Being tested

[Giggy]

I have 2 dogs one is very high strung and barks quite a bit.  Not many people like him.  My son hates him.  He has more or less asked e to get rid of the dog and like I said other people would also be happy if I got rid of the dog too. 

I have approached someone who can take the dog temporarily or even permenantely.  I feel he is testing me to see if I really love him.  I'm just wondering it's the right thing to do.  Cather to him although like I say not many people would miss the dog.

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[Dibdob59]

Is this your dog?

Do you love him and want to keep him? 

I am not sure that I understand why other people are telling you what to do with your own dog.

How do you feel about being told to do this?

[Giggy]

Sorry I forgot to mention my son is BPD and 37 years old.  He is the one really pushing me to get rid of the dog and I think it might be to prove that I will do that to prove that I love him.

[Bright Day Mom]

Instead of getting rid of the dog, maybe you can take a different approach. As a  mom of 3 rescued dogs, we've had to overcome some challenging traits, but guess what, we did! You wouldn't give up another "member" of your family, spouse, child, parent because they snore, lack table manners or are just "annoying" sometimes would you? 

I think you could show your son the dog isn't bad, but needs a little attention. Some dogs require more exercise than others, maybe tire him out by playing fetch, hiking, etc. Also keeping him occupied to alleviate any unoccupied time. The pet stores have these great mind game toys. If I'm leaving for an extended period of time in the evening, I'll select a few games, most include hiding treats inside, and leave them out for them. I'm nearly guaranteed to come home to zero problems.

As for barking, the stores have assistance for that too,battery beep gadgets. One dog trainer years ago had us put pennies in a metal container to shake once the dog was told no when barking and yes it took time, show lots of love when they eventually respond, remember repetition, but it eventually worked.

I hope this helps, have a Bright Day!