Help me not rehome my dog
We got a shelter dog (Berner mix) from the shelter a few years ago. She has been a challenge to say the least since the day we got her. As best as we can tell, she’s now about 4 and still hasn’t mellowed out. The action prompting in particular is absolutely insane and makes me feel like a prisoner in my own home.
A couple months ago, we relocated to another country at least temporarily, maybe permanently. I was reluctant to bring her along, because I knew she would have a difficult time adjusting and would also make our own adjustments more difficult as well. But my wife was steadfast that we needed to bring her. So we did. And it cost a lot of money.
She gets two walks a day, gets to socialize with other dogs at parks, etc. at least once a week, and I even take her on a few runs (up to 2-3 miles) each week. For awhile, the walk or run or park visit would satisfy her for a bit but now she’s right back to her action prompting within 15-20 minutes after we get back.
Today, I finished my workday and took her for a walk. My wife was working from home and still working for several hours after I was done. After the dog and I got back, not even 15 minutes later she was pawing and barking at my wife to let her outside. So she let her in our fenced front yard. Within a minute or two, she was barking to come in. As soon as she got in, she started pawing and barking at my wife again. So she let her in the backyard. Minutes later, more barking at the door. Let her in. Rinse and repeat.
Then I had to run an errand. I went upstairs to get ready and my wife was on the couch with her laptop and apparently the dog went nuts and just maniacally pawing at her knee so hard and so many times that she’s in pain and can barely walk on it. I heard the commotion and came downstairs and yelled at the dog at the top of my lungs for a solid 30 seconds, at which point she went and pouted. My wife went upstairs, I went and ran my errand and locked the dog on the first floor. I’ve been back for two hours and the dog is still downstairs.
Help me figure out how not to rehome this dog. She cannot cause physical injuries without consequence and I cannot live like a prisoner for the next 6-8 years or whatever.