This dog is driving me nuts! Dog people, help!
My wife and kids are gone until Sunday night. I’ve got to take care of this new dog until they get home. And I’m losing my mind.
The dog is a stray who showed up on our doorstep three weeks ago. She’s an Irish setter, looks to be about a year old, and I can’t tell that she’s had much in the way of training. She doesn’t go for walks, she goes for RUNS. She’s a strong dog and very … dogged when she gets running. On a leash, she just pulls you along at high speed. Off the leash, she’s impossible to catch. She’s got way more energy than I do.
She also likes to jump up at me and paw me and bite at my hands. Not hard biting, just kind of nipping. If she was serious, she could do major damage, so I’m pretty sure she’s just playing, but even so, I don’t know how to handle it. I’m not a dog person, never had a dog, and I don’t like this kind of playing. How can I make her stop? Or can I? She also likes to grab the leash in her jaws and do a tug of war. And then she just won’t let go. How can I make her quit playing? Or can I?
How do I handle this beast? She’s a nice dog, I’m sure, but I don’t know what’s normal and I’ve never had to deal with this kind of thing before. Any advice would be appreciated. I’m willing to trade her for a good used tiger.