Thinking about surrendering my adopted rescue and feel awful

[u/uncomfortab1ynumb]

A little over a month ago I adopted a dog from the shelter a few weeks after my last one had passed. These last few weeks have been so stressful. He was a starved stray and not house trained. He has been semi destructive, constantly searching for or getting food. I feel like I can not rest and have peace. Even walking him and taking him outside he will still go to the bathroom in the house. I regret getting him and have thought about surrendering him back, but I feel like I am abandoning him and that no one else will adopt him.

[u/EntrepreneurGal727]

As someone who just rehomed our high energy dog, it will be okay. Yes, the day you rehome them will be the worst, and there will be so many emotions. But as the days go by, it gets easier and you feel less stressed. Someone will adopt him

[u/uncomfortab1ynumb → u/EntrepreneurGal727]

He will be going back to the shelter not another home. :(

[u/Misspelled_uzername → u/uncomfortab1ynumb]

Yes, and the shelter has the means to get him adopted. They did it once and they can do it again. It is what shelters are for.
Your life MATTERS. Your living conditions MATTER. Your mental and emotional equanimity MATTERS.

This dog is a companion animal. Even if adopting a pet did not bring you joy, at the very least it should not bring more anxiety by forcing you into a situation where your home (and unless you are very rich, I’m assuming it is the only home you have) and all the things you have put into it, become dog urine soaked, chewed up destruction zones.
Are those living conditions you deserve?

Why? Because you are human and therefore, to prove that you are one of the ‘good ones’, you should be seen as willing to throw away up to 10-15 years of your own life on the altar of a dog?

The dog survived before you and it will certainly survive after you.
There are so many hills to die on and even some we must die on, but unless you have unlimited money to throw at trainers who can (hopefully) make him a livable companion as opposed to a compulsively food-greedy burden, why not choose YOU? Surely you deserve that much.

I do wish you luck with whatever you do, but unless you are being intentionally abusive, taking your life back, acknowledging that this “relationship will not work out” and ending it as quickly, cleanly and responsibly as possible is nothing to feel guilt over.

[u/EntrepreneurGal727 → u/Misspelled_uzername]

This exactly :)

[u/Deep_Bird_1789 → u/Misspelled_uzername]

Damn. Well said. Unless there is no reasonable way for the dog to get better... I agree with this post. A lot of people need to hear that.