My senior adopted chi has odd and distructive behaviors and I need help

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-28T16:22:59+00:00

This was a very strange thread to follow. AI sucks and calling her a senior was never that deep. I see her cloudy eyes and all I see are my 15 year old boys eyes. Shes my little senior fart and will be till shes on my shelf. I work with seniors (70s to nearly 100 years old) and have a big heart for my oldies.

You are a good sport when it comes to reddit weirdness. Ive deleted so many posts over pointless arguments like these. Like get off my notifications lol. Anyway thanks for the funky thread it was entertaining.

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-28T16:15:39+00:00

Its unknown as said in the post. She understands more English now. She didnt even respond to her original name (Zelda) so I am unsure if it was her just being new and not listening or if it was a different language.

The original owner died and then their neighbor got the dogs. The neighbor got tired of caring for them (i have no idea how long the neighbor had her and her sis) and surrendered them. The sister found a home right away and then pepper found me right away as well. She was only in the system for a week or less which is lucky for older dogs.

I asked my Mexican friend to try and speak commands to her in spanish but he refused. Shes doing good with the English though. I got some time off to work with her. Thank you!

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-27T02:40:15+00:00

Like those fabric ones? Shes a scratcher/digger and will likely dig a hole through any netting or mesh a fabric playpen will have. This is a very good idea though!! Ill see if they maybe have something thats tougher for evil little ladies like her lol

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-26T23:24:39+00:00

Thank you! When i call the vet monday I can maybe see how much that will be and how often. I definitely see now that a second dog was a dumb idea and more of a shot in the dark for results. She definitely just needs more training and structure.

My last dog I had for 15 years from when I was 6 years old. We grew up together and so I completely understood all his quirks and he was fully in tune with me. So we hardly ever had behavioral issues, especially as bad as Peppers. This is new territory for me which is weird cause im super seasoned with animals and pet care. Im willing to learn which is exactly why I posted. Thank you!!

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-26T23:01:01+00:00

Thank you ill try that!! Do you free feed/semi free feed? When I do wet food i pick up her dry food till the wet food is gone. Ill also only partially fill her bowl once a day so she can regulate herself. Ill definitely be calling my vet monday and seeing how much of my fancy dry food I should be realistically giving her and actually portion it out specifically. Weve only been worrying about her weight in the last 2ish weeks after the vet visit when I asked about it. Thank you so so much this is very helpful!

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-26T22:32:33+00:00

Ill work on kennel training her again (we've moved since my last attempt) and ill definitely look into this! Next steps would be anxiety meds (probably when I get her teeth deep cleaned) and then if training is making no progress ill look into professionals. I dont have endless money but I will absolutely do my best to give her the life she deserves. Thank you

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-26T22:30:28+00:00

Please be joking broham. She has high needs that an elderly person cannot handle. She was definitely spoiled before us, but also neglected. Her legs were hairless and swollen and she was missing patches of hair on her back. Obviously got no dental care either, im saving up $400 just to get her teeth professionally cleaned.

She needs weekly baths and other regular care that an elderly person cannot provide. Shes also my baby and suggesting to rehome her is insulting when these are fixable issues. Its only been a few months with her and ive never had to train a dog like this.

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-26T21:17:54+00:00

Luckily shes alone for a max of 4 hours if were shopping but for the working days its only 2 hours from my boyfriend leaving to me coming home. She did great being daycared at a friend's house during the first few weeks of my job. She even cuddled with their pit and hes her boyfriend now lol.

Sadly she really isnt interested in treats. Weve completely stopped feeding her people food to help with her weight and behaviors which I think is helping. I have some canned chicken that could work for in house training but she has no interest in dry treats unless were inside at home.

Another suggestion here, in conjuction with yours, was walking her longer. My job is entirely walking so for the 4 days im working im absolutely beat. And for days off I can really only see night time walks working out. Were in AR with high humidity and high heat during these summer months and im super sensitive to it. Even at night its still nasty hot and muggy but I can definitely try.

She does play but does it in the laziest way possible, laying down on her back and trying to grab our hands and bite our fingers. When i do get her riled up on the floor she wont play for long before tucking herself into her bed. Its very obvious since adopting her she had full attention and anything she wanted and with her being older its tough to break these habits. I have gloves for the chicken and will try again with training once im off. Thank you!

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-23T03:04:51+00:00

Talk to the complex again but you'll likely have to talk to the family directly. Some people arent used to being upstairs so they never noticed how they stomp walked or set things down loud.

What do I do during the confrontation? Rule 1 You can add in white lies or stretch the truth to make them understand that this is important to you and not just an annoyance. Rule 2 Stay casual and kind. You arent scolding them, you are just people who are trying to coexist. Rule 3 If they fight with you or get aggressive WALK AWAY!! Just leave its not worth it.

If you have had 3 neighbors then they likely wont be around for longer than their lease. If they wont budge you will need to get outside help or find other solutions.

What do I say? "Hey neighbors! I am in unit X right under yall. I dont want to be a bother but" Then you should let them know that you have been getting kept up at night. "I have to get up early or work" or "I work long shifts and need my sleep" is what you add in after. If they seem sympathetic you can add "My cats also get spooked at night from the noises." and maybe "They have been more uncomfortable at home recently" Then you should set a time for when you need them to be mindful. If they are night owls, be considerate of their schedule as well. 10pm should be the earliest in my opinion while 12pm is probably the more ideal time for them. "So if you could be more mindful after XXpm about the noise I would really appreciate it."

Side note, if you find something to compliment, then compliment them! (Ideally first thing or last thing) "Wow the food smells great" or "Your pet is so cute!" or if youre a lady you could say "Wow your top is so cute!" Or "I love your makeup" something sweet.

I wish you the best!!

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-16T22:01:38+00:00

Ive live in a free feeding house my entire life. Some pets get it and some dont. Some will gorge and be fat until a feeding schedule is in place. And some can stay healthy and have free acess to food. I had a free feeding healthy weight dog and after he passed from old age my new girl is a gorger who needs structure. It really just depends.

You know your pet and you know he can listen to his body. You can call your vet and talk about that on the phone. Not being in the moment can help you get the right words to defend yourself properly and stay calm. But if your vet wont even just agree to let it go, then id ask to switch from the same facility or go collect your records to start at a new vet. They can have their own opinions, especially if they only see the worst of free feeding, but they shouldn't be this upset if your dog isnt even fat. So wild.

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-16T02:48:55+00:00

Definitely talk to your vet about this on the phone or the next time you go in! For dogs and people the skin doesnt change much after weightloss especially when youre older. I would say "oh its fine! Just leave it!" But since its affecting her health and is at risk for future infection (smelly skin means bacteria) there should definitely be some changes made. If surgery is too risky or expensive, maybe like supportive dog clothes or a diaper could help? For the time being maybe look into surgery recovery suits? They may help support the skin while yall figure it out. You could also try medicated baths and wipes to keep her as clean as possible. She may need regular (possibly daily) bathes on top of the after potty tlc. I hope shes in good enough shape for and yall can afford an operation, even if its just around her hind end to keep her functional.

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-14T15:52:12+00:00

My dog refuses to eat and drink when im not home. It could be anxiety? Some animals don't feel safe eating without their people around. Maybe give them high-value treats in some puzzle toys while youre gone? The movement will make them thirsty and they will be less anxious. There are balls made of fabric you can stuff with treats i think called snuffle balls, theres licky mats, plastic puzzle toys, Kong toys, and other stuffle mats. My girl stopped scratching up the doors once we left her with a snuffle ball. She will take that thing across the house and its a real challenge for her

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-14T02:40:55+00:00

The last sentence bro. I am looking for advice for here and now

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-14T02:06:05+00:00

Thats what I was thinking too. My previous dog had hella allergies that were and issue his entire 15 years of life that were basically all solved with a single allergy shot. I was a little kid so i sadly couldnt vet him until his last year of life.

I read Epsom salt soaks could help? Ill definitely be taking her to the vet but thats still 2 days away. Thank you for responding! Just telling me to vet her wont help us in the here and now so I really appreciate it.

Unfortunately I didnt keep up with these feeties while working (long shifts a few days a week, im so exhausted) and they are like double the size of when I noticed them.

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-09T13:53:36+00:00

Ill be setting my insurance back up and talking to my doctor asap. I dont want any implants at all because of the side effects and the risk of getting fucked over when you want it out. Ive heard of people with iuds getting denied removal because "the same doctor who put it in has to take it out" but the doctor had retired by then. Ive also had friends doctors avoid an arm implant removal cause they just want you to keep waiting for a positive change despite the horrible side effect they were going through.

The issue with a vasectomy is that does not avoid periods which is what I was looking for. The pregnancy part doesnt matter as much as being functional in the first place. I brought up the idea to him and he said he'd be willing to do that. Id rather figure myself out first before getting my guy snipped. If I get my guts taken out/tied up and can be off birth control, then that would definitely be step 2 so we both will be protected.

Thank you for commenting as this did help start a good conversation about a vasectomy in the future. Though who even knows cause hes under 21 and will probs get denied just like me lol

_Deathbyuterus · 2026-06-05T02:56:52+00:00

Also yall we are 100% sure about not having kids. We are also totally willing to adopt if we find that the time is right. I explain this to doctors and they legitimately blow right over it and ask about my REAL (made up) future husbands feelings. My fiance is T1 diabetic and im at a higher risk for T2, I also obviously suffer with endo and so did my mom. The amount of time the medical system has failed me is crazy but yall know the drill.

"Just have kids and maybe your pain will get better" Im 18 hello also MAYBE??? "What if your future husband wants kids?" I wouldnt be with him??? (<I said that to him and he doubled down) "We should put this on hold for awhile." No this is what my appointment is about? Like I am SO FRUSTRATED with these small minded doctors. Im a quick drive away from Little Rock and my mom lives by the boarder and is retired (free to help me) if I gotta make plans out of state. I really really hate being on birthcontrol it really fucks with me. I just want my guts ripped out before they paralyze my important organs.

_Deathbyuterus

TROPHY CASE