Once again in over my head

[Bridget]

I've been over my head in animals before and swore it would never happen again. I even counseled others not to do it, as it isn't any favor to the animals. But here we are....We have our three large dogs, which is a pretty perfect number for us. We are DOWN to three cats, which is ok too, although two might be better. For about 15 mins. everything was perfect. Then we acquired a little foster terrier, emergency situation. She was only to be with us for a few weeks until her puppies were weaned, but we now love her and would no more send her back to the shelter than our own dogs. We WILL let her go, but not until the right home comes along. Now my son has separated from his wife and come home, along with his Boston Terrier. Not taking in him or the dog isn't an option for us. I am feeling completely overwhelmed. Loki, our lab, is seriously dog aggressive and Heidi is too to a lesser extent, so all the time some dogs have to be locked up. I live night & day with the fear that the wrong dog will get loose with the wrong dog. Feeding time is an absolute nightmare, especially since everyone eats a different food and/or different amounts of it. I feel like even my fish are looking at me disapprovingly, that I'm not up to par. No one is getting the exercise they need. Just now I had to break up the little dogs, who have noramlly played fine, as they got in a fight. I am afraid we are going to end up with a houseful of aggressive dogs. To my son's credit, he does take care of his dog himself, but it's still another dog in the house and I can't be so petty as to say I won't let him out, feed him if son isn't home, etc. I am neglecting everything else in my life because this is a second full-time job. I love each and every one of them, but am feeling overwhelmed. I know there isn't a solution, guess I just need someone to say "Yeah, I know how you feel." Thanks.

[llombardo]

I can honestly say I know how you feel I have 3 dogs, five cats, and two fish tanks(they don't require as much work as before) but if it makes you feel better I'm doing it pretty much by myself..my son helps but not without nagging. I get up at 4:30, let puppy out, feed the zoo, let the puppy back out and I try to do this while I'm getting ready for work. Then I drive an hour to work, work 9 hours, drive an hour home. When I get home..out goes the puppy, feed the puppy, let other dogs out, feed them...then let the puppy back out and try to hide water and food..wash dishes, sweep up the neverending fur and hopefully in the process the puppy behaves and doesn't have an accident. I know what your saying about the fish too...I used to take such pride in the tanks, now I feed them and clean tanks once a week Not to mention my sister needed a place for her rabbit, so I'm cleaning rabbit poop every two days and trying to keep my dogs out of the rabbit cage(my one dog managed to open it and steal carrot) I don't go to sleep until 11:30-12:00 because I have to get the puppy out that one last time so she holds it all night.....yes I understand where your coming from

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

Thank you for helping that terrier,Been there before but on a smaller scale The problem is you cannot let one dog go inthis case the foster terrier. You love them all equally but for different reasons. You cant say no to your son. Its alot to deal with. Lived for three years w/ lucky and dodger . Dodger was good w/ Daisy the princess and most females but had a decreasing but still present aggression toward male dogs. Dodge lived in the basement w/ my husbands buddy and the comfy couches but we had a few encounters that created Luvky's dog aggression w/ other unknown dogs on his home territory. Then lucky and shadow . Shadow the velcro love muffin golden we rescued.He was just a wonderful dog who Lucky did not try to get as Shadow lived in our basement but it was tense. I have felt the need to foster but instead have helped with transport and money as I due to foster child and heart attack can't handle much more.I want to thank everyone who takes a rescue into their home and bends their time to fit one more. You sound incredibly busy but doing a great thing. My hats off to you but also wish you a calgon day soon. Thanks for helping the dogs.
Maggi

[Freestep]

I can sympathize. I have three dogs, five cats, a small herd of goats and a flock of chickens, ducks, and geese. Some days I just think "What the H am I doing??" and I feel overwhelmed with it all... especially with chronic pain and fatigue. Honestly, it's not THAT much work, and hubby does help out, but there are days where I really miss my little house in town and my one-dog-two-cat lifestyle.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by Bridget

I've been over my head in animals before and swore it would never happen again. I even counseled others not to do it, as it isn't any favor to the animals. But here we are....We have our three large dogs, which is a pretty perfect number for us. We are DOWN to three cats, which is ok too, although two might be better. For about 15 mins. everything was perfect. Then we acquired a little foster terrier, emergency situation. She was only to be with us for a few weeks until her puppies were weaned, but we now love her and would no more send her back to the shelter than our own dogs. We WILL let her go, but not until the right home comes along. Now my son has separated from his wife and come home, along with his Boston Terrier. Not taking in him or the dog isn't an option for us. I am feeling completely overwhelmed. Loki, our lab, is seriously dog aggressive and Heidi is too to a lesser extent, so all the time some dogs have to be locked up. I live night & day with the fear that the wrong dog will get loose with the wrong dog. Feeding time is an absolute nightmare, especially since everyone eats a different food and/or different amounts of it. I feel like even my fish are looking at me disapprovingly, that I'm not up to par. No one is getting the exercise they need. Just now I had to break up the little dogs, who have noramlly played fine, as they got in a fight. I am afraid we are going to end up with a houseful of aggressive dogs. To my son's credit, he does take care of his dog himself, but it's still another dog in the house and I can't be so petty as to say I won't let him out, feed him if son isn't home, etc. I am neglecting everything else in my life because this is a second full-time job. I love each and every one of them, but am feeling overwhelmed. I know there isn't a solution, guess I just need someone to say "Yeah, I know how you feel." Thanks.

OK, I know how you feel!

Actually I can't imagine how you feel! BUT I certainly admire you for stepping up to the plate when needed. BIG CONGRATS to you!

Hopefully some of the dogs will be more settled soon!

Hang in there and let us all know how it is going (and esp. if you need to rant!)

[Bridget]

AAhhhhh, now I feel better. Thanks guys!

[Rua]

Originally Posted by Bridget

I know there isn't a solution, guess I just need someone to say "Yeah, I know how you feel." Thanks.

I know how it feels to be in way over your head with herds of animals. Earlier this year, I went from having a quiet little farm of a few hens, a cat and a few fish to having 12 Muscovy Ducks (a friend rescued them and brought them to me. I raised them from ducklings), 50 hens (30 raised from eggs - NOT my idea but I ended up doing all the work), a seriously aggressive rooster that was making our hens (and me) miserable and a bunch of stray cats.

I thought I was gonna go mad because so much of the day was spent just trying to keep everything running and under control. Eventually I got things relatively manageable again (even with getting a GSD pup in the meantime!). It took a bit of time, but I can wake up in the morning now and not feel quite as overwhelmed as I was.

Hang in there! Things will calm down again.

[AmberGS1Exit]

I hope I can be some kind of help here. You need to take control of the dogs. It seems like they are separated rather than united. Ask yourself are others involved to solve this solution? If not, let’s bring them in and try/error without any harm to the animals. Make it clear humans are in control, not the animals. This might take a while, but well worth it. Everyone else is saying "Oh I feel your pain", but not taking any action to take back their own home. Let's get real here guys. Unite the dogs and you guys can live a life again without worrying about your pets. Esp. if you it's your second job, get others into this to correct the problem(s). Avoid anything physical just voice. That doesn't work introduce the electric collar (don’t go cheap) to show force without physical force. MAKE IT CLEAR is the bottom line and stick with that.

[Rua]

Originally Posted by AmberGS1Exit

Everyone else is saying "Oh I feel your pain", but not taking any action to take back their own home.

Oh I DID take action to take back my home. But the action I took doesn't apply to the OP. She can't cull her dogs!

[jocoyn]

Yeah, I know how you feel. I had a thread about light at the end of the tunnel.
Sometimes events can be overwhelming. In my case I was keeping dogs separate and 2 muzzled with bandages so they would not ravage wounds (not dog inflicted-1 surgical, one accident) and have a 6 month old puppy.

Whenever we watch my daughter's min-chi (she rescued and tells people NOT to breed them; they are too small) I get concerns about how delicate she is and she is kept separate with that lingering fear as my dogs are about as delicate as field labs. The beagle/pit mix they have can hold his own (in a nice way)