Doodle Rescue??

[JPolly]

• Hi Doodle friends.

  Does anyone know of a doodle rescue in southern Ohio/Northern Ky area. We have a 10 month of Goldendoodle who unfortunately is not working out in our home. After several (and I mean several) attempts, his seperation anxiety is getting to be to much to handle.  We have a 2 children (3 & 5) as well as an 8 year old Goldendoodle.  He has really become part of our family which makes this decision so heart breaking. He is house trained, follows basic commands and is an excellent dog as long as you are home. 

  He was never able to be crate trained.  He would get so worked up that he would soil himself even after relieving himself outside. The first 4 days, I would end up bathing him in the middle of the night and he would soil himself again.  I wondered how he can produce so much!! He barked for hours until he was hoarse. We crate trained our first one....its not new to us.  On the 5th day, I called it quits with the crate.  We put a baby gate in our room and he never soiled during the night again.  

  Once the evening situation was taken care of, we moved onto the chewing.  We later found out that it was all anxiety driven.  If you left something out while you were gone, IT was gone by the time you came back.  Eventually, our vet put him on medication to try and help the anxiety. We began crate training again as he could not be trusted when we left the house.  He was doing well for about a week.  However, he has now broken out of the crate, broken the plastic tray that slides in, and has begun to soil himself. It has been 6 weeks and the vet has changed it to a stronger medication which we will begin tomorrow.  I consider myself a patient person especially with my animals.  I unfortunately have lost it.  If this medication does not work, I am afraid he needs to find a new home.  Thus my question regarding a doodle rescue.  

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

www.doodlerescue.org

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My question would be, how will someone else be able to manage this problem? Even people who don't work outside the home still have to leave the house sometimes. If this poor guy is this anxious even on medication, and with another dog there for company, how will he be in a completely strange new environment? And who would want to take that on? He's part of your family, and even you are not willing to deal with it any longer, so why would someone else?

Have you contacted his breeder? Most reputable breeders have a clause in the contract that they will take the dog back if the owner is unable to keep him at any point in his life.

I would also suggest consulting with an animal behaviorist.

I hope meds help him.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I Totally agree Karen-it may make him worse to leave his family-trainers can help!

[JPolly]

All valid points and I have thought about them as well.  I honestly don't have the answers to any of them. My breeder always said if we had a problem return him to her.  However, I wasn't happy with the conditions the dog came from.  I did not use the same breeder as I did for my first dog.  It was night and day.  I did some research on her and it all came out ok.  I just feel that maybe my first experience was an overall better one.  

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Jared, you are the last person I would have thought would put his dog outside, I am so glad she changed.

[JPolly]

Thank you so much.  Reading your post seems to bring a little bit of comfort.  I've had a heck of day and tomorrow is a fresh start.  I'm off to Petsmart to buy a new crate after my kids go to bed.  I'm hoping this was a tough day for him and that tomorrow will be better.  This is a GREAT site! 

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

Like Karen, I too hope the new meds help as I would hate for him to have to leave the only family he has ever known and loved. Just wondering, when you crate him are you also crating your older doodle? Both of my dogs are perfectly content being crated, as long as they are crated next to each other. As far as the chewing and tearing things up, could some of that be contributed to 'puppy behavior' and possibly something that he will soon out-grow?

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

He's still young though, puppies don't all learn at the same rate, please be patient. Can your vet give you any suggestions??

[JPolly]

My vet has been very helpful.  One of the techs calls me every 7-10 days to check on him and see how things are going.  We are going to try the new meds.  It does help to know that it may get a little better as he gets older. I can deal with the puddles of drool, even with him breaking out but the soiling!!  I know someone mentioned putting him outside but it I'm not sure I can do it.  It would break my heart doing that. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A Thundershirt might help, too.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Jennifer, how long have you had him? Can you post a photo of him, there may even be an interested party on DK you never know?

My Daisy wears a Thundershirt, seems to help her during inclement weather. Please consider that, it's a good suggestion

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Jennifer,

Did you get him as a puppy....from a breeder?  I noticed from your profile that you had been looking for a rescue so I'm wondering.  Also, how long has he been with you?