Hopefully Saltidawg will chime in since he used to breed Bulldogs, but I'll give you my input. It's obvious the dog isn't wanted and your husband doesn't have the time to take care of him........so, yes.....contact a rescue group. Tell them everything you know about the dog but IMO I don't see any behavioral issues that are out of the norm for the situation he's in. Shedding and drool is also normal.

Just letting a dog out the back door doesn't mean he'll always go to the bathroom. Most dogs need/want to be walked or the owner needs to go into the yard with them and try to create some activity with play, or by walking, so the dog is physically stimulated to do his business.From your description of his environment, he's not being taken out enough, nor being given any attention, so pooping & peeing in the sunroom is no surprise.

After spending nearly $20K to save the dog I would think the least your husband could do is take the dog to a doggy day care each morning..........if he really wanted to keep the dog.

He's actually a Victorian bulldog he's bigger than an English he weighs 75lbs! My fiancé says he has shed like this since he was a puppy. I even had him groomed twice a month for several months and it hardly made a difference. At the time of the accident my fiancé was single and renting a house. Since we have had a child we are trying really hard to save money to put a large amount down on our first home. He has been in 3 doggy daycares and has been kicked out of all of them for being aggressive with other dogs. When he did go they told us he couldnt come everyday bc his back legs would go out after 8 hours of play. I would watch him on camera and he would pace inside the play area and never lay down. Before we had a child he was inside the house all day and he would pee all over the floor whenever he was excited/scared.

Please contact a rescue. Housebreaking requires patience. You cant just expect the dog to know what hes supposed to do when you put him out in the yard. Your husband didnt train him properly. A rescue has the people with the knowledge and patience to train the dog properly.

I feel the only reason you feel that another family wouldn't want the dog is strictly because you are not a dog person, and really don't like the dog. Most dogs will have an occasional accident. They drool. Most,not all dogs shed. ALL dogs burp and fart, as they do eat.(btw,your baby does the same,save the shedding I hope) Dog people know and accept this. Do not keep any of these issues you have with him,or his medical history from the rescue. Also tell them about his aggression issues in day care. Good rescues can correct some behavioral issues and find GOOD homes for them. Chances are the dog is lonely and anxious and acting out, and better off somewhere he would be loved or at the very least WANTED. Good luck.

Two words: doggy diapers! Could be nerve damage and he doesn't recognize the signals - perhaps compounded with anxiety and learned behavior. You're right, a dog with such "issues" would not be most people's choice.... but still you need to disclose them, to be fair to both the dog and to would-be adopters.

Poor thing. He's got health issues and also isn't getting the emotional attention he needs. If you decide to go the rescue route, tell them everything. Ok, so drooling is obvious. But you absolutely cannot withhold any information. Do you want the poor dog rehomed, then returned, then rehomed, then returned, etc.? Or worse, rehomed and shuffled off to another, then another, then another house by the people who adopted him and didn't want to deal with him?

It is likely to not be a popular thing to say, but there are far worse things than humane euthanasia.

I really feel for the dog.

(oh, and having him groomed twice a month? For a dog that sheds a lot? No - that dog has to be brushed/combed every day. And I'll bet he'd enjoy the positive attention).

It sounds like your fiance bought the dog from a breeder. Many breeders specify they want the dog/cat returned to them if the buyer decides they no longer want the animal, to keep the animal from ending up in a bad situation. Even if the paperwork does not specify this, it wouldn't hurt to contact the breeder and explain the situation. Perhaps they can help find him a good, loving home.

Thanks for all the advice. We have taken him to the vet but could not determine whether the potty issues were due to his spinal injury but did prescribe him Trazodone for his anxiety. We have contacted the breeder and normally she would take him back but her husband has cancer and she can't take on anymore dogs at the moment. My fiancé agrees that this is not an ideal situation for anyone in the house including the dog. I am not about to rip up carpet, install hard floors, and get rid of area rugs and make our house uncomfortable for us and our children just to make it easier to clean up dog poop. Our children come first and deserve a clean area to play and crawl. We are looking into some adoption agencies to find him the right home.

" I am not about to rip up carpet, install hard floors, and get rid of
area rugs and make our house uncomfortable for us and our children just
to make it easier to clean up dog poop. Our children come first and
deserve a clean area to play and crawl. "

hardwood or other smooth surfaces are much easier to keep clean, even for children, carpet is not the type of surface that can be cleaned as well or deeply as often so if having a clean area for your children is important, then think of it as an advantage for that too. i don't think it has to be an either/or, I think if you and your partner are motivated to make things work, then everyone can be accommodated.

Pets, just like children are work, but it comes with it's own rewards. Many people feel it is not right to get rid of a pet because it's become inconvenient, just like you don't get rid of children when they are too much work either. That is why people are suggesting workable options, that don't involve discarding anyone but addressing the issues instead. It might not be the easiest option, but the chances of a dog finding a home are not always good, a dog with medical problems has even less chance.

Rehome yourself and let the boyfriend keep the dog and the kid. And don't have another kid either. They all tend to pee and poop and be unclean. They aren't easy to house break either and require exercise and love, which seems in short supply.

Yeah, Sophie, yes, but the poor dog.

Thank you Sophie Wheeler for your advice....it's tasteless and foul just like your home design.

OP and ev,

I was not being facetious when I suggested doggie diapers. This situation is EXACTLY what this product is made for, and keeping pee and poop from fouling the home is exactly why people buy them. A lower cost alternative is to use baby diapers with a hole cut for the tail. Will people laugh? Im sure they will - so what, let them laugh.

I get that you dont want your house stunk up from poop and pee - no one wants that. But what baffles me is why you seem to be insisting that the only options are getting rid of the dog or just letting poop and pee fall wherever they land. The reality is you could surrender him to any shelter but given his issues - the odds are very much stacked against him - sorry, but there is no sugar-coating that.

From how you describe the injury and what the vet has said - sounds like a pretty dmn good chance its the injury causing the problems. What does your boyfriend say about how the dog was before his accident - was he toilet trained then? Even if it is just anxiety about suddenly being left alone in a room all day and no one having time for him anymore --- its NOT THE DOGS FAULT and he deserves more careful consideration and creative thinking before he's sent packing .

You asked for "unbiased advice" on what to do about your dog - that's mine! I honestly think, if you can alleviate the major stressor for you (ie the poop and pee issue) you may find yourself having a more positive regard for this crazy dog who survived such a serious injury. And btw - IMHO, having kids is actually a good reason to either a) make it work - or b) if all else fails finding him a good home yourself via your network of friends and relations (not just dumping off at a shelter). Either of those 2 options - what a great lesson for kids to see you modeling how we care for the animals we've taken responsibility for.

My heart goes out to the dog and your hubby.

I agree, dogs know when they're not loved. They're very sensitive to human feelings.

Brushing and loving him a couple times a day could really make a difference in his behavior and shedding.

Please try every alternative there is to help this dog. He didn't ask for the health/behavioral issues he has in his short life.

How do you think your hubby will react in the long run for "ridding" yourself of his buddy. I, myself would wonder if he thinks about all the "what ifs"

One more thought/comment. God forbid you yourself have health issues in your life....will your hubby or children rid themselves of you and your burdens.

@parkerjenn4911 I have two bulldogs (english) so have a soft spot in my heart for them.

First, I would definitely contact a reputable Bulldog Rescue in your area. If you can't find one in your area, I can find one for you that has people willing to transport.
This dog needs medical attention, proper training, and most important, people who love and will have time for him.

It's not an easy breed, stubborn as hell and won't do anything if there's nothing in it for them (e.g. treat.)
But they also have an excellent temperament, are wonderful with children, and are the most lovable pups I've ever come across.

Based on everything you've said, I think rescue would be the best place for him.

The dog could also wear the playa pet belly band in the house. The stress of a new baby and an incontinent dog would put me over the edge. Parker, you need to get your fiancé involved here to help figure out how to manage this.

@SaltiDawg
The rescues here, "Long Island Bulldog Rescue" and "BUMPER" both take Victorian and Old English as well. In fact, so do two others in NJ that I know of, "Mid-Atlantic Bulldog Rescue" and "Heaven Scent Bulldog Rescue."
Maybe it's an east coast thing, but the ones here don't discriminate.

All the ones I mentioned are 501c3 organizations, and they all have a ton of supporters. Great groups that hold fundraisers, and various events in NY/NJ to help raise money. I know the ladies that run a few of them, great people with a genuine love for bulldogs, pure and mixed.
So if ParkerJenn is somewhere on the east coast, they can absolutely help with transport.

I understand your position- truly I do. Especially when we are young with a young family we want our lives to be as neat and clean as possible and the dog is not neat and clean. I was in a similar position years ago when our dog became paralyzed. For your situation I recommend a thorough physical and testing of your dog by your vet and recommendations for either surgery, medication, or a competent dog trainer to help you train your dog.

I am older than you so I would like to point out a few things that may be hard to hear. First off is that your dog (and it is your dog as he is in your family) is going to grieve the loss of his family when you re-home him. I had a rescue dog that grieved for years over the loss of his sister and human family when he was surrendered to a humane society. So there's that.

Next there are the bricks in the wall that can happen in a marriage. Every time you hurt your future spouse (even without trying) you put down a brick in your relationship. Your future husband loves this dog as evidenced by the care he has shown him. I no doubt believe a man who loves his future wife and child will choose to make his fiance happy and choose her over his dog. But he will be hurt and he will remember that hurt. Maybe for the rest of his life. Is that okay with you? You only get so many bricks to put down in a relationship before you build a wall.

In the end - in my situation the dog was well cared for and lived many happy years. Washable dog diapers were a godsend. A good carpet cleaner (for your sun room a steamer seems preferred) and frequent baths or partial baths took care of odors.

And all these years later....guilt free.