how to get rid of dog

Dogs are famous for being man's best friend. This is because they are loyal animals and fun to be with. However, some instances can arise where you may need to let them go.

If you're having problems with your dog, or other stray dogs, I suggest you keep reading!

Possible Reasons Why You Want To Get Rid Of Your Dog

As much as you love and care for your dog, a time could come when you would have no choice but to let it go. This could be for many reasons, and we'll be looking at them below.

1. It Is Old

This is one of the most common reasons people give their pet dogs away. When a dog becomes old, it would no longer be attractive as it used to be during its younger days.

Age can make them slower and less fun to be with. If you're the type that takes your pet dog hunting, you will no longer be able to do so because it has aged.

This means you'll need to find a younger, healthier, and more agile dog to bring along on your hunting trips.

Considering the cost implications of owning a dog, you wouldn't want to have two dogs. It would be best to give away the old one to a new owner and keep the younger dog.

An old dog can also be a problem if you move to a new home. You know the old saying, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks".

If your old pet dog has gotten used to your former home, he may find it hard to adapt to a new environment. You will have to find a place for your pet by putting it up for adoption in such an instance.

2. It Does Not Respond To Training

Let's face it; not all dogs can be trained. You could've tried your possible best to get it to respond to basic voice commands, but all to no avail.

You could have even hired a dog trainer to help you out, but your dog remains unresponsive. This could be very frustrating for the owner, and the next thought would be to let the dog go.

Imagine having a dog that poops all over the place digs up garden soil, or bites and destroys new household furniture or new clothing.

An untrained dog doesn't only pose a problem for the owner but also a problem for neighbors or co-tenants.

Giving it away to a new owner could be the only reasonable choice left.

3. The Dog Is Aggressive

Honestly, it would be a bad idea to keep an unnecessarily aggressive dog.

Yes, pet dogs can show some aggression if they are being threatened or spot an intruder. But when a dog has a violent habit even when unprovoked, then keeping it is a bad idea.

If you live in a rented apartment, an aggressive dog could bite at will and injure one or more residents.

This can leave you with multiple medical bills to pay and possible lawsuits. Worse still, an aggressive animal can attack an infant in your new home, and the result could be fatal.

If you have such an animal, getting rid of it is a wise choice to make.

4. You Can No Longer Take Care Of It

Situations can change at any time, and yours could put you in a position where you can no longer take care of your dog.

This could be a result of many reasons. One of which is finance.

In a case where people lose their jobs and no longer earns an income, having a pet to feed could be a real issue. Besides feeding, dogs also require medical care and grooming. Both of which aren't cheap or free.

Taking it to an animal shelter or finding a good home for it might be the only choice in such a situation. You could also find a place for it to stay, one with people who can show care.

Besides finance, health could be another reason a person can no longer take care of his or her pet dog. For instance, a person diagnosed with cancer and has a short life expectancy can give their dog away.

In this case, an animal shelter, rescue groups, or close friends and family are the most reliable options. Get in touch with any of them to discuss your plans.

5. You Move To Another Home

While most landlords allow their tenants to keep dogs, some do not. This could be for the sake of keeping their property free of dog poop, as well as keeping their tenants safe from possible dog bites.

Some people cannot stand the noise when dogs bark at night, as it disturbs their sleep.

If you find yourself where you have to move into a building where dogs are not allowed, you have no choice but to give the dog away to a new owner.

Where Can I Take My Dog If I No Longer Want It?

There are several options available to those who no longer want their dog. We will be taking a more in-depth look at these options below.

1. An Animal Shelter Or Pet Rescue

An animal shelter is where stray animals and unwanted pets are kept, pending when they find a new home. The most common animals you will find here are stray cats and dogs.

An animal shelter is usually a last resort for dog owners who want to give their pets away. Although most shelters follow humane processes in handling resident dogs, many dog owners are still concerned about the living conditions there.

If you must give your dog to a shelter, make sure you find out the shelter standards and make inquiries regarding how the dogs are being treated.

Be warned, some shelters can be cruel to an animal so take steps to ensure your dog will be in the right hands.

You can go online and find reviews from people who have adopted dogs from that particular shelter in the past. Check out their comments, and if they are positive, you can be more confident about taking your dog there.

Investigate as many shelters as you can.

2. A Family Member's House

Who knows, a member of your family or a close friend might be interested in keeping your dog if you are no longer capable of doing so.

Just make sure you tell them your intentions of giving it away.

The advantage of having a close family member or friend take your dog is that it may already be familiar with them. All the visits, walk, and barbeque parties could've brought your dog and your loved ones in close contact.

If your dog is already familiar with them, it will be easier to adapt to its new home. A close relative's place would make a right home for your pet.

3. The Home Of A Potential Adopter

This is almost the same as giving your dog to a close friend or family member for adoption. The only difference is that you have no idea who the potential adopter is.

To find someone qualified to take your dog, you can post ads on your social media pages and let people know that your dog is up for adoption. You also need to interview them first to ensure they are being taken into good homes.

Targeting your ads to people who live in your area will help you find an adopter faster.

You also need to make sure your dog is in prime condition before you post your ads. They have to be well-groomed, and they must look adequately fed and healthy to catch the fancy of your targets.

Having your dog spayed or neutered will also make it look more appealing to potential adopters.

Suppose your dog is a sought-after breed, like a Goldendoodle or Labradoodle, for instance. In that case, it will make it easier to find someone to have it adopted.

Before you give the dog away, you need to be sure the adopters will provide the right home for it.

How Do You Get Rid Of Stray Dogs?

Your pet dog may not be the only dog you want to get rid of. You could have a problem with stray dogs.

Stray dogs are those that move from street to street and yard to yard looking for food and shelter. Most stray dogs do not have owners and are responsible for catering for themselves.

However, not all strays are homeless, depending on what you call a "stray". A domestic dog that has an owner can stray from its own home into another yard due to something that may have attracted it. It could be some sweet-smelling barbeque or even a female dog in heat.

Whatever the case may be, an unwanted dog in your yard will cause you several problems. They can poop and pee all over your yard, dig up your garden soil, and may even bark at or bite a resident.

Let's not forget, stray dogs are potential carriers of rabies, and it can be transferred through bites. Rabies can cause humans to be feverish. It can also cause hallucinations, so take caution when dealing with stray dogs.

If the stray is tick-infested, then it can spread the ticks to your pet dogs, which will eventually enter your home and spread them all over your rug and couches.

Thankfully, there are several ways to get rid of dogs, including animal control, dog rescue, and shelters. You just need to know the right step to take.

Keep in mind that the various methods apply to different situations, and not all methods may be suitable. Make plans to employ these tactics and see which works.

Follow These Tips.

1. Do Not Allow Pets Eat Outside

Dogs have a sharp sense of smell, and they can pick up food scents from long distances. If the food contains meat or fish, the smell would be more attractive, and a stray dog will gladly trail it.

For this reason, it is a bad idea to feed your pet cat or dog outside. It could be worse if you do not clean up after the meal has been eaten.

If you allow pets to eat outside, it means you have provided a constant food source for the stray. Make certain you don't.

Stray dogs will take advantage of an environment that provides food for them. Just as they remember the areas where they pee and poop, they will also remember where they get their regular meals from.

Besides dog food, an overflowing trash can may also serve as a food source for stray dogs. If there are foods such as sausages or meatballs on the floor, the strays will sniff it out and invade your yard.

To get rid of them, maintain a tidy trash can area. Be sure to keep all the junk tightly sealed inside the can. You can also have them thrown into a sealable plastic bag first before placing it in the trash can.

Develop a habit of feeding your pets inside. This will put an end to left-over dog food being outside.

Also, make sure you have no standing water around your yard, as this can draw the strays in. Remember, they are hairy mammals, and they need a drink to cool off.

If your yard has absolutely nothing to offer a stray dog in terms of food and water, they will lose interest in paying you further visits. Make your yard free of junk food.

2. Ultrasonic Sounds

Animal repellent

Humans cannot hear an ultrasonic sound due to its high-pitched nature but can be heard by some animals. You can get one to keep stray dogs away.

Dogs can pick up high-pitched sounds, which is why you can try an ultrasonic sound device to keep stray dogs away.

The good thing about this device is that there are models that allow you to set the sound range and frequency. This can let you target specific areas where the stray dogs are most likely to visit.

Be warned, though, if you have pet dogs of your own, this will not be the best tactic to employ. This is because the sound will affect your dogs too.

3. Get A Territorial Dog Breed

Dogs are territorial animals by nature, but some breeds take territorialism to the next level.

A dog breed of this nature can be used to get rid of stray dogs in your yard. All you need to do is buy one.

Territorial dog breeds you can keep at home include Doberman, Bull Mastiff, German Shepherd, and Rottweiler.

The good thing about these breeds is that they are of the right size and can scare off an intruding dog.

Strays may be adventurous, but they'd rather avoid a confrontation with another dog, especially if the dog is more massive than they are.

4. Get A Water Sprinkler

Outdoor cat repellent

Most dogs are good swimmers, but that doesn't mean they like getting blasted by water, especially if it comes unexpectedly.

This device should be installed in the areas where the pest dogs usually like to visit. Near the trash can would be ideal.

This device works by picking up motion within a set range and automatically releases water. Some devices allow you to set the strength of the blast.

If a stray gets too close, a blast of water will be released, which can help get rid of them.

The problem with this scare tactic is that dogs are ground animals. If their movement can trigger the water sprinkler, it means the human activity can trigger it.

You need to keep the device on when you are not around and turn it off when you are. You can also leave it on all night since some strays like roaming at night searching for food.

5. Use A Perimeter Fence

Suppose you're not the type to install gadgets or buy a dog just for the sake of keeping another dog out. In that case, you can go the traditional route and install a perimeter fence.

This is one of the most effective means of getting rid of stray dogs. Dogs are not good climbers, regardless of the breed, so a fence that's a few meters high will stop them from entering your yard.

You can build a fence yourself or have a contractor do that for you. There are also many fence styles you can explore to add extra beauty to your property.

With a fence, you can be more confident feeding your pets outside and hosting barbeque parties, knowing that strays would be denied access.

Make sure the fence gate is shut at all times. If it is left open, even for 15 minutes, a stray dog can take advantage and enter. Once you allow dogs to have access to your yard, they will take advantage.

What Is the Best Dog Repellent?

Another way to get rid of unwanted dogs or control dog activity is by using dog repellents.

Among the many animals in the world, dogs probably have the keenest sense of smell. This ability helps them pick up good scents as well as the offensive ones.

Keep in mind that it isn't every scent that offends a dog that will offend a human.

You can use many repellents to solve your dog problem, and we will be looking at some of the very best of them below.

1. Horse Manure

Horse manure is a strong-smelling substance that is very acidic, and dogs detest this smell.

The good thing is that you can use the manure to grow your new grass and other garden plants simultaneously.

Scatter an adequate amount of the manure across your lawn, and the smell will keep invading dogs at bay.

Be warned, though, you and other members of your home will also perceive the manure, though not as strong as the dogs. If you can stomach it, then you can use it to keep strays far from your home.

2. Chili Or Cayenne Peppers

Chili contains a substance called capsaicin. This is its most active ingredient, and it is responsible for the stringent smell and taste that chili possesses.

The element is known not to be a dog's favorite. Thus, you can use this to keep stray dogs from your home.

If you have a stubborn pet dog that digs into everything he comes across, you can also use peppers to control him. All you need to do is grind some chili into a bowl and mix with water.

Add the solution into a spray bottle and spray over the areas where the dogs are problematic.

If any dog comes close to an area laced with a pepper solution, they will not be able to stand the scent, and they will leave.

You can also scatter chili powder around the outer and inner perimeter of your yard to deter dogs from snooping around.

3. Citrus

Oranges and lemons belong to the citrus family, and they pack a strong punch scent-wise.

Most dog breeds don't welcome the strong scent, and they tend to avoid it. This is among the best dog repellents you can use because of two major reasons.

Firstly, they smell good to humans, and secondly, they are safe to use around the environment.

If you have a dog that is fond of pulling on your table cloth or chewing on the cables, you can set some lemon peels in bowls and place them close to the areas where they are menacing.

You can also try squeezing the juice into a spray bottle and apply around the relevant areas. Applying some citrus into your liquid soap will also leave the scent on the clothes you wash. Your dog will be less interested in chewing on them if they have the citrus scent all over.

4. Vinegar

White vinegar is another scent that dogs hate, which is why it's a good dog repellent.

You may already have some vinegar in your kitchen. If you don't, go to a store near you and buy a bottle.

You can spray the vinegar around the areas where you want the dogs to stay off. Be careful not to spray on plants. This is because some plant species can be harmed by vinegar.

The vinegar scent isn't the most pleasant for humans. This means you have to be prepared to endure for as long as the smell lasts.

If you can't tolerate the vinegar scent, you should forget about using it and try another dog repellent.

5. Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl)

Rubbing alcohol is popularly used for cleaning stethoscopes and blades. It is a great substance for disinfecting surfaces, but it is also a great dog repellent.

The dog's sharp sense of smell will quickly pick up the rubbing alcohol's scent, and they will be deterred by it.

To use, you can dip some cotton balls in rubbing alcohol and spread them around areas where you want the dogs to desist.

As long as there is rubbing alcohol there, dogs won't sniff around.

6. Mothballs

Mothballs are great deterrents for moths, but it can also be used to deter dogs from certain areas.

The scent of a mothball is powerful and is more pronounced in enclosed areas.

Be sure to find an area to place the mothballs where your dogs won't reach. Somewhere high up the ground will do.

If you place the balls in an area where your dogs can sniff, curiosity may lead them to take a bite. A mothball is poisonous when ingested. Do not allow dogs to get close to them.

Before you try repelling your dog, you must keep in mind that not all substances mentioned here will work on certain dog species, as some are more tolerant than others.

A few trial tests may be required to determine the exact scent they are offended by.

One thing you must not do is to spray or apply a repellent directly on the dog. This can cause them harm, and some may be permanent.

Substances like vinegar and chili can burn the dog's eyes and damage his sight.

As you try different substances to repel your dog, you should bear in mind that a dog's sense of smell is far more potent than that of a human. This means if something smells potent to you, it will be far more perceived by a dog.

You can tell if a scent repels your dog by merely studying its reactions to a smell. Usually, they will sneeze, back away their heads or squeal when they are hit with a sharp odor.

If you notice any of these, then you can be sure your dog is offended by the scent.

How Do You Get Rid Of An Aggressive Dog?

Having an aggressive dog at home could be worrisome for many people, not just the owner. This is because the dog's actions are not predictable, and they could bite or bark at neighbors, even children.

In such a situation, getting rid of the dog may be the best option. There are many ways to do this, one of which is simply putting the dog to sleep. While this may seem drastic, many have taken this route. Rescue is also a viable option.

Before you decide to get rid of your aggressive dog, you should try to find out why it is fierce.

I suggest taking him to the vet to see if he has a medical condition. Dogs can become aggressive if they are in pain or are sick. If your vet finds that something is wrong with your dog medically, treatment will be the next action course.

If truly, the cause of your dog's aggression is an illness, then he will stop being aggressive once he is treated.

It could also be that your dog is only aggressive towards children. If you notice this, then giving it away to an adopter who doesn't have kids may be a good idea.

Another step to take before making the final decision to get rid of your aggressive dog is to consult with an animal behaviorist.

These are professionals that have years of experience dealing with dogs that exhibit different types of behaviors, including aggression, fear, and nervousness.

If the behaviorist can find a way to improve your dog's temperament, then it's a win for you. If they cannot, you may be left with no other choice than to get rid of him.

Before your aggressive dog is taken away, you will have to keep it from harming others while it's still in your care.

You can do this by taking specific safety measures when you are around people. For instance, when you walk the dog, have a muzzle on its mouth to keep it from biting passers-by.

You should also use a strong leash to restrain it. The bigger the dog, the stronger the leash has to be.

If you have visitors, you shouldn't allow an aggressive dog to be in the same room. You can restrain it using a chain or leash in the backyard until your visitors are gone. You can also put it in a cage if it's the type that likes to move around a lot.

If the dog is not restrained, it could bite and injure people. Dogs have strong jaws and teeth, and their bites can cause serious injuries. Keep this in mind when dealing with an aggressive dog.

Below are two significant ways you can get rid of an aggressive dog.

1. Put It Up For Adoption

If you want your dog to live in a home where he will be loved and cared for, then putting him up for adoption would be the best option.

You will have to put the word out, though. Tell your family and friends that you want to give away your dog and let them know it's because of its aggression.

You can also use Facebook ads to find potential adopters. The ad should have the dog's picture and state the reason you're giving up your dog.

There are people out there who don't mind having an aggressive dog, especially if they need it for security reasons.

2. Consider Animal Shelters or A Rescue

An animal shelter has experience dealing with all sorts of stray dogs. Regardless of their temperament, a shelter can keep and care for them until they can find a new home.

I have to mention that it is common practice for shelters without no-kill policies to euthanize dogs. If you don't want your dog euthanized, then take it to a home that practices a no-kill policy.

You can also call local animal control to help you out.

What Is Euthanasia?

For those who don't know, euthanasia is a humane way of putting an end to the life of a living being. In this context, we will be looking at euthanizing a dog.

This could be done for different reasons, mainly extreme dog aggression. A dog could also be euthanized for its poor health condition, which cannot be healed or treated. More extended care will only cost more money, and the problem might not still be solved.

This will spare the dog of its suffering.

It isn't uncommon for dog owners to take this route. Many vets can carry out the process.

Euthanasia is also called "putting to sleep" or "putting down." The process is carried out painlessly. It is the best way to see your dog out if all else fails.

The decision about whether a dog should be euthanized or not solely falls on the owner. However, the vet may recommend it as the best option.

It's not an easy decision to make, being that you love your dog, but the vet can help see you through the process.

If you decide to euthanize your dog, it has to be in the pet's best interest. You should also ask the vet what the process will require.

One of the key decisions you will have to make is if you'd like to be present during the process. Keep in mind that this will be the end of your dog's life, and it may be difficult to watch.

If you can stand the sight, then you may be present. Your dog will also be at ease when he sees you there. This will be comforting in his last moments.

You may need to have a close friend or family member around during the process for moral support.

The euthanasia process in dogs involves an injection containing pharmaceutical substances that will stop the dog's heart from beating.

The pharmaceutical solution is mostly made up of pentobarbital or phenytoin. This is primarily pink or purple-looking, and it is quite thick.

The injection is administered through the vein because it works faster that way. It could also work by injecting through the body cavity, but not as fast.

The content of the injection will move quickly through the veins across the body. It will cause the dog to become unconscious in a painless manner.

Its breathing will start to slow down, and a heart attack will follow it. The dog then dies in the coming seconds.

Euthanizing seems like a difficult step to take, but it's the right one.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why a person would want to get rid of his or her dog. Whatever the reasons are, it should be done humanely, such that the dog doesn't suffer any pain.

You may need to call local animal control to help you with a stray. There are also animal shelters available, and this is an option many people take. As long as you are sure, your pet will be taken care of.

I trust this article has been helpful.

Good luck!