u/Bimbo_in_pink

We just adopted our girl this week. Shes a 15 week old Rottweiler who had been found severely abused weeks back so badly she could not walk. Now she is doing incredibly well. She is non reactive and I work with her for hours every day on training to make her that way. I’ve had to help her rewire her brain to be more confident around humans again and she’s done beautifully. She is comfortable with going anywhere in public and doesn’t bark or growl or act timid. But potty training has been a whole other problem. I know it’ll take many more months in general to get her potty trained so I’m not expecting her to get anything overnight, but I’m starting to get the sense that she used to be abused when she’d poop because she absolutely refuses to do it in front of me. She will pee in front of me outside and sometimes on the carpet no problem but poop? Nope. The second - and I mean the second I take my eyes off her to leave the room even after standing outside in her potty spot or walking for an extended period, she poops on the carpet. And any advice I see online is just don’t take my eyes off her which is just not feasible 24 hours a day. I also have to eat and use the bathroom and I have to keep her separate from my two cats she’s being slowly introduced to.

She has her own bedroom here and I’m not too upset about the carpet getting ruined. I’m well aware she’ll have hundreds of accidents and messes before she’s out off puppyhood. But she also will not use her puppy pads at all. At first she’d get close but miss. Now it’s like she’s deliberately not using them. She gives no indication that she’s about to go and it happens so fast I can’t get her outside when I do rarely catch it mid act. She is crated at night without issue. This is only a daytime problem.

When she poops on a new spot I clean it and move a potty pad there for the next time but then she’ll just poop on a different spot of carpet. I’ve tried putting the scent of her poop on the puppy pads and nope, didn’t do anything.

I reward her heavily when she does go pee in front of me outside but I can’t do that when I literally cannot get her to poop in front of me outside. What do I do?

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to give everyone an update on my previous post regarding the foster to adopt situation that turned into a nightmare process for us. TLDR we brought in a puppy agreeing to foster to adopt for 3 month period until spayed, then they changed their minds and said we had 24 hours to decide adoption despite it not being enough time to see how she’d be with our already established cats.

Well, we kept her. She is absolutely the perfect puppy. Aside from some potty training issues she is the smartest dog I’ve ever had. She picks up tricks so fast and she is so mild tempered. She doesn’t bark or whine or destroy things. She wants to play in ten minute stretches then she just wants what I call flip time where she flops in my lap and wants lazy time. I took her to get her final shots and since then I’ve taken her everywhere with me to make sure she is trained to be completely non reactive and she’s doing amazing. Even my cats are showing more interest in her day by day. They even cry outside of her room sometimes to be let in to see her on supervised visits.

Would I work with that rescue again? Absolutely not? Do I hold that against this dog? Never.

She really is the perfect puppy for us and we can’t wait to include her in our lives.

Side note: they also made adopting her a whole process once we decided it. I had to hound them about getting me her medical records and finalizing her adoption for two days after I sent payment and did the paperwork.

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to give everyone an update on my previous post regarding the foster to adopt situation that turned into a nightmare process for us. TLDR we brought in a puppy agreeing to foster to adopt for 3 month period until spayed, then they changed their minds and said we had 24 hours to decide adoption despite it not being enough time to see how she’d be with our already established cats.

Well, we kept her. She is absolutely the perfect puppy. Aside from some potty training issues she is the smartest dog I’ve ever had. She picks up tricks so fast and she is so mild tempered. She doesn’t bark or whine or destroy things. She wants to play in ten minute stretches then she just wants what I call flip time where she flops in my lap and wants lazy time. I took her to get her final shots and since then I’ve taken her everywhere with me to make sure she is trained to be completely non reactive and she’s doing amazing. Even my cats are showing more interest in her day by day. They even cry outside of her room sometimes to be let in to see her on supervised visits.

Would I work with that rescue again? Absolutely not? Do I hold that against this dog? Never.

She really is the perfect puppy for us and we can’t wait to include her in our lives.

Side note: they also made adopting her a whole process once we decided it. I had to hound them about getting me her medical records and finalizing her adoption for two days after I sent payment and did the paperwork.

Hey everyone. You can see my profile for the full story but basically I’m on day two of a foster to adopt and I’m already feeling like it’s not a good fit. The rescue gave me a week or two after I begged to foster to adopt. TLDR the dog was originally listed as foster to adopt (3 month period) then they switched up and basically tried to force me into an adoption decision. She is a wonderful puppy. Actually genuinely the perfect puppy. She’s the chillest puppy I’ve ever met. 14 weeks - doesn’t destroy anything, learns commands quickly, doesn’t chase my cats or show prey drive with them. Pretty good on leash but needs guidance. Total cuddle bug. A lapdog in a giant body. She is really great. But my cats can’t stand her. And I know it has not been enough time but I keep crying feeling absolutely horrible like I’m making a mistake. I’ve never been so stressed in my life. Am I horrible if I can’t do this? She’s perfect aside from not being housebroken. I have no doubt that in a year she’ll be the best dog. I love dogs but I don’t know if I am a puppy person. Maybe I’m just a cat person after years of having animals that are so low maintenance and require no supervision? Please understand I feel horrible as is and I went in with all the research and years growing up with dogs. I truly care which is why this is absolutely gutting me. I genuinely don’t think my cats will adjust-and if they can’t, I know I’ll never be comfortable in my own home again either. Do I give it until the end of the week? My gut is telling me I can’t do this.

Me and my partner have been interested in getting a dog now that we bought our first townhome. We have two cats that are both three years old and have coexisted with kennel trained dogs before so we knew it was possible, but that it wouldn’t be easy. Last night we accepted a foster to adopt large breed. Well, now they have said I actually have a single day to decide if I fully want to commit to adopting her or not and I have no idea what to do. She is incredibly chill especially for her age and breed and very smart. But I’m feeling so overwhelmed and anxious especially being on a clock. It’s not enough time to see how my cats will adjust and they are my number one priority. On top of that is the general puppy blues. What if this is a huge mistake? I’m used to my life as it is now with almost no responsibilities and this is a big puppy that needs constant walks and supervision and training. And what if it doesn’t work out? I can’t just return it. I have until tonight to decide and I’ve been on the verge of tears all night. I get where they’re coming from not wanting to keep moving her between fosters but I can’t help but feel tricked. They were clear that she would be foster to adopt and suddenly I have hours to make a full life long commitment. What should I do?