This is my first posting it was wondering if anyone else has the problem of when feeling low tense and anxious if they start to fall out of love with their pets in particular I have found that I become distant and withdrawn from contact with my little dog becoming convinced that he will give me germs and parasites. I have now started to wash him face ,paws and bottom twice daily after walks . When well I worship and love this little dog but when low and anxious become consumed with the thought that he is a germ carrying vessel. I have even contacted local rehoming sites my son says that I would feel even worse if I was to have the dog rehoused as I don't appreciate or realise the postive effect the dog has had on my life
Xxx
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carla-toby30
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Your dog would be missing the love from you so much. Don't distant yourself from him, he needs you as much as you need him. I work in animal rescue, and I know for certain you would feel guilt of letting him go into a situation where he could potentially be euthanised if no one adopts him. Pets are amazing therapy, embrace his love & im sure your phobias you have right now will begin to vanish after you see the look in his eyes when you give him a cuddle. Also, very true fact here...dogs mouths are cleaner than humans even though they may seem dirty, they aren't. My brother got bitten on the finger in a football game one day from a guy from the opposition, my brother almost lost his finger due to the germs from the human mouth...the surgeon said, if it had been a dog bite it would have no where became so infected etc.
No matter what you are going through right now, constantly remind yourself that your dog is apart of your family & you love him. He will bring no germs or harm to you, he just wants you to love him like you use to. The amount of guilt you would feel if you surrendered him to a shelter, in my opinion I think you will regret for the rest of your life.
My animals are apart of my family, it doesn't matter how shitty I feel they are by my side through it all.
I hope you don't take offence to anything I've said as that's not my intention at all, I just don't want you regretting something & your pup being taken away from the love he has from you and your son.
Hi Carla, dogs are incredible resilient little muts, it sometimes seems their whole purpose in life is just to give love to humans.
I keep thinking of re homing my little dog just because I feel so guilty about not be able to look after him at the moment. But I know I adore the little rag and would miss him so much if I made that decision at the wrong time.
I had two dog's a year ago, and for a time fell into this mindset of they are part of my family and I can't just get rid of them. But I came to my senses and looked for a home for my sheepdog, she suffered from excessive happiness, and like all collies she was hyper and I was not well. I found a lovely home for her and I don't think it matters what my reasons where to disown that lovely dog, she is a dog not a human and although I have no idea what goes on in their little brains, I am sure we tend to humanize them far too much.
I look at my little dog and he seems to take my being ill all in his stride and just wants to be close to me all the time, I don't know how he can be happy when I can no longer even take him for a walk, but he seems to make it clear that he is just as long as he can stay my little shadow.
Our world is full of germs and bacteria, so I can't imagine any more so on dogs than from every thing we touch. OCD can easily get out of control, and if it does help is to be found to get past it.
There is nothing wrong with parting with pets, but you need to be at your best to make those sorts of decisions, then you will know what is the right thing for you and you alone xx
Thank you all so much for your wise thoughts and agree not the time to be making such a life changing decision ... Will increase my meds a little bit .... Think I have to get past this germ thing... Never been on site like this but finding it very good
Most welcome & we will all hell when we can! Hope you're having a better day today xxx
Hello
Our Pax never gets washed as such, He would leave home if I did.
He is a long haired smooth collie and we feed him Sardines once or twice a week. That keeps his fur a glossy sheen and we find that His fur remains very clean and his skin also does not suffer from dryness.
If He gets dirt on his fur we wash that of and leave the rest of him alone. If you wash a dog to much they begin to smell and the skin goes very dry. Before Pax we had a terrier called Pip and he would roll in fox po so we would get the hose out and wash him down with that, sardines were given to him, he was never washed just rubbed down. Dogs generally do not smell when you treat them like this. We do find the only area that does smell a bit, and it is not a nasty smell is the ears, they have a nice doggy smell. We check him over of course. Paws and nails, also pads. If He needs his ears looked at we will use a damp cloth. Sometimes His bum may need a wash as well. The natural oils in skin and fur keeps them clean if you brush them every now and then
If you must wash him just do it occasionally.
Pip and now Pax goes to bed with us and all is ok. We find the more you wash the more they will smell
Love your dog to bits, that is really what they want
BOB
Hi have you sought help for your feelings? Maybe a visit to the doctor would help? Please don't bath your little dog twice daily as you will give him skin disorders. Dogs should only be bathed when absolutely necessary and certainly not more than around 6 times a year. They can get dry skin or psorairis or even worse. A vet told me this. x
Our Pax has just come back from the beach this afternoon, Play with him on the beach and he will love that, Our old dog Pip was a rescue dog we got from the Pound in Newcastle, He was picked on the advice of the Mental Health Hospital and He never left my side for all of His life. We also used him as a Pat Dog in a Mental Health
Day centre and would sit on my knee most of the time. Not only you, also the dog will become a partnership if you allow that to happen.
Pax loves new people and today we had a visit to begin my memory loss etc. He sat next to the lady on the couch and placed his head on her lap for a few mins, then after He was taken notice of just sat watching the tv until it was switched of, we cannot switch it of until he sees a certain advert where the cat is propelled through the wall. Then He just went to sleep. Your dog will be your greatest friend when it comes down to mental health problems. He will pick up on your mood and you will need to reassure him when you are low
I agree with everything thats already been said but i did re home my little dog
It took me a year to make the decision and i made it because it was the right things for him....
I had him 6 years and he slept on my bed every night ,,, if i walked into the kitchen he would come with me and he would sit outside the toilet door waiting for me.....but i couldn't take him out and he couldn't stand being on his own in the house so when i was in hospital or on appointments he would be in a terrible state and so distressed ..i tried lots of things but nothing worked ....i told my dog groomer what i was thinking and as she knew my situation she spoke to a friend of hers who re homed dogs because there was no way he was going in the kennels or going to a total stranger.
He now lives in the same town as me and lives with an older couple who adore him as much as i do ...he has poached egg for breakfast every morning before he goes to the beach for his walk as they live near it....he is never left alone and the bitter sweet part about it is he loves them so much...
It was one of the worse things ive had to do and i cried for months and still miss him after almost a year but i know that it was the right think for him and i had to put him first...
My heart goes out to anyone who is in my situation , its awful to give up something you love
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even though they may seem dirty, they aren't. My brother got bitten on the finger in a football game one day from a guy from the opposition, my brother almost lost his finger due to the germs from the human mouth...the surgeon said, if it had been a dog bite it would have no where became so infected etc. 
Seriously let down by my GP, unsure what to do now...
MY 19 YEAR OLD SON HATES ME!!
Forcing myself to live normal for my kids...
Bring me sunshine!
