Dog Is Too Much Work

Updated on June 06, 2008
M.R. asks from Crown Point, IN
33 answers

Hello,
I have had a shephard lab mix (mutt) for two years now. She is a good dog and for the most part listens very well. However, she is very hyper, and she wont stop jumping on people. It is almost impossible to have people over because she takes a long time to settle down. I have to vaccuum every day because she sheds like crazy. I have two children and she is a lot of work for me. My husband loves her but he works a lot so it is hard for him to take her for walks and properly take care of her. I like her but I am left so frustrated with all the work I have to do to keep the house clean. I have a newborn and the dog wakes her and my son up before they are ready to get up by barking or sticking her nose in my infants face. I have asked my husband to help out by training her and he says he will, but never does. I wish he could have a day in the life of me. Any suggestions?

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So What Happened?

Thank you everyone for your responses. It was nice to hear I am not the only one with this problem. I feel like my husband thinks I am overreacting and I guess I just wanted some sympathy and some HELP. I really appreciate everyones answers. My mom bought me some sort of brush that helps with shedding. I told my husband he needs to start using it everyday. I don't mind brushing her because it is almost therapedic, but I want him to realize all the work I do.

More Answers

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A.W.

answers from Peoria on

I put our dog on the treatmill everymorning regaurdless if we are planning on going for a walk that day or not. He always goes with us for walks. He wears a Halti so he can't pull...a lifesaver! A well exersised dog is a well behaved dog. I also bought a shaver from PetSmart and shave him down every spring. He has Golden Retriever in his so he is a big shedder!

1 mom found this helpful
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T.S.

answers from Chicago on

Oh I hear you loud and clear. I have two German Shepherds and although they are well behaved (they are older), they are a lot of work. I am SO done with dogs at this point. I'm sick of the hair, the mud, the feeding, the POOP and now (with the humidity) the smell.

So, I understand. But, in truth, if you want the dog to be a respectable part of your family, then he needs some boundries and training. Both of my dogs were in training when they were younger. I took our older dog (now 12) to the advanced level and I used to be able to walk her without even holding the leash. We took our dogs to TOPS in Grayslake. They were really, really good. They don't focus on food as a reward but rather on correcting unwanted behaviors with a leash and collar AND rewarding with praise and affection. Their thought process is that we want our dogs to obey us because that is what they are trained to do - not because we have a treat in our hand.

Both of my dogs are allowed in certain parts of the house. Mostly, the kitchen and living room. They don't go in the boys bedrooms (they have carpeting) and will come in our room once in awhile when we let them.

With the nice weather we have been taking our boys and the younger dog for walks at night. Dogs need some exercise in order to keep them out of trouble. They have all this energy that they NEED to burn off (especially at only 2) and if you don't burn it off with exercise - they will find a way to do it themselves.

Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.B.

answers from Chicago on

One thing that will help before any training is a daily walk. Put the kids in the stroller & all of you will benefit by getting some time outdoors.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.G.

answers from Chicago on

Sounds like your dog needs DAILY EXERCISE, training and daily brushing. Petco offers reasonably priced classes. Don't count on your husband... leave him home with the kids and go train or exercise your dog. Dogs need daily walks.

Get a crate and when people come over crate the dog. Try giving her a special treat in the crate to occupy her so she doesn't bark.

Have you had her for two years? If so, you're going to have to do a lot of "un" training. Both Labs and Shepherds are smart. If your bedrooms are on the second floor, train the dog to not go on the second floor. Use a gate, use treats.

Switching her food to a high quality brand or raw diet might also help with her energy level and maybe the shedding.

I understand you're frustrated, but this dog is a life that you welcomed into your family. You have to make time for her. All dogs shed. Labs and shepherds tend to bark. Dogs can live 12 - 15 years. These are the things people need to think about before they get pets. So many animals are in shelters because people do things on impluse and don't think! Pets are a huge commitment, they are work. The work is reward with unconditional love.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Champaign on

One recommendation that I haven't seen so far for the vaccuuming/shedding problem is getting a Roomba, the robotic vaccuum. It's expensive for an initial investment (approx $300), but if you get Model 560 you can schedule it to vaccuum at specific days/times. I have a 13 month old daughter, two dogs and two cats (I won't ever have this many pets again!). Needless to say, hair is a constant issue in our house. The Roomba didn't solve all of the problems, but it's allowed us to vaccuum more often while doing less work.

A quick tip for buying one, if you can't get one through Cosco or another discounter, wait for a 20% off coupon from Bed Bath and Beyond. Their prices before the coupon were comparable to most places we shopped, but the coupon made a huge difference.

Good luck!

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M.M.

answers from Peoria on

I am a mother of 3 and work full-time. I wanted another dog sooo bad after having to put our second one to sleep. My choice came down to a Weimeraner. Little did I know how hyper and how much attention they need. It has been very overwhelming. She also likes to jump. I always thought shockers & kennels were not the way to go. Little did I know that it would give me back some of my sanity :) The shocker really isn't a shock. It feels like when someone touches you and there is static electricty. It has saved a lot of aggrevation and worked very well. We only use it as a last resort and to correct the bad behavior. Good Luck!!

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S.T.

answers from Chicago on

M.,
I know exactly where you are coming from, I have that too and I am telling you sign up for a training class or have a trainer come to the house. It will make a world of difference. And it will also establish you as the Alpha in the house and the dog will listen and responde to you. I am in the middle of training and it is helped so much. Ask your vet for suggestions on Trainers, they ususally know who is good.

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M.O.

answers from Chicago on

The dog needs training but has already formed bad habits, like the jumping. Your husband needs to take responsibility and get the dog to training. There are items that you can use to stop bad habits, like sending a high pitch sound to the dog when they do wrong. There are also collars that give them a minimal shock when they do the wrong behavior that might help you. i.e. when the baby is not in crib and dog goes near crib, you send the signal and he gets the message that it's a bad place to be. We had a pug which I thought was going to be easy because it was short haired. Let me tell you, little pugs are the worst shedding dog in the world! I had a groomer recommend shaving the dog. Keeping him shaved saved me so much! She shaved her own lab because of allergies so you should be able to get your dog shaved to cut down on the shedding. Hope this helps. I love dogs but they can be a lot of work. Hope hubby will listen and give you the help you need.

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C.F.

answers from Chicago on

Call Robin, she is a dog trainer, she will do a great job for you . She is wonderful and if you need some training she will do that too
Robin ###-###-#### ###-###-#### (c)
The best part is she will come to you. You will not have to leave your home

B.K.

answers from Chicago on

Petco or Petsmart or a local vet can give you advice on training. Your dog needs to go to classes, be walked every day and get groomed probably. Also, how does she get her nose so close to your kids when they're sleeping -- in order to wake them up? Keep their doors closed. My daughter doesn't even hear the barking. She got used to it from our dogs. Dogs are a lot of work. Maybe going to dog training could be your night out!? Good luck!

T.B.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M.,
Boy, can I relate, AND I'm a dog trainer! Before I had my son, I thought people were just being insensitive to their pets when they said it was too much. Sadly, having worked at a shelter, I saw many pets come in after a new baby arrived. Now, I get it. It can be very frustrating, and I LOVE my dogs. They were my babies before my son arrived.

If you would like some help, I work for AnimalSense (www.animalsense.com). We offer group classes in the city and in Oak Park, as well as in-home help for situations like yours, or just for busy people who don't have time for classes. You can save alot of money by having a trainer come to you and work one-on-one because you are working on the specific issues that your dog is having.

If I can help in any way, please feel free to PM me. Hang in there, it will get better. And I'm glad you are getting your husband more involved. You are tied up with the baby, he needs to step up help with the pets.

T.

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P.

answers from Chicago on

Get that dog some exercise!

I have always had dogs in my life. I have two right now, and a child (plus two cats). Pets are a lot of work. The fur is overwhelming. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love my dogs. I have one very hyper Aussie cattle dog mix with separation anxiety, but I love her to death and I do what I have to do to help her.

Give your dog lots of work, and look into a training facility. Or maybe have a trainer come to you since you do have a baby and probably not much time. I am sure your vet can recommend someone for you.

Good luck. Dogs teach children very valuable lessons so they are great to have as part of the family.

AND PLEASE DO NOT BAN YOUR DOG TO THE BACKYARD, AS SOMEONE ELSE SUGGESTED. WHY EVEN HAVE A DOG? THEY ARE SOCIAL AND WANT TO BE WITH THE FAMILY, NOT ALONE IN THE BACKYARD! THE DOG WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH ANOTHER FAMILY.

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E.G.

answers from Chicago on

Have you considered obedience training. Petsmart has very good classes, my son used to teach them. Where do you live, he might be able to give you some advice. Let me know. We live in Glenwood. Also, be real careful about the dog jumping on older people. My daughters mother-in-law went to visit a family member who had a dog and the dog was so glad to see them that he jumped on the grandmother (a senior citizen) that her jumped on her and knocked her over. She had to go to the ER and there is a question of a fractured hip......so, be very careful

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L.C.

answers from Chicago on

She definitely needs some training. I only had jumping problem with my dog (now 12) when she was a puppy. A tip that works for me (occasionally she'll put her nose on table) is to tap her nose lightly with a piece of paper. Dogs don't like it. I know it soulds weird, but it does work. You can also use a newspaper page folded in half. Tell him/her "NO" firmly when it jumps. Reward good behavior with treats.

You didn't mention the age of your children. IF they are old enough perhaps they can walk the dog. Perhaps you have a neighbor that can walk it? Good luck! My dog was about two before she settled down. I wouldn't trade her for anything and yes, I did get her when my son was 1 1/2 and daughter was 3.

They need love and attention. They tend to do bad things out of frustration (like chew on shoes, etc.).

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J.M.

answers from Chicago on

If you have a few extra bucks but not the time, have you considered a doggy day care? Even a couple hours a week where someone else can give your dog a good romp might help expend some of the energy until your kids are a little older and can do it for you. Regular exercise even a few times a week should help with the attacking people as she'll be calmer and more tired.

Also toys like Kong where you hide a treat in them keeps dogs busy and figuring out how to get the treat out. Maybe arrange with your husband to get up 15 or 20 minutes early to walk the dog or play with it until it's exhausted might help keep him/her calmer thoughout the day. A 10 minute jog at night might also help keep the dog quiet in the morning.

I would also recommend gates in your kids' bedrooms to keep the dog out. We never let our dog in our son's room because I didn't want the extra pet hair in there when he was a baby. The dog still won't step foot in the room, even if invited. A gate should work for training purposes.

You'll have to brush your dog every/other? day if you want to get ahead of the hair. Some grooming places offer a special shed-reducing bath - maybe start with that so you can get ahead of the hair and help keep it manageable. And if you don't already, research a vacuum that specializes in pet hair pick up. We ended up with Eureka (the boss) for our lab and it's done wonders on pet hair removal. We still have to vacuum several times a week/every day during spring and fall shed seasons, but have noticed a HUGE difference in the amount of hair we're picking up. It has a bag - which I was a big fan of bagless, but it does a much better job than our last vacuum.

Otherwise, it's summer. See if there is a neighborhood kid you can pay $5 a day to walk your dog mid-morning or mid-day to give you a break.

With a few adjustments, you should be able to get past this and all be happy. Just think how nice it'll be for your kids to grow up learning the responsibility of owning a pet - and a life-long compassion for them.

Good luck!

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K.U.

answers from Chicago on

Maybe try a dog training class. I know that Petsmart offers them as well.

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M. - sounds just like my dog, she's also a mutt, has some lab and other dogs in her, but she also sheds a lot and it used to drive me crazy especially when the kids were crawling and when they put everything in their mouth and everything is covered in dog hair....

For the shedding - first we started taking her to get her groomed, but it was kind of expensive - $45 each time.
So now we bought a professional dog shaver - I went to Petco grooming dept. and asked them what they would recommend for this type of dog. We paid $120 for the shaver and it paid pack for itself in 2 uses.....
We shave her all the way, almost to the skin, so that takes care of the hair problem !!!!

As far as the training - my husband has been teaching her a lot of things himself, and she's pretty good, but we can't stop the jumping on people. When the door bell rings she just goes crazy, starts barking and jumping (usually wakes up or scares the baby) and when people come in she jumps on them like crazy. We just kind of got to a point where we learned that we have to live with it....

They are a lot of work and I sometimes complain about it too....

The nice thing about having a dog while your kids are small is that they eat everything that your kids drop on the floor, so you don't have to worry about cleaning up the food off the floor....

M.H.

answers from Chicago on

Labs are very hyper dogs. My brother has a lab-dalmation mix who's 7 years old and just settled down a couple years ago. They seem to stay a puppy until then. Knowing labs are hyper and knowing that I never wanted one (I really don't like to have hyper dogs myself--they're cute, but it's better when someone else owns them), my heart went out to a stray 1- or 2-year-old chocolate lab whose owner took her collar and tags off before putting her out (evidently, he didn't want her, either--but it's his fault for not taking the time to train her). I kept her for about 2 months. Not because I couldn't take her hyperactivity. Sure, she drove me nuts. Especially since I had a cat she was afraid of. I had just moved into my house and polyurethaned my floors when I got her. She scratched my floors up something bad. But I could deal with that frustration. What sent me over the edge was the fact that my sister and brother-in-law, who live 3 houses down, had said they would feed her and let her out at night, since I worked until 11. I came home on quite a few occasions to find I had to clean vomit, diarrhea, and urine from her kennel. They didn't come and let her out, feed her, and water her like they said. I felt horrible for her! So, she moved in with my mom who was able to find her a home on a farm.

You've had your dog for quite a long time now, so it would be hard to give her up. I should know since I just had to give up a cat who just would not get rid of her worms. That was extremely h*** o* my daughter and me. So my suggestion is to not give her away just yet. You can buy a deshedding tool. I know my vet carries a specific type that they strongly recommend. However, I couldn't spend money on it since it was more than I could budget for. I went to the pet store and bought something similar for a bit cheaper for my 2 medium-haired kittens (yes, I vacuum a lot, too, since I haven't taken them out to deshed in a while). You can get a large one for the dog. Take her out every few days and run the deshedder through her fur. You'd be amazed at how much comes out and how much less you'll be vacuuming. Bathe her regularly, too.

Second, ask PetSmart or another pet store if they have any obedience classes on weekends. Sign the dog up and tell your husband he has to take her. This is his chance to take responsibility for the dog. The classes aren't that long and have varying degrees (beginner, pro, etc). My sister and brother-in-law did this at PetSmart with their maltese, who is very obedient now! You can line several dog treats up, tell her to wait, and she'll wait to eat each one until you tell her it's OK to eat them. If your husband refuses to take a couple hours to take her to class and then spend about half an hour a day reinforcing each lesson, then let him know that you're going to consider finding her another home.

She will probably jump on visitors until she's far enough in the classes to learn not to. One way you can start teaching her is by having guests turn their backs to her right away and giving a loud, sharp, "Uh-uh!" when she jumps on their backs. This will help her learn that she can't do that. Or, to avoid that all together, just put her in the kennel, garage, or outside if you're expecting company. You can also put her outside or in the garage when your kids are sleeping so she doesn't stick her nose in their faces or wake them by barking. Good luck!

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A.S.

answers from Chicago on

Hi there-

I know this might sound crazy....but there is a show on the National Geographic channel called the 'Dog Whisper' on Fridays at 7p central time. I don't even have a dog and I love the show. He is a dog trainer/phsychologists....if that makes any sense. His techniques look pretty real. My 6yr old son and I watch it every week. My 3 yr old daughter has been driving me nuts with wanting to get a dog, but with my kids and my day care kids, I feel like it would be too much to handle. Hope this bit of advice is helpful. Good Luck!

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M.S.

answers from Chicago on

M.
I feel your pain. I have a Lab that is 13 & a black & tan coon hound.
When the lab was young, we took him to classes. They worked great he is a wonderful family dog. Great with the kids and extremely loyal family member of our family. The hound has been pretty good. The hound sheds way more then the lab. With that I highly suggest you make time to take the dog to classes, frind agood trainer, class. I would stay away from petsmart, they do not have very good classes. A cage is a great way to keep the dog in her/his own little space, no treats should be allowed in the cage any good trainer will tell you that eating should be in one spaot and one spot only. You need to be regular with the dog, they also need some space of thier own so a cage is not a bad place to start. We kept our puppies in cages until they were alomst 3 or 4, then we would leave the cage door open so when he felt like he needed some away time he just went in. Eventually we put the cage away. Use gates to keep him/her out of places you do not want the dog to go. Rewards for being well behaved are a great idea, but take it easy on the treats you may end up doing more harm then good. Dogs are a great addition to any family but just like children they need to be taught. You can not expect them to learn on their own. If your husband is not going to take the time to train the dog, then you leave him at home w/ the kids and take the dog. After all are you the one who is spending the most time with it? Then you are going to want the dog to obey you also. Good luck, spend a little time and you will be rewarded with a great family memeber. Labs are fantastic, everyone should have one. Ours loves to be outside, oh, & remember I know barking can be annoying, but as my husband has to remind me, he is doing his job, letting you know when something is not right.

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

I can empathize with you...We have 3 Rottweilers, a cat, 3 fish tanks and 2 boys. I take care of all the animals! We got our first two dogs before our first son was born - they were our babies. We did all the training, and dog shows too! Then we had our 1st son and then they took the back burner. But don't get me wrong they are still very important members of our family. Then we had our 2nd son. It is alot of work! Then almost 3 years ago, we bred our 2nd dog and had 3 puppies! You have no idea how much work that was. But we ended up keeping the one female and so now we have the three. And I know we are crazy! Now I'll tell you, our first 2 dogs were and are very well behaved, but the newest one, Angel is a good dog with a great temperment, but she sounds like your dog. She never stops! Always wants to be with you, as I say she would like to get under your skin if she could! She is always tormenting her mother, and if she gets the chance the cat. And with her, we don't have the time to do the trainig and showing like we want to do - but I can tell you this she will eventually slow down. And if you want, in Lockport there is a training place that I took Angel to called K-9 Guardians and they are wonderful. They have drop in classes on Monday's and formal classess on Saturday's. If you could spare an hour or so, your dog would love it. They also have "doggy camps" where she could actually stay for a couple of weeks and believe me, they do wonders! If you're not willing or able to do that, then you could try to take say 15 minutes or so a day and take a ball out in your yard and play with her, run her around. It sounds like she has a high drive and would benefit from some exercise like that, and some time with you. I've been doing that with Angel this whole week and I can see a difference. She is happy to be with us - you can see it in her eyes. Also as far as her waking up your kids...do you have a place she can be confined in as to not get to the kids? I still put Angel in the laundry room at night, because I KNOW she would be bugging us, and probably barking at someone walking by. And you mentioned the hair....believe me I know! I need to vacum almost daily too! I bought a comb from Petsmart called the furminator, it's kinda pricy though, I think around $30.00, but it really works! I'll spend some time, when I get a chance and sit and brush them - your dog would love that too! I am sorry for going on and on, but I could go on and on about this subject! One thing though, I would never, ever give up on them because they are more work, I think they are part of the family, and we chose to get them, so they are our responsibility until the time comes when they go to the special doggy place in the sky. I could never look them in the eyes and give them away because they are an inconvenience to us. We are all they know. I hope this helps and I'm sorry that this is so long. If you need any other help with this, please contact me. I hope I can help you out!
Good Luck and just try to be patient - there is always a light at the end of the tunnel!!

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A.T.

answers from Chicago on

We have a very hyper jack russel terrier and he didn't adjust well when we brought home our new twins. It was horrible and the excessive barking was something we couldn't have any more. I called the vet and asked for a referral for a trainer and they gave us a company called Bark Busters. They train in everything, every problem and use humane methods (younever put your hands on the dog unless to love him). It has worked WONDERS! He is a completely different dog. People come over and you don't even know we own a dog anymore. He used to bark, jump, howl, run around (on the floor and on people), and so much more. We made a "wish list" of things we wanted to solve and after 3 visits we are down to less than half the list. The training is expensive. It is $500, but it lasts the lifetime of the dog and the trainer comes as many times as needed as long as the dog is alive. If you get rid of the dog, the new owners can use Bark Busters. They are all over the US and Canada. I can't tell you enough about how wonderful our dog is now. We were ready to get rid of him or put him down. Bark Busters comes to your home at the times you set up with your trainer. They come in the evening and the weekend. Check out the website: www.barkbusters.com. Pm me if you have any questions

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W.S.

answers from Chicago on

hi M.,

A shephard lab mix is fine outside rather than inside. I would have a dog run with a doghouse built in your backyard and put it outside during the day. When your husband comes home from work tell him the dog is his responsibility and he can decide if he wants to take it for a walk or give it attention.

This worked for me a long time ago when my oldest was a newborn and my husband (former) insisted on having a lab in the house. That dog was so energetic, it just wasn't a house dog and when he left for work, I put the dog out. He ended up finding another home for the dog.

That prob sounds mean, but at the time I had to take care of a new baby and the dog was too much. I also have a problem with the two dogs I now have (small house dogs) that jump when people come over and it is soooo annoying! I crate them when I know someone's coming over.

best of luck to you.

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K.T.

answers from Chicago on

HI M.,
I can appreciate your delimma. If you are in the northern Illinois area, you can try Fosters Four Paws in Antioch. They are a hands on training facility. The gentleman who runs the program is wonderful. I know that time is a problem, but give it a shot. Also, I have two dogs and they were frequently waking my son up. I have started making them take a nap in their crates when he takes his. It works out pretty well and everyone is happy when they wake up.
Good luck!

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V.N.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M.,

It sounds like you have your hands full. One great item that I found for shedding animals is a brush called the Furminator. You can buy it at petsmart, amazon.com or any other on-line store. The yellow one (middle size) will probably work out great and is pricey but definitely worth it. My dog doesn't shed amazingly enough, but I brush my hairy cat and I only need to do it every week to every other week or so and it has greatly reduced shedding. Many of my friends use it on their dog and attest to its greatness.

My recommendation for obedience training is a company called Bark Busters. They will come out to your house to help you in the environment that you are having the trouble. You will have to do about 10 to 15 minutes of work every day plus implementing the skills they teach you. When I adopted my dog he came with a multitude of problems and the day they came to our home his attitude changed dramatically.

Feel free to contact me if you have further questions.
Kind regards,
V.

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E.N.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M.-
I too, have a shep/lab mix. Both breeds are extremely smart so your dog can easily be trained relatively quickly. Before I had my daughter, my husband and I were probably too relaxed with disciplining our dog. Since my daughter's birth, a year ago, we have disciplined ourselves into taking her for a daily 30-45 minute walk. It has helped A LOT!!!! You will be amazed as to how much of a difference a walk will do. My dog also was a jumper, but now, she rarely jumps. Dogs are born walkers, if she's not being walked every day, she'll get neurotic. I know a lot of others suggested a training class. If your husband's not willing, you take her and let him sit with the kids. If you establish yourself as the 'pack leader', your dog will respect and listen to you. I now make a shhh sound when my dog is getting too energetic with my baby and she instantly calms down and walks away. Don't give up, believe me, it can get much better. As for the shedding, I second the poster who mentioned the furminator. It's great!
Best wishes-

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B.A.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M. -

I understand how you feel. I'm a stay at home mom of 3 (ages 2, 7 & 9). We also have a dog that we adopted when my 7 year old was a year old. It sounds like you are exhausted and I don't blame you. Its hard enough getting sleep because of the kids but the dog will seem to send you over the edge. My dog who is also a ultra hyper lab mix. We also have 2 cats. Since I'm the one who has to take care of things I eventually decided I needed to arrange things to benefit myself. I took the dog to obedience school and spoke to my vet. My husband had to stay home and I got a break with the one thing that doesn't talk back! We made rules as where the dog and cats would sleep (cats sleep in basement) and the dog sleeps in her homemade "kennel" which is our linen closet. No sofas or beds. The dog needs to learn a pack order. You and your husband in charge, then the kids, then the dog. Its crazy for you now but I promise, in time it will work itself out. The kids bond with the dog and awesome things in their development happen. Use the dog to give yourself a break in the evenings by going for a walk. You'll feel better and the dog will dehyper in this summer heat. Take care and good luck!

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T.B.

answers from Chicago on

Hi there,

I have a friend with the same problem and she hired a place that actually comes to your home to train your dog in it's own environment. It worked very well for her. Other advice, let the dog in the back yard with the weather finally nicer they can be out more as long as there is water! Good lick, I don't know where your located so I'm sure if you Google home pet training service it will give you some places.

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T.H.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M.,

I have a crazy 5 year old chocolate lab. He was shedding like mad until I started the anti-shed grooming at petco. It is great - virtually eliminated hair and dander in the house. I go get him groomed every month. Also, biggest life saver is my pooper scooper. It is 50 dollars a month and they come every Friday and pick up the yard. Best part is they bring it with them.
Phone is: (877)311-PETS
web: www.thepooperscoopers.net
My husband does nothing to help with the dog so I feel your pain. I hope this helps.

T.

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S.A.

answers from Chicago on

Put the dog in the basement or chain her outside with water and food.

Or buy a muzzle for her to wear during the day or just while the baby is napping.

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S.W.

answers from Chicago on

the dog needs exercise- if it doesnt all that energy is bottled up and its going to run around driving everyone crazy. is there a teenager in your area you can hire to walk the dog? WIth good training you can take the kids and the dog for a nice walk every day. I highly recommend watching ceaser- the dog whisper. In the winter we used a laser pointer up and down the basement steps for my dog until she couldnt go up and down anymore. you can also use a treadmill if you have one. I didnt like using the knee to my dogs chest when she jumped on me but once I was pregnant I felt like that was all I could do and after a good knee to her chest she never jumped on anyone again. Also, ask everyone to ignore the dog when coming in- only pet her when she is calm so you dont reinforce her bad behavior. good luck.

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H.S.

answers from Chicago on

I feel your pain. Our Boarder Collie/Lab mix was the same way. I am not sure where you are located, but we take our dog to Paws in Time in Batavia. It is a doggie daycare and spa. We have taken our dog for alomst 4 years now. She used to go twice a week, but now she only needs once a week. It is a lifesaver. She comes home exhausted and the effect lasts for 2-3 days. If you are interested the owner's name is Julie and the phone number is ###-###-####. She also does in home training (which we have done as well). Tell her Lilly S's mom recommended her :) Good luck

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B.C.

answers from Chicago on

Having a dog is a lot of work. With that said - they are worth it. I take our dog to play a couple times a week and that seems to really help her not get over-energized. She tends to be a calm dog for a day or two after she spends the whole day playing with other dogs. I have found the dog hair to decrease since our dog is not home everyday.
You could always try putting her in a dog crate during the day. Dogs are den animals and love their space.
Also, training is key. if your husband is not a dog trainer, or not going to train your dog TODAY, I would definately seek outside help! If not - at least teach your dog boundries - where he can and can not go. Maybe lock him in a dog crate or his own room at night so he is not waking up your kids. Sleep is VERY important!
We took our dog to A Closer Bond in Palatine ###-###-#### and had much success with training!!! That is where we take her to play during the day too - doggy daycare.
I hope this helps - good luck in your decision

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