Schoolhouse, good for you for trying to help this dog. Have you taken him for a long, long walk and tired his rambunctious butt out? Sounds like he needs it and your girl could use the break away from Rowdy. Good luck and let us know how things go.

Thanks.I took him for one walk down the road about an hour after he came (2:30pm), but it's an awful rainy muddy day here today.He's real strong on the leash, needs another adult dog to walk with to teach him I think. He needs training in other areas as well.

I'm going to give him until Monday, best to not stress him out either by my being too impatient with him. I think it's good that I found out that he is too curious about cats, that's something the shelter should know.

"he's stressing out my nearly blind senior female .......I'm regretting putting my female through this already."

Having been through this, I think you are right to return him to the shelter. In my situation I didn't, and feel guilty to this day.

Thanks for understanding weed. Maybe I am the one that is too old for HIM. :) It looks like I will have him for at least one more day as the shelter is closed on Mondays. The people at the shelter said it would be fine to return him and will not reflect bad on me if I choose to try again with another dog in the future (Annie was adopted from there as well). In fact the one girl said, "At least he'll be out of the shelter for awhile".

I just now came in from taking both of them a walk around the property and down through the orchard, thinking another dog would help him. Well, Annie was thrilled to be walking - when she could - Oliver tried to climb on her and push her to the ground every chance he got, no matter how many times I corrected him. For a small dog - he's strong! The previous owners must not have taught him much, and a friend suggested that maybe he had access to a fenced in yard and was used to running free.

It definitely tired him out. Later today if it's not pouring rain (like now), I'll take him alone and go on a bigger walk. Oh - and the cat did come back in the house last night before bed but he wanted out as soon as possible this morning!

My advice is the same as weeds. It's not fair to your senior, blind female at the stage of her life to bring in a rambunctious puppy.

If you want to foster and help the shelter, consider another senior dog that needs quiet and a soft bed.

BTW, teaching him basic commands and how to walk on leash while in your home won't stress him. Instead, it will help make him a calmer pet.

I took him for a loooong walk down my country road and just got back a half hour ago. He was much better, but still pulled some. If any good comes of this, perhaps he will get some attention and just a few lessons that he didn't have before. The "stressing him" I was talking about was correcting him and being impatient to the point of being angry. Not good for the pup.

Also, this makes me appreciate those who foster dogs and cats; there are rewards if you can teach them and help make them better pets for future owners. Thank you all foster "parents" out there!

I like older, even senior dogs. They are the ones that make me cry when I see their pictures on shelter sites. A ten yr.old brought to the shelter? owners passed away? his/her people didn't want to bother with them anymore? new puppy in the house?But they have fewer years to spend with you. Sigh. Annie was a senior when I got her in 2001. They told me she was 9 or even 12yrs.old. She's still here! That makes her...20yrsold? :) She was just in such bad shape that I think the vet couldn't tell really what her age was. Someone found her tied to railroad tracks (back and front legs tied to rails!) and rescued her just in time and took her to the shelter. She was the darling of the shelter and had an advocate who was very picky about who adopted her. She's been the best little wire hair fox terrior mix ever.

Thanks for listening. I don't feel like so bad now if I take Oliver back. There will be others when the time is right.

Now I'm the one who can't stop crying. I returned Oliver to the shelter this morning. The staff were nice and I gave my opinions on his strong points and things that needed work -emphasizing that he was really a good and obedient boy for his age, just a little too much "boy" for my girl. I wept all day I felt so guilty, even entertained thoughts of going back and getting him! They said they would keep my application on file. Thanks all.

I'm sorry this has been so difficult for you. Is there any chance they could neuter him and you could try again? I don't know how long it takes for a male to settle down after neutering, but maybe with a little time you could try again. Don't feel guilty. You did the best you could with him. You do have to put your animals first. At least you tried.

I'm fairly new here, but like others have said so many times on this forum, sometimes you just have to talk to dog people. Even if they're out there in cyberspace somewhere. Thanks.

I know how you feel. In January, I had to return a dog to the rescue. In our home he was kind of pushy, but smart enough to learn quickly. Did fine with our family and was incredibly funny with his expressions. He was just too aggressive and would try to attack people on our walks - when he lunged at a little kid, I knew I was in over my head. Man did I feel like I had failed him, but I didn't have the time, energy or skill to give him the intensive training he needed. I cried, too.

Two weeks later I found another rescue dog who has worked out much better. He still needs some work, but he's a great dog and a much better fit with our famiy. I went back to a (different) rescue that I really trust, and they found me a Border Collie mix who's personality is fantastic.

I hope Oliver will find a great home and you will give another dog a chance. Maybe one that is 2 or 3 years old so the puppy behavior is over with?

I just had to check with the shelter awhile ago, because I didn't see Oliver's pic on their site. She said he was out as a "foster to adopt" as of yesterday by a family. I hope it works out. I told them I feel SO much better now.

Yes, I'll find another when the time is right; and it could very well be a puppy. Who knows? Sometimes it happens like that.

Schoolhouse, I am suprised. Not by YOUR actions at all, but by the so-called "shelter"s. I am shocked that they would EVER send an unneutered dog into a home. It just suprises me. It's an easy fix. If you like the dog, I would have suggested him being neutered, THEN bringing him home. I think your blind female might have been much less stressed. I am always appalled that any shelter sends out an "un-fixed" dog - ever. It's always a recipe for disaster when they don't.

As a rule of thumb, most HSUS (humane society of the united states) DO NOT consider any rescue to be a LEGITIMATE rescue if they do not REQUIRE a spay/neuter PRIOR to adoption - period.

I have previously posted about this, and you kind of make my case for me. Again, recipe for disaster. Had Oliver been already neutered, he might not have stressed out your baby so much, and might have integrated much better.

I wish you the very best with your next adoption. I think you should make it a requirement from wherever you adopt from that the dog is neutered first.

Well guess what? I was browsing the shelter site like I do every day, and whose photo do I see posted there yesterday? OLIVER. The family who adopted him after I returned him - brought him back. The poor little guy!

I'd really like to know why they brought him back. Plus, the shelter has Oliver's old profile up, the one I read when I saw him first. Does not mention that he was returned a third time, of course they wouldn't want to I understand that. Perhaps he was actually in foster since March. Wonder if he was neutered?

Just thought I'd share the update.

I've always had 'found', rescued, or adopted dogs/cats.

There are a lot of good, caring people out there who want to provide at risk dogs a place to be safe. The biggest problem with allowing those good hearted, well meaning folks to shelter/foster animals is that those same folks seldom get the necessary training.

Fostering animals means being ready to handle all kinds of potential problems. I've rescued many dogs. Several really difficult cases.

I am in awe of successful fosterers. Seriously. They take the problem dogs because they can handle the stress and disruption over and over. But, more importantly, they have the place and experience to handle those animals.

I failed to rehab a dog. I paid the program $125 for the dog. I knew the potential problems. I thought I was capable. I was, but did not have the time/place for what I actually got. It cost me several hundred dollars in damages(to my stuff and library books) before I decided to admit defeat.

I have two now that have taken extensive rehab time. I now have that time(retired) and space. I rehabbed an extremely aggressive dog and the most pathetic excuse for an insecure dog I have ever seen.

I could not foster. Too difficult.

So, for those who try---GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!

But, be aware most shelters do not have any idea of the real problems animals will exhibit in a home environment. And be aware that even when secure, well balanced pets at home, bringing in another animal will require some extensive adapting time.

And, do not feel a failure when you cannmot succeed. Most times it is not the fostering person's fault.

Interesting. Thanks for the update. You would think he would have been neutered by now. Maybe there was something else going on with him. He could have had some kind of abuse before he ended up in the shelter the first time. Did you ever get another dog? Or are you sticking with the status quo? My dog, Murray, was about 10 years old when my sister passed away and her schnauzer, Fred, came to live with me. But Fred was 4 years old at the time and really well trained. They were both good influences on each other. But I think having an older dog come in with a senior is the better way to go. A puppy just has too much energy for the senior and can be really annoying. I hope you can find a dog that works out great for you.

No, haven't adopted another dog yet. My senior is thriving being the "one and only" and center of attention. After keeping multiple dogs for many many years, I'm enjoying the bit of respite myself. :)

And I have a feeling that I'll get my other dog when it shows up on my doorstep. No time to think about it, just "Sure, come on in and make yourself at home! Want something to eat?"