[leelee]

so i got my min pin 3 years as a pup. i had him for 2 years in my condo with my daughter. well long story short we had to move and i couldnt take the dog with us luckily my boyfriend at the time said he would take him and so wed agreed it worked out great because me and my daugter would always have acsess to the dog. he lived on a farm and pretty much was left off a leash on the farm had lots of land for him to play and wasnt really on a main rd it was a buisnes district. well 6 months later we had broken up i finally got a place 3 months after the break up and got my dog back. i feel terible because he got use to the farm and being outside whenever he pleases day or night. aloth im not to sure if that was the situation after we broke up becuz he got a new gf and wasnt living at his parents ne more wich was the farm. but im sure he visited alot. so im thinking i want to do best for the dog. i take him on walks constantly and take him back in the woods by my house but i always have a very watchful eye on him. he dosent run away he comes back when u whistle. im just worried hes not happy here because i have to go to work and my ex didnt work so he could always hang out w my dog im sure it was temporary as sum day he has to go back in to the work force i just feel bad because if hes not outside constantly he just sleeps. he loves to play and me and my child play with him and throw his toys around. but all in all hes happiest outside. i cant always be outside with him. he seems sad. what do i do. i dont want to give him back hes my dog we love him and if he didnt take the dog my aunt would have she just lived so far and we wouldnt have acsess to him. please help!

[CorkyMax]

i take him on walks constantly and take him back in the woods by my house
but i always have a very watchful eye on him. he dosent run away he comes back when u whistle. im just worried hes not happy here because i have to go to work and my ex didnt work so he could always hang out w my dog im sure it was temporary as sum day he has to go back in to the work force i just feel bad because if hes not outside constantly he just sleeps. he loves to play and me and my child play with him and throw his toys around. but all in all hes happiest outside. i cant always be outside with him. he seems sad. what do i do. i dont want to give him back hes my dog we love him

I have a couple suggestions but may cost a bit of money! Do you own this house/property? Can you install a chainlink (or other type) fence around the backyard (extend it out on the sides of your house and make it big enough for him to have plenty of room to run and explore, etc. Of course you would have to make it escape proof as min pins like to dig! (Maybe attach chicken wire from bottom of fence down into the ground a foot or so and curve it in a 90 degree angle toward the enclosed yard). YOGI, Do you think a min pin would climb a chainlink fence? Then install a doggie door from your house out into this fenced-in area/yard. Cautionary note here--If leaving dog access to this area when you are not there to keep an eye on him--I would not have a collar on him as dogs have got hung up on things and died by hanging themselves!!

Another suggestion---Get another dog for a companion to this dog!

Not sure how long you have had your dog back--If not long maybe he will adjust more to the new situation. If you can't find a solution or if your dog still seems sad after so long a period--Maybe it would be best if your aunt takes him (assuming she has the kind of space, etc. that your dog is use to) and you just visit and get him on weekends or vacations. (Don't know how far away she is from you!) How old is your child? Old enough to be home alone in the summer when school is out? If old enough then you could have your dog during summers too.

Hope things work out! Keep us posted on happenings!

[cigwyllt]

I think perhaps you are worrying too much about your dog's feelings. Bear in mind he is nearly a year older than when you left him. He will have matured and grown up a bit, he won't have so much energy. If he is eating and drinking properly and enjoying play and affection with you then he is having his needs met. He might be missing the farm life but he will adapt again - it could well be that he reacted in a similar way when he moved to the farm.

Give him time to settle with you and I am sure you will find he is as happy as ever.

So far as using a dog door is concerned think very carefully about whether or not it is safe in your neighbourhood. We live in a small town and it is pretty safe here but I would never let my dogs out when I am not around.

[Yogi]

Unfortunately, of all the breeds, Miniature Pinschers have proven over and over again that they are the one and only true Houdini of the canine world. They are quite capable of climbing a chain link fence. Most who own them have discovered this and go for wood privacy fence instead. A friend of mine who raises and shows both Toy and Standard Manchester Terriers is involved with the local Humane Society and a few other organizations. Any time they get an MT in, they contact her and she takes them. Unfortunately they generally do not know the difference between and MT and a MP. She agrees to take the MP's anyway but soon discovered that they were climbing her chain link fence which her MT's had never even attempted.
In the case of this dog, so long as it has daily time off leash and can run to expel the energy it possess' it should be fine and will acclimate in time.
It is a terrier therefore instinctively if true to the Zwergpinscher heritage, needs to have free run daily not just a couple walks. Daily walks will not suffice in this breed if it is true to the breed. In place of that, a large chainlink kennel with a cover might work. At least to allow the dog a place outdoors where it can stay for short periods of time. The cover will prevent the dog from climbing out.

[leelee]

i dont own my own home but right across the street is a very wooded area by the skuhill river i take him out about 4 times a day and about an hour n the mornino and on weekeds he goes every where w me. the ex was really being a jerk my 7 old daughter kept on wanting to see him and when i called the ex said the only time ull see him is in his grave thats when i just bout had it and asked for him back he made me pay 200 bux.

[Yogi]

At this point in time, I would say he is getting enough time outside to satisfy. As noted, he will acclimate in time to a new routine.

[leelee]

and also he only really eats when u put ur foot near his food or walk by it he gets real terrertorial( he didnt do this until he lived on the farm) and will eat his food because he thinks your gonna take it i guess, im not a dog so im only going off how i percieve it. he eats about a cup and a half a day. but really loves people food and and maybe thats why he wont eat the dog food but hes gotta eat! and thats why i give it to him he seems unintrested in his own food and ive tried different brands . thanks to everyone for the replies. i know he can prolly sense that im stessed.

by the way ive had him for a month now

[Yogi]

It would help to know his size to help determine the amount of food as I already have some idea as to the exercise he is getting. Miniature Pinschers are territorial when it comes to their food. This is obvious by the way you describe the situation. Understand that this breed was in fact a feral terrier not a house pet. Bred to ferret out rats, mice and rabbits which was their sole source of food. As often, many will not eat everything at the time of the catch but covet and guard it until the next time they want it. He is doing this with his food dish. Like many terriers and small breed dogs in general, people have a tendency to spoil them. With terriers, this is the worst thing you can do. This breed literally is a large breed in a small package. It needs to be addressed this way. As for the time you have had him back, a month is not that long. I have had dogs I have taken in that have taken months to acclimate to a new routine. It is all in the patience and sticking to a routine. Good luck.

[cigwyllt]

A healthy dog will not starve. If he thinks your food is on offer then he will turn his nose up at anything else. DON'T give him human food. Choose brand of good, healthy dog food (I'm in the UK so I can't give you any ideas) and stick with it. Forget about the amounts it says on the packet - that's just an average - it's much better to give Yogi an idea of your dog's weight and take it from there. But while he is refusing to eat I would give him the tiniest amounts - just a spoonful twice a day - until he is eating the whole amount in one go and then build up.

[leelee]

good news. my dog hasnt been starving himself over being sad like i thought. hes been eating the cat food hahahha. we now put the cat food up high so the dog cant get to it and sure enough now hes eating his own food. ate all of it this morning acually what a relief i thought i was gonna have to give him back...im so happy thank u guys for all ur help. also i got him stop trying to bite and bark at the sliding door by throwing water in his face. not alot but a enough water i can get in my hand and slash at him. been trying to show him tht im the pack leader by training him not to go in front of me when going outside or up or down the stairs i love my lil min pin he catches on so quik lol

[CorkyMax]

Lol, Had to laugh when I found out he was eating the cat food . Glad things are looking 'up' Have any pics to share? Don't think you mentioned your dog's name--Is it your username-Leelee?

[leelee]

my daughter named him arthur after king arthur but we call him arty for short. im at work right now so cant post any pix, photobucket is blocked here. but i have him up on my face book. u can acually like him idk if u search arttie on facebook he might come up lol

sry im new to this site havent quit figured it out yet but i just uploaded his pix there a lil shotty since they were takin on my phone but n e who i have him in my profile stats in my album. thnx for asking. this is a pretty cool forum besides the pop up ads all the time lol