Wife Is Considering Adopting This Dog!

[Oh Little Oji]

Great input and guesses, all.

A few weeks ago, my opinion of him went to American Bu;lldog / Dane. This was based on appearance and the fact that when he yawns, he sometimes vocalizes. The American Bulldog / Pit Bull we fostered did that. Just a hunch.

I looked for the screen shot of the DNA test earlier but I'll have to look to find it again here.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Maybe she didn't send the screenshot to me, but I did write down the results down to the 2%s. There are a few 1%s as well.

Spoiler: Here is Most of Cosmo's Genetic Makeup!

37% Bulldog
19% American Bulldog
14% Poodle – Med. and Standard
13% Great Pyrenees
8% Lab
2% Boxer
2% Australian Shepherd
2% Siberian Husky

 

[MyBuddy]

I'll wait til others see your spoiler before I comment! But that 2% in the middle is one that I was thinking of! Can't believe it's only 2%.

 

[Ravenbird]

the results

Well, you gotta laugh, considering the first few posts of this thread. Never assume...

 

[Two Dobes]

Thanks for sharing! Wow....amazing.

 

[BG1]

I'll wait til others see your spoiler before I comment! But that 2% in the middle is one that I was thinking of! Can't believe it's only 2%.

Heh. Thanks @Oh Little Oji -
got faked out again!
I can see the Pyr now, tho!
And my smartazz comment on "lab mix" is now officially documented- good to go with your home insurer!

Btw,
I cut and pasted your photo into a screenshot in jpg and fed it to GrokAI that guessed APBT and Boxer. (I think Teh Goolag has a photo tool as well but side not I refuse to use that entity on moral grounds). So I'm no better breed guesser than the AI, ...

I do love trying to guess at mixes esp at dogparks.
The rise of new testing providers is creating a gold mine of data for researchers and fun insight for owners. And I'm running into all sorts of new breeds by asking. Met my first American Dingo a couple months ago. And the neatest people too!

@Which DNA test?
I used Embark on BYB bonnie for the "Relative Finder" feature which is kinda fun. It confirmed the anecdotal info EU sire/NA dam and 21% COI which I was pleased to see as lower than average for dobes.
What is Cosmo's- is that COI included?

I see Wisdom now has "Mexican Dog" which I call "TJ street dog" which have become so common in dogparks from all the covid era rescues around here.

I think there needs to be a "Heinz57" variety added in Embark...

Anyway; enjoy that "hybrid vigor"!

 

[Ravenbird]

What is Cosmo's- is that COI included?

oh, that'd be fun to know!

 

[Rits]

How much does he weigh and how tall?

 

[Oh Little Oji]

How much does he weigh and how tall?

He always looks so small to me and I think to my wife; however, last we weighed him a couple weeks ago, he weighed like 62 or 64 lbs. He is about 7 months old now. We don't have a height measured on him, but I think he's about 24", maybe 23"?

I predict he will be about the size of a Male Dobe. Wife thinks smaller.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

The little deviant's exploits continue.

I am starting to say Cosmo has a disorder. It causes him to eat things made of cloth.

Thankfully, there haven't been as many incidents lately. We have buttoned up the house pretty well. The most recent things we know of are: I found two or three things in his poo when picking it up in the backyard., They seem to be two socks and maybe a rag. Oh yes, and he barfed up a washcloth the other night just before I crated him and went to bed. Thankful I caught that one. I am told he also brought up two items that were eaten at wife's family's house over Christmas. She kept him on leash in the house pretty much the whole time, but I guess not all the time.

The weekend before last, I spent some time fixing older daughter's bedroom door so it actually latches. Old house = many doors ton't latch. It latches, but I guess it's fairly easy to just push open. Cosmo just rams it with his snout and gets it open. Daughter just told me that last night.

Today, wife is working from home. Cosmo is loose in house after playing with Zephyr. I hear a bang and go to investigate. He was in older daughter's room ( I had confirmed the door was latched this morning) and he came out when I got up there. I reprimanded him, and went in to see. There was a piece of broken plastic on the floor. I didn't know what it was from, but I picked it up. Then, I went farther into the room and discovered it. Daughter's new record player she got for Christmas was upside down on the floor, and the clear plastic cover was broken. Later, wife reported an album had been on it – a nice special-ordered album. Our daughter is going to be so mad and upset when she gets the news. The turntable drive belt is off. I don' t know if the unit will still even work. This was a gift, and I don't know how much it cost. The brand is Angel Horn. We are setting up a go-fund-me. NO, just kidding!

Wife was so upset and frustrated, she cried. When she hugged me, I felt her shaking. That really got to me.

Later, she was saying something like she doesn't know why this is happening. I said if I were talking to someone else, I wold recommend NILIF, which would include no being on furniture, and the dog must earn everything good it gets. I also said part of me hopes he gets a big bowel obstruction and we can put him down. In my mind, the dog has a problem that is not compatible with being a pet, and likely not compatible with living. If an animal (yes, one that was born through no choice of its own) has a disorder that causes it to eat inedible objects, I don't know that that animal ought to be protected from itself for life and have many thousands of dollars spent to keep it alive.

 

[JanS]

That has to be really frustrating but he is still at an age where he can outgrow it so he deserves every chance in the world. Maybe a basket muzzle is in order to try to get him out of the habit? It still won't stop him from jumping on things and breaking them but it would be a baby step to hopefully stop an obstruction.

 

[Two Dobes]

I am so sorry for your frustration....what an awful situation. The record player and this tells me you are at your wits end...
"I also said part of me hopes he gets a big bowel obstruction and we can put him down. " Believe me; I have been there in the past....not in a few years, but when I 'hear' your situation, it reminds me of days gone by where I felt that desperate. And of course, things work themselves out...and the emotions of that moment fade. Praying that moment (where things work out) comes real sooon for you all.

 

[Rits]

Is he crate trained? Baby gates may need to come back out... Obedience classes are also god send. Might be good bonding time for the oldest daughter and wife.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Is he crate trained? Baby gates may need to come back out... Obedience classes are also god send. Might be good bonding time for the oldest daughter and wife.

Yes, he was already crate trained before we got him, and one really nice thing about him is when I go to put him in his crate at night, he goes right in, most times. He even jumps the gun and briskly moves toward the crate in anticipation of me putting him in there.

Baby gates are definitely still up, and wife asked me to put another one up at the top of the stairs to block him from accessing that entire level where the bedrooms are.

Obedience classes might be good. As you know, I have always done all my own training; but I am holding back because wife is not fully participating or doing it well. I don't want the frustration of investing my hard work only to have it short circuited. It is already frustrating to see her not accurately or effectively handle him on the basic things I have laid out, like waiting before going through gates and exterior doors. She allows him on the couch and on our bed without so much as having him sit first. Effective dog handling is just not a strength of hers, and further, I think there is just an innate quality in her that drives her to not do anything her man says. Toxic feminism, one might say.

 

[JanS]

I have always done all my own training; but I am holding back because wife is not fully participating or doing it well. I don't want the frustration of investing my hard work only to have it short circuited.

That can be very frustrating so it would be good for your wife to take him to a training class so the trainer can show her how it should be done. I know you can try to explain it, but sometimes it sinks in better from an outside source.

 

[Rits]

It is already frustrating to see her not accurately or effectively handle him on the basic things I have laid out, like waiting before going through gates and exterior doors. She allows him on the couch and on our bed without so much as having him sit first. Effective dog handling is just not a strength of hers, and further, I think there is just an innate quality in her that drives her to not do anything her man says. Toxic feminism, one might say.

That is where I feel a third party can help. My husband was the same way at times with training. I was saying the same things trainers are saying and sometimes he just wouldn't follow through. Once he joined a club and I did not even attend with him so he was on his own and responsible for his training and progress between club days, then he started getting more serious and invested in the results. Someone else was expecting him to follow through his training so it helped hold him more accountable. He also saw that if he slacked in training, it showed, and if he worked on training, it showed (and it made him feel good). Plus, the instructor was saying the same things I was so he started listening to me more at home. Win win for all.

 

[Ravenbird]

I know you can try to explain it, but sometimes it sinks in better from an outside source.

My mother was the best most in-demand piano teacher in our county. She started teaching me just like she taught other kids, a 30 min scheduled lesson with practice expected before the next lesson. I was horrible, didn't want to do it, didn't want to listen or practice. I was a miserable failure with her and all the other kids she taught excelled. She sent me across town to a different teacher where my upbringing kicked in - polite to my elders and teachers, just as I was at school. I did my practicing at home so I would not be embarrassed by my lack of talent in front of this new teacher. I think I was in 4th or 5th grade and after a year they let me quit lessons, but I can personally say that someone outside the family can change the way a student thinks. And like me & piano, if your wife was just hoping for a magically good dog that didn't need military training, she may improve her willingness to train the pup under a new instructor and private lessons, but in the long run may just say, this dog stuff is not my bag.

I feel your frustration - we've all hit the ceiling a few times with our patience! but remember, none of the behavior is the puppy's fault. None. Only management and training will make anything better - up to a family discussion how best to go about it.

 

[LifeofRubie]

Do you have an accident/illness insurance policy on this little gremlin? Just the accident/illness on a young pup with no vet records of issues mightn't be too expensive and it does seem like an obstruction or perforated something is in his future. I know it's easy to say you wouldn't spend the money on the surgery now but it might feel different in the moment...

I too have often wondered at what point evolution for the 'modern' dog who is often fed, entertained, safe, warm, and happy decided that inserting the desire to eat inedible things was like... fine. lol

This is a tough spot. IF you are going to keep him (and I know you know this!) there is an obligation to get him under control, as it were. You cannot be upset with a dogs actions and do nothing about it and expect those actions to change and bliss to occur (again, I know YOU know this). I've had this same convo with my husband. He'll get frustrated that Rubie does or doesn't do something but he's never taken action against it so continues to be frustrated.

 

[MyBuddy]

I must say, the "leave it" command takes time. And effort! When we got Annie I think I said, "leave it" more than I said any other word. It seemed like everything was, leave it. Because as a puppy they need to touch and taste everything! Everything! Just like a human baby. They're young and curious.

Maybe you can practice it as a training session? Not just on a walk or when you suddenly catch him with something in his mouth. But putting something beside him and saying, leave it. Take it away and reward him with a treat. I've never even done that. Annie just learned it because I repeated it so many freaking times!! lol so many!

And that instinct to taste everything does fade as they get older. At least for most dogs. Unless it's ingrained and not corrected. Then I think it can really be a problem. I'll never forget watching the dog whisper about the dog that ate stones! It was really an issue! That dog continually wanted to eat stones and it really took a lot, even with Cesar Millan, to correct it. The worst thing is letting it go for too long. Just like any habit. If you catch it and nip it in the bud, you have a much better chance.

And I agree about the muzzle. Maybe that would be a good option when you can't be watching him.

Puppy stage is just like having a crawling baby. They don't get the free roam of the house. They're gated off, everything is baby proofed and watched like a hawk. Maybe keeping a short tab of leash on him to quickly grab him would help.

I think the first year of puppyhood you need four hands and eyes in back of your head. Sometimes on the side of your head too. It's trying! Annie ate her share of things too. Not clothing or socks but just stuff outside. Oh and also the panty liners that I used when she was in heat! I was beside myself with that! I said, she's going to die! I didn't know what to do with that. But I finally figured out what works best. I don't use the liners! The panties that I use on her now work for me and her. I had to adjust. Or I was going to lose my mind!

And you remember the corn cob for Fiasco. Dear God. But I can tell she has gotten over a lot of those things. I adjusted a few things and she grew out of a few things.

But it was a constant battle. A constant education. Constant eagle-eyed watching her and teaching her to leave it. It's work!

I hope you guys can come up with something that works for you too. Hang in there!

 

[MichiH]

I feel your frustration. Hang in there and I know you’ll devise a plan to get through this stage. Hopefully, your wife and daughter will stick to it too. I know that is difficult, my husband was difficult with that until he left Pepper with her diaper on and put her in the crate… Hard lesson learned and costly, he finally sees how serious it can be.

Like others said maybe obedience classes your wife and daughter can take Cosmo to? I understand training them yourself I am with you on that one. Although, if he’s causing too much chaos and they wanted him they need to handle this. You can guide and direct, but the stress weighs on you, I know it first hand and makes you want to lose your mind. And then question wtf did I do?!