Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just at the website for the shelter where we got Cookie and they had a nine month old mix, can't remember the breeds. The originial owner adopted it at 8 weeks old and had it for the whole time. I guess when the pup reached around 9 months old, it was too hyper and excitable for them to keep it and took it back to the shelter. How could someone live with a puppy for nine months and then just give it up?? If it were aggressive, that would be one thing, but the dog is back up for adoption so I know thats not the issue. It's just a very happy puppy! I don't care how many problems it may have been having, nine months is a long time and I can't see anyone not bonding at least to a certain level, with the dog dispite how exitable it is. And name one dog that ISN'T excitable at nine months old!
Cookie is one of the most excitable pups I've ever seen and I have had her for about the same amount of time as these people, and sure at times she drives me up the wall, but just the thought of giving her up brings tears to my eyes. I could never give her up. I don't understand how anyone could after living and loving a dog for that long.

I know exactly what you mean. But, as horrible as it sounds, there are some people that just can't have a bond with a dog the way that we do. I would never give my girls up willingly, and the thought of unforseen circumstances that would make me do something like that makes me sick to my stomach. But, some people don't see dogs as a part of the family or loyal companion. They are just pets... *sigh*
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I agree with both of you. How could people do that - they probably shouldn't have a pet in the first place - I just hope they realize they truly weren't ready for a pet and don't just go out and get another one "to try out" and hopefully, if the pet is perfect they would consider keeping it. I have two little dogs (pom-terrier crosses) brother and sister - they are 3 years old and they still have accidents in the house - it is hard to scold either one unless I see them do it because it could be either one! So I make compromises. If they still have accidents I give them newspaper in one room that is vinyl flooring - this way they go to the bathroom if I miss them standing at the door and it is easy to clean up. No big deal right? And they also love to bark and it is high-pitched! But to give them up - no way.....I love them because they bark and because they still have little accidents. Last night we were all so content - we were laying on the couch watching T.V. and I live in Canada so it was a little chilly last night. We all just curled up with a blanket - each one in their place (I have 5 dogs so there wasn't much room left for me!) and it was great!
For people not to treat their animals with love and respect or like one of the family is just wrong.

I know how you feel! I work at an animal shelter and we get calls EVERY DAY from people trying to return animals to us after having them for years. Just today we got a call from a lady saying that she had two cats, and she was highly alleric and now pregnant and had to get rid of them!! I would NEVER be able to give up Duncan... We always get people who are marrying and need to give up their animals because their fiance doesnt want to live with a dog or cat. We already have so many animals that need loving homes... taking an animal from adequate shelter and food just isn't realistic. If I could I'd take them all home!!

is it that Bassett/lab pup? He looks just like a pup we adopted about 17 yrs ago...that shared our lives for 15 yrs.

it seems (may not be in this case) that so many shelters don't have the time/staff to really screen for potential homes, so they just hope for the best & since the dog is in the shelter/at risk for being euthanized, they feel that maybe to release the dog to almost anyone is better, just on the chance that it could work.

looked at that way, I can understand that the shelters are doing the best they can. Also

many shelters have a contract that you have to return a dog to them, like in one case my folks had a dog (mix Black Lab - Bassett type) they had to return, but I could have taken the dog & given him a great foster home & carefully screened, which would have been better than where he was being kept by the shelter.

it is so depressing when you consider all that humans have done to the dog as a species, even with the best intentions. there are the obvious low-life-abusers, but also a 'nice' dog in a 'nice' home, can suffer from neglect & isolation.

sometimes I feel like hiding myself in a cocoon with my family & just bathe in the blessed love we share, offering up my prayers for the rest.

thanks for listening to my vent...

I've helped out at a shelter before,and also started watching Animal Cops on tv,I've also helped a lot of dogs,and the things people can do and shove out of thier minds disqusts me sometimes....one of the best dogs I've had was never able to hold his bowels,x rays showed he had been severely abused,cracked his spine,had healed ribs,ect.where someone it appears,had kicked him around,we got him BEFORE he was WEANED!!
I could never marry someone who couldn't take my dog,in one of the doghobbyist chihuahua mags,it tells of a dog an owner had until she was in her teens,the owner died,but despite how long they had owned her,her husband decided he didn't like little dogs,and put her in a hamster cage in the basement,he had to have had the dog as long as her!he might not have been on the best of terms or something,but to flat out NOT care after so long?the dog was given to a foster home where the family ended up adopting her,but even if I had a goldfish for over ten years,I'd likely bawl if something happened to it,I guess some people are simply not meant to have pets...
I've recently failed in trying to rehabilitate an old starved dog that showed up here,she had a reaction to advantage,but already there's another mixed,toothless,starved dog with mammary tumors and sighns of having had too many litters,she looks old,but out here,many dogs don't live past 5-7 years,but people still drop them off,I might just try and see if a shelter can come and get her,as I don't really have the funds to take care of her

so many times,if a dog has a litter,she's dropped off at the pound or out here in the country with the puppies....how can you own a dog long enough for her to reach adulthood....and discard her for something YOU could have easily prevented???

on the show they rescued a dog who the owners had since he was a puppy,he was 17 years old,and still NOT named!

>>I was just at the website for the shelter where we got Cookie and they had a nine month old mix, can't remember the breeds. The originial owner adopted it at 8 weeks old and had it for the whole time. I guess when the pup reached around 9 months old, it was too hyper and excitable for them to keep it and took it back to the shelter. How could someone live with a puppy for nine months and then just give it up?? If it were aggressive, that would be one thing, but the dog is back up for adoption so I know thats not the issue. It's just a very happy puppy! I don't care how many problems it may have been having, nine months is a long time and I can't see anyone not bonding at least to a certain level, with the dog dispite how exitable it is. And name one dog that ISN'T excitable at nine months old!
>>Cookie is one of the most excitable pups I've ever seen and I have had her for about the same amount of time as these people, and sure at times she drives me up the wall, but just the thought of giving her up brings tears to my eyes. I could never give her up. I don't understand how anyone could after living and loving a dog for that long.

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Dr. Nicholas Dodman estimated a few years ago that 50% of the puppies in the US are dead by age 2 years, mostly due to behaviors their owners could not handle. That's the reason to try very, very hard to get people to make careful choices in the first place, to get a dog they will be able to handle.

A lot of these pups were acquired "for the kids," and then the dog is not handled properly around the kids and it winds up homeless or worse. A couple of homes down the line, and people feel even less commitment than the first home.

Some people, that is. I love adopting young adult dogs. In shelters, they are the best choices, because you have a much better idea of the responsibility you're accepting. Unfortunately, according to another statistic, 75% of people adopting a dog want a puppy. Thus the 50% statistic of those who are dead by age 2 years. It's tragic.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

Aww, that's so sad.. The poor thing, and it's even worse knowing that this sort of thing happens all the time.. And he's not even aggressive. It's horrible that people get puppies because they're cute and don't realize that they have at least 3 years of hyper puppy ahead of them. Not only that, but it may well be a very LARGE hyper puppy, and depending on the breed(s) it may well be hyper for the rest of its life. I understand your horror and frustration. Personally even if the pup were aggressive AND hyper, there are ways to cope and it's not right to send back a puppy just because he doesn't have personality you were hoping for. There's a reason that you sign an adoption CONTRACT. You are responsible for loving and caring for that dog no matter what it's like, no matter what problems there may be..

Of course you could never do that to Cookie, you have a sense of responsibility and love for your pup that sadly many dog owners don't have.. Just remember that pup and think about how lucky your girl is that you would never desert her..

Thanks everyone for your comments. It's really encouraging knowing how many of us WOULDN'T do something like that, and if we all keep it up and pass of these messages to people we know, maybe we can make a bit of a difference.
Thanks to everyone here for having such a love for dogs!!! They need it more than we know, and all I ever would like to do is be able to match the amount of love that they give to us.