1yr 16lb amer. eskimo from rescue. Mistake?

fixed male, from Illinois puppy mill (owner arrested, mill closed, MANY of the dogs had to be put down because of their poor condition and not adoptable). Brought to Michigan within last 2 weeks. Local rescue put him in foster home (who has 2 100lbPlus dogs ST. Bernard and lab)for less than week (He just had surgery to be fixed less than week ago). Rescue advertised him on Petfinders..I called "Fostermom". Met her at local Pet Smart. He seemed very timid, but fell in love with his sweet look in his eyes. He was in a cage at the store like the other dogs up for adoption.He was difficult to get out of the cage. I had to fill out all kinds of paperwork and paid with checks (one for immediate cashing and one for beginning of month when my soc sec comes in) Then she came to my home for a "home inspection". I had to sign contract (non-refundable clause) Also, before she left, she told me that he could not be transferred to another owner, sold or given away if it didnt work out for me. I would have to return him to them. (scam?) Fostermom said he barely ate at her house, chowing down here like crazy. I have been training with retractable lease to heel etc. Seems responsive. Been caged all his life, i was told. Ribs prominent, very thin. Nice pink gums,good teeth, soft,clean fur. Pupils clear, but kinda discolored around the pupils (why?). Slept with me and my pom. Today, he nipped at my pom and he took her "chewy" (although i had given him one too), drew little blood near her eye. I had just gone to get a coffee. Now, she is terrified and clinging to me. Last night, he acted aggressive with my 2adult sons and grandson. When corrected, he cowered. Think he has been abused by males. Very possessive with his food today. Pooped on my floor (after I had taken both of them out to potty). This is the third time he has done that since Sat when i got him. He doesnt show when he needs to go out (does not go to the door, bark, whine or anything) My pom goes out often, so I just take him out when she goes. However, she is used to going out alone and comes right back in. He has to be taken out on a leash and acts like he doesnt understand why he is out there. I was hoping he would catch on quickly because it is very difficult for me to go up and down the stairs and i wont be able to do that in the winter here in Michigan. Never been named, but responds to name I gave him. He does seem smart to me, and hoped he would be easy to train. Foster mom had told me he was housebroken. Obviously, he is not. He just went out with her dogs to fenced in yard. My yard is not fenced in. This mobile home is in a park. After doing some reading online today, i see that they need a lot of exercise (not what foster mom told me), and also need more maintenance than what she said. eg. daily brushing, hour running per day, etc He has had all his shots done by "rescue's" vet. His tail is curlyq. Is that normal for this breed? I have never seen one of this breed except in pics. I feel he was not ready for adoption.I feel that they misrepresented him to me. When I fed them both (separate areas) on my bed this morning, he growled and nipped at me. He had not done that with me since I got him. My older son feels that it was a mistake and more than I can handle. On low income soc sec, i really could not afford this dog, but i put myself out on a limb financially because I thought we could be a REAL HELP TO EACH OTHER. i cannot even afford to get him a cage.What should I do? Have I made a huge mistake here or what? Is it true that sometimes "love" is just not enough? btw, I am a very nurturing and patient person. Any advice appreciated. If you know anything about dogs from puppy mills like this or anything about this breed, please tell me.

You have had the dog, who came from terrible conditions and who had next to no attention, for a very small amount of times. Dogs do NOT arrive knowing what they're supposed to do. They have to be trained and taught. If, for whatever reason, you're not prepared to spend time training, exercising, and caring for this dog, you should relinquish him to the rescue organization now.

You have worked with a good rescue. They will take the dog back as per your contract. This is not a scam. It is because they want to make sure the dog ends up in a good home.I think you may have misunderstood the dog's status. I would suspect that the fact that the dog was ready for adoption meant that the dog did not have any extraordinary health concerns nor present an acute danger to others. It did not mean the dog was already trained and had recovered from its poor beginning in life.The dog's behaviors sound like things that will come up with a puppy mill dog. They do require patience and the dog has not had very much time to learn a whole new life. I think some of the aggression you have seen is actually fear. However, even though the dog and the organization are both good, the situation may still be wrong for you. It does sound like the dog is more than you can handle both financially and physically.

Sounds like you made allot of mistakes and your going to have to deal with the consequences. If you cant meet all his needs, then you need to return him and with everything you've signed, I doubt you'll get any money back. Getting a pet should never be an impulse buy. Don't take someone elses word for everything. Do your own research and educate yourself on what to expect. If it were me i would have requested a trial period. or some sort of set up where i can see how he does and acts in certain situations. I would want to know how he will get along with my current pets too. He needs training and you do too. Either hire a trainer (recommended) or put many hours and days into educating yourself into learning how to train him yourself. I suggest doings some research on the most recommended reading material and read them all, not just one. Also keep in mind you will need to put alot of time and consistency into the training itself.

I would return him.This breed requires a lot of exersise.i think the rescue should of explained things better.they are are very very high enegy dog.

Return the dog immediately. Though his issues are not unsurmountable. With your physical and financial limitations he is just not the right dog for you. Unfortunately you may be out your 'donation' talk to the rescue. They may take pity on you and refund all or part. Or they may let you pick out a more suitable companion. Even if they do not refund your your money the cost will be less than keeping the dog. The rescue I work with requires a 1 week 'sleep over' or trial period before any adoption is final. If it doesn't work out the dog comes back and all money returned. There are thousands of housebroken older dogs waitiing for a loving home. Perhaps one of these will be more suited to your needs.

While new dogs do take a long time to get acclimated, with the physical/financial limitations you explain this may not be the right choice for you at this time. Two dogs is so much more exhausting than one! I have two dogs (1 is a puppy we adopted a month ago), so I understand it is a lot of work! The rescue you worked with seems very good, since they are willing to take the dog back. Maybe express your concerns about the dog and if they can give you some advice before "giving up" all together. Good luck to you and your family!