Giving up your dog [Archive]

Cincy'sMom

10-07-2004, 04:17 PM

I know how we are all quick to judge when someone says they are rehoming your dog, but this story/article on MSN puts it in a whole new perspective...sometimes giving up a dog is the best choice you can make....

Goodbye, Homer (http://slate.msn.com/id/2107279/?GT1=5403)

Kfamr

10-07-2004, 04:23 PM

Good artical.

Unfortunately, it's very seldom that you see a person give up a dog for a "good" reason though.

Cincy'sMom

10-07-2004, 04:24 PM

Originally posted by Kfamr
Good artical.

Unfortunately, it's very seldom that you see a person give up a dog for a "good" reason though.

I agree.

lizbud

10-07-2004, 04:27 PM

Oh, I'm so glad you got to read that story. Wasn't it great.:)
I went through many emotions just reading the story of Homer
and his different kind of doggie personality. I did feel in the end
that everything worked out for the best for everyone.

I'm looking forward to reading more stories from the book,
The Dogs of Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz. I loved the story. It really
made me think.:)

cali

10-07-2004, 04:50 PM

very good artical. and hits close to home. we could not give shadow what she needed, and she obviously was not happy, I felt bad leaving shadow at my stephs house for the first time, and we were worried that it was not working out, because shadow bit stephs dad, pottied in the garage, and ran away twice, but in only 1 month shadow settled in, shadow and stephs dad became best of friends, sheadow gets exited when stephs dad comes home, she sleeps with him, and stephs mom. when they go out to the lake, shadow gets invited to the front of the truck for cuddles, when people come to their house everyone mentions that shadow is their favorite lol she is so happy there, and she loves it when I visit, so I am no longer upset about rehoming her, it makes me happy to see shadow so happy.

Cinder & Smoke

10-07-2004, 05:05 PM

<sniff>

Glad that turned out the way I hoped it would.

;) /s/ Phred
..

Cinder & Smoke

10-07-2004, 05:12 PM

...

On second thought ~

He didn't really "give up HIS Dog"...

He was more like a FOSTER Dad...
and just waited a 'while' to make sure
Homer foud his FURRever Home! :)

Yeah, I like that theory a lot better!

:D

/s Phred

Cincy'sMom

10-07-2004, 05:58 PM

delidog

10-07-2004, 08:18 PM

Amy,
You Scared Me!!!
I thought You were Rehoming one of Yours!!!:eek: :eek: :eek:
Still A Strong Viewpoint!!!

Tonya

10-07-2004, 08:25 PM

That was a very good story.

It makes me think of one of my dogs, Ricky. I got him by chance, I was not looking for him. Someone slowed down in a truck and tossed him out the window. He was a 5 week old Queensland Heeler at the time. I knew nothing about Queenslands, but I intended on keeping him, he was so cute.

Well, he turned out to have waaaay to much energy to be a city dog. He was very aggressive. He spent the entire day guarding toys, food, the dog house, me....everything from Rosco. The vet said that probably came from him being a runt and being abandoned. Poor Rosco started getting skinny because he was to intimidated to eat, even when I fed them seperately. He was horrible with the cats, and I was also afraid that if a child touched his food they'd get bit. (He'd bitten me several times.)

I finally decided to rehome him. I felt horrible about it. He was probably 9 months old or so when I gave up on him. I put an ad in the newspaper. I interviewed people and most people either didn't fit my criteria, or didn't like Ricky. Everyone wanted a calmer dog, a dog that got along with other dogs, and a heeler with a docked tail. I was starting to think that I was stuck with him, until this man called.

He said "Is he energetic?"

I said, "Yes, I am sorry, he's very hyper."

He said "GOOD!"

He said "Is his tail docked?" (Most people insisted on having the tail docked.)

I said "No, sorry it isn't."

He said "Good! I like the natural tails better!"

He wound up having no children, no other dogs, wanted an only dog. He was a farmer and wanted a dog to spend his days working with and to keep him company at night. It was love at first sight.

We checked up on him a while later. He was running happy as could be along side of the tractor. He seemed like another dog. I felt much better about rehoming him once I saw that he had what he needed and wanted out there.

sabies

10-07-2004, 10:16 PM

I just read that article. I still felt bad - I could just hear the dog yelping as he walked away even if he was leaving the dog at a good home. Sometimes it takes a lot of strength to do the right thing.

BCBlondie

10-07-2004, 10:47 PM

:) What a great story Tonya.

Reminds me of a similar situation I had a few years ago... :(

Personally, I don't know why people get so upset about rehoming dogs. If it's for a good reason, and if it's in the dog's best interest, like in the story Cincy'sMom posted or Tonya's story, then rehoming isn't such a bad thing, is it? I mean, if the dog is much happier in the new situation, why is it so bad? I don't get it...

I had a deaf Aussie/BC mix a few years ago, and for many reasons out of my control, I was forced to give her away. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I still miss her terribly. :( :( I recently checked up on her, and she's doing great. She got adopted by a lady that was also hard of hearing, and the two of them are so bonded together, and they're both soo happy. Was it wrong of me to give up a dog that didn't get along with my other dogs, had seperation anxiety, drove my parents crazy, when I was only a kid? Does it make me a bad dog owner, having given up a dog that I dearly loved, so that she can go to a better home? :(

I know that when you decide to get a dog, it's a lifelong commitment. But my aunt just gave me a puppy.. what was I supposed to do? I was only a kid.

Cincy'sMom

10-08-2004, 06:28 AM

Originally posted by delidog
Amy,
You Scared Me!!!
I thought You were Rehoming one of Yours!!!:eek: :eek: :eek:

Well, Spot does keeping trying to get grandpa to take him back to Florida with him...he hears there is a cute spotty girl down there :D

delidog

10-08-2004, 07:02 AM

Amy,
Too Funny!!!!
Yes,Deli is a cute spotty girl!!!! And Spot would Just Love Her!!!
*Swoon*

Thats' if GrandMa lets GrandPa go Back to Florida!!!! ;) :) :D

pitc9

10-08-2004, 08:34 AM

I got that e-mail this morning when I got to work and was crying so hard.....

Because that was sort of the case with Buddy.
I knew he was afraid of my hubby, and was under a lot of stress when the two were in the house together. So I started looking for a home for him, but never looked very hard. For a long time I felt very selfish about keeping him, thinking that maybe if I had looked harder in the beginning, I could have found a great home for him. But now that's he's been in my house for almost two years, I really don't think there is any other place he'd rather be!

pitc9

10-08-2004, 08:36 AM

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
...

On second thought ~

He didn't really "give up HIS Dog"...

He was more like a FOSTER Dad...
and just waited a 'while' to make sure
Homer foud his FURRever Home! :)

Yeah, I like that theory a lot better!

:D

/s Phred

That's what I tried to make myself think about Buddy when I I was looking for new homes for him.. it's hard to convince yourself that you are just a foster... when you are already in love!

Kfamr

10-08-2004, 08:47 AM

Originally posted by Cincy'sMom
Well, Spot does keeping trying to get grandpa to take him back to Florida with him...he hears there is a cute spotty girl down there :D

OH PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE!

Nala says that she'd LOVE to play with the buddy again...
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/p1a999d939d9d63894c681d4ee659f89f/f877da48.jpg

Cincy'sMom

10-08-2004, 06:57 PM

I'm sure Spot would love to come visit his two favorite "west coast" florida puppy girls...Nala and Kiara!! Too bad grandpa went home last weekend and he didn't manage to hide in the car ;) Guess we'll have to keep him here :D

Tonya

10-08-2004, 07:02 PM

I kind of look at it like staying in a bad marriage forever. They're better off cutting their losses and each seeking happiness then staying married.

Of course, there are ALOT of exceptions. There are way to many dogs that are given away for stupid reasons.