Feel soooo awful :(

[ashy2005]

Having a rough week finish work tomorrow and have 3 weeks holiday before my maternity leave starts as my house is upside down at the minute and would like to get organised as i have loads to do. My daughter is 7 and been the centre on my universe so she has her bedroom and the second bedroom as a playroom, packed full of stuff and painted pink! Really needing to have a big clear out.. which I am prepared for but what i wasnt prepared for was my dog (wether hormones or not) getting on my nerves!

Hes 7 months old and we got him slightly before i found out i was expecting. If i had of known I would have postponed getting him. He is so lively and jumps all over everyone when they come to visit, and if i put him out he barks so much the neighbours complain. He has chewed the lino in the kitchen and just the other day i came home from work to find he had chewed his way through the bottom of my kitchen cupboards which floored me and i burst into tears and ran out of the house! dramatic I know lol. I used to be so house proud and loved having people over but he has plucked all my cusions and ripped the bottom of my leather sofa leaving a wooden hole, its so bad my friends and family dont visit me now as they cant get peace to sit and have a coffee with him going mad. My partner (knowing how stressed out i was with the dog) called me today at lunch and said there was a woman is his work that has 2 other dogs and she only works mornings so is there most of the day, she would have time to spend with him and he would have a better life with her, as I know when baby arrives I will have even less time than i do now. She has a big back garden and is involved with rescue dog charities. I know I would be making the right decision for him but I just feel so bad Im trying to convince myself, but i just cant imagine having a newborn baby, loads of people over to visit him and my dog going mad torturing people and barking not to mention he would bark during the night as wel I am making the right decision arnt I??

Sorry for going on again... need reassurance! xx

[Hidden]

My dog went thru that but thank god he is over it I think I would of felt the same, he used to love chasing my boys and biting their bums so I could never have friends children over and I couldn't of dealt with all that and a newborn. .. He is still playful and is acting very weird at the moment.. But has Def calmed down. .. but if I am concerned at all when the baby comes then I'm afraid he will be the first to go, I know I will be gutted but if he has a good home and I knew he would Ok them it would make me feel much better, such a hard decision xx

[ashy2005]

Thanks for understanding. I feel so bad even considering it but deep down I know its the right decision for us. Hes a lovely wee dog but hes so lively and chews everything I would love to give him more time until baby is here but this woman is lovely and can offer him a good home now. My heart is breaking but I want everything to be perfect when baby finally arrives.. peaceful lol xxx

[ritz21]

Ofcourse it seems to me you are making a right choice and the best at this point of time. You need more time to yourself and the new baby and the elder sibling.

I love dogs too and I was so desperate to have one, but I am glad my husband is not particularly a Dog lover and prevented us from owing one till now. Because last time when I was at my in-laws place who BTW have very well-behaved Dogs, I was getting a lot wrestles with Dog hair (I know its not un-hygienic or anything, or maybe it is, but the point is I was over-conscious).

I hope you 7yo would also agree to let the Dog go for time being - as kids can be quite attached to the pets.

Dont worry the dog would be fine in the new family

[ashy2005]

Thank you so much. My hormones must be going mad as im very emotional but your right, I have waited so long for a little brother or sister for my daughter and I want to enjoy every moment and I dont think i could handle him as wel

My daughter was upset when i mentioned it but i explained her my fears about her wee brother and shes had quite a few scrabs and run ins with the dog when hes excited so she knows it would be best. I explained maybe in the future we could get an older dog that needs a home and is hopefully passed its chewing/crazy stage! xxx

[Hidden]

I think it would be a good idea, however upsetting now, it would be a good idea as looking after a dog is quite a responsibility on its own let alone 2 children. Theres no harm in even 3/4 yrs time if u don't plan to have anymore children then maybe get a dog then or even get a cat, if your elder child would still enjoy having a pet but right now I think u r making a gd decision and its best to do it now. Don't worry I am emotional too, I think its how it goes! x

[Skyblueboston]

My dog Stamford is now eight, he is a staffie when he was a young pup he chewed everything if we let him! What you need to get is a dog crate, so when you are out he goes into the crate, it should ave his bed, bowl of water, and a toy, change this often to keep him interested. Also make the dog crate his bed, so of a night he goes into the crate to sleep.

Another great device is a very hard plastic shape bone and you stuff it with treats, he will have to work at it to get the treat, still keeps my dog busy for hours.

Your dog needs at least one walk a day till he is panting!

Always use the same commands so he doesn't get confused. I have installed a baby gate so if I ave visitors I put him in the kitchen till he calms down then I allow him to be greeted.

Your pup is sooooo young you can teach him soooo quickly

Try not to give up, at times I felt like I could be got rid of my dog when he chewed something I loved, but I carried on and now he is such a wonderful family pet.

[ashy2005]

Thank you, aw no emotions are running high with everyone :/ i know now I am making the right decision, for us and for the dog. He would have a better life with someone that would have more time with him. Its just so awful making a decision like this especially with hormones flying and debating wether it is just your emotions but i think when baby finally arrives i will feel the same Just glad all you ladies agree, was begining to think i was a nasty person just giving away her dog but iv thought long and hard about it.. just my emotions in the way now!! the joys xxx

[ashy2005]

Thanks Skyblueboston, i think that was always our problem, he was let away with everything when we got him. Start as you mean to go on as they say but not with us I have had loads of tips for training and my partner and I try to follow through but my daughter has a mind of her own. we have a stair gate on the bottom of the stairs to stop him as he likes to do his business outside the bathroom door iv heard of the crate and a lot of people say it works.

That is the only regret i would have.. as i know in the future after the puppy stage he would be a great wee dog its just the getting there.. xxx

[Skyblueboston in reply to ashy2005]

Don't worry you have to do what's right for your family, sounds like you have found him a nice new home I too have given a dog up, she was so lovely but got o distressed when she was left on her own, she destroyed a lot of stuff, we gave her away to a new home, broke our hearts and we cried for ages but we knew it was the right thing to do. Training dogs is hard, second time around we got the right breed for our lifestyle

[ashy2005]

I think it is for the best, he is just so hard to handle at the minute and i dont see it improving in the near future It is so difficult but I know hes going to a good home

I deffinately will do a little research in the future, to see what kind of dog suits us maybe an older rescue dog that needs a home xxx