We have talked several times about finding a new home for them. We can't have company over without putting them up because they are so hyper and jump all over them. When we brought Clay home from the hospital we were a little skeptical at how they would react. Munchkin (the oldest one, female) is not a big fan of kids. Panda Bear (the youngest, male) loves anyone, but is so hyper that he is too rough with kids. But they did great with Clay when we brought him home. Munchkin stayed away from him, and Panda Bear would stay next to him in a protective way. Then Clay stared moving, and that wasn't good for either dog. Munchkin would growl if he got too close and then run off. Panda Bear would just try to play with him, but was too rough with him.
Then came Christmas time last year. We got home from my cousin's house, and Clay tried to give Panda Bear a hug. I am not sure what happened since I didn't see the whole thing, but my Grandma did. She said that Clay hugged Panda too hard, and then Panda turned around and snapped at Clay. Although he didn't break skin, he did leave a mark on his face (it didn't scar though). And Robbie and I talked again about getting rid of the dogs. We had always said when we had kids that if either of them snapped or bit, then that would be the end of that. We would find them a new home that didn't have kids. Or had older ones that could better understand how to act around a dog. After talking about it, Robbie and I decided that when Clay wasn't taking a nap or sleeping, we would keep the dogs either outside, in our bedroom, or in their cage. And when he was napping or down for the night, we would let them roam around the house. We felt bad that they had already been through his Grandma's home, now ours, and we didn't want them to just be moved around all over the place.
Well now it is getting worst. Panda is snapping at me when he gets in trouble. We can't leave them out and about while Clay is up because neither of them know how to act with each other. We do love them, but they are just getting to be too much and our kids definitely come first. And with them snapping at everyone, we can't have that and bring a newborn in (again). So Robbie talked to 2 people that he works with today. Neither one of them have kids, and they are both interested in taking them, although we told them that we wouldn't split them up. Robbie has to take a picture to them tomorrow to show them, and I guess then they will decide. They both know the reasons why we are trying to get rid of them, so it is no surprise to either of them.
So after listing all of these reasons, why do I feel bad about it? Why do I feel like we owe it to them to keep them? Why do I feel like we are doing the wrong thing if we DO get rid of them? Will I really be that much happier without them? Will the grass really be greener on the other side?
Robbie and I said that IF we do find a new home for them, then we will most likely, eventually get a new dog. We will get one that starts from a puppy and train them the way that we want them trained. And we will wait until both Clay and Colt are older than 5 and can understand how to treat a dog. How to pet him without hurting him. How to leave him alone when he is sending out the warning signs that he doesn't want to play, etc.
So why do I feel so bad?
2 comments:
I gotta tell you, had they snapped at Isaac, I would have broken one of their necks. Period. Don't care. Sounds like you'd better find them a home before Colt comes along.
You can't forget that they're animals. They're not people.
Yeah I know what you mean. It took all that Robbie had NOT to take them out back and shoot them right then. Robbie doesn't like dogs, so it was a miracle that he took them on in the first place. But then everytime we talked about getting rid of them (and once even found a home for them), Robbie is the one that backed out.
I talked to Robbie last night though, and he said that this time he wasn't backing out. So we shall see what happens.
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