new pup

[so lucky]

I'm wondering if it would help if you created a place outside that has the same surface he is used to peeing on? like a piece of carpet or linoleum....maybe with his urine on it for the smell.
My brother has a shelter dog that he has had for about 14 years. The dog is very elderly, deaf, crippled, with dementia, apparently. They are pretty much tied to the house, caring for the dog. I know they love him and want to do what is best, but at least with animals, we have the choice of putting them out of their misery when they get to a certain point. They are about there, I think.
I don't believe anyone on here will judge you harshly if you have to take him back to the shelter. You are certainly trying. Sometimes all an animal wants is to get "normal" back, what ever that may be.

 

[digitS']

I am so glad you have knowledgeable "dog people" here. And, that you are a knowledgeable person, yourself.

Don't beat yourself up over any of this. You are obviously doing what you can with a good effort.

Dogs are fun and I'm enjoying having Garbanzo around so much lately. She responds so well to words. It makes me think that she is really a bright little animal but, I wonder . . .

She has all the "brain parts" that a human does but has so little development in the front part. I guess that every animal has a cerebellum. Even fish! We are told that this cerebellum is useful for attention and planning. I am amazed at some dogs' attention. But then, fish have attention, also . . . and with all this attention that may go on for several minutes, what's the planning ability?

They aren't planning to be huge problems for those folks who take care of them. They are really just living in the moment, or several moments.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Believe it or not they make doggy diapers. Mostly used on females in heat and old dogs.

That's what I was thinking too. It would at least save your floors until you get it worked out one way or another.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Yes, doggie diapers! I had that suggestion from his shelter caretakers, they are paying for his supplies so if I decide I want to use them they'll reimburse me... Things have been better the last 2 nights

I've been pondering the choices you mentioned, So Lucky. I will make that decision, if need be, in consultation with his shelter caretakers, but I kind of wonder if they wanted to get him in a foster home now to make it more "easy" to make that decision. As in...they've been caring for him so long, sometimes it's hard to be objective about their physical and mental well-being. Thank goodness we do have these options, it's a mercy. We all know he won't be around forever, I actually think it's rather astonishing that a dog his size has lived this long!

 

[lesa]

Sorry to hear you are having a rough time of it... Glad things were better the last 2 nights. I dog sat for a friends elderly dog once. The dog paced the entire night- just wouldn't rest. Was awfully glad when my friend got home! You have opened you heart and your home to this dog- if it doesn't work out, you can't let yourself feel too bad. No one else was even willing to give him a try, for all those years. Fingers crossed that it will work out...

 

[Smithyard Farm]

Just checking in on you ... any better?

 

[so lucky]

Just checking in on you ... any better?

I think I saw on another thread that the dog was adjusting, and hardly ever has accidents now. (Or did I dream that?)

 

[NwMtGardener]

OH! Yes things are going great! Scooby is eating tons (still seems skinny, but at least he's not losing weight). The past few weeks have seen almost NO accidents in the house. AND I folded up his kennel last week and put it away! Scooby is very happy about that, and so are we he can be trusted completely even when we're not home to use the dog door to go out to the backyard to go potty.

My mom is also adopting a new dog, her 3rd one as well. She volunteers at a shelter near her home, and found a buddy for her other 2. My dog love is definitely a family thing

 

[ninnymary]

So glad things have really improved. You have enough going on with gardening to have to deal with puppy things.

Mary

 

[AMKuska]

Glad to hear everything is going great. Was it the medication?