[Blacksheep]

My friend's mom is giving away a dog...a VERY ugly dog. And my heart sank. I can't let this super ugly dog get in the wrong hands or, even worse, end up at the shelter where ugly tends to not go well.

Chewie (short for Chewbacca) is a Shih Tzu x Poodle with poo and copper colored fur and with an under bite.

Now his mouth doesn't bother him from what I'm told. He can eat (although kibbles will sometimes fall out) so no need for anything drastic (like surgery or...braces). However I tend to feed a little more than just something that can be inhaled.

I don't have an issue with "barfing" him and just giving special care to his teeth...but just would rather not.

Anyone have experience with an underbite and...prey model for example?

 

[Purple-Hops]

So you have the dog in custody? Or does your friend's mom still have it? Maybe you could post pictures in thevets where compassionate people go? I know how ugly tends to go but maybe someone will realise this and save him?

 

[Dragonrain]

I wouldn't necessarily say that just because he's ugly means he won't get a new home. Some people have a special place in their heart for the 'less adoptable' animals, such as special needs cases or ugly animals who might normally take longer to find a new home.

I know at the shelter I volunteer at, sometimes the animals thought of as less adoptable by the shelter staff are some of the first to find new homes.

Keep in mind that even on prey model you may need to pay special attention to his teeth. If his teeth don't line up properly, his chewing might be off, meaning that even when eating RMB's the food might not come into contact with all the surfaces of his teeth, so there could be spots where tarter could start to build up.

 

[Sasami]

I would try him with softer bones (a chicken neck or wing, maybe?) just to see how he does. If he really has trouble eating (just an underbite shouldn't be enough to cause problems, a lot of my fosters have had underbites and could handle bones just fine), you may need to look into grinds. I'm too lazy to grind my own meat so if I was in that situation, I'd probably buy pre-made grinds from Hare Today, Primal, Bravo, etc.

If you truly want the dog, go for it, but don't assume he won't get a home because of his looks. The rescue I work with has gotten in some pretty...strange dogs and we were still able to adopt them out. Sometimes people prefer the "ugly" ones .

 

[Kendalle]

at our shelter all the unique dogs get homes quicker than the normal dogs. Either the ugly ones or the gorgous ones, always adopted before the standards.

we had a boxer that had one blue eye one black eye and an underbite and in my opinion was creepy looking, it got adopted somehow before it was up for adoption. someone saw her being walked and was like that is my dog!

 

[Blacksheep]

Her mom still has custody. My dogs came down with something so we're waiting for them to get better.

Oh I didn't mean to make it sound like that she was giving him up because of his looks. No its just that she can't keep up with his coat and such. She is low income and the state isn't helping her. On top of that, she is going to have two kids that are graduating and the school they go to doesn't accept rental gowns but you must buy your gown to walk (when I went it was $500 just to graduate at a PUBLIC SCHOOL!!!!). Anyway...the cost is adding up and she is the only one supporting her family of four.

 

[Dragonrain]

Oh I didn't think you meant she was/is giving him up because he's ugly, I was responding to this statement...

I can't let this super ugly dog get in the wrong hands or, even worse, end up at the shelter where ugly tends to not go well.

Ugly doesn't always go as bad as you might think in a shelter, where unique dogs, even if they are 'ugly', are often times some of the first to find new homes.

 

[somebody]

But......once the kids graduate, that expense is gone. It really seems an odd reason to rehome a dog who has been a member of the family all his life.

Perhaps you could offer to foster him and care for him until after the graduation, and then he could go home?

She can most likely find second hand or even older gowns to buy, since the kids graduating in previous years would probably want to get some of their money back and sell the gowns they had to buy.

I hate seeing animals lose their homes.

 

[Purple-Hops]

I never graduated.. I mean, I DID graduate but I never gave the school 1 penny for my diploma. I did not attend grad fest and I do not regret it. But I can understand if her kids want to go.. It's a big thing. It only sucks that the dog has to go. If its for the better (coat maintenance etc.) then fine but it's sad to hear. I hate the corporately run state which demands money for everything, ugh:/

 

[BichFrisBeefry]

I think ugly is not a good term for a dog. All dogs are lovely and there is no standards for ugliness or beauty. I really wish everyone treats a every dog fairly.

 

[Blacksheep]

Well she wanted to get rid of him before her grandson was born. He came pretty early so they gave the dog to some family. I'm not upset but will miss him. They're animal lovers and I'm glad she didn't just throw him in the shelter.

Thanks all for the replies. And I agree ugly dogs DO tend to go fast in the shelter. There was a hideous pit x basset at my local shelter that was adopted within 5 days lol.

 

[Blacksheep]

Oh and to clarify chewie wasn't always a household member. Some family members moved from out of state with their dog and were waiting for an apartment. So while they were staying in a temporary apartment, Chewie stayed with my friend and her mom for sixish months. When the time came for his real family to pick him up, he became depressed.

Then her irresponsible daughter got knocked up. She got kicked out of her apartment. Dad doesn't have a job and just smokes pot all day. So grandma came in and said "fine stay with me." Sad story. She didn't just give him up but gave up some beloved fish as well.

 

[Blacksheep]

Yeah so I guess the cost just added up. Hopefully her graduating kids will get financial aid for college at least lol. It would help offset the cost of that stupid $500 gown.