Well... we're getting a dog in a year, and he's not a puppy! Help us rename him?

srelizabeth said:

It is definitely far easier to maintain the weight than it is to lose the weight, so keep up the maintenance look forward to the pictures. Tell us more about his personality!

also my two cents is that Milo is such an over used name, but still cute.

I am sure you will make his last few years wonderful!

Click to expand...

Oh, his personality XD Well, uh, he isn't the most well behaved dog. It actually took a bit of persuading on my part to get the boyfriend on board with this one. The compromise is that he [the dog] and I are doing obedience classes, and he needs to be a polite dog before he can come to live with us. It's not that he's a bad dog, because he really isn't! He has a lot of potential, and he's calmed down a LOT with old age. But he was never properly taught, which is mainly my fault. My parents got him for me when I was 10, but I wasn't ready for the responsibility of a dog so the ownership transferred to my parents, but they didn't have the skills or knowledge to properly train him either.

But we're going to work on it. Another reason that I want to change his name is that Jake isn't mine and my boyfriend's favorite dog out there. This is going to sound horrible but I actually thought I disliked dogs because of this specific dog, until I left home and started volunteering at a shelter... and then I realized I really do like dogs, a lot! So I just want a fresh start with him. We're going to take as many training classes as necessary, and we're starting off on a new foot... new name and all.

srelizabeth said:

What about the dog didn't you like? I can relate to having parents that didn't have a clue about training and caring for a dog. I only just started working when the family dog got sick with cancer, I used a lot of my money to spoil her near the end. It's such a different ball game when you're all moved out and educated on caring for dogs, getting my beagle and raising him from puppy hood has been such an adventure. You develop a completely different bond when the dog is solely in your hands.

Good luck with the obedience training!

Click to expand...

He just doesn't have very many manners. I think the biggest thing, for me, is that he steals food. He'll jump up to steal food out of your hands, he'll take it off the tables/counters, he's always right under your feet in hopes that it will fall. And he has horrible manners with his own food. He will sometimes growl at people when he's eating (his regular food, a bone, etc), and when he's waiting for his dinner he jumps up on people like crazy (he's knocked his bowl out of my hands more times than I can count).That's probably, in my opinion, his biggest problem. It's all food related.

He also has a chewing problem. Thankfully he's grown out of chewing most human things, but he still ruins his own possessions (like his beds, for example, beds never last). He's also chewed out of 2 or 3 crates.

He also doesn't walk nicely on the leash. And he has separation anxiety. He howls and cries when he is alone.

And he used to howl like crazy all the time, but he's grown out of that. Now he only howls when he has to go outside or if someone is at the door (or when he is alone).

So yeah, we definitely have a lot to work on this year, but I have high hopes for him!
And that's so good to hear, by the way. That's why I wanted to start with a puppy, and just do everything correctly from the beginning. I'm glad someone else understands that feeling. But I'm going to make this work with Jake, it'll be an adventure in its own sense. Writing this all out I wonder if a puppy would actually be easier!

We have pictures! Doesn't he really look quite sweet? xD