saffire277- I am not in your position and it is easy to say what I would do.

Your business is important! Hopefully you will find a solution that will make everyone happy...including Angel. I am sure Angel will be happy anywhere there is love and treats! At least that is how I feel...love and treats.

Saffire- keep the faith all will work out!

Have a pomeranian. We can't let him be outside at all by himself, the hawks would swoop down and take him. It has happened often in our area to little breed dogs and puppies. We let him out to do his biz and we stand right by him. There is only about a 10x10 area we allow him to explore in our fenced yard. When done, back in the house. I rent a commercial kitchen to do my cakes, so no prob there.

Good luck to you, but just remember that if you have a dog, there is a smell in your house as someone else said, it may take a while for the smell to go away. So you may have to do some airing out of your house after you give the dog to your parents, before you have your inspection or begin to have customers come to your house.

Good luck to you. I hope that you have so much business you have to turn down orders.

Just a thought here, but if it's hair you are worried about, shih-tzus are one of the non-shedding breeds. That's why they need haircuts.

I know it probably doesn't matter to the HD. Good luck with your decision. If you need to rehome your pup, drop me a PM. I've been in rescue for years and know of several breed specific rescues and I probably have a couple in your area.

Let me know if I can help.

did you ever post a link to the NC regs? I wanna read them.

Here are the exact rules/regulations I was given. At this point its either have the dog or have the business. I wouldn't suggest hiding the dog. No roaming pets are allowed period!

http://www.agr.state.nc.us/fooddrug/food/homebiz.htm

I've been accused of having no filter from my brain to my mouth...... here i go again..........honestly, Id get rid of the dog, and if the husband doesnt agree......... well he goes to. He should see this as your dream

Is catering different from "food manufacturing"? It is in my state. Food manufacturing carries stricter rules.

Instead of having a shed outside for the dog...what about one of those small portable catering trailers and using it as your commercial kitchen? If I ever do cakes as a business, I would have to have a seperate space just to maintain my sanity! Baking cakes with my DH and two sons constantly in and out of the kithcen drives my nuts!

Owls too will pick up small animals. Hawks do come after small dogs and cats. And coyotes will attack most dogs and they can jump a 6 foot fence!

Has anyone seen The Proposal? They are in Alaska and actually have a large bird (can't remember...Eagle? Hawk?) swoop down and pick up the little pup! It looks like either an American Eskimo or Samoyed puppy. For those that havent seen it...don't worry--it's not hurt!

Ack! It'd look like my dog - must not watch lol.

Shih Tzu's are bred to be very sweet lap dogs, but they can be kept outside. If you keep them groomed, (I like the teddy bear cut) and if provide them a suitable "home". I built an insulated, heated, and a/c shed for ours. They have doggy doors to get in and out and a large fenced in area to run around in. (And Yes, I am a little crazy also when it comes to my animals! )

Also, Shih Tzus usually will adapt well, if you choose to give her away.

Good luck with your decision!

Just wondering...do your parents have any pets? Do they live close? Would it be possible to use their kitchen a few days a week to do cakes? At least you would know if things were going to work out before displacing the family cat.

I live in NC and am in the same situation. We have a cat so no home business for me. Where in NC do you live? Just curious if you have checked around for locations/prices that might work for you.

They make it so hard with all these regulations. Good luck.

i think we need to cut her some slack... she obviously loves the dog, or she wouldn't be so torn BUT, unless you have walked in someone's shoes, well, you get the drift... yes, i agree it would be a shame if she had to re-home the dog..BUT, wouldn't she have to do that anyway if they lost their home due to finances? should she say to the kids, we can eat today, but not tomorrow, but go play with the dog? i do suggest she go with the idea of fostering the dog out for a bit to see if her business takes off....

on another note, the dog will be just fine if fostered or re-homed. .both of my golden-doodles are rescue dogs. my Maggie came to us at 11 months old, we were her 4th home, and Maggie is her 4th name... she is a very happy well adjusted 5 year old. Charlie came to us at 10 months, he had 'issues', it was either us or the gas chamber, he also is happy and well adjusted at 4 years old.. i just wish the 52 and 55 year olds that they live were as well-adjusted! neither one shed, but when i am baking , i have a dog gate that goes across my kitchen area..

I love dogs and would love to have a little Pekingese but since they shed, no can do. Our German Shepherd died last year so we no longer have a dog. I don't want to deal with the hair.

Dogs can be family - I understand your hubby not wanting to get rid of the dog but if you clip the dog he should be fine outside. Most dogs prefer to be outside - even little lap dogs!

That's a tough one for you. I have 3 little dogs. 2 chihuahua's and a bichon. None of them shed, and all 3 are very good dogs (and for the record....my female chihuahua Sadie LOVES to be dressed up, she knows where her clothes are, and brings me what she wants to wear, and pouts if I don't get her dressed).
I can't keep any of my dogs outside for fear of alligators, they figure out ways to get into fenced yards and lanais. Im waiting to go out and see one by the pool one of these days.

My husband is attached to the bichon. Hysterical because he hadn't wanted it, I told him it was the dog or he could leave. I wasnt going to break my daughter's heart by not keeping the dog. He caved after a week, and now him and the dog are attached to each other majorly.

Good luck to you, not an easy position to be in. My mom's having to make a choice about my brothers foxhound/collie mix, the dog sheds and won't quit jumping on me, and my moms afraid with a new granddaughter coming. The dog's to hyper and won't listen. Still, not an easy choice to have to make.

I too say cut her some slack! I have 4 dogs (yes, 4!) . Two golden retrievers and 2 yorkies. Love them all. The two goldens love to spend time outside playing or chasing a squirrel, the yorkies (8 years old) have to stay in. I am lucky to have a finished basement with a complete kitchen and work room. The dogs are never allowed there! So, when I do bake, I go to the top stairs going to the basement and change into my cake baking gear to make sure no dog hair follows me down. I know this will always be a hobby because of the dogs but I could never give them up!

I haven't read all 4 pages, but I'm in the same boat. I want to be able to have my kitchen inspected, but we have 2 dogs. One I'd happily rehome and the other is my son's labradoodle. She isn't going anywhere, and she doesn't shed so there isn't hair all over the house.

I'm looking into other options, maybe seeing if I can use my mom or grandmother's house to do cakes out of.

My two dogs are as much a part of our family as any of us two-leggers. I could never just give them away. Ever. But, I'm a sucker.....