Well...I don't know what to do

[CathyBogart]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
Those pictures just broke my heart. While it is obvious MariaM loves this puppy, and is trying to make the best of this situation .... I can honestly think of few things that look more sad tto me than a little furry puppy chained up outside.

I agree completely. Even if he's not tied all the time, that's no life for ANY dog, especially a little puppy. Please do what's best for him and give him up rather than sentencing him to a miserable life outside.

Yes he may eventually quiet down and stop barking all the time....but will it be because his misery went away or because he realized that nobody is going to answer him?

Please Please PLEASE think of what is best for him.

[trayi52]

I have to agree, the pup looks so pitiful, every pictures shows Major sleeping in leaves, and no dog house visible. Where does Major sleep of a night? I just hate to see it chained outside like that. It looks so depressed to me, I don't know maybe its just the breed it is.

I know you are having to live under you parent roof right now. The decision to give Major up is going to be tough. It really is hard to bond with Major if he is left outside. Could you at least show us where he sleeps of a night?

Willie

[Shelteez2]

Originally posted by K9soul
[B]It appears this pup's only shelter is a cardboard box with a blanket thrown in it.

I agree with what the others have mentioned about your parents never changing their minds.

I also wanted to add that Saskatchewan is one of the coldest provinces in Canada. The pup's like what 2 months old... so it will be 8 or 9 months when the colder weather begins.....and barely a year when the -35C weather hits......

I know you are probably planning on getting a better dog house, but it looks like your pup is going to have a short coat. Even if it does develop a longer coat it will take more than a year for it to fully come in, and who knows if it will be thick enough even then.

Please think about this. Your pup is so people friendly it wants to be with it's family. Will you still want to sit outside and play with it when its -45C with the wind chill?

[MariaM]

The reason he is sleeping in leaves is because he finds them comfortable. The reason you do not see a dog house is because there was no dog house. Those were taken on Wednesday, and he got the house later that day. I will try to take a pic, though I'm not sure what good it will do.
If it gets too cold for Major we would let him in the house.

[My Peanuts]

Originally posted by Shelteez2
II also wanted to add that Saskatchewan is one of the coldest provinces in Canada. The pup's like what 2 months old... so it will be 8 or 9 months when the colder weather begins.....and barely a year when the -35C weather hits......

WOW! I had no idea it got that cold there. This situation just gets worse and worse. Poor little pup. He will probably die a slow & lonely death or lose an ear or something. I hope there are neighbors around that will do something for Major before the cold weather comes.

[MariaM]

WOW! I had no idea it got that cold there. This situation just gets worse and worse. Poor little pup. He will probably die a slow & lonely death or lose an ear or something. I hope there are neighbors around that will do something for Major before the cold weather comes.

We would NOT let him die a slow and lonely death!! He won't lose any ears!!! And if he does, it would NOT be from the weather. Maybe if he got in a really bad fight with a dog, but I don't think thats going to happen. But that is besides the point. I know you are all voicing your opinion, but couldn't one of you (other than guster girl) try to put yourself in my situation?

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by MariaM
I will try to take a pic, though I'm not sure what good it will do.

If it gets too cold for Major we would let him in the house.

Well, it might make us all feel a little better if we saw that he indeed have some type of shelter. However, it is VERY difficult to shelter a dog living outside in a very cold climate. I know, I live in Wyoming. It easily gets 30F below here in the winter at times. To adequately provide shelter for a dog in that cold of a climate, you will need a double-walled, raised dog house, with insulation between the walls. It will need a thick door flap, and a lightbulb inside for heat. Is this what you have? Please don't tell us you bought him a "DogLoo" or some similar hunk of plastic. That's fine for California, but not Canada.

And ... do you really, honestly believe that dog is coming in the house when it gets cold? Don't answer for my sake ... answer what you know to be true in your heart. Next winter, he's no longer going to be a cute fuzzy puppy. He's going to be a big, strong dog that is probably going to be smelly and dirty and wet. He's going to have NO house-manners, because he was never allowed in the house. Do you honestly think your mom is going to let a dirty, wet, eighty pound dog in the house ... when she won't let in a cute fuzzy puppy?

YOU are the one who is going to have to live with this decision, Maria, not us. Our dogs are sleeping at our feet or in our laps right now. I know for a FACT that if one of my dogs had to live outside fror some reason, I wouldn't sleep at night. I couldn't bear it, especially in the winter. I WOULD rehome the dog, even if I had owned the dog for a decade. I would think of the dog, not of myself.

[Kater]

Originally posted by MariaM
The dog is barking outside and I can't be out there the whole entire day. My mom WON'T let him in! She said she would but now she isn't!

Originally posted by MariaM
If it gets too cold for Major we would let him in the house.

Your mother has already changed her mind about the puppy being indoors so what makes you think she won't change her mind again? Regardless of how good your intentions are, SHE is in control of the situation and obviously is not concerned primarily with the welfare of this puppy.

As for putting myself in your shoes - I can attempt it. You have good intentions but your situation does not put you in the position to carry out those intentions. It is not fair that your mother changed her mind and it hurts to consider giving up this puppy but you must think of what is best for him - this is the responsible thing to do!

[My Peanuts]

Originally posted by MariaM
[B I know you are all voicing your opinion, but couldn't one of you (other than guster girl) try to put yourself in my situation? [/B]

No because I would NEVER be in this situation. I love animals too much to put any of them in a situation like this. Even if Major was my dog and a sibling wanted to keep him, but my mom wouldn't let him in the house I would call the SPCA myself when they were not around. I'm not attacking you. I'm just trying to make you see what I HAVE seen, which is a dog outside in the bitter could with a homemade built doghouse. The doghouse my neighbors built was really nice if the dog didn't live in it all the time. It wasn't heated and the dog lived on a cable much like Major. How are you going to feel when it's one of those nights that's so cold that you can't warm up under your blanket in your bed and you have to think Major is outside. Your mom is not going to let an untrained muddy dog in the house in the winter. It's that simple. If you love him, then you have to think of what is truly best for him.

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by MariaM
[B I know you are all voicing your opinion, but couldn't one of you (other than guster girl) try to put yourself in my situation? [/B]

I swear I edited my other post and replied to this, but now it's not showing up. Is it? Gremlins took my post! So, here it is again:

You stated four times in your original post that you didn't know what to do. We are telling you what you should do, in our opinions.

And, actually, I know EXACTLY how you feel. When I was a kid, I wanted nothing in the world more than to own dogs. I loved dogs. But, our dogs lived outside. Period. End of story. There was NO arguing with my parents. So, that's how it was. (That's how I know how to build a good doghouse, BTW.)

Looking back, if I could do it over again, I would NOT have owned a dog that had to live outside. I would have waited until I had my own home and could have a dog inside. The memory of our two dogs outside all the time, especially in the winter, STILL haunts me and breaks my heart ... and I am 35 years old.

Plus, we had two dogs. They at least had each other for company and warmth. There are few things more sad to me in the world than one dog, tied up in a yard. That is the equivalent of a human spending it's life in a 6' x 8' foot prison cell, in solitary confinement. Dogs are pack animals. Their instinct tells them that to be alone, separated from their packs, means their death. No wonder they get stressed out and bark!

You will have every intention of spending time with that dog. And you will ... now. When it's below zero and the wind is howling and the snow is flying, you are NOT going to go hang out in the yard with the dog. And you mom is NOT going to let it in. Been there done that, trust me.

Do the right thing for the dog, Maria. You will not regret it. Whereas, if you do the easy thing for you, you most likely WILL come to regret it ... maybe for a very long time.

[Kfamr]

I can look at it in your shoes, and If any of my dogs had to live outside, i'd rehome them.

Looking at my pups now, one in the recliner, one sprawled out across the living room floor -- I wouldn't want it any other way. They are a part of my family, and deserve a wamr bed to sleep in at night. You wouldn't want your aunts, uncles, grandparents sleeping outside, would you?

I'd never even think of asking my parents for a dog if they were not allowed the life they have.

Just because our opinions differ from yours, does not mean we're not looking at it in your shoes, or as if we were in your situation.

[popcornbird]

I've been going through this thread, and have to say, it is breaking my heart. Maria, I *know* you love your puppy, and wish the best for her, and I *know* that sometimes, it is impossible to convince your parents while still living at home. In such a situation, I think you should do what is best for your puppy, even if it means having to rehome her, or never being able to see her again. Look at things from the puppy's point of view, and maybe you would understand better. Imagine YOU being the puppy, and see how you would like living a life like that.

Personally, I do not like the idea of having pets and housing them outside, all the time.......not one bit. If you lived in a warm climate, while I still wouldn't like it, it wouldn't bother me AS MUCH as the fact that your area is INCREDIBLY cold. No, I don't like pets living outdoors in warm climates either, but the severe cold makes it soooo much worse. It isn't fair to the puppy if you think about it. As much as I hate to hurt your feelings, I honestly feel rehoming her, or giving her to a no-kill shelter would be the best thing in her interest. If there is no possible way to convince your parents, that is the best, and most unselfish thing you could do.

She's adorable btw. I wish the best for her.

[trayi52]

I keep seeing Majors face, how sad he looks. Can you imagine being chained out in the back yard and hearing your family inside the nice warm house maybe laughing and talking? I mean that would really be such a lonely life.

I wish the very best for Major and you. Sometimes we have to do things that makes our heart hurt, to make something better for the one we love.

Willie

[guster girl]

I agree with everything that everyone is saying here. First of all, I thought MariaM was only about thirteen. As that may not be a child, I still don't think it's necessarily the age where she's going to be able to make that kind of decision basically on her own with no support from her family. I don't know that I could have made the decision at 13. I do think that a lot of what's being said is "giving her crap", and, I'm not even saying that it's a bad thing. Just wish we could get ahold of her parents. I still believe that they're the ones who should be receiving most of this. I just think it could be presented to her in a kinder, less confrontational way. As she is showing in her responses, all it's doing is making her more defensive and probably less likely to listen to anyone's advice. I feel bad for the puppy, and, if I was the neighbor, I'd have maybe already called the shelter. But, I'm sorry, I also feel badly for MariaM. Yeah, Maria, the smart, humane thing to do is to take the puppy to a no kill shelter. YOu know that, though. Can I ask you if you've voiced any of the opinions of the posters in here to your mother?

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by guster girl
I just think it could be presented to her in a kinder, less confrontational way.

Can I ask you if you've voiced any of the opinions of the posters in here to your mother? [/B]

Honestly, I think everyone who has posted in this thread has been extremely kind and quite non-controntational. I think everyone has been very understanding, empathetic and nice. I don't see ANYthing on here that is in ANY way rude or mean.


She could always try showing this thread to her parents. I doubt very seriously it will change their minds in the least, though.