Ruby needs a home

Hi-this is my first post and its a sad one. Please don't hate me for giving up my dog.
Ruby is poodle x terrier,she is 2 yrs old,spayed,vaccinated etc.We have had her for 4 months-we got her from a family whose other dog was attacking her(they had her 6 weeks,she was given up prior to that because of her 1st owner having a terminal illness) she gets on really well with our other,very submissive bitch and they play all the time. Ruby is fine with 99% of dogs that she meets but the other 1% she starts a scrap with(i think shes a bit insecure because of being attacked herself) I know that with training and a confident owner, this problem could be resolved.I just don't feel emotionally strong enough or experienced enough with dogs to do this myself.I know its no excuse, but we got Ruby on the rebound so to speak,the same week that we had our beloved elderly rescue dog put to sleep. She chased the cat to start with but she has stopped doing this now and they get along fine.She loves everybody,including children(she lived with them before)she loves swimming and playing fetch-she is a very sweet dog.I will not hand her in to a rescue as i can't bear the thought of her crying in the kennels.she had separation anxiety when we 1st got her but this has improved a lot.does anyone know how i can find a wonderful home for Ruby? dee

Dee, I can feel your pain with every sentence you have typed. No-one is going to hate you, it strikes me that this is not a decision you have taken lightly and you are obviously very concerned for Ruby's future well being.

I must ask though, is there any way you would consider keeping her if people on here could offer you advice on how to deal with or manage her problems? Or a local training class, although you have probably already considered these? I just think it will be quite hard for Ruby to adjust to another new home so was wondering if someone on here could help. There are some really knowlegable people on here.

thank you for understanding. we have a session booked at Witsend on Thursday so she will give us an action plan to deal with Ruby. But I know that I am not the right person to cope with this.I'm a worrier, I worry about Ruby all day and all night.She is an amazing dog-i love her to bits, but i'm going to give myself a nervous breakdown if i keep her -and i know her problem is only minor-her good points far outweigh it.Just know i can't deal with it-If Sara wittaker is any good(the behaviourist),i can pass on her advice to her next owner

If your behaviourist is local then she might be able to give you some advice on local foster homes for Ruby. I can think of a few rescues local to you but I know that you obviously don't want that for Ruby. A lot of people on Dogsey work / volunteer in rescue so they might also be able to suggest somewhere where Ruby would go into a foster home situation. Fingers crossed someone will have some good suggestions for your girl.

I really think that as this dog has already been through so much, she needs to go to a good rescue, not be rehomed privately. You will not take her back if the next home goes wrong - which it well might, with her record - but a good Rescue will, and will not give up.
Please reconsider rehoming privately. Rescues do home-checks, give adoption contracts, and do follow ups. Can you do this?
Maybe since she`s a poodle cross one of the poodle rescues might take her?

thanks for your reply. However I really can't give Ruby to a rescue-I don't want to burden them any more than they are at the moment-and I couldn't face Ruby being in kennel for the days or weeks it would take to assess her and rehome her.Yes,I would do all those things-I've already driven to Birmingham to visit a family who wanted her and decided the excercise she would be given wouldn't be sufficient(tied to a pushchair for the walk to school and back)-Ruby needs to run! I would also take Ruby back if it didn't work out.

not sure about a poodle rescue-she might be look half poodle but shes all terrier!

I can feel your distress through your posts and I must say, I hope there is a solution so you can keep her, maybe someone can shed some new light on the situation and will give you hope that you can keep her... whatever happens I wish you both all the best xxx

thanks everybody-i thought you'd all judge me but you've been lovely-its so difficult-I really do love Ruby but I'm a stresshead and don't handle it very well when she has a tussle-and she can pick up on this of course.I really feel she would be better off with someone who is calmer and more eperienced with dogs-the only other 2 dogs I've owned were my elderly rescue dog with no teeth and my cavalier cross who is pathetic-(in a nice way) Ruby is a real dog! I'm going to contact poodles in need tomorrow-it says on their website that they go into foster homes straight away,rather than kennels.

I'm the first to complain when people give up their dogs for ridiculous reasons, the St Bernard got too big etc but your genuine sadness at the situation is easy to see.

I know you've said that you doubt your own ability to help her but you have already managed to stop Ruby chasing the cat so you have already had success there! Silenty I have everything crossed that your behaviourist may have some very simple techniques that you may find easy to apply to Ruby while looking for a suitable home and you may find it easier than you think to help her. Please keep us updated with how you get on.x