dog problem

This might be a tough week. We have unofficially decided we need to get rid of our dog. It is just not working anymore. I'm very torn. When we decided last night, I was happy about it because it is a stress that I don't need right now with everything else but then the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to cry.

The kids are going to be devistated! Ashton cries when I even mention giving Crosby away. Brayden LOVES the dog, he wants to pet him all the time and he follows him around going "caw, caw, caw" which when he says it sounds so much like Cros, that's what he's trying to say anyway. He is so full of smiles when he sees the dog.

The last couple weeks with Brayden on the move, I've had to keep Crosby locked up. I can't just put him in his kennel in the kitchen because Brayden will go over, stick his fingers in the kennel and get bitten. So I have to lock him in my room. I feel like it's a bit nicer than locking him in the kennel anyway because it gives him room to move around at least, but really, it's not fair to Crosby to have to be locked up all the time.

At least now that it's a bit nicer outside (with the exception of the heavy, wet snow yesterday), so he can go outside and he'll spend a lot of time out there, but that also leads up to our second problem, Barking. Anytime he thinks he hears something, he barks and barks, constantly. And being that it's nicer out, there are more people out too so that doesn't help the barking situation. He doesn't listen to stop, and when you go get him, he growls at you when you try to pick him up to bring him in. Then when you try to put him down when you get in, he snaps at you. This is not someone that I want around my kids, who don't always know how to be careful around him.

The only time the poor dog is not locked up is when Brayden is napping and that's only if he doesn't stand at the front door and bark at people walking by, which again, with the nice weather, means more people walking by. I do have a blanket tacked up over the door (it's a full window door) so he can't see, but sometimes he just sticks his head under the blanket, so off to the kennel again.

I try to leave him out when we are eating but he lingers under the table and if you move your feet and bump him, he bites your toes.

I know, you are all thinking, how do you still have this dog when he acts like this! We've had him for 5 1/2  years, he is still our pet and that's what makes it hard. As much as he makes me mad, I see how happy he makes the kids and I am worried about what we can do with him when he bites, who's going to want him?

I feel like I'm giving up on him because I could probably spend a bunch of money and spend hours training him but I just don't believe I'd put in that kind of time. I don't think I'd have the kind of time I need to change those habits, especially when I head back to work in a month. It feels like I'm giving up on him but I just don't see any other option right now. I am worried that we won't find anyone for him. Putting him down is not an option for me.

Another problem is that any time we want to go away, we have to find somewhere for him to go. Most of the time we take him to mom and dads but he's started being grumpy there too now and he snaps at them when they move if he's sleeping on their lap. He's always done that to us (well, for the last 4 or more years anyway) but he never used to do that to them. I think my dad is a bit irritated with that, not that he says that, I just kind of get that feeling. Mom always says its no problem to take him but I know it's a pain for them. If we don't go in that direction though, then we end up driving an extra 2 hours to take him there anyway. We've never put him in a kennel. I was against it when he was smaller because I felt bad. Now, what would the difference be from him being locked up here all the time, besides how much it costs.

Next step is figuring out what we are going to do with him. I might put an ad on ebrandon. I have to see if I can word it to let people know honestly how he behaves but not to sound like he's a horrible dog. If that doesn't work, I will have to contact Funds for Furry Friends. It's an organization here that finds homes for unwanted dogs. Next step is the humaine society. I don't want to do that. I'm torn. This isn't going to be easy.

I know down the line, we may want to get another dog, when the kids are bigger and know more of what they are doing. I know big dogs are a lot better with kids (generally anyway) but I just don't want a big dog. I loved our little lap dog and I know that his behavior is not all his fault. Obviously, just as it is with kids, they learn their behavior somewhere and I know we treated him too much like a baby rather than a dog when he was little and now he has attitude. So unless someone has a way for us to get a hold of Cesar Milan (the dog whisperer) then we will be dogless. :(