We've been working seriously, with energy and determination (rather than just wishful thinking), for about two months to re-home our dog. Here is her poster-dog photo. Pretty cute, eh? Doesn't she just tug at your heartstrings? "Adopt me! Please? I'll be good. I promise."We've had two serious nibbles since we placed her on the regional Homes4Animals website, and the family who came to see her on Saturday morning took a day to think things over and called back yesterday to say yes, they want to take her, but could we keep her until June 3rd, because they're hosting a huge outdoor wedding reception on the 2nd and won't have the time to devote to her until after that. Sounds reasonable. Sounds like they're going to follow through.
They know what they're getting. The first thing she did when they arrived was snap at them, twice. The next thing she did was jump up and head-butt their 6-year-old, which resulted in lots of tears. We had said very clearly "needs a home without small children" in the blurb -- and we did warn them on the phone that she jumps up and knocks children over. They were interested anyway. You'd think there was some sort of critical dog shortage in the Kootenays or something. Anyway, they spent an hour with her despite the rocky start, and she must have turned on some sort of charm, because they still wanted her. I'm not sure if they're going to use her in some sort of sadistic child-discipline strategy or what, but they have a 6-year-old and they still want our sweet but misguided ill-mannered brute of a dog.
My kids are already planning what we're going to do to celebrate once she's gone. Today I bought just enough food to last a month. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. It's like parole day is approaching or something. We'll no longer be prisoners in our own home. We'll no longer need to make calculated dashes across the 6 feet of no-man's land to the van. We won't have to ask our friends to phone first so we can capture the beast before they show up for a visit.
Hey that's good news. Maybe the other family is confident they will be able to transform her into a more kid friendly type of dog???
ReplyDeleteWill you get another dog or has this one spooked you away from the species? Do you NEED one to do bear patrol for you like we do?
If it helps any - ours isn't exactly well behaved lately. Not sure if he's in his teenaged rebellion or what is going on. Can't wait to get him to camp though!
I've never re-homed a dog. We have one dog that I wanted to re-home about a week after we adopted her. She managed to chew through the bottom of her crate, cutting her feet on the edge, and dug a trench into the bedroom carpet. My daughter found her, feet bleeding, and called me on the cell phone, quite hysterical.
ReplyDeleteWe did end up getting a dog-sitter for the last three weeks of the school year. We did end up replacing the carpet with a laminate floor and painting the room. But since she straightened up after that (we bought an outdoor dog run--and she liked it), we considered ourselves lucky. She only jumps on my 6 foot husband. That's because he allows it.
Perhaps the people who are taking her have the time to train her and are thinking they can. And perhaps, since they only have 1 kid, they will be able to train her.
Anyway, I think you're a saint for being willing to dash to the van for another month.
If you try again, I hear golden retrievers are wonderfully trainable!
I'd certainly feel better with a dog for bear patrol, but I think we're a little gunshy right now. We'd adopt an older dog next time, I think, but we'll wait until next spring to start looking.
ReplyDeleteWe had a couple of Degus we got just before the kids came along and although it was sad when they both passed earlier this year, it was a kind of relief too. Sad, but good.
ReplyDeleteStart counting the days and enjoy her while you've got her.