Dog Community

anyone know what I can do about this?

Posted : 8/17/2006 11:56:42 AM

Okay... we have a little "problem" and I was wondering if anyone knew something I can do. I just recently (A few months ago) moved in with my dad. Its a very long story, but me and my mom just do not get along, at all. I couldn't bring any of my cats, but I wouldn't leave without Bailey, so obvioously I brought him. My mom treated Bailey like a baby, so he had a lot of behavior problems, but even since I moved here, he's been a lot better and listens to anything you say, insted of ignooring you like he used to do. To me, hes basicly the perfect dog now.
So my dad, doesn't like Bailey, at all. He only likes German Shepherds, because from seeing all the police dogs I guess, he has some strage idea that all German shepherds are that way, and always listen, and are the perfect dogs. His idea of dog "training" is the "newspaper" method. As in wack them in the head with it, or just kick them whenever they are bad. I don't know if Bailey is just "weird", but he shakes, more than the "average dog" . Like how dogs with shake after a bath, or after rolling in the dirt. He just does it randomly though. I don't have a problem with it. If you have a dog, there is going to be dog hair in the house, obviously. And I clean this damn house EVERY day, so I don't see what the problem is. My dad though, gets extremly pissed. All he'll do is start yelling at him and saying that I should kick him when he does that so he'll learn not to. Obviously I would NEVER even think of kicking him, but my dad seems to think that is the "best" and only way to train a dog not to do something. If I ever say anything back to him arguing it, he'll usualy say "Oh your 14 and sudenly you you everything about dogs huh? Thats worked for hundereds of years and now its not good enough for you?" Usualy including some swears of course. Last night, we went out over to my sisters for something, and Bailey was tied outside, usualy he goes on his dog run but there was a bee hive over there, so I tied him to a tree out back (in shade, with water of course) which he was always fine with before, and we wern't going to be gone long anyways. But he hadn't been for as long of a walk as I usualy take him on, so he for frustrated and ripped up some grass. Its not like he dug a crater in the yard, its just some grass missing, but my dad acted like it was the end of the world or something. He kept going on and on about if that dog digs one more hole in the yard he's gunna be living outside & that he should do the "shove his nose in what he did and smack him" thing to teach him not to dig. I can't even leave to walk to my friends house or just go anywhere basicly, because I don't want to leave Bailey there alone if my dad is home. All he is teaching him by the way he does things is to be afraid of him, which I guess he belives works. Belive me I hate both my parents, I wish I could go somewhere else, its not fair for Bailey to have to live here, but I have no where else to go, so I'm stuck here...
Anyone know what I can do to teach him to not shake in the house? I tell him no & he'll stop when I do if i catch him doing it, but it doesn't seem to be working that well. Is there any other way I can stop him from doing that?

sorry its so long...

marynh

Posted : 8/17/2006 12:09:31 PM

move back with your mother is the only thing I can think of....sounds, to me anyway, like she would be much easier to get along with

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 8/17/2006 12:11:03 PM

Wow. That's harsh. I wish I had some advice for you, but I really don't think shaking is a conscious thing. I think it's sort of like when we yawn or stretch or something. We're not even aware that we're doing it. I think that would be almot like trying to teach a dog not to stretch or wag his tail. Do you know any adults who are really dog savvy who could maybe talk to your dad and explain things to him? Good luck.

Joyce

jeano

Posted : 8/17/2006 12:14:00 PM

If that's how he treats a dog, how does he treat YOU?

Maybe living with your mom might be a better idea....

Spazzy

Posted : 8/17/2006 12:17:49 PM

ORIGINAL: jeano

If that's how he treats a dog, how does he treat YOU?

Maybe living with your mom might be a better idea....

Me? My mom was kind of abusive, but not bad. As for my dad, he hasn't done anything.I know he won't. Hes just not a dog person. I don't spend much time at the house, I'm always at the park usualy when hes home, just becuase hes always in a bad mood. But he can be nice sometimes, on his good days.
but that changes fast if the dog shakes in the house lol.

I will NOT go back with my mom...shes an alcoholic, so in a way it was worse over there...
Thats why I left.

So theres really no way to teach him not to shake?

Spazzy

Posted : 8/17/2006 12:27:54 PM

ORIGINAL: fuzzy_dogs_mom

Wow. That's harsh. I wish I had some advice for you, but I really don't think shaking is a conscious thing. I think it's sort of like when we yawn or stretch or something. We're not even aware that we're doing it. I think that would be almot like trying to teach a dog not to stretch or wag his tail. Do you know any adults who are really dog savvy who could maybe talk to your dad and explain things to him? Good luck.

Joyce

Not really. No on in my family are "dog people", I'm the only one.
Well then I guess I could keep him outside for more durring the day, might help...

Spazzy

Posted : 8/17/2006 12:43:34 PM

oops, double post

olinda

Posted : 8/17/2006 1:02:15 PM

I am so sorry about the situation with your parents. I am also sorry your dad does not like Bailey.

Do you have grandparents you could go live with maybe? who would not mind having Bailey around?

Spazzy

Posted : 8/17/2006 6:58:01 PM

ORIGINAL: olinda

I am so sorry about the situation with your parents. I am also sorry your dad does not like Bailey.

Do you have grandparents you could go live with maybe? who would not mind having Bailey around?

No, If there was I'd be there. The only gradma I have is in the nursing home because she has MS.

Eh so I guess I'll just try and work on the shaking thing more then... and hope that it works.

nyiceprincess

Posted : 8/17/2006 8:47:31 PM

Wow! If he cant stand the shaking whats he going to do the first time she drags her butt on the floor?Have you tried to reason with him and explain that the shaking isnt really an abnormal behavior and ask him what the big problem is if you are cleaning the house and vaccuming up the hair?

Spazzy

Posted : 8/18/2006 4:59:28 AM

ORIGINAL: nyiceprincess

Wow! If he cant stand the shaking whats he going to do the first time she drags her butt on the floor?Have you tried to reason with him and explain that the shaking isnt really an abnormal behavior and ask him what the big problem is if you are cleaning the house and vaccuming up the hair?

Oh yes...many, many times I've treid telling him that. And he always has reponded with something about how dogs are only supose to shake when they get out of the water. But he'll just complain that there is hair all over the floor, even though there isn't any really. I clean every day, & usualy I brush Bailey every day, but either way it hasn't made much a difference with him. He thinks Bailey sheds too much, yet he wants a German Shepherd... Hes just asking for more dog hair... Or maybe he thinks that if he tells the German Sheoherd not to shed, he'll magicaly stop shedding.

probe1957

Posted : 8/18/2006 9:47:39 AM

You might have the vet look at the dog's ears to make sure there is not some kind of infection there that is bothering him and causing him to shake.

What you have to understand is, dad's house, dad's rules. If your dad doesn't want the dog in the house, and you are 14 years old, your options are limited. Life can be cruel. That is the unfortunate reality.

It seems to me that the main issue here is the dog's shedding. Surely that can be minimized. You can bathe him more often and certainly can brush him more often and more effectively. We even have Odie to the point that he will let us vacuum him when he is shedding. Look into a shedding tool called "Furminator." You may be able to buy one right here on dog.com. Check with a groomer for ideas on what you can do to minimize the shedding.

I think you need to have a serious heart to heart talk with dad. See if you guys can come to some type of agreement on what would make things more tolerable for him, then keep your end of the bargain.

Good luck.

dogslyfe

Posted : 8/18/2006 9:50:00 AM

You can bathe him more often and certainly can brush him more often and more effectively.

Outside. Brush the dog outside. [

]

Also, maybe you might consider possibly tweaking the dog's diet to help his skin and coat. What are you guys feeding now?

Spazzy

Posted : 8/18/2006 12:06:28 PM

ORIGINAL: dogslyfe

You can bathe him more often and certainly can brush him more often and more effectively.

Outside. Brush the dog outside. []

Also, maybe you might consider possibly tweaking the dog's diet to help his skin and coat. What are you guys feeding now?

I do brush him outside, & he gets a bath every 1-2 weeks.
The food he eats is Purina One & he never gets any people food usualy.

dogslyfe

Posted : 8/18/2006 12:34:19 PM

Well, let me ask you this - does he scratch a lot too, or is it just the shaking?

There are lots and lots of threads in the nutrition board about dog food, so I won't get on that soap box, but it may be that a food change may help him. What are your dad's thoughts on dog food? If he will only buy from the grocery store, purina one would be my preference. However, if your dad is willing to try food from one of the pet stores, you might want to try something that has a different ingredient profile from what you're feeding.

Feel free to PM me any time, and I'll see if I can help you work it out some.

You also could consider cracking a raw egg over his food a few days a week.