Random Rants LXVII: Emptiness = Melancholia*Cheerlessness^2

[Commodore]

What's your plan for them hobbs? Are you going to just take them to a shelter? Or are you going to try to give them to someone you know or sell them to someone else?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I feel you on this hobbs as I've had similar battles with my wife over pets in the past. The way I dealt with it was by adopting the stance of "if you want a pet, fine. I'm not going to help you take care of it though, you're on your own with that." After a few months of her being the only one taking care of the animal, she usually gives it up out of exhaustion and frustration. Did that with her guinea pigs and her iguana and it worked like a charm. Did it with the bulldog too, but she didn't give her up because that dog was very low maintenance (which is surprising for a bulldog). Not that I minded anyway because she was actually a pleasant dog to have around and (you'll appreciate this given your current situation) she didn't know how to bark so she was a very quiet dog as well. Except for the snoring. That was ridiculously loud.

That won't really work for me unfortunately. We both work such long hours that we have no choice but to each pitch in to care for them or they would starve and never get exercise.

My family had a chihuahua/jack russel mix that was also completely sedentary. She'd do the bare minimum of any physical activity no matter what, even when outside.

When Native American flute music was being played loudly, though... then she was a hyper little thing. She'd also howl along with the wolf howl background tracks. Odd dog.

The worst of the two is also a Jack Russell Chihuahua mix. He's not super hyper but he pees everywhere and barks at all things.

Both dogs also have pretty bad leash aggression. When they are off the leash they are the sweetest things but on it they sound like they are going to maul everyone that walks past.

Have you tried anti-bark collars? One type sends a mist of a scent they dislike at their snout when they bark, and the other type uses electric shock.

Yes and they didn't work. Also we have tried the standalone ear zappers that make an ultrasonic sound when they bark. We have tried spraying them with water. The only thing that works even a little is positive reinforcement but it's at best a 25% solution.

We have thought about taking them to a trainer but the big problem there is the time commitment.

I didn't know 'breaking' an animal was meant to be literal.

It just means to train them to not pee inside.

What's your plan for them hobbs? Are you going to just take them to a shelter? Or are you going to try to give them to someone you know or sell them to someone else?

We don't have a plan yet, the Mrs didn't get home until late last night so we haven't discussed it much. I have asked friends if anyone wants them and was turned down. I can post them on a bulletin board at work too. Beyond that I am not sure what I am going to do with them.

My wife did offer to let me keep the older one since she's less problematic and I've had her since I moved in with my grandma 10 years ago but I don't know how I feel about that.

 

[shadowplay]

My family had a chihuahua/jack russel mix that was also completely sedentary. She'd do the bare minimum of any physical activity no matter what, even when outside.

When Native American flute music was being played loudly, though... then she was a hyper little thing. She'd also howl along with the wolf howl background tracks. Odd dog.

I know what you mean. I used to have a lab that was totally chill, until someone started playing rag on the piano, in which case he started tap dancing.

 

[Cutlass]

That won't really work for me unfortunately. We both work such long hours that we have no choice but to each pitch in to care for them or they would starve and never get exercise.


The worst of the two is also a Jack Russell Chihuahua mix. He's not super hyper but he pees everywhere and barks at all things.

Both dogs also have pretty bad leash aggression. When they are off the leash they are the sweetest things but on it they sound like they are going to maul everyone that walks past.

Yes and they didn't work. Also we have tried the standalone ear zappers that make an ultrasonic sound when they bark. We have tried spraying them with water. The only thing that works even a little is positive reinforcement but it's at best a 25% solution.

We have thought about taking them to a trainer but the big problem there is the time commitment.


It just means to train them to not pee inside.

We don't have a plan yet, the Mrs didn't get home until late last night so we haven't discussed it much. I have asked friends if anyone wants them and was turned down. I can post them on a bulletin board at work too. Beyond that I am not sure what I am going to do with them.

My wife did offer to let me keep the older one since she's less problematic and I've had her since I moved in with my grandma 10 years ago but I don't know how I feel about that.

You could try taking them to the Humane Society office. Call in advance to see if they can take one in. They may be able to find a better home for the dogs.

Recently my mother did that with her dog. She got it from a rescue place just last year. But the dog was high energy, and Mom is not. And she couldn't stimulate or train the dog well enough. So eventually she decided to give it up. It's a sad thing. But you can at least hope that they'll find a home that suits them better.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

stuff is too expensive and i am running out of travel money

 

[Takhisis]

No new thread has been initiated. Sneaky pony-loving Catalans…

 

[Valka D'Ur]

My family had a chihuahua/jack russel mix that was also completely sedentary. She'd do the bare minimum of any physical activity no matter what, even when outside.

When Native American flute music was being played loudly, though... then she was a hyper little thing. She'd also howl along with the wolf howl background tracks. Odd dog.

She was probably delighted to hear real music, and decided to sing along.

My Siamese cat liked to listen to Strauss waltzes, but got up and left the room when more modern music was playing.


I'm seriously considering adopting another cat. Maddy is just about out of her mind with boredom, and has been getting into stuff and doing things she never used to, like jumping up on the stove (thank goodness I don't cook on it, so she hasn't burned her feet). She's definitely missing Chloe and having someone to play with, fight with, and groom. I need to decide whether to get a kitten that doesn't need to unlearn any bad habits, or an older one that's more likely to have already been spayed and had her shots (it would be a saving of $200 right away). It's too bad Maddy can't tell me her own preferences.

 

[Arakhor]

According to the traditional rules, Joan has 24 hours from the time of #1000 to make the next thread, at which point Cutlass (as the author of #999) has 24 hours and so on.

 

[Arakhor]

Moderator Action: Thread closed. It is now up to Cutlass to make the next thread.

 

[Arakhor]

Moderator Action: The new thread can be found here.