Feeling Sad

[Loving my Oldies]

Last night he stole my harry potter cap just to sleep with his nose buried in it, the night before it was my shoe

Oh .. that is so cute- I can see why you are upset... it's that sort of thing which makes you fall in love

Very much so.

Your first priority is your children (and the family as a whole) and you are doing the right thing by considering their safety. You have done the right thing by Hank as well.

I agree with the others that a more mature, gentle and restrained dog is the way to go.

We have to recognise what we can do and you seem to have exhausted all possibilities in trying to integrate Hank into your life. I've recently rehomed a couple of rescue dogs and although I loved them and simple adored one, I was glad to see them go, both for my sake as well and theirs. They both found wonderful homes with more people to entertain them and keep them exercised and amused. They were much too energetic for me, being only two years old.

I do hope you find the four legged love of your life before too long.

[juice]

i understand where you are comming from, when i first came to oz, i got a ridgy x mastiff pup, i also had a 3 yer old daughter, i would walk him for an hour every morning, he had a huge yard, and yet still i would cry when i got home and saw the destruction

he would charge upto my daughter and knock her flat on her back, then jump on top of her licking her face, smacking her head to the ground again.

i just couldn't deal with a huge looney and a child

i rehomed him to a wonderful family whose hubby ran 5 ks every morning, with teenage kids, who had just lost their old ridgy.

it was best for all of us

i have fostered older dogs, and they are much easier, also a few greys, and they are really gentle around the kids :D

[dee lee]

I wouldnt give up on a larger dog .

We adopted a 3 year old GR and she has been wonderful with our family. Gentle as a lamb and beautifully behaved.

As gorgeous as pups are, Im not sure I could do that again- adopting an adult dog allows you to have a good idea of its temperament before you bring it home.

We have a dog nervous 7 year old daughter so we were very specific with the rescue org as to our requirements (calm and not boisterous) and were prepared to wait for a dog that fulfilled them. Honey is everything I could ever have wanted in a dog and is perfect for us.

Have you talked to WeiRescue about the possibility of an older dog?

[mumof3]

Don't feel bad. You gave a rescue dog a chance and it didn't work out. It is no one's fault - it is just not a match. And as a Mum, your kids come a very clear first. I have young kids too, and if I felt they were not just safe, but able to be happy and confident around a dog, I wouldn't have it either. You need a dog that has a relax mode.

After you've all got over your disappointment, and decided to have another go, here are two points I arrived at when deciding upon a dog for my young family.

1- The older pup is hard to handle, very energetic and bouncy. If it hasn't had a super upbringing and excellent training, it is just a disaster waiting to happen with little kids. I decided upon a young pup because I couldn't find a suitable mature dog in the breed I wanted, and I decided that at least with a young pup I will be able to give it the training and upbringing I want it to have - I'll know it's history, and I won't be trying to "fix" anyone elses problems.

2- If you can find a suitable mature dog, they would be an excellent choice. I was very fussy, though, knowing that in a full grown dog I wanted perfect behaviour from the start - not having to fix problems because you don't get a second chance with your kids, they can get hurt or shy of dogs so very quickly.

3- Breed selection - do a little more research.

[graysmum]

I would recommend a greyhound from a rescue group as they are excellent with children, very tolerant of what kids do to them, are out of the difficult "teenage" phase, happy with a 20-30 minute walk once a day and will take over your couch if you let them.

They are an easy care dog (short coat, little doggie smell) and generally very clean. They love to be around people and are quiet affectionate.

Don't let an unhappy experience ruin the joy a dog can bring to your family but you are doing the right thing sending an unsuitable dog back sooner rather than later.

[Jed]

Hi, VA, my commiserations. Don't worry, although Hank loves you, he will find another home, and love them too.

I breed boxers, and juvenile boxer, wei, Vizla, (and a few other breeds) are high energy, highly intelligent, and need early - baby puppy - training. If they don't get that important early training, they are a total pain in the neck.

People who surrender them mostly do so because the dog is adult size, with a baby brain, totally feral and untrained, too much for them, and it is a BIG ask for someone to take the dog on and turn him into a responsible member of doggy society.

Some friends of mine took on a Vizla about this age. He had spent his previous life in the backyard. They are very dog savvy, but he was a big job, and there were many frustrations.

Don't lose your confidence. Hank needs much more time and training than a baby puppy, he needs time, training out of old bad habits, and into new good habits.

I can understand that you feel he is too much for you. He will also need much more than a week. It will take him 3 months to settle in properly, and a couple of months for him to know how the house works, and what not to do.

Don't give up on the breed, if that is the breed you want. Either choose an older, trained dog, or a baby puppy, and start the training the second day you get him - with sit!!

Good luck

[weiz4eva]

Sorry to here Hank didnt work out 8-(

[Blues and Boots]

Sounds like your just not a dog person. Stick with cats.

[OSoSwift]

That is totally uncalled for!

I have had Rotti's and Dobes prior to my two Whippets. My last Dobe died 7 weeks before bub No2 was born. I chose a completely different breed from a Dobe because I knew exactly how much training and stimulation a young Dobe needs, and also that they don't grow a brain for a few years.

I researched a lot and settled on a Whippet. I asked lots and lots of questions and then spent many days making sure I could fit in a puppy around what I was already doing. When I got my first Whippet my eldest was 2 and my youngest 5 months. It was a little bit more organising and work but worth every second.

Some times things just don't work out. You had your heart in the right place and you have made the best decision for Hank and your family. I would sit down with hubby and discuss what you would both like out of a dog - keeping in mind you will spend the most time with the dog. Think outside your previously chosen breed. We are now completely sold on Whippets, even hubby tells everyone how good they are! Now may be the right time, just with a different dog. Don't give up, you can do it you just need a couple of different things in a dog than you thought

Edited because I have worse spelling than normal!

Edited April 24, 2010 by Rommi n Lewis

[all that glitters]

Sounds like your just not a dog person. Stick with cats.

And what makes someone "not a dog person" ?

[Boronia]

I was a cat person 'till I got a dog Verdant Amphibian, so don't worry about that comment, you could easily be a cat AND dog person, it's not hard!

In regards to a greyhound or whippet...neighbours of mine adopted a rescue greyhound, he is the lovliest dog you could imagine, a real gentleman of dogs!

Good luck for your next rescue, you WILL find your soul mate, you will know as soon as you see him or her.

[Crisovar]

Sounds like your just not a dog person. Stick with cats.

That's a bit rude, a full on teenage Wei is not for everyone.

Finding the dog that is suitable is all that is needed.

[Verdant Amphibian]

voloclydes - He hasn't been fostered. Wei rescue is just facilitating between his current owners who want to give him up and possible new homes.

Secretkei - I was given a week trial and I picked him up last sunday.

deelee - Weirescue have mentioned that they'd happily keep our application and get in contact with us if they have an older, calmer wei come through.

If Nina was bigger I'd definitely stick with it as he just has the most wonderful nature and I really think that he'd mature into the most amazing dog but last night when I was playing with the baby on the floor and he heard a noise outside and ran and jumped over the baby (who was just at my knees) before I had a chance to react, scratching her head and knocking her onto the floor, I was glad I'd decided not to go through with the adoption. To keep the baby safe he'd have to spend so much time outside on his own at that wouldn't be fair to him, I grew up with dogs and we never had an outside dog so the whole idea seems wrong to me. I'll be driving him back in a couple of hours, right now he's curled up next to me being an absolute sweet heart.

I do like grey hounds but we spend a lot of weekends taking little family holidays up bush or to the lake so we really want a dog that we'll be able to, eventually, let off lead and I would like a dog that would be a watch dog. The other half and I were chatting a little about it last night - I think he's worried I'm going to mope so he keeps bringing it up. I guess we'll either wait a couple more years, if we decide on a young large breed, or if we don't wait we'll get something smaller or look for an already mature adult. Regardless of size I really want a dog I can do obedience with and possibly agility and enjoys a really good walk and is more velcro than aloof.

[labsrule]

This poor dog has not been given a chance to settle into your household, a week is a very unreasonable timeframe to judge a dog by who is being rehomed . It is a big upheaval for a dog when it is being rehomed and it needs a couple of months to settle in properly in its new home and be given a chance to adapt. I understand your concerns about your young children and this youngster's energy levels, but I think your expectation that this poor dog would slot perfectly into your family and his new environment within a week is very unfair.

If in the future you are considering trialling/adopting another dog, then whatever the breed or age of this dog, you need to do some research on the breed and be committed to allowing a couple of months settling in period for a new dog. Some rehomed dogs settle in quickly and others need more time.

[Red Fox]

Sounds like your just not a dog person. Stick with cats.

That's a bit rude, a full on teenage Wei is not for everyone.

Finding the dog that is suitable is all that is needed.

I dont know about that... I'd probably be pretty defensive if it was my breed too. The dog is only behaving exactly the way you would expect a dog of that breed and age to act. The OP made a mistake in choosing a Wei (or any large breed, high energy dog) if she cannot/does not want to deal with that kind of behaviour. But no point in flaming now, the deed is done, she is returning the dog and I think she has learnt her lesson too.

[Crisovar]

Sounds like your just not a dog person. Stick with cats.

That's a bit rude, a full on teenage Wei is not for everyone.

Finding the dog that is suitable is all that is needed.

I dont know about that... I'd probably be pretty defensive if it was my breed too. The dog is only behaving exactly the way you would expect a dog of that breed and age to act. The OP made a mistake in choosing a Wei (or any large breed, high energy dog) if she cannot/does not want to deal with that kind of behaviour. But no point in flaming now, the deed is done, she is returning the dog and I think she has learnt her lesson too.

I disagree, just because one individual of a breed does not suit a situation does not mean the OP shouldn't have a dog.

This dog also sounds as if it has not had a lot of groundwork put into it before the OP took it on, if it had it could well have been much more suitable.

[mita]

If in the future you are considering trialling/adopting another dog, then whatever the breed or age of this dog, you need to do some research on the breed and be committed to allowing a couple of months settling in period for a new dog. Some rehomed dogs settle in quickly and others need more time.

Good to see you also pointing out the challenges of the settling/adjusting period. Which has to be a given. Sometimes it goes as smooth as silk, and sometimes there's a period when the dog's behaviour is nothing like it will be after that time has passed.

However, with a young family, there can be limits to the extent of 'difference' during a settling period.

In those cases, my suggestion is to look at a dog (possibly more mature) that's already proven itself in a similar situation. Then you would have already seen that dog's baseline behaviours.

An example is Lea, a 7 yr old Husky/Shepherd, among the PetRescue selections in this morning's Brissie Courier-Mail.

Lea's described as a charmer who is wonderful around children....& has even helped her shelter by making visits to schools.

Photo shows a gorgeous, smiling girl.

For any Qld'ers wanting to follow up on Lea, her PetRescue ID No is 70837

Edited April 25, 2010 by mita

[:ange:]

:D I had a feeling it was not going to work out.. I guess it's probably better that you send him now rather than in months time. I know some people are suggesting give it more time, but I think you have been questioning his place in the house since he came, so better to get him back on the list for a new forever home sooner rather than later.

I think I would suggest that you get a dog later when your kids have grown more, it doesn't sound as though you have much spare time on your hands at the moment with little ones. A 14 month old Wei that has had no training requires an enormous amount of time.. If you are set on the Weimaraner breed I would go for a much older dog that has calmed down some, or perhaps even choose a different breed. If possible spend a bit more time with the dog so that you can see first hand what they are like before bringing them home as well..

good luck. Give Hank a hug for me.

[Weibritty]

VA - I'm so sorry things haven't worked out with Hank. You were so excited about getting him. I'm sure handing him back to Wei rescue will be hard for you but you are doing the right thing by Hank and I'm sure Wei rescue will eventually find a suitable home for him.

If you are still keen on a Wei, I would wait a few more years until the kiddies are older and either start from scratch and buy a puppy or if you still want a rescue, an older dog and probably a female may be more suitable.

[Jed]

Sounds like your just not a dog person. Stick with cats.

That's a bit rude, a full on teenage Wei is not for everyone.

Finding the dog that is suitable is all that is needed.

I dont know about that... I'd probably be pretty defensive if it was my breed too. The dog is only behaving exactly the way you would expect a dog of that breed and age to act. The OP made a mistake in choosing a Wei (or any large breed, high energy dog) if she cannot/does not want to deal with that kind of behaviour. But no point in flaming now, the deed is done, she is returning the dog and I think she has learnt her lesson too.

I disagree, just because one individual of a breed does not suit a situation does not mean the OP shouldn't have a dog.

This dog also sounds as if it has not had a lot of groundwork put into it before the OP took it on, if it had it could well have been much more suitable.

I agree with that, the dog sounds as if he has had very little groundwork. The dog then becomes a double handful for someone else.

A lesson which should be learned by everyone is that taking on a juvenile dog of a larger breed, from rescue means the dog is probably going to need extensive work, particularly if it is over 10 months old but not mature.

That's the lesson, not that there is any fault with the op. An out of control dog is a problem with little kids. Fact of life.

It is extremely difficult to obtain a well trained dog of this age from rescue, because it is only rarely that owners surrender them if they are perfectly behaved. So, what you are getting is a dog which has problems, and which is going to have more slotting into a new and different home and lifestyle. It is suffering grief and loss because it doesn't have its old home, it has a whole new routine, rules, people to learn, and if the behaviour wasn't excellent to begin with, these problems are combined with an urgent need for the dog to be trained.

A big ask, imho.

Blues & Boots

Sounds like your just not a dog person. Stick with cats

And that critical comment would come from your extensive knowledge of the op, would it?