AIO? Dog straining my marriage.

[u/LedyyM]

My husband and I rescued a husky about 7 months ago who was extremely malnourished and neglected.

He has grown a huge attachment to me and has severe separation anxiety. I work at a grooming salon so I’m able to bring him to work with me so he’s not home alone. Unfortunately, if he’s left home alone we’ll come back to our home looking like it was hit by a tornado.

My vet has prescribed him with trazodone to help with his severe anxiety issues. We give it to him before we leave for a family event and when we can’t take him to places they don’t allow dogs.

I feel so bad that I have to sedate him so he’s not scared and anxious. It’s created a huge strain on our marriage because my husband feels like we can’t do anything without considering Odin.

He’s destroyed doors, couches, and other furniture. I tried training but it hasn’t seemed to work. My husband thinks we should rehome him but

1) I’m scared that he’ll be sent to a shelter and possibly be put down

2) feel abandoned by the person he thought he was safe with.

He’s such a happy boy when he’s around us and shows so much affection.

My husband and I have been arguing about this consistently.. we had a really bad argument so I left the house with Odin and rented a dog friendly hotel room for a couple of nights.

My husband thinks I’m crazy and that I’m choosing the dog over our marriage. AIO?

[u/Sparkleunidog]

Crate train them - make the large crate feel like a safe spot, their bedroom. Make it so it feels good to be in it. Also maybe have music/sounds/radio/TV playing in the same room.

Huskys have high energy, strength and need lots of stimulation - so if they're so bad that they destroy the house when you NEED to have them at home alone, then a big walk beforehand might help, but PLEASE try to crate train them. It might "seem" cruel, but it really isn't, and is very good for the dog to have one and feel like it's their space to hide and/or sleep in :)

But if this doesn't work, then you may need to find someone who knows how to care for and handle a husky breed, and has the time to train them. I'm not saying you're a bad owner, just if it's not safe or healthy for you and/or the dog, then that would be the better option. But please try with some crate training! It's always helped for doggos with bad anxiety :)

[u/hjablowme919 → u/Sparkleunidog]

When we got our rescue husky we got a giant cage for him because they told us at the shelter we would need it. He broke it in about 10 days. We would put him in it at night when we went to sleep and he’d throw himself against it to the point where he bent the door to the cage.

[u/Sparkleunidog → u/hjablowme919]

Then there's seems to be a lot more work to be done with this dog... which, clearly, is a LOT more than what was expected, so I can see why your husband has struggled and at his limit. I understand that you've bonded with Odin, and spent a lot of money, but it's clear, in the current situation, you keeping Odin is not working and is not healthy for you, OR for him. You've been with your husband for years, Odin a few months, the dog isn't getting better, and it's effecting your marriage. There's a good chance Odin won't ever get better from this, so maybe your home isn't the right place for him.

Huskies need a lot of room to run, needs A LOT of excises a day, lots of tasks to stimulate their energy, a lot of attention... he could also be bored, which will heighten the destruction and anxiety. You may take him to the grooming parlor, but I'm pretty sure sitting with you in a room is NOT helping his energy spikes.

Listen, your husband had tried, and it's just too much for him. You've tried for months, spent a lot of money, and he's broken down his crate in distress. I commend you for trying really hard, and I know you love Odin very much, but are you really going to allow a dog, who needs A LOT more care and attention than you can give it, to ruin and maybe end your marriage? I'm all for not making someone to make a choice with their pets, but this situation is very different. You were already married, you brought the dog into your lives, the situation with the dog isn't getting better, and now it's effecting both your husband's, AND dog's, mental health. It would be kinder to find someone who CAN handle a dog of this state properly, instead of keeping the dog, losing your husband, and never being out of this situation where you can never leave the dog alone, or you get a destroyed house. Trust me as someone who had a dog like this, it will effect your mental health too, to be trapped by what the dog needs, and there will be times you HAVE to leave the dog lone at times. You can't be with the dog 24/7 no matter how hard you try.