Don't give up hope... one of the biggest problems you have right now is that he is going through puberty. Just like any teenage boy he thinks he's all grown up and doesn't "need" you to tell him what to do anymore

More dogs are re homed or "rescued" between the ages of 6 months and 18 months then any other time

Looking at the pics I can tell he's trouble and probably not the most ideal apartment dog, he looks like a terrier at heart and needs a job to do (mainly hunt down and kill vermin :lol: ) I second a dogwalker and maybe even find a large area fenced in where he can race his butt off to burn off steam


And remember he will grow up.....maybe :twised:

Beautiful dogs!

Thanks Marie.

I agree that he is really not a great apartment dog. That is really the main reason we had been considering re-homing him. We do not want to be selfish and keep him if he could have a better life somewhere else. The problem I have with re-homing him is that I would have a hard time letting him go to people we don't know and I will not send him to the SPCA. This is the first animal I have ever had as a family pet or my own, that has not come from the SPCA and I had a hard time in the first place buying a dog instead of rescuing one.

I think my fiancee would be a mess if we re-homed him. She has been really quiet about the subject and just kind of said if its the right thing to do then I can figure it out. Not so much help...but the only dog she has ever owned as a little girl had to be given away and it was rough on her.

I don't know how to decide if keeping him in a condo is "wrong" and he should be re-homed or if its just not ideal? It's a lot easier with fish lol.

I do know we are both willing to work even harder than we have been to train him. We have changed lifestyle things like being home on a saturday night because we were out most of the day today and don't want to leave him too long. I notice we are home more often since getting him.

Another question about the dog walker. Is this a suggestion so that he gets out more or so that someone else is training him and handling him? I guess a bit of both?

I suggested a dog walker (or even better a good puppy daycare) to get him socialized with other dogs as well as some exercise

Ok. There is a dog daycare just down the street from me. To be honest, I have been kind of embarrassed to take him there because I know how he will act when I walk in but I think I should give it a shot. It would be nice for him to be out for a full day with other dogs a few times a week.

Do check up on them, there's no point sending him there if all he's going to do is sit in a crate all day.

And don't be embarrassed to take him for lots of walks, he won't get better behaved if you don't...besides the extra exercise is good for you too :mrgreen:

I actually have a brochure from the place and for a full day there (8 hours) they get two walks and the rest of the time they are in the common area playing with the other dogs unless they become a problem. Then they get a time out. I guess its a lot like pre-school.

I'm not really embarrassed about the walks, more about taking him into the daycare :neutral:

I run almost everyday, so I want to take him with me but so far when I have tried, he barks and trips me. Going to just keep trying though and Im sure eventually he will "get it" and run with me. He thinks its a game right now. I don't take him out for runs consistently enough I don't think. Need to just start taking him every time.

Justin,
Do you guy's have a crate for him, a place of his own to go, I would try to get him use to one. And he still is very young. Small dogs are indeed way more work at times. Ours had
little set backs till she was about a year. Much to my horror. Also get him a choke chain not a heavy one and make corrections by snapping the lead. Puppies are so cute I think the biggest mistake we make is we treat them like babies and are afraid they may break. So generally we talk softly and do not show any authority, more so women. So the dog gets the idea he is boss. I hope it all works out for you guy's, good-luck he is very cute.
The daycare might be a solution but he still has to come home at the end of the day so he needs to realize you are the ones in charge.

I don't think a choke chain would be the best tool to use in this case...a better choice would be a 'Halti' or 'Gentle Leader' , they are the same idea as a halter for a horse

+1