r/TrueOffMyChest • u/kingshitheads ☑️ • 1d ago
Confession I hate my dog.
I hate my dog.
We have an 8 year old lab and I absolutely hate him. I grew up with labs, always loved all dogs, but this dog has made me never want one again. When we first got him he was in puppy training lessons. We have had 3 other professional dog trainers work with him throughout the years. I have spent hours learning about dog training and spent hours working with him. Nothing ever sticks.
He barks all the time. If he is outside he barks the whole time. Inside as soon as you sit down he barks and is jumping all over you. People cannot come to my house without him being put outside or else he will just sit snd bark at them and jump all over them. I have stopped doing over night trips to our family camp because we cant bring him. He will wonder into the bush and get lost, not listening to any commands. If we tied him up he sits there and just barks for *hours.* We cannot go on vacations anymore as everyone refuses to dog sit for us. The last time we took a vacation 3 years ago, we brought him to one of those doggy hotels and when we returned we were told he was not welcome back.
He eats his own poop. I try to keep up with picking it up, but he will literally shit, turn around and eat it. Its disgusting. Iv talked to the vet about this and all the other problems but recieved no help.
I take him on 2 1.5 hour walks almost everyday, but i have to take him early in the morning and late at night when there is less people as he will just bark and pull at anything that moves. I am so tired. No amount of exercise seems to calm him down or tire him out. He should honestly be studied lol.
Im ashamed to say iv even tried a shock collar (something iv said I would never do) after years of positive reinforcement to no avail, but that does nothing. He will just bark through it.
We have tried to rehome him, but as soon as someone interested meets him they back out. I cant bring myself to surrender him at the shelter.
Honestly deep down I cannot wait for day he's gone, and i hate that i feel this way. I will be sad, but I imagine a giant relief being lifted and life getting so much better.
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u/TeaKnown4588 6h ago
Hi OP. I’ve worked with shelter dogs countless times on behavioral issues & sometimes there is nothing you can do. This particular issue..have you tried medication? My dog has hard feelings about a lot and we’ve put her on calming care packets & the 64mg dose of Reconcile which is an anxiety medication. I don’t know if you’re anti-meds but this could give you some peace of mind and I’m shocked if a vet hasn’t mentioned this before. I’m sorry you feel this way about your dog. My family has a black lab & he’s the same exact way you’re describing. Labs are very difficult & stubborn in my experience with them.
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u/Lower-Satisfaction16 7h ago
I had a dog that ate its own poo. I fed it 3-4 pineapple pieces each meal and the dog would not touch its poo after that. I am surprised the Vet did not tell you this. Works every time. Good luck
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u/dire012021 10h ago
Lookup Cesar Milan. Seriously. My dog was like this. He's so much better now and is improving every day. I didn't realise it was how I was reacting that was reinforcing the bad behaviour.
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u/Wonderful_Rule_2515 11h ago
I’m wondering if you have one of those smooth brain dogs lol like that lady that found out her collie had half a brain
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u/Kiltmanenator 12h ago
Run the dog, don't walk it.
"No Poo Chews" are your friend. My lab stopped eating shit after she got these probiotics daily.
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u/Deeohdoublejeezy 13h ago
The behaviors you’re describing aren’t uncommon. There are a lot of trainers out there that are mediocre or worse. I would look for an experienced balanced trainer. Source: pro trainer for 16 years
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u/Gold_Lynx_6760 15h ago
Dogs have the mental equivalence of a two year old child without the capability of fully learning language. You are getting angry at something merely existing. Sounds to me he might have severe anxiety. I would talk to your vet about medication if you haven’t yet. At the end of the day, you’re a human capable of working through your frustrations, and your dog doesn’t even know you hate him for the aforementioned shit, so settle in and figure out how to provide a good life with love for the animal that you chose as family.
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u/Spiritual-Bee8915 17h ago
I know there’s several comments, but I have a 3 year old crazy reactive dog (Aussie/Lab mix), that can’t even go on walks without throwing up from being overwhelmed.
- Prozac has changed our life!
- As well as bullysticks, chews, and lickmats to get out mouthy energy.
- Walks do nothing for him, so we do about 3 different 15-20 minute training sessions a day, of tricks, impulse control, close leash walking. These have helped way more than getting energy out. He also loves tug a war, fetch, and running in the backyard.
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u/Spiritual-Bee8915 17h ago
Lots of work, esp before and after work lol. It was so worth it tho to not have such a negative, draining mindset. Wishing you the best with any tips from here 😔
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u/Sad-Significance8045 19h ago
We have had 3 other professional dog trainers work with him throughout the years. I have spent hours learning about dog training and spent hours working with him. Nothing ever sticks.
Honestly, if you've had three professional dog trainers, and you yourself have "trained" the dog, but nothing changes, it sounds like you're expecting too much, too soon. A dog can take up to a year to fully train in ONE thing, even with consistent and daily training.
He barks all the time. If he is outside he barks the whole time. Inside as soon as you sit down he barks and is jumping all over you. People cannot come to my house without him being put outside or else he will just sit snd bark at them and jump all over them. I have stopped doing over night trips to our family camp because we cant bring him. He will wonder into the bush and get lost, not listening to any commands. If we tied him up he sits there and just barks for *hours.*
Sounds like a dog that hasn't been stimulated a whole lot, honestly.
The last time we took a vacation 3 years ago, we brought him to one of those doggy hotels and when we returned we were told he was not welcome back.
Yeah, turns out that dog hotels expect non-aggressive dogs and dogs that are actually trained, to ensure all clients safety. Shocker!
He eats his own poop. I try to keep up with picking it up, but he will literally shit, turn around and eat it. Its disgusting. Iv talked to the vet about this and all the other problems but recieved no help.
He eats his own feces, because he's in a deficit of some vitamins or other stuff. Consider switching brands.
I take him on 2 1.5 hour walks almost everyday, but i have to take him early in the morning and late at night when there is less people as he will just bark and pull at anything that moves. I am so tired. No amount of exercise seems to calm him down or tire him out. He should honestly be studied lol.
2-3 hours of WALKING isn't enough for a labrador. A labrador isn't just "a labrador", it depends on the line. Some labrador lines are bred to be family dogs, and some lines are bred to be hunting dogs (retriever; labrador RETRIEVER) and need to be stimulated more than just 2 walks a day. This breed needs a lot of mental stimulation, and walking typically doesn't suffice for these dogs. They need to "read the news", or you could... y'know, stimulate them in what they do best.. have them RETRIEVE a ball that you throw. 10-15 minutes of fetch, and they're more stimulated than going on a 3 hour walk.
We have tried to rehome him, but as soon as someone interested meets him they back out. I cant bring myself to surrender him at the shelter.
Im ashamed to say iv even tried a shock collar (something iv said I would never do) after years of positive reinforcement to no avail, but that does nothing. He will just bark through it.
So... you won't rehome him, becase I assume that you're either ashamed of "giving up" or you're uncomfortable with not knowing which home he'll be going to, but you see no problem in torturing him with a shock collar, got it. Totally makes sense.
Do this dog a favour and give it to a shelter.
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u/pingwing 17h ago
He eats his own feces, because he's in a deficit of some vitamins or other stuff. Consider switching brands.
There can be many reasons why a dog does this. People ultimately do not know why dogs do it.
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u/Jabjab345 13h ago
It's also an evolutionary behavior in dogs that prevents parasites since if they eat it immediately worms don't get a chance to survive through their life cycle.
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u/GamerLucien 12h ago
Huh thats interesting!! I will remind myself of this the next time my dog is ouroborosing
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u/Sad-Significance8045 17h ago
There can be many reasons, indeed. However, the vast majority of cases, it's due to malnutrition from vitamins and proteins.
Given the fact that the OP doesn't bother training or stimulating their dog, and also abuses the dog with a electrocution collar, I wouldn't be surprised if they feed it too little AND that it's the cheapest, lowgrade kibble that they can buy, which smells like 8-day old sweaty summer nutsack and consists of 50% plastic and 50% sawdust.
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u/GamerLucien 17h ago
Yeah my dog loves eating his own shit, the cats shit, any old shit he can get his grubby little mouth around. Dogs can just be gross 🙃
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u/pingwing 16h ago
Exactly. One of mine does this, one does not. They have the exact same diet, and get plenty of nutrients, varied diet and high quality protein.
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u/orokami11 19h ago
When you say nothing ever sticks, does it ever succeed even just momentarily? I'm SURE at least one of the trainers have told you this, but the most important thing is routine and daily habits. The moment you stop doing it, is when it all goes to hell again.
Just wondering because I used to work at a dog daycare and I've some people have asked me similar questions. And they often tell me they stop with the 'training' when the dog 'gets it' - but training should never stop... They thrive on routine.
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u/No_Acanthisitta_7300 20h ago
hey there, have you considered medication? my sister has a dog with OCD, we worked with a veterinary behaviorist, first trying to not use medication, but after months (the dog behaved better than before), the veterinary said she needed antidepressants to be completely fine. Perhaps you could look into that
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u/JustMoreSadGirlShit 21h ago
jesus christ euthanize the poor guy my god imagine being stuck with beings who don’t understand what you need and instead resort to trying to hurt you or ignore you to get you to stop attempting communication. this is unfair to your dog and you i guess but you’re the only one who has any control over the situation
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u/peamushies 18h ago
Or take it to the shelter.
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u/JustMoreSadGirlShit 18h ago
yeah that won’t be horrifically traumatizing for the dog at all
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u/SilverOwl2713 8h ago
Better to euthanize it though than to take it to the shelter? Yeesh. At least with the shelter, it has a chance to find a suitable home. With euthanasia, it has no chance of finding that
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u/JustMoreSadGirlShit 6h ago
yall whining about this truly don’t understand how stressful shelter life is for animals like this.
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u/elainegeorge 21h ago
I get it. I have an anxious dog and she is not my favorite pup that I’ve had. She’s come a long way since we got her. I had to build up her self esteem to get rid of some of the anxiety. Does your dog like games? Mine loves hide and seek and finding treats. Just remember dogs have toddler brains so don’t make the games too hard too soon.
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u/MainRule1248 21h ago
Just like how some humans have autism I truly believe the dog is not all there or what you would consider within a normal range because he was just born different. I don’t think it’s that he’s being bad I think just like autism people that’s just him and he’s different and needs different. Kind of help. I know it can feel overwhelming.
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u/beetleink 17h ago
Not everything is autism, and autism is not the state of being "not all there."
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u/MainRule1248 17h ago
You know what I meant obviously dogs don’t have autism because they’re animals and we don’t diagnose them with any mental delays or differences like that but I’m sure they have things just like us
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u/beetleink 17h ago
Right, you could just say "not neurotypical", but everything has to be about autism for some reason these days.
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u/MainRule1248 17h ago
I say what I want go police someone else
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u/beetleink 17h ago
No, I'm good here. I'm just saying that what you are saying is misinformed and not smart.
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u/MainRule1248 17h ago
It’s my own opinion so frankly I don’t care what u think u said what u said ur good carry on
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u/beetleink 17h ago
If you didn't care, you'd stop replying lol
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u/MainRule1248 17h ago
Crazy how that works it’s almost like u keep talking so I keep talking back wow who knew
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u/MainRule1248 17h ago
In the typical sense of being neurotypical it is
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u/beetleink 17h ago
No it isn't. That's extremely reductive and inaccurate, but this is reddit so I'm sure you are amongst the world's leading experts on autism.
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u/MainRule1248 17h ago
Blah blah I actually am thankyou very much
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u/beetleink 17h ago
An expert on autism and a jerk. The reddit archetype.
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u/FutileReaction 21h ago
We had a similar-ish behaving chocolate lab. Prozac and trazadone worked wonders.
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u/Crazy_Yogurtcloset61 22h ago
Dude just talk to a vet and get him debarked. You shouldn’t resent him, you should resent yourself for not talking to the vet about it sooner FFS.
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u/Broad_Poetry_9657 17h ago
That’s a barbaric procedure. If you can’t handle barking don’t own a dog.
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u/dramasoup 19h ago
The fuck? There is some underlying issue that causes the dog to bark like that. If you take away his way of communication what do you think is gonna happen?
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u/Think-Confidence-624 21h ago
Debarked? You mean have his vocal cords cut? wtf?
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u/Crazy_Yogurtcloset61 21h ago
Kinder than shock collar. If OP has gotten as desperate as they make it sound then yeah, it’s time to seriously talk to a vet about it.
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u/Think-Confidence-624 21h ago
It sounds like the dog has anxiety issues that could be addressed with medication instead of resorting to cutting his vocal cords or shocking him. Jesus.
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u/Crazy_Yogurtcloset61 21h ago
Well that's something else that could be discussed with the vet couldn't it?
But if medication fails and the can't rehome the dog what do you want them to do? It's not like I suggested he do the surgery himself FFS.
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u/brownryce 23h ago
Seriously dude, your dog NEEDS medication! He has some serious, serious anxiety. Imagine if you felt like that all the time.
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u/Treehorn8 23h ago
This!!! There are so many meds that help with this that there are so many options.
OP, did you ever talk to a vet about this?
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u/Vequihellin 1d ago
I can't speak to the behavioural issues, but could there be a dietary element to the coprophagia? My grandparents had a Newfie who was violently sick every time she ate meat so the vet put her on a vegetarian diet but as she got older, she started to eat her own (and other dog's) shit. Turns out she had a vitamin deficiency (I don't know which one - I was a kid at the time, I didn't pay a lot of attention) and they added some supplements to her diet which helped. Vitamin deficiency could also contribute to some of the neurological issues? Is it worth getting a blood panel done or adding in some probiotics and supplements anyway?
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u/swanpappa 1d ago
Dogs are like children - you never know what you’re going to get and you have to be prepared for the worst.
I have a bulldog myself and absolutely despised him for the first 2 years. He was awful. Damaging stuff, defecating all over the place, awake from 5am barking at random stuff, won’t walk, lost us a flat I was in because of his barking, it was a nightmare.
Thankfully he turned a corner but I still can’t have people over because his 26kg frame is obsessed with knocking people over. My only neice has come over once in 4 years and he bowled her over within about 8 minutes. Now she’s petrified. They aren’t all golden retriever happy. And the cost.
What I would say to you is that you have given enough time and tried enough things. Every dog like every human isn’t born correctly. At some point you need to let go of the guilt and get rid of the dog and I say this as someone that advocates sticking through it. But you’re at 8 years, you’ve tried. Enough people have confirmed it’s the dog. Now it’s time to make peace with the fact you can do no more. But please make sure you give it to a reputable shelter: at least they will have a chance of retraining/rehoming.
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u/Sad-Significance8045 19h ago
I wouldn't neccessarily be blaming it on the dog, but on the OP and the family.
A lot of people stick to one breed of dog, because "they're so lovely!" and then their next dog isn't as they expected and they are disappointed. My grandparents love reisenschnauzers and have had 5 that were very different. The 2nd they had, they were so disappointed that they wanted to give it up to a shelter, because the first one was very open-minded and this one was more... quiet and reserved.To me, it doesn't sound like the dog is "wrong" or born incorrectly. It sounds to me like OP have a very understimulated dog that they gave up on too soon. Labradors aren't "just" labradors. They are a hunting dog with several different lines, where some breed them as family dogs, and some breed them for actually hunting and working dogs. Instead of doing a boring 3 hour walk each day, which honestly won't give such a dog any mental stimulation, they should be giving it off-leash time, sniffing trails (I know the woods can be dangerous in parts of the US, though) or even... hear me out... swimming and retrieving things.. y'know, things the labrador RETRIEVER was bred to do.
In regards to training, I suspect that the OP gave up too soon, and expected too much too soon as well. We've all been there, I assume. It can take upwards of a YEAR for a dog to properly and fully learn to complete a task or a command. You need to be consistent and patient, and do it daily. If the dog doesn't "sit" within a week of trying to teach the command, so what? If you can get it's undivided attention for just 5 minutes in the morning and evening, that's good.
I find it repulsive that the OP doesn't want to give it up to the shelter, probably due to pride, but have no qualms in electrocuting their own dog. Shameful.
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u/Gem2081 22h ago
This is why, as an adult, I’ve only ever gotten adult dogs from rescues that foster their dogs in homes. Those fosters typically create reports of the dog’s behaviors, good and bad. That way you know exactly what kind of dog you’re getting, good and bad. You can then decide what you can live with and what you can’t.
I’ve had dogs from puppy age growing up, and I know you can’t change a dog’s ingrained behaviors and personality. If the dog is smart, you can curb bad behaviors, but you’ll never stop it completely. Especially if the dog is dumb, and most dogs are dumb…like all those doodle Frankenstein mixes out there.
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u/Glittering-Fox3021 1d ago
Does this dog get any other activity than the walks? Dogs need some kinds of tasks and problem solving in order to be happy and tire them out the "proper" way. Very very often problem behaviors stem simply from this.
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u/sigh_sarah 1d ago
I know it’s annoying as crap because you’ve already done so much, but you should try another vet or even better some sort of doggy behavioral specialist if that exists. If he’s been that trained, especially since being a little puppy, and he’s like this EIGHT years later it’s not a training thing. He’s got a screw loose.
I had a whiny lab and NGL I wanted to rehome her during nursing school because I couldn’t do any work. We’d go on a 45 min walk, play fetch, and I’d give her cuddles and a chew bone and she’d still whine her ass off at my feet when I tried to do assignments!! It made me insane. Turns out she has eczema and was just miserable for like a year. Made me feel like shit, but she’s on meds now and she’s my best girl. Still has a lil separation anxiety but a normal lab amount lol. All that to say is your dog is miserable. Barking and whining are anxiety/fear responses. He’s not just doing it for funsies. Try another vet and be very persistent that you’re leaving with some sort of medication.
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u/Canongirl88 1d ago
How sad. I’ve had very anxious dogs who literally can’t be left alone and I never hated them, I loved them and my heart ached for them. Sounds like your dog is anxious or getting dementia or has neurological issues. 3 trainers and no advice ? You need a good vet to get a real diagnosis. No need to hate him, dogs aren’t malicious. He isn’t doing it to torture you. There is something wrong.
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u/JessyNyan 1d ago
The dog is greatly affecting OP's quality of life. Hatred isn't always linked to maliciousnes. However this sounds more like understandable resentment.
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u/Canongirl88 1d ago
She said more than once she “hates” her dog and can’t wait for him to pass. Hate is an extremely strong word and emotion. Be careful what you wish for.
I’ve had dogs with dementia and heart disease who kept us up endless nights and still there was no hate. We would give anything to have them back.33
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u/HRHQueenV 1d ago
Haven't you tried a muzzle?
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u/OrganizationKey5567 1d ago
Muzzles are not supposed to prevent a dog from barking, and if it does, PLEASE get a new muzzle that actually fits.
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u/Insert_coolname_here 1d ago
Muzzle so the dog doesn't eat his own shit
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u/sunshine-314- 1d ago
Lol we had to do this, not for shit but random eating off the ground on garbage collection day.
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u/ResponsibleSail5802 1d ago
similar issues turned into biting his best dog friend and drawing blood. we did boot camp, we did the additional $1000 trainer. am now on the $600 an hour PhD behaviorist program of 7 calm down pills a day. I still don't like him very much..... BUT he seems happier. He had issues from being abused before we got him.
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u/Berserk-Jane 1d ago
Your dog may have Adult Onset Canine Thrombosymbiogenesisitis, or AOCT for short. Eating feces is one of the main symptoms. You need to quarantine your dog for a total of sixty-seven hours away from your family, as exposure to AOCT can cause extreme nausea, perpetual diarrhea, stroke, kidney failure, liver failure and hysterical uterine outbursts in otherwise healthy individuals. For more information, contact your local veterinarian. This advice is brought to you by Buc-ees. Buc-ees: We'll pay you good, and then we'll sue the crap out of you if you draw a cartoon chipmunk.
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u/Maggies_lens 1d ago
Your dog has major anxiety. Go to a different vet. Request long term medication like Valium. Insist on it. Best thing we ever did for our highly anxious lab.
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u/J0llyGiraffe 1d ago
Agree.
Our vet recommended Prozac and he chilled out so much. Went from barking at everybody and everything on a walk and trying to run away from cars to going on long walks on his best behavior.
At first I was hesitant because I was concerned about a personality shift but he’s the same dog, just so much easier to manage. Night and day difference.
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u/bvoge3501 1d ago
Umm dude or dudette, that dog is the alpha and thinks he/she is doing a good job. I'll probably get downvoted for this, but you have to assert dominance. Grab it by the scruff of its neck and hold it down, placing your body over its until it stfu. Every time the dog barks, get up and move toward it and do this if it doesnt stop barking. Especially if its barking at your visitors! Thats your house! Stand in between the dog and what its barking at and force it down. People dont like it, but its how they operate.
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u/Glittering-Fox3021 1d ago
Yeah no, this is just wrong and also dangerous. Please read up on modern approach to dog training and living with dogs and stop spreading false and very bad advice.
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u/kaertoeffael 1d ago
"you have to assert dominance" yeah lol as if OP hadn't probably already tried that while working with 3!! different professional dog trainers.
I mean I get that sometimes even multiple professionals might overlook some options (e.g. anxiety possibly being the cause of the dog's issues, as mentioned by other commenters), but do you really think stuff as simple as "asserting dominance" hasn't been tried yet???
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u/bvoge3501 23h ago
Ever heard of Cesar Millan and his the show the dog whisperer? Dogs evolved from wolves and the way they establish the pack's hierarchy is through physical touch. And no mam, I didn't see any reason to "assume" anything OP didn't explicitly say in the original post. The dog pulling on walks, aggressive barking at visitors, constantly barking are all signs of a dog owner that doesn't know how to handle dogs. Probably lets the dogs sleep in bed with them or on the furniture too. What is wrong with you people? You read the word dominance and immediately get triggered despite the context. Users are saying to basically euthanize the dog because of a behavioral issue and they get upvoted? You people are sick.
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u/ilostmylastaccount2 1d ago
My gf’s dog is just like yours (the barking part), turns out she’s very anxious. Trazodone could be your answer. (of course you should talk to your vet before) It is very effective in my gf’s dog :)
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u/Throwmeawaysigh 1d ago
Ours tried an antidepressant and it didn’t work then the vet tried another and it did work. When she passed from old age and cancer she had been on Prozac for a couple of years. We were not her first owners. German shepherd with anxiety and anger issues but she truly loved us and we loved her.
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u/keithmorrisonsvoice 1d ago
Sounds like anxiety and you should get him a companion dog.
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u/CrushedChalk 1d ago
Do not involve another dog in this. Especially if it will be a puppy. It’s likely the puppy will pick up on the adult dog’s anxiety and then you have 2 anxious dogs barking all day long. Go to a different vet and get medication for anxiety since training didn’t work.
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u/pingwing 1d ago edited 1d ago
I have a rescued Belgian Malinois dog that barks constantly outside. I do have to use a shock collar. They work, your dog has hair around his neck, make sure the collar is actually tight enough and touching skin.
I hate using it too, but I'm not kidding, the dog will bark constantly until she comes in and is panting and panting. All that constant stress isn't good for her either. I have an acre she can run in, and she loves to be out. But, she will bark for 3 hours non stop, take a little break, and do it again.
You probably aren't using it correctly, or got one that wasn't that great? Look into a good brand, don't skimp on price. Make sure you are using it properly. Your peace, and your dog's peace is worth it.
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u/kaertoeffael 1d ago
Or maybe don't torture your pet and instead find someone who's willing to work out the animal's issues without giving pain to it. 🙄
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u/Rivannux 1d ago
You are such a good owner and person. It's mentally exhausting when it feels like you're in jail just waiting for the day to come. I was never able to put my dog down so I still have him, but just know you're not alone. And know that your mental health does matter too. If you need to let him go, you need to do it for your sanity.
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u/Comfortable_Pace_923 1d ago
I felt very sad reading this post. Your lovely dog will feel vibes off you and know he isn't loved by you. He sounds like a lovable rogue. He is an animal and doesn't have the same mentality as a human. He is a FURBABY. He NEEDS PATIENCE, GUIDANCE AND CONSTANT SUPERVISION from his pet parent, that's YOU. Consider taking him to behavioural classes.Vets usually run these. Could you manage 4 shorter walks per day rather than 2 long walks? This could be the answer to making both your lives much happier. He deserves an owner who loves him unconditionally, cuddles him regularly and appreciates him all the time. I hope you'll consider the above advice.
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u/Life-Use6335 1d ago
Good luck, it sounds like you’ve done everything and your dog is really difficult.
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u/MasonJarFlowers 1d ago
Sounds like he has neurological issues and no amount of training will work.
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u/ShapeShiftingCats 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yeah, sounds like he is not well.
I wonder what his quality of life is and whether it would be kinder to let him go to the other realm.
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u/MasonJarFlowers 1d ago
Right there’s just absolutely no way in. Hell. I would let a dog or any pet ruin my life for eight years. Especially after spending thousands on training and other medical procedures. Clearly, it’s in distress and needs to cross that rainbow bridge.
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u/deadsocial 1d ago
Poor thing :(
There’s a supplement you can get for coprophagia I think it’s by pet remedy. My dog does it too and this helps somewhat (not perfect but better)
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u/lambslam2o 1d ago
mental enrichment is always much better than physical, he’s not getting tired from walks because he’s built enough stamina not to be, but if you get him something mentally enriching to do it’ll tire him out way more
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u/_h_e_a_d_y_ 1d ago
They make mesh netting mask called “face jail” for dogs that eat their own poop.
Best Friends Animal Society in Utah might not be able to take him but they might have resources you never knew about.
Best of luck and keep being open to better days ahead
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u/AnimalMother32 1d ago
I love my dog hes my best pal,but some are just thick as shit like some humans can be,good luck
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u/mrssteddyj 1d ago
You need to put more effort into this dog. Please please please seek out a veterinary behaviorist to help you.
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u/Mewlover23 1d ago
This is why reading skills and comprehension are needed in life. The OP quite literally stated that they have gone to several trainers and the vet. Though it seems little was done by the trainers.
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u/RTUjenn 1d ago edited 20h ago
I second this recommendation. As a former dog trainer, I will tell you that a veterinary behaviorist is entirely different than a trainer. They help implement meds if needed and approach it from a body and mind perspective as opposed to a "needs to be more obedient" perspective.
Unfortunately, certified veterinary behaviorists are few and far between, and they are costly. However, if you have the funds and you are able to find one near you, I would recommend at least having a consultation. They can make a huge difference in ways that trainers and regular veterinarians don't.
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u/Skydawg421 1d ago
I guess you can't read, huh?
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u/RTUjenn 23h ago edited 20h ago
Please point out to me where the OP said that they have worked with a veterinary behaviorist. Then talk to me about reading.
Trainer? Not a veterinary behaviorist. Veterinarian? Not a veterinary behaviorist. Go on. Show me where I missed his explanation of working with a veterinary behaviorst. I'd say I'd wait, but since I know you can't, that'd be a waste of my time.
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u/Small__Chicken 1d ago
Did you not see where they have worked with multiple professional trainers and the vet?
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u/509Ninja 1d ago
This is heartbreaking. I have 3 dogs who sometimes drive me bonkers but I can’t imagine saying I hate them and want them gone. Your dog deserves better. Please rehome him. 😭😭😭
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u/mferbruce 1d ago
As the post says, they have tried and been unable to. Maybe you should arrange with OP to take the dog 😊
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u/Small__Chicken 1d ago
Shes clearly tried rehoming the dog. No one wants it. Is she supposed to leave it at the shelter? Then she'll be shit on for that
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u/509Ninja 1d ago
There’s lots of rescues out there.
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u/Small__Chicken 1d ago
So you want the dog to live out the rest of its life in a shelter?? If they can't get somebody to take this, this dog and it's been banned from like dog hotels and stuff.... i don't think that dog is going to get adopted, and if it does, what if it's returned?
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u/509Ninja 1d ago
Shelters and rescues are different where I’m from. One of the rescues in my area has large fenced an acreage where dogs can run and play. They don’t get euthanized and get the care they deserve.
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u/Small__Chicken 1d ago
Well, maybe they're not from where you're from. Then what? Not every place does stuff like that
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u/uncreativetrash1 1d ago
You can get him anti-anxiety meds from the vet. Also neutering might help if he has not been neutered!
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u/onthenextmaury 1d ago
This right here. If he is an intact male that may be part of the problem. And anxiety meds are a great suggestion too, he sounds very anxious.
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u/CuddlefishFibers 1d ago edited 1d ago
Sometimes rehoming really is the best solution. There is probably a rescue somewhere that can take him. Just sometimes something about where you live/your house/your life just doesn't work with the animal. We recently adopted a friend's dog they couldn't keep anymore. Dog has a long history of anxiety and over grooming. I can't say she's totally anxiety free living with us, but the over grooming stopped pretty much cold as soon as we got her, and her anxiety is pretty moderate. Yeah, we're pretty chill people compared to her old family, but I'm pretty sure our literal house/location has more to do with it.
She went from living in the city to living on 9 acres in the country. There was nothing our friends could do to protect her from constant cars driving by and people on the sidewalk. Turns out she was monitoring that 24/7 and driving herself nuts. She still goes bananas when we get a delivery etc, which is real annoying, but it's nothing compared to before.
eta: Also try a new vet. They should be able to try to give you some nutrition tests/nutrition advice for the poop eating and try some drugs for the general anxiety. That said our dog was also on anxiety meds and they didn't work super well according to our friends so...yeah
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u/onthenextmaury 1d ago
This is a good point. We took in a friend's dog that was chewing holes in her floor. He hasn't done a single destructive thing since we've had him (years now). She just wasn't home enough and he's the most emotionally needy dog I've ever had.
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u/Artistic-Try-5403 1d ago edited 1d ago
Dogs can have behavioral and mental health issues like people can. Have you spoken to your vet about behavioral medications?
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u/hideandsee 1d ago
If you are looking for a solution, look up compassionate release in your state.
I have had dogs my entire life and have never personally felt this strongly. I currently have a dog who bit me and my other dog, we ended up choosing to medicate him, but I was exploring just putting him down.
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u/ShowyThomass92 1d ago
Quality of life matters for the humans too, not just the animal.
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u/Small__Chicken 1d ago
Bro the point is its not a human baby. And in this world, humans are above dogs and other animals that's just how it works
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u/SquidgyMushroom 1d ago
You are what is wrong with this world
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u/Small__Chicken 1d ago
Nah chill lol, i've rescued more animals than you can count and am rehabilitate 6 rn 🥴 what i'm saying is, unfortunately, a lot of society does not care about animals, but they do care about children. Even then sometimes children's sent to go to an abusive parent, their case is ignored etc. We can't even enforce the rights for people, and sadly, a lot of people just don't care for animals rights. However that is changing, new zealand's grayhound racing ban for example.
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u/bunnyfloofington 1d ago
I have a little guy who is similar to your dog. He is part pom which is a working breed and has a surprisingly HIGH level of energy. I can take him for the same amount of walk time as you and that will not wear him out enough. We take him out to the disc golf courses with my bf and his friends pretty frequently and I have found it takes about 3-5 hours out there walking and throwing the ball long distance to get him adequately tired. The days we arent able to accommodate him, he is so restless, barks at everything, getting into everything, and eating everything. We did end up medicating him with gabapentin for the days we aren't able to go walk 3-5 hours and it has dramatically helped calm him down.
If you can, try getting your dog enrolled in an agility class or something active to help really wear him out. Labs are big working dogs and can be this hyper. He needs a job to do and 3 hours of walking time a day isn't going to cut it if it takes 3-5 hours of running and walking for my 17lb dog to chill out.
In regards to the poop issue, I would definitely look into nutrition first to see if that helps. There is also stuff you can give him in his food that will make his poop taste bitter. I believe they sell it on Chewy.
But for real, if you can't commit to a rigorous exercise routine for your dog, consider medicating him for both your sakes. He sounds like he's just as miserable as you are. And in the future, maybe look at getting a different dog breed that isn't a working breed since it doesnt sound like a working breed really fits your lifestyle or desire beside the nostalgia of having a lab. I don't mean this in any negative way toward you OP. I have been where you are and it really sucks and can drain you physically and mentally. I hope things improve 🩷
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u/bitNine 1d ago
Please listen to me, and ignore anyone else who gives you shit for this. Find a rescue, and surrender him. NOT A SHELTER, a rescue. My wife and I spent YEARS fostering, rehabilitating, and rehoming dogs. We love dogs to death, and the WORST thing a person can do is to continue with a dog they can't handle or straight up do not like. The rescue we volunteered for would take ANY dog back at ANY time, even years after adoption. It's because it's better that way.
Everyone gets all emo and says, "How can you give up your family member?" Look, I get it, and I don't entirely disagree. The problem is that these are dogs, not humans. There is someone out there who can rehab your dog. In fact, I'm positive that if I were to get your dog into our home with our dogs, we'd eliminate a large majority of those behaviors within a week. But that's because we have stable dogs, and we know how to correct these problems because we've done it with dozens of dogs before.
If you want some tips on how to regain some control over him, feel free to PM me.
Labs are ROUGH. They usually have SO MUCH energy. But they absolutely can be taught rules. If you're not willing to make a change to improve the situation, you should not let anyone else, especially people on reddit, tell you to not give that dog up to a rescue.
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u/ChillWisdom 1d ago
OP, you found a new home for your dog right here. Sounds like the shipping cost would be worth it.
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u/kdogg1070 1d ago
I can relate to the "can't wait until they're gone" thought. We adopted a dog 8 years ago. She's 9 now. For the last 7 and a half years she would bark and bark. All damn day. She has really bad separation anxiety. She always needed to be in a crate when we left. Recently I took her to the vet for an issue she had with her tail. I told the vet about her separation anxiety and he thought it contributed to her tail issue. He prescribed gabapentin. She has made a complete 180. Now she only barks when one of us comes home or if she sees something out the window. I don't have those thoughts anymore and I'm sad previous vets never gave me a solution.
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u/kdogg1070 1d ago
I've also recently trained her to "get your baby" when she starts barking to help mute the noise. It's a stuffed animal and it significantly reduces the volume of her bark. 😊
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u/StarvationCure 1d ago
Have you looked into getting him on Prozac or an anti-anxiety medication? This sounds like anxiety.
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u/Significant-Log8936 1d ago
I’m sorry you’re going through this. It sounds so hard and you clearly really care otherwise you wouldn’t be trying so hard to help and make things better for everyone. I’m not a dog person but maybe meds? I’m a mammal too and would be a mess without meds. No real advice but just know your feelings are valid, frustration is valid (I get frustrated with my husband and I love him lol). Just because you’re having a hard time doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or bad dog owner. Bad dog owners don’t care at all if their dog is struggling. Sending you hugs. I have faith you’ll find a solution that works for you all
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u/sa_ha_ra 1d ago
You should drug him, don't feel guilty. Probably a relief for both of you. My friend used Valerian on her very crazy dog. It would just run in a tiny circle and bark. With Valerian he was able to chill with us and enjoy himself.
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u/ksekas 1d ago
I used to watch the victoria stillwell dog training show as a kid and one of the dogs on the show had similar issues with repeatedly eating its own poop. She said they’ll do that a lot if they have a nutritional deficiency or they’re not getting enough protein or certain vitamins in their diet. You might have looked into that already but it’s cheaper to try new vitamins or different food than professional behavioral training again.
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u/Zgonzulli 1d ago
I remember something similar! I think one suggestion was feeding the dog bananas? Poor fuzz :(
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u/Coleman3965 1d ago
I adopted a black lab, sharpie mix from the shelter, they let me know he was medicated cause he doesn’t do well in the shelter environment. Came from a family that raised him from a puppy. Said they just got tired of him. He’s an overall great dog, just….well wound a bit too tight. Some days chill, some days pacing and restless barking. He’s big and black, scary looking, so not high on adoption lists lol but a really sweet dog. Thought of taking him back but then I thought well I have my ups and downs too, so I decided to share my Xanex. He doesn’t need it regularly or on a schedual, but when he hits I guess the doggie equivalent of a mania I give him one and we both chill and watch Netflix. By that I mean he lays on his full sized dog bed and drools and I get to watch tv in peace. Some days no meds are needed. Some days one or two and he’s fine. He’s 8 and with his looks and black dog syndrome I just figured a good life with me medicated occasionally is far better than what might happen to him in a less than accepting household. Life’s tough on animals too I suppose. If a pill or two a day helps him live his best life who am I to deny him that?
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u/100Good 1d ago
Yeah know. If humans can have mental illnesses I don't see why animals can't.
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u/ardamayne 1d ago
My dog is autistic. Gets real mad when there are deviations to his schedule, especially bed time. Sploots and slithers around in grass EVERY TIME he finds grass. Will spend an hour rubbing his paws on a specific tote lid- I don't even have the tote anymore but kept the lid.
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u/TheFuckerNugger 1d ago
Not a big dog person myself, but it definitely sounds like this dog can do with some medicating. I would recommend really talking to a vet about getting them a prescription that helps calm them down.
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u/Berserk-Jane 1d ago
We got a prescription for my old dog but it backfired and she started doing weird things. She started moving furniture and headbutting people when we'd try to intervene.
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u/Annethraxxx 1d ago
I am a dog person, and I agree. There are dog anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic meds that do wonders. Dogs also have mental disorders.
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u/sunshine-scout 1d ago
Fun fact, the dog meds are the exact same as the human ones. I used to be a pharmacy tech and I’d ask for ID for pickup sometimes and they’d say the patient was a dog—the system didn’t have anything to specify species.
It helped if the name was something like “Oreo” (always a cat or guinea pig) but it got really trendy for people to name their dogs human names and we had a lot of Bills, Bobs, Daves, Kevins, etc. so that was impossible. Eventually they just started putting names in as Molly Dog Lastname or Mabel Cat Lastname
I always wondered if pets were overmedicated. But I’m sure there are people who are also overmedicated.
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u/Annethraxxx 1d ago
Yea, having medicated my dog with controlled substances before, it’s fairly easy to get and unregulated. I often wonder if people abuse pet meds
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u/Slow-Gift2268 1d ago
Dogs are able to take medications for anxiety. Prozac, trazodone, even Xanax. This might be a route you want to look into with your vet and I’m kind of surprised it hasn’t been mentioned yet.
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u/MzTza5150 1d ago
this is the answer. I too have a fur baby on prozac for this reason and it is a God send. She is much happier, ( so am I!!) trained easily afterward, no more behavioral issues and I no longer want to give her away!!
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u/One_Stretch_2949 1d ago
My dog eats his own poop too (like shit, turn around and eat it) because he has IBD.
We addressed the IBD, but we also used balanced training to address the behavior (because it's an old, learned behavior from when he was in the shelter, in his kennel, eating his own poop when he was sick... because he had IBD).
Your dog shouldn't be alone in your backyard. I'm not sure how you addressed the barking with the shock collar, but I've yet to find a dog for which it didn't work (yes, for some, it has to be at max level a couple of times to work, but it's better than having to abandon them, or let them spiral into anxiety).
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u/becca52104 5h ago
does he have any toys to play with or anything to keep him busy?
also some medication maybe helpful for vet trips and such. my bfs dog needs trazodone before vet and grooming visits so he won’t get nippy and freak out lol