Don't want to give my dog back to shelter but...

    • Bronze

    Don't want to give my dog back to shelter but...

    A little background.  We got a Beagle puppy July 1 last year from a pet store that was shut down a month later because too many dogs died days after leaving the store.  I think ours would have as well, but we loved our dog, Abby, and did all we could to get her healthy.  She had pneumonia and it took 6 months for it to finally go away completely.  During that 6 months, our vet said not to take her to any obedience training because she would get other dogs sick and she simply wasn't healthy enough for it.  She spent most of that time in her crate, and still does.  We've had training class, she does have the capability to learn, but it's not happening.  The main problem is that we have two kids, 3 years and 1 year old, and she attacks them constanly when we take her out of the crate.  Even when they are not around, Abby will not focus when she is out of the crate.  I know she's like that because she hates being couped up, but she can't settle down and we have to put her back in the crate, it feels like we're damned if we do, damned if we don't.  We are thinking about giving Abby to the humane society, but frankly, I don't want to give up on her, or ourselfs.  I guess I need some advise and/or encouragement, some type of hope so we don't have to give her up.  Thanks.
     
    Dan
    • Gold Top Dog
    Dan,
    A tired dog is a happy dog.  Beagles are hunting dogs and they are high energy.  They, along with many other breeds, can be expected to make you miserable if they are not getting the amount of exercise they require.
     
    How often and for how long do you walk your dog?  If you really want to keep her, you are going to have to make the commitment to exercise her.  She can't focus on you because she has too much pent up energy.  Are you willing to increase her daily exercise?  Remember, its healthy for both of you!  I would think walking/jogging/running with her for 1 - 1.5 hours a day would really help take the edge off.  Try that for a week and I think you'll see an improvement.  Instead of driving you crazy, she will hopefully be napping, or at least content enough to sit and play with a toy. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    This same thread is going on in the training section under "obedience"
    http://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=9288