After losing our soul dog last spring, we finally decided we were ready to adopt again. Right around the new year, we brought home a 30 lb, 8-12 month old mutt from a rescue that transports dogs up from high-kill shelters in the South. (For context, our late dog was adopted in the same manner and we obviously had a wonderful experience with her.)
Things have not been so smooth this time around. The rescue (or maybe just her foster?) was not upfront about some big behavioral issues. The worst is her mouthiness. She has literally dangled off of my arm by her teeth on more than one occasion. We have a young child and there is absolutely no way I would feel comfortable allowing them in the same room together without her on a tight leash. Despite the rescue's insistence, she is also not housebroken. If we turn our backs on her even for a moment, she will tear up the carpet, pee, or both.
We are really trying our best with her. We don't have a fenced in yard, so we do as much playtime and exercise inside and on leash as possible. We crate her, we take her out every 1-2 hrs, we have a daily dog walker, and we also have a +R trainer come 2-4x a week. She is improving immensely, but she still needs so much work. Normally I'd feel up for the challenge, but as it turns out…
… I'm pregnant. Without going into my medical history, suffice to say: We did not expect this.
Due to issues I experienced with my first child, I'm being managed as a high risk pregnancy. That means extra appointments at the specialized hospital an hour away from work. I feel so sick, so busy, and so, so tired.
I just don't know what to do. Returning her would be a logistical impossibility. We don't know anyone who would be interested in taking her, and we don't have family or friends who can pitch in. Can I trust the training to work on a time crunch? Or am I just prolonging a nightmare by keeping her?
submitted by /u/ishmesti
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