u/ohhitthere_e

I think I just don’t understand his breed. Yes the strain on my family is an issue, but a lot of the strain comes from the fact that my mom feels bad for him whenever I have to leave him home and he doesn’t eat or drink. I think that if I can get her to understand what you all are saying about him not being miserable and neglected (they still feed/water/walk him, he just doesnt eat or drink, but he walks great for my dad once he can get his leash on, which takes some cornering) just because I’m gone for a weekend or a week, that she might ease up and understand that it would hurt him and i both too much to rehome him. i still worry i dont do enough for him, especially not being knowledgeable about his breed or how to take care of a dog with severe trauma and anxiety.
but all of your comments and experiences have made me feel a little bit more confident and I think that I’m still on the fence because I want to do what’s best for him and for my family, but I think I’m leaning more towards keeping him if I can just find arrangements for him when we’re traveling also, how do you guys get your chow house groomed? I need to take him to get his nails cut but im scared. He’s never shown any aggression infront of me or my family, but God forbid he shows aggression towards the dog groomer.

im located in south Florida.
so I’m still not 100% certain that I am going to have to rehome him, I’m still trying to make it work, I really am. But like I mentioned before I found him on the street, no chip, no tags. im 24 and i live with my parents and i work a full time job that takes me out of town sometimes. my parents did not agree to me bringing a dog into the home and it still causes tension between us. i fell in love with him and i want to keep him but he is really codependent and needs someone with him all the time. The vets told me he’s between six and eight years old, but i think hes older or younger depending on the day. despite his trauma, he has never shown any aggression. he is just very skiddish. and he gets really sad when hes not with me. if I’m not home, my parents tell me that he just sits in the hallway, sad, he doesnt eat or drink thats not fair to him if i have to go somewhere.. i never planned on having a dog at this point in my life, and his fear of strangers prevents me from even being able to have sitter to watch him while im gone, and my parents wont allow any strangers into our house anyways. it hurts my heart so much to imagine not having him when i come home. he fills with me with so much happiness as his chosen person.
he is a completely different dog when you first meet him, very awkward and shy, and he has only warmed up to me in the 7 months ive had him. despite living with my parents, he does not go to them for comfort or affection, and doesn’t even trust the food that they give him if I’m not home. he runs away from everyone but me. with me, he walks with no leash staying close, comes when called (sometimes) and is such a gentle player, i dont think he even knows that he has the ability to bite. he has never so much as even growled despite his obvious fear of the world. he needs special attention. i think he may have a mental illness from trauma that causes him to forget everyone except for his one person. ( i hope that he can bond with more than one person at a time but i just havent seen it, despite introducing him to friends) I’ve taken him to the dog park, he just kind of stays to himself, he doesn’t play with the other dogs.
I did foster dog off the euthanasia list for a month a few months ago, and they did end up bonding and learning how to play together, so he can get along with other dogs. big or small. does fine with cats, doesnt acknowledge them.
I don’t know I’m still torn between trying to make it work or rehoming him. I love him so much, but I fear that he would be better taken care of by somebody who is experienced with chowchows and also has the time and the space for a dog. i wish i could be sure about keeping him but i had no intention on getting a dog when i found him, and honestly i was pressured by my friend who helped me catch him to keep him. i want to do whats best for him. im bonded , he trusts me and loves me, but i dont feel like im able to give him the care he really needs. this is really hard and i really appreciate those of you are are understanding and sympathetic to my situation.

with a heavy heart, I have to rehome my beloved boy. I found him on the street in November and he has been such a loyal companion, absolutely no behavioral issues other than his shyness, but no aggression whatsoever.
My only issue is when I found him. I wasn’t looking for a dog and I wasn’t planning on getting a dog, I didn’t really have the means to take care of one, but I tried, and I gave it my best effort. I really do love him with my whole heart and he deserves a home that we have the time to take care of him. He walks perfectly on a leash, he takes a little bit of time to warm up to people, but when he picks you, you will be the most important person in the world in his eyes.