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My boyfriend has a 11 month old husky that he recently adopted and the dog will not nip but actually bite you along with jumping up repeatedly. This is especially dangerous when the dog jumps up while playing and tries to bite your face. Being a full grown and physically fit woman, I have no problems getting the dog off of me but this could really become dangerous if guests visit, esp. children.
When I come to visit I turn my back and ignore the dog when it jumps along with disciplining her when she becomes too rough when playing. (She rarely does this to me now.) My problem is that when I'm gone, my b/f just allows her to basically do whatever she likes. He literally has to pick the dog up to bring her inside at times. (She's a good 60 pounds or so.) He always has scratches or bite marks on his arms/feet and when he does something the dog doesn't like, such as putting her in another room, she'll deficate in the house. He does discipline the dog when I'm around but it just goes out the window when I'm gone. Can you guys give me some helpful suggestions on how to get him to realize that he NEEDS to train this dog? I LOVE animals but will not stand to be bitten, scratched, etc. I trained my dogs to be very well-behaved and I'm trying to help him!
Tell him if she's outside and does that to a child and they report it, by law she can be taken and possibly euthanized. His laziness and irresponsibility could cost his dog her life.
Get him to watch Animal Planet's show, It's Me or the Dog". Here, trainer Victoria Stilwell doesn't hold back on chastising the dog owners on their lack of dog training. By the time she's finished chewing them a new one, they can't wait to fix their dog's bad habits. Then she tells them how to do that, too.
Can you guys give me some helpful suggestions on how to get him to realize that he NEEDS to train this dog?
This is a tricky one and whether or not you succeed is, in reality, not up to you. It's up to him. However big points to you for trying.
In trying to figure out how best to tackle this or which direction to take, let me ask you something: when you raise the issue, or after the dog's bitten or scratched him, what's his reply - i.e. how does he justify his own inaction? How do you think he'd react if the dog either a) totally destroyed something inanimate that meant a lot to him (e.g. a favourite jacket, or a prized leather sofa) and b) what or how do you think he'd behave if (it's only a matter of when at this rate) the dog bites someone (possibly even himself) hard enough to warrant medical attention? Is it going to take a lawsuit - or worse - for him to come to his senses?
I suppose what I'm getting at here is how far you think is this going to have to go for him to sit up and take notice.
The other question is how far you are willing to go to get him to see the error of his ways? For example, would you be willing to pay for, say, a trainer or a behaviourist to come to the house and leave him in no uncertain terms about the direction this is all headed?
I will always wonder how or why he (and others like him) resign themselves to putting up with this kind of nonsense. It's like throwing up your hands and deciding to live with a ticking time-bomb.
See if an officer from your local SPCA will come talk to him and tell him what will happen to the dog if it hurts someone- death for the dog and a large fine/lawsuit for him. If he won't relent, see if he would think about re-homing the husky and picking out a more laid-back breed. Huskies need a LOT of training and are super active. They get into allot of trouble when left alone and needs hours of excersize every day. From what your have described, it dose not sound like a husky is the right dog for him.
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it doesn't bode well... one should consider putting all the cards on the table: child rearing could follow the same course... is this the kind of dad you could share your kids with?
YOU would always be the BAD cop!!! *smiley doubts you'll like it*
Hopes and Kate beat me to it. Why would you want someone this lazy and inconsiderate of others to be a significant person in your life? Red flags everywhere.....
My boyfriend has a 11 month old husky that he recently adopted. ... My problem is that when I'm gone, my b/f just allows her to basically do whatever she likes.
It's so upsetting to read this. I'm the owner of a Siberian Husky, and a week or so ago I posted about the problems I was having finding an apartment complex that would allow my dog...because of his breed. Your boyfriend's mishandling of his animal is exactly the type of reason WHY some places won't allow Sibes.
An untrained dog that size is a liability and a potential danger...not to mention a lawsuit waiting to happen if the dog were to hurt someone.
I hope that you'll be able to convince him that he has a responsibility to his dog. Part of giving her a happy life is giving her training so that she knows how to behave and knows what's expected of her at all times. Otherwise, she'll turn into a neurotic mess.
Good luck! (And Zoey says: Train your dogs!)
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