Monday, April 12, 2010

I have two dogs; a ten year old cocker spaniel and a 5 year old toy poodle-shitzu.  I've had both since they were puppies and have always thought that they would die with me.  I took on the dogs thinking that it is a lifetime (theirs) commitment.  Well now I find myself in a predicament.  Gracie, the cocker is older and set in her ways and is not so pleasant with Jacob.  She hasn't bit him or even snapped but there has been a growl.  She is outside most of the time and when out there she is fine with him.  It's when we are in the house, she figures that this is her territory and she's stubborn about it.  If she's laying at my feet she will not move and instead Jacob will walk all the way around her.  She has a bed and could go and lie in it and he would be no where near her but she refuses.  A friend did offer to take her because her husband really likes cocker spaniels and likes Gracie.  I had never thought of seperating my two dogs until this offer came about.  See the little one, Gertie, quite likes Jacob, she tries to give him kisses and Jacob will pet her nicely and she puts up with him learning to pet "nicely".  She has never offered to growl or snap or anything.  So my own guilt of "giving up" on Gracie is really what is holding me back from giving her to my friends.  There are so many positives of giving her to them though, for all parties involved.  She can stay in their garage if they don't want her to be a house dog, here she is kenneled in my tiny kitchen, they have a bigger backyard that is fully fenced and she wouldn't see anyone to bark at, like she does here; the husband would pay so much more attention to her than I would, am.  So I think very shortly I will be getting over my guilt and she will be finding a new, happier home!

1 comment:

Jen said...

When I was reading this it reminded me of my parents. Shortly before I was born they had to give away their dog because he was really nippy and growly at times and they worried about how he'd be with a baby. I know it would be a really hard to give her away, but she will, like you said, be in a home with a bigger backyard and more time to spend with her. :)