Hi, me and my husband adopted a 2 year old blue heeler that was part of a foster group in my town. This foster group pulled "Jessie" from the animal shelter on the day she was marked to be euthanized.
We were looking for a good dog that would be a watch dog (I'm home alone a lot at nights) and all around good family dog for us. We asked the foster people about her and she seemed like such a good calm dog. She was neutral and calm with both me and my husband. And we thought -- ok she'll be better than the troubles a puppy brings since she was already trained!
Well, as time has gone on. We've had Jessie for over a year now and she is not a watch dog what so ever.. She will not bark, play with toys, play with other dogs... thats not the biggest deal of it -- she is terrified of my husband. She never has accidents in the house but if he does something that unintentionally scares her (like accidentally drops something on the floor) Jessie will run and panic, shiver and shake and often pee in the floor. She flinches and crouches down if he just walks by her. My husband has tried giving her treats, being sweet to her... Jessie just has a terrible problem with men...or maybe its just something about him.
We and the fosters have no idea on her background really. She was just known as a 'stray'.
Now she does act submissive and timid with me.. But -never- to the level as it is with my husband. She has never peed in the floor with me. She gets in trouble sometimes but she forgives me and will act happier but with my husband it takes her -forever- to get over it.
I'm basically at my wits end. Honestly, I don't feel like Jessie was a good match for us. I think we needed an all around happy-go-lucky personality type dog. I'm very passionate about dogs and animals so it tears me up because I hate to see Jessie miserable.... And I'm the only person on 'her side' because my husband has become too exhausted and frustrated with trying to 'stay friends' with her. He works full time nights and goes to school during the day so he's stressed out enough as it is.
I've grown up with various dog breeds and personalities so I have experience with dogs. My mother has a blue heeler whose personality is -completely- opposite of Jessie's.
It stresses me out so bad to see Jessie scared and shaking and have my husband frustrated at the dog and me not knowing what to do with Jessie. I work during the day now and Jessie has been acting out scared/panicky and peeing on the floor even more now since its just her and my husband at home now.
I thought about contacting the same foster lady who had her originally. But I feel like such a 'jerk' and I cringe because I feel I'll be judged as just 'giving up' on the dog and being irresponsible.
What would you do? sorry this is so long winded...
We were looking for a good dog that would be a watch dog (I'm home alone a lot at nights) and all around good family dog for us. We asked the foster people about her and she seemed like such a good calm dog. She was neutral and calm with both me and my husband. And we thought -- ok she'll be better than the troubles a puppy brings since she was already trained!
Well, as time has gone on. We've had Jessie for over a year now and she is not a watch dog what so ever.. She will not bark, play with toys, play with other dogs... thats not the biggest deal of it -- she is terrified of my husband. She never has accidents in the house but if he does something that unintentionally scares her (like accidentally drops something on the floor) Jessie will run and panic, shiver and shake and often pee in the floor. She flinches and crouches down if he just walks by her. My husband has tried giving her treats, being sweet to her... Jessie just has a terrible problem with men...or maybe its just something about him.
We and the fosters have no idea on her background really. She was just known as a 'stray'.
Now she does act submissive and timid with me.. But -never- to the level as it is with my husband. She has never peed in the floor with me. She gets in trouble sometimes but she forgives me and will act happier but with my husband it takes her -forever- to get over it.
I'm basically at my wits end. Honestly, I don't feel like Jessie was a good match for us. I think we needed an all around happy-go-lucky personality type dog. I'm very passionate about dogs and animals so it tears me up because I hate to see Jessie miserable.... And I'm the only person on 'her side' because my husband has become too exhausted and frustrated with trying to 'stay friends' with her. He works full time nights and goes to school during the day so he's stressed out enough as it is.
I've grown up with various dog breeds and personalities so I have experience with dogs. My mother has a blue heeler whose personality is -completely- opposite of Jessie's.
It stresses me out so bad to see Jessie scared and shaking and have my husband frustrated at the dog and me not knowing what to do with Jessie. I work during the day now and Jessie has been acting out scared/panicky and peeing on the floor even more now since its just her and my husband at home now.
I thought about contacting the same foster lady who had her originally. But I feel like such a 'jerk' and I cringe because I feel I'll be judged as just 'giving up' on the dog and being irresponsible.
What would you do? sorry this is so long winded...