Brother - Heavy handed with his puppy

chrissyr

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First off, let me state it plain, my brother should never own any pet....ever. Sadly, he doesn't listen to me and does what he wants anyway. He now has a new puppy. She's a 5 month old husky. My Uncle gave her to Joe the other day. So far, Joe has smacked her butt with a stick because she wouldn't listen, He leaves her alone all day while he's at work then yells at her for eating his stuff. I try to take care of her while he's gone, I walk her a few times a day and let her run off some of her energy, things like that. I, honestly, don't want her to become attached to me because I can see that causing trouble for her. I can't take her off his hands, I have thought about it, but I already care for other animals he's "discarded" in the past and I have 5 huge dogs and a tiny dog and really no room for a puppy. I am wondering how I can get it through his head that you don't leave a 5 month old puppy locked up alone for 8 or 9 hours a day and expect it to be perfect? I've done tried to talk to him, he's only had her for about 3 days, and explain it's puppy behavior but he won't listen. My next thought is to whip him with a stick. LOL Any suggestions? (By the way, he's 34 years old. You'd think he'd know something by now)
 

sharky

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Can you send a book on training?? or perhaps a gift certificate... Huskies are strong willed dogs and if abused can be dangerous... or a secret call to the animal control??
 

yorda

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That is such a hard spot to be in because you canâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t educate someone unless they actually want to learn, which is harder to do if they would easily get rid of an animal when it becomes “too much workâ€. The only thing I can think of is to find someone he respects or admires to talk to him about the issue- such as a dog loving friend or relative- as he might be more open hearing it from them than a sibling. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sorry I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have better advice, but thank you for caring about this little puppy.
 

hissy

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A 5 month old husky needs a ton of exercise. Does he jog? If he does this dog should be his jogging partner. 5 months old, they don't usually listen, they are still developing. Give him a gift certificate to a puppy class and hope he goes. If he continues to hit her, she will over time retaliate or run away. She needs to be with someone who can invest time and energy in her. She isn't a houseplant, she is a puppy for cripes sake!
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Call the local humane society - what he's doing is against the law. I know it sounds harsh but if you are truly worried about this dog that's what you should do. All kinds of problems like fear aggression, destruction, improper toilet training and so forth are on the way until that poor dog ends up in fifty different shelters because it's got so many problems it can't be homed.

It sounds like he doesn't even like the dog. Does it have toys? Does he give it love? Does he show it any affection?

What you said about whipping him with a stick isn't a bad idea - in terms of showing him how confusing he's being towards her. I don't mean to whip him with a stick, of course, but I do a lot of role-playing with my clients to help them understand what they are doing to their dog. All you have to do is lock him in a room with nothing but a ball for four hours and see how it makes him feel. I did that to a guy once and he almost cried when he realised how desperate his poor dog was.
 

tavia'smom

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I say hit him with a club and take the dog away from him if only long enough to rehome her.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

Call the local humane society - what he's doing is against the law. I know it sounds harsh but if you are truly worried about this dog that's what you should do. All kinds of problems like fear aggression, destruction, improper toilet training and so forth are on the way until that poor dog ends up in fifty different shelters because it's got so many problems it can't be homed.

It sounds like he doesn't even like the dog. Does it have toys? Does he give it love? Does he show it any affection?

What you said about whipping him with a stick isn't a bad idea - in terms of showing him how confusing he's being towards her. I don't mean to whip him with a stick, of course, but I do a lot of role-playing with my clients to help them understand what they are doing to their dog. All you have to do is lock him in a room with nothing but a ball for four hours and see how it makes him feel. I did that to a guy once and he almost cried when he realised how desperate his poor dog was.
Yep, call the animal control or take the dog and make room for it somehow, but please do not sit by and let him do what he is doing to this poor puppy. Brother or no brother, animals can not speak for themselves, so it is our place to be their advocate.
 

2dogmom

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Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

What you said about whipping him with a stick isn't a bad idea - in terms of showing him how confusing he's being towards her. I don't mean to whip him with a stick, of course, but I do a lot of role-playing with my clients to help them understand what they are doing to their dog. All you have to do is lock him in a room with nothing but a ball for four hours and see how it makes him feel. I did that to a guy once and he almost cried when he realised how desperate his poor dog was.

YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!
 

momofmany

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See if you can find a husky rescue group in your area and ask for intervention. Our Humane Society rescued a neglected and abused 8 month old puppy once for reasons similar to what you described. The poor puppy doesn't deserve that treatment, and it will retaliate one day. Being a large breed, your brother will probably then dump it at the pound or put it to sleep. Stop this before it gets to that point.
 

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I wouldn't care if he was my brother or not. He's being downright cruel to the poor dog and i'd report him no matter what, and that would be after i'd smacked my brother with the stick!
 

lsulover

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There are some excellant posts on this thread.

First and foremost though is that puppy, I could not sleep at night if I knew an animal was being mistreated and I did nothing about it.

Something bad could happen to that puppy, I don't mean your brother would do something on purpose, but if he is already hitting him with a stick, he could hit him somewheres and he could cause some damage.

I would either threaten my brother that I was gonna call, and I would if I had to. Or I would go get the puppy and find room for it somewheres at my house. The poor little puppy probably wouldn't care where he had to stay, as long as he was safe and being loved. And the puppy probably knows that you already care for him cause you go and get him and take him to play. It would break my heart to know that the puppy probably has nothing else to look forward to except that.

I hope you do what is on your heart, please keep us updated on how things are going. I really care.
 

neetanddave

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Originally Posted by LSULOVER

There are some excellant posts on this thread.

First and foremost though is that puppy, I could not sleep at night if I knew an animal was being mistreated and I did nothing about it.

Something bad could happen to that puppy, I don't mean your brother would do something on purpose, but if he is already hitting him with a stick, he could hit him somewheres and he could cause some damage.

I would either threaten my brother that I was gonna call, and I would if I had to. Or I would go get the puppy and find room for it somewheres at my house. The poor little puppy probably wouldn't care where he had to stay, as long as he was safe and being loved. And the puppy probably knows that you already care for him cause you go and get him and take him to play. It would break my heart to know that the puppy probably has nothing else to look forward to except that.

I hope you do what is on your heart, please keep us updated on how things are going. I really care.


Hey Belinda, can you put a little gris gris on him to act right?
 

goldenkitty45

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With the track record of your brother WHY would anyone get him a dog? Does your uncle know what he's doing to the dog? Any other siblings/relatives that can talk to your brother?
 
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chrissyr

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Thanks for the help! I ended up calling the humane society this evening after I found out he hit the puppy with a broom handle because she went potty all over his bed. I have her in my custody now and have renamed her Shorty. Joe is now seriously peeved because the officer came out with me in tow and had a looong talk with him. Basically scared the crap out of Joe. After the officer made sure Shorty had a home with me, he left and, yes, I smacked Joe with the broom handle.
I was just so upset it's unreal. He seemed to find it funny that he smacked her everywhere he could reach with the broom then put her in a kennel with his already grown Shepherd. (The shepherd was left to him by a friend, but, he's already grown and won't put up with Joes tricks) Now I'm having the fun of training her to not chase the kitties. She's shut in my bathroom when nobody is in the house then she's in my bedroom with me. Joe's taught her to chase cats so that's going to stop. I have her somewhat leash trained now after walking her for awhile today. Shorty is a smart little girl! When I told her "come home" she ran right to my car and didn't even look back.


Thanks again gang! And one last request, keep your fingers crossed that I can break her of the kitty chase habit soon or I'll have to hand her over to the pound.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Originally Posted by ChrissyR

Thanks for the help! I ended up calling the humane society this evening after I found out he hit the puppy with a broom handle because she went potty all over his bed. I have her in my custody now and have renamed her Shorty. Joe is now seriously peeved because the officer came out with me in tow and had a looong talk with him. Basically scared the crap out of Joe. After the officer made sure Shorty had a home with me, he left and, yes, I smacked Joe with the broom handle.
I was just so upset it's unreal. He seemed to find it funny that he smacked her everywhere he could reach with the broom then put her in a kennel with his already grown Shepherd. (The shepherd was left to him by a friend, but, he's already grown and won't put up with Joes tricks) Now I'm having the fun of training her to not chase the kitties. She's shut in my bathroom when nobody is in the house then she's in my bedroom with me. Joe's taught her to chase cats so that's going to stop. I have her somewhat leash trained now after walking her for awhile today. Shorty is a smart little girl! When I told her "come home" she ran right to my car and didn't even look back.


Thanks again gang! And one last request, keep your fingers crossed that I can break her of the kitty chase habit soon or I'll have to hand her over to the pound.
Oh my goodness
I'm sorry but your brother sounds like a horrible person with real issues. I'm surprised his GSD wasn't taken from him too - does he treat that dog ok? I mean, does it get any love or any good treatment?

And what did the officer say? Do you think any of it sunk in? I'm SO proud of you for doing this - it must have been very hard but that dog is in a better place now.

What's your brother like when it doesn't come to animals? I don't mean to sound horrible but it sounds as though he needs a ban on owning any animals until he learns. They do that to people convicted of animal cruelty (not that it makes a difference sometimes but at least the punishment is there, on the record).
 
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chrissyr

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Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

Oh my goodness
I'm sorry but your brother sounds like a horrible person with real issues. I'm surprised his GSD wasn't taken from him too - does he treat that dog ok? I mean, does it get any love or any good treatment?

And what did the officer say? Do you think any of it sunk in? I'm SO proud of you for doing this - it must have been very hard but that dog is in a better place now.

What's your brother like when it doesn't come to animals? I don't mean to sound horrible but it sounds as though he needs a ban on owning any animals until he learns. They do that to people convicted of animal cruelty (not that it makes a difference sometimes but at least the punishment is there, on the record).
He treats the GSD - Neeko- perfectly fine. I believe it's because Neeko is around 3 years of age. He gives him love and attention and toys. Joe's just bad with young animals. I know that doesn't excuse his behavior with Shorty, though.

He's fine when he's not trying to own an animal. He's a single father and is doing great raising his daughter. Just he's passing his "ways" on animal treatment down to her. That's how I ended up with one of his cats. (I have a total of 2 dogs and 1 cat, now 3 dogs, that were his)

The officer told him he can be fined up to $500 an incident, he could see jail time depending on whether he learns his lesson, he can be banned from owning animals of any kind for life if he keeps abusing them. Joe was given a copy of animal law/regulations for our state. Joe went white as a sheet and that's when he gave me Shorty. I hope it did sink in. I guess time will tell.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Well, the rest of what you say about him sounds great. It's a shame he learnt somewhere to treat animals this way. Perhaps he has now had a scare and will change his ways somewhat. Young animals are very difficult, like children (lol) and can test your patience. But what he did was going way too far.

Its funny that he has turned out like this and yet you have not. I wonder where he gets it from?
 
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chrissyr

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Our grandmother. She used to have all kinds of animals when we were growing up, and she had all kinds of issues with the local pound over her animals. She just never took care of them. She raised Joe for a few years to help our parents out and passed the abuse down to him. Even my Uncle abuses his animals to some degree.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Originally Posted by ChrissyR

Our grandmother. She used to have all kinds of animals when we were growing up, and she had all kinds of issues with the local pound over her animals. She just never took care of them. She raised Joe for a few years to help our parents out and passed the abuse down to him. Even my Uncle abuses his animals to some degree.
Oh that's so sad. Have the authorities ever visited your uncle?

My ex-husband is not someone I would say `abused' animals, and he actually loves them, but he did do some things when we were together - taunting and some intimidating behaviour - that I would consider borderline abuse. Putting them in positions that they couldn't escape from so he could tease them and such. He would never listen, though, and our animals were otherwise very well looked after. It was just the odd thing that he would do that used to really upset me. He did the same kind of things to me, though, as well - so I know what it felt like.

At least you have the opportunity to teach your niece the right way before more damage is done.
 
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chrissyr

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Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

Oh that's so sad. Have the authorities ever visited your uncle?

My ex-husband is not someone I would say `abused' animals, and he actually loves them, but he did do some things when we were together - taunting and some intimidating behaviour - that I would consider borderline abuse. Putting them in positions that they couldn't escape from so he could tease them and such. He would never listen, though, and our animals were otherwise very well looked after. It was just the odd thing that he would do that used to really upset me. He did the same kind of things to me, though, as well - so I know what it felt like.

At least you have the opportunity to teach your niece the right way before more damage is done.
With my uncle, it's more of a "let the animal run free. No shots. No getting it fixed. If it does something I don't like, beat it, tease it, chase it, or somehow show it I'm the boss." And yea, he's been in trouble before for one of his dogs biting and having no shots. But, since he lives in a very secluded area, it's hard to prove anything.
 
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