Need Advice

Tammy,

 

i do not think this is the right family for Elsie.

 

1st of all - you and Cain have fostered many dogs and placed them successfully - your instincts are on point. these red flags are not popping up b/c you 'love' Elsie too much or are too over-protective.

 

2nd - the thing about the 1.5 year old dog not being trained is really bothersome - that is not cool AT ALL.

 

3rd - their reasons for wanting a 2nd dog are suspicious - "to help with the other one's energy". this is a rescue dog with special needs not a video game!

 

i think you should keep looking for another family and you will know when they are the right fit!

remember - the basement isn't necessarily dark and dreary! it could be a full, walkout or something - in my house we live in our 'basement' (we call it the family room) ... it just happens to be the lower level of our house! i just don't want you to picture the little girl in a dark, dungeon-like place!

wait a second: I thought they said they were going to be in their finished basement only while they were at work? The only reason I didn't think anything of that is they said "finished" basement -- so I'm thinking family room w/the tv on for the dogs during the day (yeah, we leave our tv on if we go out for a bit). As long as they're in the living quarters of the house with the people when they're home and they're happy in the finished basement when they're working, I don't see a problem with this.

 

I don't like when my neighbors do this w/their dogs, but that's because I hear them barking so I figure they must not be happy down there, so I wonder why they put them down there?

 

I didn't catch the part about the 1 1/2 year old not being potty trained...I thought you were saying you crate Elsie 'cause she's not potty trained, sorry.

 

The only red flag I really see is that you now remembering them saying they didn't have time for their high-energy 1 1/2 year old so are wanting another dog for her? I'd definitely question them on this.

Ann our lower level aka basement is just as you mentioned. Our living room is down there (it's fully finished) and it's attached to our garage, Plus we have a big window down there.. But it gets very cold so I wouldn't want to leave my dogs down there.

I would totally trust your instincts on this. I would also talk to the couple and see how they respond to the concerns you raise to them.

Yes the dogs would be left in their finished basement.

Elsie is actually crate trained by rescue guidlines. It's much easier for a dog to be placed in a home if they are crate trained, we don't want to decide for the potential owners that their dog gets free roam of the house, also as much as I would love to sleep in bed at night with our fosters, we don't because again if the potential adopter doesn't want that, then it's a hard habit to break. Elise was paper trained when we first got her, then we slowly got rid of the x-pen that had the papers so that she learned to hold it, now she is potty trained. it was a long process because she never walked on grass (or snow since we got her close to winter) before us, but she has now been potty trained for about a month now. So IMO if we can train a puppy mill dog to go outside, then their should be no excuse for a 1.5 year old not to be trained.

As far as them wanting another dog to help with the energy level of their existing dog. Well We decided to get a 2nd dog to keep our other dog company when we weren't at home. So I understand that to a point. However it took us until our boys were at least 1.5 (we had them both at puppies) before we allowed them free roam of the house while we were gone.

Tammy,

 

I would agree, trust your instincts! There are reasons, even ones beyond what you wrote about that you feel this family is not right. A 1.5 year old pup should be potty trained (except for the accident now and again) so that says something about their training habits. It really seems like you would not be comfortable with letting this family adopt Elsie.

UGh this is really a hard place to be. This couple has so many good qualities, but at the same time my views of things may not be views of someone else. And who is to say who is right or wrong. Ya know? I mean I know I'm not perfect, I've made my mistakes with my pups. But this is a very special girl, that I'm looking for the right home for. I know when she is placed that it will take her about a month before she is at ease their. So I'm trying to find a home that will be the easiest transisition for her.

Company for your existing dog for when you're at work/not home is one thing --- but if it's a substitution for the time/attention your dog needs from you that's a different story.

NO NO and NO, I do not believe dogs belong in a basement. In my office, we have 4 dogs who come every day...granted, it is a bit unusual but pets are like family. From I have been reading, I do not believe, they deserve Elsie....just my 2 cents.