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Topic Dog Boards / General / Ugh, not a good day for friend's collie x spaniel.
- By inka [ie] Date 03.05.12 16:02 UTC Edited 03.05.12 16:04 UTC
Maybe I should've posted in behaviour but as she doesn't want any advice/training maybe not..

Long story short, a friend of mine whose never had a dog before or shown any interest in them, rehomed a young collie x spaniel last year from friends who couldn't keep him anymore because of work changes (as usual...). Anyway, she had been planning to become pregnant at that time and combined with that and her never showing an interest in dogs before, let along high energy gun dog mixes, i did voice my concerns and she ignored me.

Cue the pregnancy which came less than 5 months later and her husband working long hours and she tells me that she's too ill to walk him (despite being able to walk around shopping centres looking for baby stuff) and husband too tired after work...what should she do? I said hire a dog walked and provided her with contacts for good and very affordable ones. She insisted they were too expensive (8/9 pounds for an hours walk? price of a take away or a bib!) and just let him carry on as he was....also giving out to me at this time that he was digging and displaying other typical behaviours of a bored, energetic young dog! Anyway, the baby came along a few months ago and while they did get him used to the baby paraphernalia and bring a babygro home from the hospital, they more or less seemed to have lost interest in the dog during the pregnancy. Though I think she loves him deep down and says she does, she doesn't seem to do anything with him and when the baby came along she said he was lunging at the baby so they no longer let him be in a room with her and keep him separate at all times. I suggested crate training and babygates so he could at least be with the family but no. Today she rang me hysterical saying she'd gone into the kitchen for two minutes and the dog had gotten into the living room, where the baby was, through a not fully shut door, and was trying to grab the baby out of his chair by the bib and she had to literally drag him away from the baby who is fine thank god. I can imagine that was absolutely horrible. She now wants him rehomed ASAP, doesn't want to ring any behaviourists, just wants him gone.
(
I have a young dog myself (different breed) and also a rescue, she also lunged at things which were new to 'greet' them, i simply had to train her out of it but as she is a large dog, the public naturally thought she was aggressive. All good now, but it feels like this young dog is just pinging with energy and is trying to express himself in all the wrong way and is just unsocialised.

What a mess. :(
- By LucyDogs [gb] Date 03.05.12 17:41 UTC
Poor friend, must have been scary. I expect the dog was just trying to investigate or play with, not knowing it was inappropriate. Perhaps rehoming is best in this case, hope he gets some good luck in his next home. :-(
- By Stevensonsign [gb] Date 04.05.12 00:09 UTC
And it will happen again....she will need eyes in the back of her head when the baby is older. This dog needs a home with someone who can give  exercise , training and a proper life , before it all ends in tears .
- By inka [ie] Date 04.05.12 07:55 UTC
I agree, i just wish she'd listened to anyone who advised her against getting a dog (or at least not a 1 yr old gundog) when she had no intentions to do anything with it bar post cute photos of the dog on facebook. :-///
- By Roxylola [gb] Date 04.05.12 11:11 UTC
Oh gosh.  And the baby's bib would naturally smell of food to the dog!  No surprise that was first popint of contact really.

It certainly sounds more like rude young dog than anything aggressive.  Is there a local dog club or anything where perhaps she could put up an advert?  Sounds like he might be a cracking agility candidate!

I took on a collie this way years ago, he was a middle aged dog who had been baby until a baby came along.  My friend did everything by the book with regards to dealing with it all.  Sadly poor dog had not read the book and she seemed blind to the idea of anything but the dog going.  He and I had a great few years together. 
- By tadog [gb] Date 04.05.12 13:27 UTC
rehome poor dog. without question. best for all concerned
- By inka [ie] Date 11.05.12 10:05 UTC
rehomed, thankfully!
Topic Dog Boards / General / Ugh, not a good day for friend's collie x spaniel.

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