Feeling guilty and burnt out after a second Shepsky was dumped on me. Looking for similar experiences or advice!
(For context, I live in a large multi-generational family compound with lots of greenery in a Southeast Asian country. Space for dogs is not an issue; my issue is mostly emotional/mental burnout.)
>TLDR: Family member brought home a second, untrained Shepsky who is pushy, demanding, kiIIed chickens, and invades my gentle Shepsky’s space. I'm tired of acting as his default primary caretaker and feeling guilty for not liking him.
I’ll cut to the chase. I already have a 10-month-old Shepsky (Rambo) that a family member brought home (when he was 5 months), and it fell on me to take care of him.
I love him to bits; he’s very well-behaved, mild-mannered, independent, but also affectionate, and from what I know, he was the smallest of the litter, which might explain his submissive and easygoing behavior.
About a few weeks ago, another Shepsky (Cocoa) was brought home by another family member, and he’s the polar opposite of Rambo. He’s a bit bigger, and I believe he came from the same parents/breeder/whatever, but he might be a bit older.
He’s very pushy and demanding. He often intimidates Rambo; he barks, whines, and acts out when he doesn't have access to things that Rambo has (like pets, walks, access to the house). He flops to the ground when he's being involuntarily moved somewhere, which I honestly can't stand. He also chased and kiIIed many of our chickens when no one was watching (Rambo stopped after being disciplined once), meaning I have to leash him before I go to bed, resulting in him howling and barking at night.
I installed a dog door to my house, which I usually keep open so Rambo has unrestricted access to the house and the garden. He loves spending his time outside (unless the AC is turned on), and he usually comes knocking on my bedroom door around 6 a.m.(I typically wake up late).
This system kinda falls apart since Cocoa has figured out how to use the door as well; he often sneaks in uninvited, he eats Rambo's food, takes over Rambo's spot, etc. He peed inside once, although that might be because he was ill from blood parasites, which he is recovering from currently. So now I only let him in for a limited amount of time when he stays quiet and behaves himself.
Between keeping an eye on him, feeding him, giving him medicines, making sure he doesn't encroach on Rambo's space, etc., I find it difficult to like him. I know he's just a dog and it's not his fault that he's untrained, but I often feel guilty for not giving him the same attention or affection as Rambo.
This dog is probably going to be staying here long term. Also, since he's probably Rambo's brother, I don't want him to end up somewhere worse either. I'm just looking to vent, I guess, and see if anyone has a similar experience!