I hate my dog! what do i do?

Question

We got this massive german shepard from an old man who could not take him to his retirement home. He raised the dog from a puppy and we later learned he basically let him sleep on the couch all day. This information was not given to us when we were considering adopting this dog. The first couple months were horrible but we expected it because we understood that the transition to our home would be very rough. He was kept outside for the most part because of his size and the amount he sheds/ drools but we were very active with him and devoted a lot of time to be with him. He has a dog house and fun toys and a huge yard with cats to play with (the cats love him). Despite all this, he insisted on throwing himself on the doors and clawing at them which resulted in him gouging the glass, tearing off the paint, and he quickly learned how to stand and claw the doors violently until they opened. We tried our best to work with him and discipline him out of this behavior but it has persisted! We tried standing at the doors to reward good behavior and punish bad, we then moved to a noise and shock collar we even tried putting barriers in front of the doors. Its been almost two years and this behavior continues no matter what we do. We exercise and play with him all the time and yet it continues. We hate him now. He barks and whines and claws at the doors no matter what he claws the doors open then runs inside. He drags our barriers away, he doesn't care about the shock and noise collar and smacking him with newspaper when he does it has not helped either. We smack him and he runs away and then runs right back to the door when we go back into the house. He doesn't respond to anything. His only focus is on getting inside. We tried to allow him inside for a period of time but when we put him back outside his behavior only got worse. He is now finding our windows. He jumps on them and claws the screens to shreds. I'm a huge animal lover and i have never hated an animal before... but i can assure you i hate this dog. Our latest plan has been to simply give up... we have our doors covered in plywood. We are to soft to give him to the pound, he is to healthy to put to sleep, and nobody wants to adopt a massive german shepard who will rip their doors and windows to shreds until he can get inside and make a mess of their house.

Answer 1

I was given an old cat like that. He was given to me to 'board' until his owners could send for him. They never did. He was destructive, and he made the lives of my other resident cats hell. He shredded every screen door, and every window screen we had, despite the fact that we had a cat door. He would come into the house and piddle everywhere, then leave huge dumps on my daughter's bed.



I hear your pain.



Perhaps he is pining for his old owner? Can I suggest you take him to an old people's home to visit the residents? You may see a different side to him.And old people love visits from pets!



Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. By the way, 'Cat' (we hated him so much, he had no name) died last year, aged 17. We had him for five years. My resident cats are sooooo much calmer and happier now!

Answer 2

I know this is an old post, but in case I can help future people that read this I'll answer: YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER, EVER, EVER GOTTEN THIS DOG IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU CANT TAKE AN ADULT DOG THAT HAS BEEN STRICTLY AN INSIDE DOG SINCE IT WAS A PUPPY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MAKE HIM LIVE OUTSIDE! IT'S RIDICULOUS TO THINK THAT YOU CAN! He's doing this because he thinks he belongs inside because he was always inside. And your comments of "I hate him. Big deal, it's a dog." tell me you shouldn't have pets at all. I hope these people never get or have gotten another pet, they are obviously not dog or cat people (why have a dog or cat if they live outside?) if all of their animals live outside, stating "he can't be inside all the time!". Why not? He was before, and that's all he knows and all he's thinking. Trying to rationalize with an indoor dog that he should be happy because " he has the best food and toys and a swimming pool"? Get a clue. They were very selfish by adopting this dog.

Answer 3

I Hate My Dog

Answer 4

Don't hate the dog. It's the previous owner's fault, not the dog's. The dog deserves a second chance, just like everyone does. I've heard a saying that "There is no bad dog, only bad trainers".



The best thing would probably be to send this dog for training. Basic obedience training could help for a start. Also, everyone in your family should be on the same page about what the dog is allowed to do and where it is allowed in the house. It would be pointless if some of you are trying to correct its bad habit but others are encouraging the bad habits.

Answer 5

If I was in your situation I would probably try to contact a rescue group or club that is devoted just to German Shepherds. There are plenty of them out there, so I'm sure there'd be one not too far from you. The reason for choosing one that is particularly interested in German Shepherds is that their members understand the breed and it's needs quite well. Many people who are members of these clubs, and the people that adopt from these types of breed-specific rescues, are devoted to the breed and and often willing to take on dogs with "issues" purely because they love the breed of dog so much. You might find that the dog can find a new owner that is able to spend more time with the dog, in activities that will be more suitable for the breed. As an enthusiast, they would probably also be more willing to have the dog inside the house and sharing their every day activities more.

It's worth a try - I'd do it.

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

I hate my dog! what do i do?

We got this massive german shepard from an old man who could not take him to his retirement home. He raised the dog from a puppy and we later learned he basically let him sleep on the couch all day. This information was not given to us when we were considering adopting this dog. The first couple...

Answer 7

Your problem is that this dog as a very, unbreakable devotion to his previous owner. It is well-known for german shepherds to be too devoted to their owner, that when left at home alone for several hours, they can grow depressed, suicidal and destructive. The same way a child can rebel if you force him/her too much.



German shepherds are less commonly used as guide dogs now, because of their extreme devotion to their blind caretaker. Since this dog has been raised as a puppy by this elderly man, the only solution is to do the best you can. Let him stay inside more; it will help.



Spend as much time as you can with it, as it will make it feel like its home again. Do you know what its like to spend 8 weeks with your mother, be bought by a stranger for a few years, then given away to another owner? It's the biggest pain you can ever feel.

Answer 8

My first reaction to this one is 'this poor, poor animal'. He's lost his owner (and GSDs are very much one-man dogs), his home, and all he knows/knew.



Immediately you saw he wasn't going to tolerate outdoor living, you should have realised you needed to change your plans with this lad, or at least given him time to adjust before pushing him outside. Sheps, shouldn't drool - did it ever occur to you that, stress apart, he might have needed a dental? And with a good daily grooming, his shedding would have been brought under control - and stress can make a dog shed more than normal too (witness what happens with some, at the vet's)



It was good of you to take him on, but if it was, from early days, pretty obvious this boy was more than you could cope with, maybe contacting GSD Rescue would have been a far kinder way to go, for this dog. As it is, he's now 2 years down the road, and has completely gone wrong. And even if you now contact Rescue, whoever takes him on is going to have to climb a mountain to get him back.



If you have come to this point (hate him? Seriously?), please do contact GSD Rescue, so he can find, hopefully, a home where somebody experienced will understand him, and help him to adjust to living without his original owner.



Don't HIT dogs!!!

Answer 9

Have you considered taking him to a trainer? the money you have spent on shock collars and all those thing to entertain him, could have went towards training, most likely the old man you took him from never trained him either. I have a 10 month old who is CRAZY like he needs to be on ADHD medication or something lol and i feel that way towards him sometimes, but he is going into training!

Answer 10

1. should have let him be an indoor dog.

2. LET HIM INSIDE!!!!!!!

3. Put him in a dog kennel. Heavy duty ones will cost you, but will stop his destruction. Make sure to get a roof for it. And another dog.

4. every single punishment(besides the shock collar) has done NOTHING but reinforce his behavior. By this point, you're not going to stop him behaviorally from doing this.



EITHER let him in, where he's comfortable and wants to be, or put him in a kennel, OR give him to a rescue. What you are currently doing to him is nothing short of mental torture.

Answer 11

You hate dogs, just because you don't love him, or you don't accept him. Or you are maybe afraid of dogs.

Honestly I also hate dogs before ,when someone gave me a dog i started loving him until now, though he's doing unapproachable thing but still we keep understand him. You should have more patience to them, so dogs will understand you as you do.

Answer 12

He barks and whines and claws the door because he is used to interacting with people during the day. Would you like it if you were separated from your family and forced to live in a small room outside of the house?



If you cannot handle the dog, I would suggest you take him to a local humane society where he can find a home that would be better for him in the long run.

Answer 13

Consult a behaviorist for your dog.

Answer 14

You took an indoor dog that had been a constant companion and turned him into a lawn ornament. What did you expect?

Answer 15

just get him trained, he'll be out of your hair for a little when you send him off, and when hes brought back he'll be trained and hopefully wont be crazy anymore

Answer 16

Maybe if you got another dog he might be more active and want to play outside !(:



hope i helped(:!



-Zoee!



Ps. good luck with him!:D

Answer 17

Dogs belong in the house with their families.



This dog has been shocked, smacked with a newspaper and endured all manner of nasty things - and still wants to be inside with his family!



It's cruel to leave a dog outdoors alone. Would you leave a little kid in a shed in your backyard for 2 years? No. You'd be arrested!





Just take him to the shelter and be done with it. DO NOT get another dog. Ever.

Answer 18

take it to the park and whoops ur friend called for an emergency and u accidentally forgot u had the dong with you..you return to the park days later to look for him but no luck...oh dang it...he will surely be missed.

Or u can order a hit on the dog. take ur pic :D

Answer 19

Im not reading all that just because you hate your dog.