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Dogomania

Teeny rant about Annie


gooeydog

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Some may already know this from previous posts, but Annie is "technically" my aunt's dog. My aunt bought her almost 6 yrs ago and Annie was at her house until she was 1 1/2 yrs old, at which point my aunt had some problems in her life and moved from the apartment she was renting with us into our part of the house temporarily, bringing Annie with her. Weh nshe mvoed across the street into another house, Annie stayed here "until she could get settled". 4 1/2 yrs later, Annie's still here, and goes "home" for a couple days every few weeks, when my aunt's and her hubby are off work and feel like being bothered with her. We (now I buy her food, same as Goo's) pay for her food (aunt did offer to pay for some at one point, but has never really followed through), vet bills (not usually much to them since my mom works at the vets and gets care for cheap, training, etc. My aunt was working 12 hr shifts when she had Annie, plus total 3 hrs commute, leaving a young pup crated for around 15 hrs five days a week, then getting mad when she'd go in the crate or on the floor when she was out. Annie was unsocialized, and would have bitten a stranger in a heartbeat given the chance.

My aunt still considers Annie her dog, and for the most part, I go along with it, though I don't agree. She's always commenting to people about how Annie's turned into a pretty good dog, like it just "magically" happened. Nevermind the amount of time I put in getting her to accept people she meets, not bothering other dogs (she's also dog aggressive, something my aunt didnt even realize until she took of after another dog last year), housebreaking her, exercising her, and teaching her to behave herself in the house and out in public. Normally, I just brush things like that off, but sometimes they sort of pile up and need out. Today she said something about how Annie hadn't been over in a while, then commented "poor dog"... yes, poor dog not having to raid the cat food because they forget to feed her or having to hold it for longer than she should because they don't have the time or feel like taking her out (aunt commented a while back that she wouldn't have gotten another dog if she'd known it'd have to be walked to go to the bathroom, that's a big inconvenience). She does like going over there, but after about a day, is tryign to slip out the door with me when I go over there, so I don't think there's any real preference.

They're looking for a new house (they were renting with the intention of buying, but the owner doesn't wantt to sell anymroe) since they have a baby on the way, and I'm scared to death she'll want to take Annie with them. At least in the current situation, when she goes to work and leaves Annie there for 12+ hrs, we take a key and go get her, if they move up the street, that wont be possible. At times I actually hope that when the baby comes, they won't want her over there, and I've been toying with the idea of asking her to either sign Annie over to me or put me as part owner (which I think I have to be anyway to compete with her in obedience and tracking trials, something we plan to do in the fall). I don't know if she'll agree though, and wonder at times if it's even "right" of me to ask, so I just don't know....

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You did all the work, Annie should be YOUR dog....Now this is uncivilzed, politically incorrect, and mostly untrue, but since she is apparently dog illiterate you may get away with it.

Tell her that it is a very bad idea to have a known aggressive adult dog
in a house with a baby. Dont mention DOG aggression, just say aggressive. Tell her the dog might have moments of jealousy, and that she would never be able to leave the baby alone with the dog for fear something might happen. (true enough, but I doubt she would follow that advice if she does take Annie). Tell her that since Annie is not good with other dogs, you have no way of knowing how she would react to a baby.

You need to keep your voice calm, like you're explaining how to do something very simple to someone who doesnt understand. Then if you see any kind of agreement from her, suggest "I will keep Annie for you,
and you can visit her, but I think it's best to not have her in a house with a new baby."

I am evil, I know...but it's for Annies and the baby's own good...

:evilbat:

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I too think Annie should be legally yours!
Hm, with a baby on the way, isn't auntie going to be TERRIBLY busy taking care of the wee tyke? Just too darn busy to have look after a dog? After all, the baby will need feeding and burping and changing and cuddling and feeding and burping and changing and so on.
Maybe start dropping tiny little hints now, boy you're life sure is going to be busy busy when the baby comes.
A little bit later, I bet you guys are going to have a wonderful time with the baby but you will also probably be tired most of the time.
Poor Annie, once that baby comes, you are going to be jealous aren't you? There just won't be much time for you little one, you'll have to get used to it. What a shame. (Say this in a really sad tone)
Little things along that line, it would be SUPER if auntie decided ALL ON HER OWN to see if you wanted to keep Annie full time. Then you could say, well, I would not mind that one bit but so I can show her, I'd rather we actually transfer her ownership over to me all the way. Of course that means I will be totally responsible for her as her legal owner.
Well, just ideas, I hope auntie sees the sensibility of signing Annie over to you not to mention it is in Annie's best interest!

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Guest Mutts4Me

I, umm, hate to do this... but sticking with courtnek's theme, and solely in the interests of Annie's welfare... maybe you should pass this along to your aunt...

[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A64465-2002Dec16&notFound=true[/url]

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She's actually fairly knowledgeable about dogs, and has had several, she took pretty good care of them for the most part, but I don't think really cares for the hassle of having a high energy, annoying (if she doesn't get the exercise she needs), seemingly untrainable dog like Annie.... she likes Annie herself, but not the responsibilities that come along with having Annie. This is the aunt who lost a baby a few years ago in a dog related incident, and she's already said she doesn't want any dogs around the new baby, so I'm guessing if Annie's over there after the baby's born, she'll be crated or blocked out from wherever the baby is. She never even realized that Annie was a wierdo around people (she's not anymore, but when she had her, and before she started getting better about meeting people), and thinks she "likes" kids, which she really doesn't (she also doesn't really dislike them either... she'll play with them, but isn't really a dog who likes to be picked up or harassed, which most kids will do to a small dog, doesn't like to be chased by them, and gets really interested in running/screaming kids, which could cause problems if allowed to go further). If I bring up these points, she'll think I'm just blowing smoke, and won't really pay any attention. I've made mention a few times that I wouldn't trust Annie around a baby (which I wouldn't), but I don't know if she's really thought about it or not.

My mom did mention signing Annie over at one point a while back, when I first checked out the obedience rules, and said that my aunt had said it would be ok since they wouldn't have her over there much after the baby was born anyway, but hasn't made any mention since. I worry though that even then, after the baby is old enough that Annie isn't a worry, will she want her back? As it is, Annie is "ours", but at the same time, not "ours"... I don't want her to be completely ours, then my aunt decide she wants her back (in that case, I'm stuck, don't want to start a big family squabble, but at the same time don't want to give Annie up).

I (obviously) still have some thinking to do as far as what I'm going to do, but it helps to put it into words, and I appreciate the suggestions :)

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I would just be honest with your aunt. Sit down with her and tell her all the reasons that you think you should keep Annie for good. Be respectful and gentle and reason with her. I don't think you should try to trick her into giving up Annie. She might see through it and get mad.

Your reasons are valid, so give her the chance to make an informed decision. Also, I would tell her how out of control Annie was before you got her. Tell her nicely and gently though. It sounds like she had no idea. :roll:

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I talked to my mom about it the other day, and she says to go ahead and ask about transfering the papers (which I really don't even care about, I'd even ILP or LP her if she doesn't want to give me the papers, just as long as I can put myself down as acting "owner" and not have her get upset), and she says to go ahead and ask her soon. My aunt has company right now, so it'll be a few days, but I'm gonig to go ahead and ask her. As I said, I don't think she really thinks the way she cares for Annie is bad, so I'm not even going to bring that up. I'll just point out that they won't have much time to deal with her after the baby's born, and go from there. I'll let everyone know what happens :)

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i don't mean to insult you, gooey, but how knowledgeable can she be if she didnt' realize you have to walk a dog on a leash to use the bathroom and didn't know the dog had problems meeting people and was dog aggressive? Also...if you're feeding a dog for more than three days, in some states, that means you have the legal right to call it yours...seeing as the dog lives with you, I think the dog is yours right now. (a lawyer usually answers questions over the phone for free, so you can verify if this is true for your area or not) AND...I beleive that with the baby, the last thing she'll want in the house is a dog...I think she has very little emotional attachment to the dog and would willingly give it up, and might even be hoping you'll never ask when she's taking it back.

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