New addition to the family! - Paw Talk

kitten76 · #1 05-19-2006, 09:32 PM

A while back my mother moved back home to NM. She finally gave me my dog back! We had gotten him as a pup, and when I moved out I wanted to take him...but he became the family dog and stayed. Anyway he is back with me. A good thing. My mother had basically locked him and her dog in the back room and forgot about them. He has forgotten to ask to go out to go potty, and is grumpy! My fiancee wants to get rid of him, but I say no! Rufus is not too fond of kids because my stepdad and brother teased him ALOT and had to fight for food and water with my moms dog. His food aggression is rare and he does spend the morning and evenings in the back. He has snapped at my youngest daughter too many times. Does anyone have any suggestions as how to properly address these behaviors? He is a great dog and very loving. He is now 13 yrs old and I am very concerned for my two kids.
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Vanilla_Rat · #2 05-20-2006, 07:06 PM

Thats greyt that you took him in, as clearly your mom didn't want the respnsibility.He is a beautiful dog.

Sorry I have no advice...

I am sure someone will come along with some for you...

Elvis Lee Mommy · #3 05-21-2006, 08:32 PM

He is a beauty. It's a shame he was in a house where he was unappreciated & not taken care of properly. He's lucky to have you. Do you have obedience classes in your area? It's never too late to bring a dog to OB classes. Good luck & keep us posted on how your furbaby is doing.

Chrissy · #4 05-22-2006, 02:56 PM

He's a beautiful dog!

kathydip · #5 05-22-2006, 04:13 PM

I agree classes are wonderful for pets of any age. Also you may want to catch some episodes of the Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan. He is great! His first question is always -"how often and how long do you walk your dog?" Walking your dog in the heel position is a great way to show him/her that you are the pack leader. You need to show him that you are in charge of him and that his new job in your house is not to take care of you or even himself but to relax and enjoy himself. I hope no one thinks I am crazy but I really do believe that Cesar is the best at what he does!