Trigger warning for what the title said. My dad has a terminal illness, and he will likely die within a few years if he’s lucky. He has a 3-year-old rescue dog who is extremely scared around anyone but him. The dog is friendly and non-aggressive, but only tolerates being touched by others when he’s glued to my dad’s hip. Unfortunately, I can’t take him in because I own chickens, cats, and rabbits, and he is pretty prey-driven. I don’t have space for him, and I don’t think I could train him to tolerate my small animals either. It feels wrong to just dump him at a random shelter after my dad dies because my dad truly loves this dog. I’m really lost and want him to go to a place where I’ll get updates on his care and where someone will be patient with him to earn his trust. Has anyone experienced this before? What do I do?
Is there a bond you can start working on with someone now? Maybe help make the transition easier.
I’d work on finding resources now before you need them. Look for rescues specifically for high prey drive dogs. Maybe he’d do okay on a farm without poultry? Whatever you do, he’ll need to start forming a bond with another person soon.
You should work hard on getting your father’s dog bonded to other people. Try having guests offer him treats to create positive associations.
I’ll definitely try that. The dog is pretty chill with other people when he’s next to my dad, but alone he’s terrified. I’ll work on it slowly.
You can reach out to some rescues. That would probably be your best option. You can also find Facebook groups for rehoming, but wait until the time is right.
Whatever you choose, if your dad passes before the dog is rehomed, please let his dog see and smell his body. Animals understand death; they don’t understand when someone they’ve bonded with just never comes back.