Doesn't sound to me like it should be your problem....

The dog shouldn't have been gotten as a present. Its not fair to the puppy to belong to someone who has no time for him. How is he going to learn anything if he is kept in a crate all the time. If you are not willing to take this baby into your home, then I would suggest to her that she needs to find the puppy another home. One that he will be loved and not alone all the time..

And PLEASE no shelter ! PLEASE !

I know you are soft-hearted, but really, there are tens of housands of dogs in the same boat. Shelters make it their business to find homes for such pups. I would point out to your ex-DIL that she needs to find a home (or a shelter) for the pup -- and FAST! The window of opportunity to train it is closing.

Thanks for your thoughts ruthie__tx and Littlebit. I agree it should not be our problem. It is a Yorkie and apparently was their family childhood dog. Though every one is an adult now the DIL is not thinking of a forever home for the dog. I agree she should have thought it through and not jumped into with both feet to get the puppy for her mother without asking her first if she was interested in one. She is in her 70's. Puppies can be hard to care for especially the training. The older dog we have that was hers , just wants to be loved and we do love her and I'm sure the puppy wants that too.
Mary

If you take in the dog, I wouldn't be surprised if you regretted it. I know that you're thinking that if you don't take him, where would he go? I don't know if you've had a puppy before, but puppies need constant attention, consistent feeding/walking/peeing/pooping times, usually. Puppy just up from his nap? He'll need to go out immediately. Forget any schedule YOU'RE on or any spur-of-the-moment plans you decide on.

What I think your ex-DIL needs is an intervention for herself. Most people know that they should not be buying an animal for anyone else but themselves. She also needs to take responsibility for the situations she gets herself into -- how old is she? Clearly, she didn't learn anything the first time she "dumped" a dog with you. It's not fair to the dog, and it's not fair to you.

I agree with everything that has been said and I have said most of it to her. She is over 45 and has children who are in college. She was hoping that the dog would be a comfort to her mother. But her mother had other ideas. The dog had another owner who had died and the dog was returned to the breeder. so she got it from a breeder who was a friend of hers. I just don't think she thinks she realizes how her ideas just aren't the smartest. I hope it works out for her and the pup. I will not let go to a shelter.
Mary

Little dogs are the easiest to place. Shelters place lots of them. If you don't know of a good one, you could ask your vet for options. Would the breeder take the dog back again? Is there a Yorkie Rescue?

Our present Westie is from Westie Rescue. A man gave his wife this pup after their old dog died. Wife wanted to play golf, not be tied down with another dog.

If the breeder is a friend, I would think that would be the best place to turn for finding a forever home.

I'm so sorry this has been asked of you, I'm sure its difficult to say no. But No is the right thing to say IMO. I think everyone should be in agreement, no live presents, not ever, unless the recipient has expressed the need and is willing to take on the responsibility. Yorkies can live very long lives.

If the pup doesn't have any off-putting issues, I wouldn't think suitable placement should be hard. My hair stylist lost a Yorkie to old age, bought another last year and paid a really extravagant amount, I was very surprised at the price tag on that puppy. (I saw her the day she was picking it up and she suggested their website to me so I could see which one she'd chosen, it included the prices)

I agree. A little Yorkie should be easy to place.

It's your DIL's responsibility to rehome this puppy, which should be done as soon as possible. If you keep bailing people out of their responsibilities, they will never, ever learn.

My son and DIL have taken in so many dogs like that, ones the family no longer wants. He has found a rescue group for the breed of dog they had. He once advertised one on Craigs List, I think there were special rules about doing that~he found the pup a wonderful home~~he has put a couple on his FB page and two dogs went to friends of his. He no longer is taking in other peoples animals, he says it is too sad and a lot of work. They have rescue horses also ;)

I would tell ex-dil to call the breeder. Most that I know will gladly take their puppies back and place them in new homes.

I sympathize with you! I got custody of my son and ex-dil's two cats when they divorced. Certainly wasn't something I wanted to do initially as I had not had cats in 35 years, but they were litter mates (2 years old) and I could not bear to see them separated. They are they joys of my life!

I would not take on the pup if I did not want it. It is not your responsibility. We have a shelter here that will not kill, it is next to one that does and they work together. We would not have it if it was left to the city to build, they got a huge donation that built it.

This post was edited by EmmaR on Wed, Dec 17, 14 at 18:25

We actually received 2 dogs both of them were older dogs in the divorce. We kept them as the grandchildren loved them and they were living in an apartment that wouldn't take dogs. One dog has since died so we are down to the one we have now. My husband and I are in our early 70's and just don't want to take on the responsibility of a new dog. I don't know what she will do at this time. One of the grandchildren is home from college. So it is being cared for. Our son and his new love also have 2 small dogs and I have told him no we can not take care of them for you. I think she is hoping her mom will change her mind but I don't think she will.
Thanks for all the comments. I know that we are out of the picture at this time.
Mary

While you can always find someone to take a Yorkie off your hands, it doesn't mean that the Yorkie is in a good home.

When dogs go from home to home to home, it's always a sort of decaying orbit.
Every change spirals downward.

I'd bet that the breeder would take the dog back;
in fact, I'd bet your former dil agreed to give the breeder "first right of refusal" before getting rid of the dog in any other way.

The dog needs to go back to the breeder, who can keep her or find her an excellent home, a home in which the dog is wanted & eagerly welcomed.

About those shelters...
while they adopt out dogs, their main task is to make sure that homeless or unwanted dogs have "shelter" until they move on, one way or another.

& the adoption process in shelters is often "fill out the application properly (you live in your own home & don't have 27 other dogs), answer the questions correctly (the dog isn't to be used for security or fighting), & pay the fee".

There's no home visit & no follow-up to be sure that the dog is living in good conditions.

If your ex-dil is reluctant or refuses to take the dog to the breeder, maybe she'll give you the breeder's contact information.

Please follow through on this;
it sounds like you're the most stable, most responsible human being in this little dog's life right now, & thus the little dog's best chance for a good secure loving lifelong home.

I wish you the best.

Why does she keep getting animals that she can't care for? Pets are not disposable! This makes me so angry I can't think straight! You don't have children and move into a house or apartment that doesn't accept children. You don't buy pets for people without their knowledge or consent. And you certainly don't bring pets home, and bond with them, to dispose of them when they become an inconvenience.

As others have already said, Yorkies are very easy to find home for. It would be best to do this when the dog is still a puppy though. There are other options besides shelters, there are rescue groups that find homes for dogs. There are many in MY area so I'm sure you have them also. You could agree to be a foster for them and have the puppy at your house being house trained etc while they find a fitting home for puppy. They will put photos on their FB page and probably even have a list of people waiting for them to have a Yorkie puppy so they can adopt. They do the work as far as making sure the people are right for the dog. They have to fill out adoption applications and the rescue will check them out to make sure they have a nice home for the dog. That's what I would do if I were you. That is assuming the ex DIL would agree to it.

Also, as others have said, I am sure that any breeder worth a spit would take their dog back and would probably be upset to know the dog ended up being unwanted! She would probably be heartbroken to find out! Once again, the breeder would have a better chance finding this dog a new home before it gets too old.

Glad you decided not to take the pup, Grandma. I know you would regret it.

Arkansas, I feel quite sure "fostering" would turn into a permanent situation!!