We gave our dogs away. Call me lame. Call me lazy. Call me an exhausted mom who couldn't segment my life anymore. I got a call from a woman in Glen Elyn last week who adopted our two beautiful Samoyeds, Randi and Mabel. They are thrilled to have them in their lives and we are thrilled that they found a permanent loving home.
While Randi and Mabel were our first babies--we adopted these luscious littermates in February 2000--Toddler in Chief’s health problems made life with dogs very hard. Dog germs are bad for TIC (born without spleen, along with heart defect).
Who knew that two 45-pound dogs could make so many piles of poop? And in addition to fouling up the yard, these dogs were especially germy. They loved--and were especially good at--finding, eating, and rolling in dead animals, or vomit, or animal feces when we'd be out hiking on the dog-friendly trails. And since they are so furry, these nasty and often aromatic remnants were ground into their fur. On those special and routine occasions, the dogs would be outside for days on end.
Before TIC was walking, we could keep him on a clean section of the rug and the dogs could be sequestered to another part of the house. But once he was able to get around and he could see the dogs, he wanted to be with them. And of course, the dogs wanted to be with him.
So, my solution was to drop the dogs in the yard when he woke up in the morning, and they were out there until after he went to bed at night. This wasn't a fun life for them and it was guilt-ridden experience all around. They wanted to be with their people and we couldn't be with them.
The dogs were taken in by the San Francisco Samoyed Rescue’s network a couple of months ago. They'd been living with a foster family in Brentwood, California, which is 55 miles east of San Francisco. Father in Chief drove them to this foster home one night after Randi broke out of the yard and was picked up by the police and ended up at the Humane Society.
But finally, two months after handing the girls into the rescue system, they found a home. I know we did the right thing, and I'm comforted by the fact that they will forget us long before we forget them.
I totally understand. We had to give ours away when one accidentally hurt my older daughter when she was a baby. I felt horrible for about 2 years. Hugs to you for your difficult decision. Sounds like you got a good resolution.
ReplyDeleteGlen Elyn, CA... The Wine Coutry... oooh, ahhh.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, I remember taking care of them when they were puppies. Well, I wish them much happiness in their new home.
ReplyDeleteI sure understand the relief you must feel about not having to care for them anymore. I must say, as much as i liked my ex's dog, i was really really glad i didn't have to walk her, clean up her copious amounts of fur, and pick up her sh*t when my ex and i split up.