Our dog is off to a new home in a couple of weeks.... :(

[LynzM]

He's off to live with friends of ours in Ohio as of February 3rd... She and I are going to meet up in Harrisburg, PA, to avoid the dog-on-airplane scenario, and so that it's hopefully less traumatic for Kelev.

It's a combination of Briarius being frustrated with him because he wants constant attention, since he (Briarius) grew up with farm dogs, and me feeling bad that we are not home as much or spending as much time with him, out for walks and stuff, as I know we should be. I feel like that's really contributing to the attention stuff and I feel really bad about it. :( I know he'll be happier where there will be people home much more of the time, and he'll get out more, but man, am I gonna miss this snuggly guy.

And we still haven't told our daughter yet, and it's gonna rip her up, I think... :( I think we might do that this weekend, to give her some time to get used to it. We're going to have a little going-away party the night before, too. Anybody have any great thoughts? My only plan so far is to explain about how she wouldn't want us to leave her home alone, and she likes to go out and play, and Kelev doesn't really get either of those things right now... you know, try to draw some parallels? *sigh*
















:cry:

[lizziegrace]

1. No matter what, it'll be hard

But if you want to do what's best for a person or a pet in your life, sometimes you have to let them go somewhere else so they can be happier. I don't remember how old your daughter is, but Lelapin would have cried but still tried to understand.

:hug:

I know this is very hard. :(

[LynzM]

7. Thanks, Lizzie...

You're right, it's doing what's best for him, hard as that is for us... :( He needs more time with people than we are able to provide him with right now. Thanks for the hugs, and back at ya. :hug:

[Kutjara]

2. Make it clear to her that you're not doing this because...

...the dog is "inconvenient." My parents would regularly get me pets, then dispose of them to places unknown when the upkeep started to piss them off. I quickly got the idea that anything (or, by extention, anyone) that inconvenienced them quickly disappeared, which made for a very insecure childhood.

It's important to make it clear to your little girl that you're doing it for the benefit of the dog, not yourself. She may not exactly understand the difference now but, in future, she will.

[LynzM]

8. Thanks for the advice, Kutjara

You're very right about that, and that's the approach we plan to take with her about it.

[Wcross]

3. I am glad he is going to a good home. n/t

[LynzM]

9. Me too, Wcross.

It's the only way I'd be ok letting him go...

[judaspriestess]

4. what a beautiful baby

wow, I'm sure its going to be hard, I'm sorry :(

[LynzM]

10. Thank you, judaspriestess

He is a real sweetheart, for sure!

[Ptah]

5. wow, what a pair

:cry:

[LynzM]

11. Thanks, Ptah....

I know, that pic just melts me, every time. :hug: back at ya...

[I Have A Dream]

38. Yeah, that one brought tears to my eyes too!

:cry:

[u4ic]

6. He is so beautiful...

That second to last picture is priceless.

I hope it won't be too traumatic for your daughter, and by the looks of it, you'll miss him a lot, too. :hug:


I think the going away party is a great idea.

[LynzM]

12. Thanks, u4ic

I will miss him snuggling up with me at night, especially. He can always be counted on for a snuggle, whenever you need one.

[flvegan]

13. Does Kelev know these Ohio friends?

I'm very pleased that you found a good home for him. It's a far sight better than many folks do (you'd be surprised at the sheer number of shelter dogs that are there for these same reasons).

I'm going to say it up front, that I disagree with your reasoning. That said, I also take two steps back, as I don't know your 24/7 life. You're rehoming your dog, and you've done the very best by him in doing so. That is deserving of a lot of praise.

[LynzM]

16. Not yet, unfortunately

We're his second home to start with; we took him from friends last November who were looking for a new home for him, sight unseen. It turns out that he's not the best match for our life, I think. He really does better when someone is home all the time, as we've seen on vacations. He gets super-anxious with lots of people around (chews himself, never settles down, never stops moving around) and the same if we take him anywhere. Given that we both work full-time, and I'm in school, and we generally spend weekends away in the summer, which he doesn't seem to do well either going with us, or staying here, it's just not a good fit. The family that he is going to live with has a full-time at-home mom and rarely travel, and are very excited to get him.

I'm curious, in a non-defensive way, to hear why you disagree with this decision, if you feel like sharing.

[flvegan]

24. This additional information

has me thinking differently. I still disagree with the initial reasoning as posted, but the decision seems very sound. I think that you're doing a good thing for the dog, for whatever that's worth. I hope the kiddo isn't too upset. I think that the party is a good idea, too.

[Whoa_Nelly]

14. Tough decision to make

:hug: for you and yours :hug:

re: the going away party. Maybe have whoever is invited to bring something that is a memory to go with Kelev, or an item they think Kelev will enjoy having in the new home. If you sew, you could take a piece of fabric from old clothing from each family member, and make a special patch blanket for him (doesn't have to be a square or rectangle...can be any put-together shape that happens)...that way he will still ahve your smells close by. :hug:

[LynzM]

18. Cool idea about the blanket...

Maybe I will do that together with our daughter as a present for him... the party is really more for her, than for him, but I think she will enjoy making something for him, or at least, I hope so. :hug: Thanks, Nelly.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

15. I'm sorry, LynzM.

:hug:

[LynzM]

19. Thanks, S.A.

:hug:

[Connonym]

17. Hugs to you. I know this is hard

I'm sorry you have to go through this. I've got a similar situation wherein I can only take one dog when I move next month. It's heart breaking but you're doing what you have to do. :hug:

[LynzM]

20. Hugs to you as well, Connonym

I can't imagine having to choose between fur babies. :( :hug: :hug:

[driver8]

21. As hard as it is for you and your family, please know that you are

doing a very responsible thing.

Your pup is cute so I know it's going to hurt for awhile...but at least you already know that he is going to get lots of attention and the exercise and activity he needs.

By the way, that picture of your daughter standing next to your dog is priceless!!

[LynzM]

27. thanks, driver

I know we're doing the right thing for everyone involved, but you're right, it's going to hurt for a while, and I'm going to miss him. I loooove that pic of him with our daughter... I might get it framed and give it to her to put in her room... :)

[RevolutionaryActs]

22. Aww the one of your daughter and Kelev is the most precious thing!

:loveya:


And hey, at least you know he's going to a good home, and will be loved. :hug:

[LynzM]

28. Thanks, Rev!

I love that pic... and you're right, I absolutely know he'll be well taken-care-of and loved! :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

23. What a tough decision...

I know I could never do it. I'm sure you are doing it for all the right reasons and it sounds like you have his best interest at heart. :hug: I don't envy your situation at all.

[LynzM]

29. thanks, BNL

I think if it were just me, or if I were at least home more to be able to take responsiblity for making sure he got a long walk every day, the situation would be different. But, it is what it is. Thanks for the hugs, and back at ya... :hug:

[Evoman]

25. Just remember....you still have time to change your mind.

[LynzM]

30. Thanks, evoman

Your sig cracks me up, btw... :rofl:

[mike_c]

26. oh man, that is hard....

I've always felt that when we take on the responsibility for pets, we have to do all that we can to make their lives and our lives work together. Sometimes that means making changes in our lives for their sakes, and other times it means putting their needs before our need for their company. I can only assume that you've made the best decision for yourselves and for Kelev, but man, it is so hard to go there, even when you know it's best.

My family had to do that years ago, when my daughter was about the same age as yours looks, with a dog that we all loved but who simply did not work for us at the time, nor we for her. :hug:

[LynzM]

31. Thanks, mike

I really appreciate it, and I'm sorry you had to go through the same thing. :hug:

[bullwinkle428]

32. I'm really sorry. Bless you for being sensitive to recognizing that

he's probably not really crazy about his current situation, and finding a new home that will probably work out better for him. I went through the same experience last year with a cat who was really stressed-out and anxious about not having another cat(s) around to play with. When she went back to a home with several cats, it was a like a light switch had been flipped - she was completely content again!

[LynzM]

33. Thanks, bullwinkle

I really hope that he can relax once he can be around people more like 90% of the time, which is what it seems like he really wants/needs!

[China_cat]

34. I'm on the other end of your dilemma.

Saturday we pick up not just one but TWO dogs whose original owners couldn't (make that wouldn't) keep them any longer. They're 5 years old, brothers who have never been apart and have never lived in a house. They're about to meet a couch for the very first time. Jake and Ellwood...the Bouv Brothers.

We're ecstatic about having them come here to live. Grateful that the original owners decided to rehome them rather than have them put down. They really don't want to hear anything more about the dogs so I can't really say thank you to them...so I'll say it to you. Thank you. You're sad about your furfriend leaving but there's another family who can't wait for him to join theirs.

[LynzM]

36. That's very awesome of you, China_cat

How wonderful that those boys will get a loving home and open arms to welcome them. Thank you. :hug:

[Oeditpus Rex]

35. I'm sorry, Lynz

That's gotta be hard. :(

I was just thinking, maybe you could tell her that you're "sharing" Kelev with some friends who've never had a dog of their own and really need one to love. She'd probably ask if you'd ever get to visit him, and you could say "I hope so" or "Maybe sometime we can" or something else non-committal.

Just a thought from one who's never had kids.

:hug:

[LynzM]

37. Thanks for the thought, OR

These are definitely friends who we'll visit with when we're out in that part of the country, so I can certainly add that to the list of things to tell her. Thanks for the suggestion! :hug: