Hi there to all the dog owners/ lovers!
I stumbled across this forum as I was googling my thoughts of rehoming my dog... and I don't know weather I feel relived or even more overwhelmed that many new dog owners before and I'm sure after me all develop the same feelings.
So a little background I guess,
I recently adopted a one and a half year old retriever/ collie mix and I cannot help but feel... utterly and completely in over my head!:help:
I have been wanting to adopt a dog for the past 2 or so years and had been realistically considering this for the past year. As an new potential pet parent, I of course, got overly excited! Researching training techniques, reading blogs, watching training videos, looking up classes nearby, looking up dog parks and dog friendly events near by... you get the idea.
Finally I found a slightly older dog, because I knew my cat was not a fan of puppies (too much dog for him) And he is a REALLY REALLY good dog! He is more or less crate trained in the week that I've had him (is super quite in his crate!) Very clever, is also more or less indoor potty trained! (I live in a apartment.)
However... I just have this nagging feeling that maybe he's actually not the right dog...
He is super friendly with my cat, but unfortunately, my cat does not feel the same way and we have already had a situation where my cat actually bit me because the dog was blocking us, (I was holding my cat at the time.) (Not saying it was the cat or dog's fault, but not a great start for us as a family.)
He is also super energetic! I walk him for 30-45 mins in the morning before work, a dog walker has been coming in at 2:30 to walk him for another 30mins and then when I get home from work I walk him for another 15-20mins or so. Then at night he plays for 2-3hrs around the living room and then he is crated for bed. I know he is a young dog and therefore much more playful say to an 8 year old dog, but I cant help but feel he still needs more time outside and maybe I'm not a great fit for him? I'm waiting for his vet appointment next week before I start him at daycare and that way I can drive to work and drive him with him everyday. But... I don't know if that's going to help my feelings that maybe I'm not the one for him...
I have such a mantra of a pet is for life and I feel so guilty about even thinking about wanting to rehome him, but catch myself thinking of how less stressed I was when it was just me and my cat and our life when it was just us two.
He really is such an AMAZING friendly dog that loves people, dogs and cats! I just really don't know what to do... and I don't know if this feeling will pass or am I better of to rehome him now before he just used to this home and life?
Thanks for listening to my thoughts!
I would love to hear any advice coming my way!
I stumbled across this forum as I was googling my thoughts of rehoming my dog... and I don't know weather I feel relived or even more overwhelmed that many new dog owners before and I'm sure after me all develop the same feelings.
So a little background I guess,
I recently adopted a one and a half year old retriever/ collie mix and I cannot help but feel... utterly and completely in over my head!:help:
I have been wanting to adopt a dog for the past 2 or so years and had been realistically considering this for the past year. As an new potential pet parent, I of course, got overly excited! Researching training techniques, reading blogs, watching training videos, looking up classes nearby, looking up dog parks and dog friendly events near by... you get the idea.
Finally I found a slightly older dog, because I knew my cat was not a fan of puppies (too much dog for him) And he is a REALLY REALLY good dog! He is more or less crate trained in the week that I've had him (is super quite in his crate!) Very clever, is also more or less indoor potty trained! (I live in a apartment.)
However... I just have this nagging feeling that maybe he's actually not the right dog...
He is super friendly with my cat, but unfortunately, my cat does not feel the same way and we have already had a situation where my cat actually bit me because the dog was blocking us, (I was holding my cat at the time.) (Not saying it was the cat or dog's fault, but not a great start for us as a family.)
He is also super energetic! I walk him for 30-45 mins in the morning before work, a dog walker has been coming in at 2:30 to walk him for another 30mins and then when I get home from work I walk him for another 15-20mins or so. Then at night he plays for 2-3hrs around the living room and then he is crated for bed. I know he is a young dog and therefore much more playful say to an 8 year old dog, but I cant help but feel he still needs more time outside and maybe I'm not a great fit for him? I'm waiting for his vet appointment next week before I start him at daycare and that way I can drive to work and drive him with him everyday. But... I don't know if that's going to help my feelings that maybe I'm not the one for him...
I have such a mantra of a pet is for life and I feel so guilty about even thinking about wanting to rehome him, but catch myself thinking of how less stressed I was when it was just me and my cat and our life when it was just us two.
He really is such an AMAZING friendly dog that loves people, dogs and cats! I just really don't know what to do... and I don't know if this feeling will pass or am I better of to rehome him now before he just used to this home and life?
Thanks for listening to my thoughts!
I would love to hear any advice coming my way!