own, he may have been born with neurotic tendencies that need careful management.We have to find the key that opens Tysons mind, and I will help you. Where do you live? I could assess him for you and even help you possibly place him with a specialist breed welfare group if he really does prove to not be able to rehab to become a manageable pet.No promises, but there is always an answer somewhere, I learnt from bitter experience after breaking my heart actually making the appointment to take my beloved but quite frankly dangerous dog(to everybody but me) to be euthanised..I asked one last question, to the right person, and we had 5 more years together, and he became a much easier dog (still never was a 'normal', sociable pet type dog, but with careful management he loved his life with me, and ten years after I he passed on, I know he had a happy life with me, and he taught me hard lessons that will stay with me forever)

If you can hang on, the relationship you would have with this dog will be much more rewarding than with a 'normal', easy dog..it will be hard, but no harder than all you have already been through with him...in fact, you should start to see results quite quickly and start to feel much better about him, and him about himself and the world.

Please pm me , even just to talk to somebody who knows how torn, stressed and worn out you feel xx
Click to expand...

Wow, thank you for taking the time to write all of that for me, It's not that I'm not willing to give new things a go, I just want him to be happy and he constantly, every day, reminds me of my short comings and failures when it comes to dog owning. I cant even get the bloody dog to run along side a bike without getting tipped off and braking my bike. Life on a whole is stressful because of Tyson. Im sure if Black Cob or someone with the experience he needs had him he would flourish, god knows he's clever enough - I just cant seem to find it in myself to push the right buttons and do the right things. He hates me most of the time - wont come near me unless he has too - I cant even catch him in my own garden.. he has to be let out for a wee on the long line or else I cant get him to come back in :(
A PM is on its way, and thank you again for offering your help and advice.
I probably sound full of self pitty and woe, but to be hoenst, I am.



MurphysMinder said:
Can't offer any more advice re Tyson than you have already had, but well done for admitting you are struggling, I think everyone on here knows how hard you have tried with Tyson. I do have a bike you could have a practice on if you are coming to the meet up and I have a pretty secure kennel and run so if he was proving a pain I don't think he would be able to get out of there, to allow you to relax for a bit.
Re Bryony, I would ask your vet if he feels it is time for a referral to a skin specialist to sort her problems out if all the other drugs, elimination methods etc have failed. You do have to persevere with those first though, not sure how long you have given the changes in diet etc.
Click to expand...

I feel genuinely at ease knowing that there is a run I can bung him in if he gets too much, providing I remember to bring his spray collar he shouldn't make *too* much noise.
I will suggest that to the vets on Thurdsay which is when we're next back, at the moment I'm just following the vets time scales and guidelines for changing things, we may have a breakthrough soon, I guess its just eliminating each thing one by one.
 
Ah, just noticed you're in Essex :( I'm too far away to actually assess him for you and start to see the options you and him have, sorry. Alecs' offer is absolutely brilliant. I wanted to give you something easy and practical to look into now, and yes, a full assessment in person is the vital first step to find some long term answers..

Hopefully you can talk to Alec and start to feel less overwhelmed..help is out there, can PM you links to really good, reputable canine behaviour specialists who will cover your area.Whatever you do, please don;t take this dog to 'old school'/ out dated 'trainers' who use punishment as their main 'training' method.

Also, about your other poor doggy...two ideas...straightaway, it crossed my mind that her symptoms could be a stress reaction to Tysons' behaviour and your resulting (understandable!)upset/stress..some dogs are very sensitive to other dogs and peoples stress levels and there will be a lot of stress hormones around, through nobodys' fault, please don't blame yourself,you have got a situation there only a saint could handle without stress...so, happy times on her own with you, where you can both relax,with Tyson in his crate and you just have to blank whatever he is doing or feeling out, for your sake and your other dog...and also...do you have any carpets in your house??

If your itchy dog lies , walks, sits on carpets, or sometimes even if they are even in the house in rooms she doesn't go in much..unfortunately this could be a big factor in her itchy problems...I found out I am allergic to carpet after years of bad skin issues...and other species can be too. The easiest way to find out if she is, is to either contain her as much as possible from carpet areas, keep all doors to carpet rooms shut etc, for a period of at least 3 weeks, ...her symptoms should improve . Or do what I did..I went to a big carpet warehouse, when within 2 minutes I could hardly breathe and came out in a rash, I knew for sure it was carpets..be careful with this, as is she is really allergic , don't take her in the carpet warehouse, just being in the doorway should tell you, you don't want to risk her getting breathing problems, obviously.

Could be a combo of lots of things but check the carpet thing out,have any of the vets mentioned this at all? Hugs
 
Spudlet said:
Are you kidding me? Henry winds me up like that regularly - ok less now than he used to, but he can still tip me right over the edge! I've been known to fling the lead to the floor and walk away from him half way through a walk! The times I've been at the point of taking him back to the rescue centre and leaving him there! The tears I've cried! The damage I must have done to my tooth enamel through clenching my jaw! The bruises - yes really - from digging my nails into the palms of my hands! You really, really are NOT alone on this one and please don't ever think you are!

All I can tell you is, when they do get it, it is wonderful, even though you are always waiting for the next amazing trick they come up with to send you prematurely grey:rolleyes:

Your Dog mag this month and last month had a couple of articles on stress in dogs, if you would like I can try to find and scan them for you.
Click to expand...

Sorry, you probably think I'm an idiot. You and Black Cob and CC and everyone who has had a troublesome dog and managed to sort it out without crying or complaining like a tw*t over the internet, or giving up.
At the moment, from a purely selfish point of view, I just want him gone. I know that I owe it to him to battle it out and stick with him, and I'm sure thats what I'll end up doing again, I just dont think its in his best interests to stay with me... I think he hates me, and most of the time I think I hate him a little bit - despite loving every single inch of him.
No he's not the dog for me.. but I have him, and if Black cob or someone similar suddenly decided they would take him home... that leaves the rescue dog in kennels somewhere, that they probably would have taken instead of Tyson.. without a home still... all becuase I cant cope with my own dog.:mad:
 
There are better people on here to help with Tyson than I , just know that you are not alone and vent all you like .

Re Bryony (Hope I didn't get the name wrong ). Years ago with a bearded collie I had ,I had a similar problem . He had a bad cut on his leg or paw , can't remember which and as it was bad took him to vets to see about stitching etc. He was put on AB and sent home . After a day or so he started showing similar symptoms to Bryony . He had spots in his mouth ,around his muzzle and all over his head . We went back to vets and he gave us more AB and he got worse with spots all over his body , refusing to eat etc. We went back and saw the junior vet and he realised that it was actually an allergic reaction to the AB and as soon as they were stopped he got better . So perhaps see if something from the vets might be stirring her skin .
 
Of course I don't, good grief, I have put my fair share of whingey posts up and my mother gets her ear bent about 'that horrible little furry sodbag, you'll never guess what he's done this time!' regularly to this day:o There are days when I could cheerfully drop kick him over a cliff, and there are even times when I loose my temper completely, and then am too ashamed to post about it. :o Also, you need to find CC's post about what happened in the ditch. In fact, I shall find it for you. And I will also do a blog about Henry's latest trick when I get home, because if that doesn't make you smile nothing will;)

If you can get up to the Norfolk/Suffolk border, I can recommend a trainer so please PM me if that would be a feasible journey for you, and of course Alec has also made his kind offer of help. I can tell you that if I had not found my trainer, I would quite possibly not have Henry now - sometimes we all need a bit of help and there is no shame in accepting it. I also totally agree with Leah3horses about finding an open-minded and enlightened trainer who will use modern methods:)

I also don't for one second believe he hates you, because I don't believe dogs have that kind of emotion. Of course that doesn't mean they can't do their level best to drive us batty at times...!
 
I assure you, I have cried buckets over this dog, in the early days I contemplated calling her old owner and taking her back (got as far as dialling the number, actually :o), have sat down in a field and put my head in my hands while she pissed off somewhere and wondered what it would be like if she'd never come home with us, if I hadn't had a horse as well, that I could have gone and done all these successful things, travelled the world, without problematic animals to care for left right and centre, have failed two uni modules this academic year partly because I didn't go to enough lectures because I was terrified of leaving her alone and the damage she would cause, with all the terrifying financial implications that may yet have.

And you know what, she still isn't 'cured', she's still a huge pain in the ass and will never be a neurotypical dog that I don't have to worry about while I'm out and can be let off the lead to romp in the fields, etc.

So please, please don't feel like a failure or an idiot or anything like that, it's bloody hard work, antisocial and draining, and I don't think I'm a better person for sticking with it, just very, very stupid and bloody-minded. :o

Given today's news about my uni results I won't mention Tyson to my OH yet, he's probably already simmering with resentment (:rolleyes:) but he did agree for us to apply to SHCGB welfare and SHWA and as such has given his consent for another dog in the not too distant future.
 
I feel you pain Lady La La & admire you for your staying power, you are a better women than I.

2 years ago, when we moved to North Wales, our lives allowed a place for a dog, so off I went to the local rescues in search of a new friend. After a month or so they had a dog they thought was a perfect match for me, but he was a known home wrecker. We installed an outside kennel & run & then collected Toby. Long story short, Toby not only wrecked houses, he wrecked outside kennels as well! He turned out to be a livestock chaser (big no no in this area) as well. He had to stay on a lead at all times & as we have a smallholding with other animals, he also had to be tied on & supervised at all times. I was walking him 4 hours a day plus training & I spent a fortune on trainers. I loved him to bits, but after he pulled me off my feet a couple of times on the mountain & chased the sheep, I became really stressed & worried about him all the time. I was returning from every walk in tears, often covered in bruises from falling over, crying myself to sleep exhausted every night. In the end I had to admit that I couldn't cope & I had to return him to the rescue centre. They were going to try to find a town home where livestock wouldn't be an issue. I hate that I failed him, but as soon as I handed him over & started the drive home I felt a huge sense of relief.

After a few weeks we went & picked up a little Lab puppy (didn't really want a puppy or a lab!) & he has been a star from day 1. In my opinion this is how dog owning should be, for me at any rate. I enjoy being with him & he is really a pleasure to work with & train. I don't need a challenge right now as I don't have the experience.

What I'm trying to say is I made the decision that Toby was too much for me. I couldn't cope. Do I feel guilty? Yes. Should I have kept him longer than I did? No. We weren't doing each other any good.

Good luck whatever you decide. Just know that there is life after owning a difficult dog. It comes in the shape of a dopey, soppy lab, but with a large portion of guilt on the side :-(
 
Aww Davisn, your Lab sounds adorable. I take my hat off to you for telling us your story with Toby, and I think you did the right thing, you tried so hard but with Toby , he was heading for a tragic incident and I think you probably saved him from a horrific end at the hands of an irate farmer with a shotgun. For that, you deserve all recognition. My beloved Mini Shetland was very nearly killed in front of me by a dog which broke a heavy chain it was chained up with.It went for his throat and wouldn't let go. You possibly saved somebodys' beloved pony or goat etc from being savaged.Not the dogs' fault, or your fault, that Toby was like that..but you were strong enough to do what a lot can't face. Happy times for you and your loveable Lab, and even Toby, who is still alive to be placed away livestock :)
 
I empathise completely with regards to Tyson, a lot of us have hit that brick wall and its devastating. There is some wonderful advice on here and I cant add to it but just to say you have my support what ever you decide to do. I to had a similar dog who was very challenging and wish I had a pound for everyone who said get rid,he chased sheep, attacked other dogs and destroyed furniture including a family heirloom. I got there through training,training & more training and I had my dog of a lifetime who I sadly lost last year age 4. The times I went to bed crying full of self doubt and really believing I was failing this dog but we got there.

If I can offer any support or dry those tears please pm me you are not alone and you are very brave to have posted this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top