I did not sleep last night. I cannot find a new home for Rosie, no one is willing to take the liability of a biting dog. New York state does not look kindly on owners who have knowledge of their dog's bite history if the dog bites another person. So....at 3:20 today, please be praying for me as I ease Rosie into The Happy Hunting Ground. I will be holding her paw, patting her head, reassuring her that all is okay, while feeling like the biggest betrayer in all this world.
I have to do this. I have to. There is no way under it, no way around it. The kids HAVE to come first, they have to feel comfortable and be safe in their own home. But, and I don't use this term lightly because I don't use it all but, It SUCKS.
20 comments:
So sorry you have to go through this!!! Prayers, and hugs!!!
This is absolutely terrible. The dog is probably biting because all of these children don't know how to properly behave around or treat a dog.
Also, it would have been best to do your research before choosing a dog that is right for your large family. If you would have done that, you would have been able to have a dog that wouldn't need to be put asleep.
It has been a week since the dog has bitten. It takes a little longer than that to find a loving home for an animal sometimes and that is your responsibility as a dog owner. The dog should not be put to sleep and it is a tragedy that it is ending this way.
My thoughts are with you today.
Oh Della,
I am so very sorry. I am heartbroken for you. I will be praying for you and your entire family.
Love,
Mary
I'm so sorry for your loss
:'( oh I am so sorry. what a touching poem you wrote for her.
I am crying as I write this--and praying for your peace as well. I love my dogs so much, but, like you, and all moms, love my kids so much more. No choice here, and it does suck. Rosie will know only your love! Lori
I'm so sorry Rosie has to be put down. What a hard time :( I will pray for your family.
Thank you for the kind thoughts and prayers. Anonymous: you are absolutely 100% correct. It IS a tragedy. When I read about Old English Sheepdogs, I read they were good with children. Rosie has been challenging for me from Day One, such a strong personality. I have had dogs before, and never encountered such stubborness! But I do not believe in giving up a dog just because they take too much time or energy. You can blame my children for the biting if you choose, because you don't know them, they are gentle kids, they never treated Rosie unkindly. I think Rosie may just have been jealous that she had to share me with the youngest child. I talked to numerous people at four different shelters, and a few dog rescues, and all said that once a dog has bitten, no one will adopt. Perhaps I should have tried to look for longer, I don't know. Right now I am just exhausted and feel really really sad. I don't appreciate the tone of your comment, however, insinuating that because we have so many kids they don't know how to behave properly. My children are amazing, if you don't mind my saying so. They are loving and forgiving and kind. (and smart and successful and and and...!) Also, might I point out that one does not put a dog "asleep", one puts a dog "to" sleep?
It does suck. We thought long and hard and prayed and finally came to peace surrendering our Golden Retriever to a Golden Retriever Rescue. We don't take having a dog lightly either and I felt the full weight of responsibility and regret. Anyway, after a week we got a call that she was aggressive towards other dogs and they couldn't place her. :'(
There had been an incident with the neighbor's dog- He bit her and she was different after that and due to our situation she wasn't around other dogs a lot so she went from curious and eager and needing some work on manners to confrontational and aggressive towards him.
(she was the perfect dog with the kids, irritatingly excited with company, a pain in the rear a lot of the time...but we loved her....)
It still hurts almost a year later, but it doesn't hurt as bad. I still feel that regret that I couldn't be more/do more and give her what she needed to stay with us. I don't know if I'll ever get over that part of it....but I know that we made the right decision for our family and and the kids come first. No matter what.
I don't know why I'm sharing all this, I'm not trying to make it about me. I guess this is my fumbling way of trying to tell you that I understand and I'm sorry you have to go through this. ((hugs))
So sorry for you, I know how much you have loved her. I know that if there was any other way you would have chosen that.
Please be at peace with your decision, yes, the children really must come first.
My heart cries with you friend.
Rosie had grown up around "all those children" so she felt perfectly fine around them, anonymous. I hope you have read Della's blog for a very long time, because otherwise, you just appear uneducated about the whole thing. She has always been a hard dog to own, but Della has done NOTHING but love her and try to train her. Her children had to come first, and your tone conveys that you value an animal over a human, and that's wrong!! There is no way that she should have had to do anything beyond a week....that's long enough to be afraid it would happen again. Please take your condescending tone and rude comments elsewhere. Della does not need them. She did her best, and those who know her attest to that.
This is Holly, by the way. I never sign out of my daughters account, lol!
Della,
Four summers ago, my dog lost his mind. He bite a friend who he saw daily. I walked the road you traveled. You did right by your family and your dog today. Your heart must be so heavy, butI know you did the right thing for all parties. I have been praying for you and the family. May Rosie rest in peace, and your new normal come quickly.
You handled the situation admirably. And with thoughtfulness. (And your decision was correct)
And about the comment from "anonymous"..... I suppose you just have to consider the source. If that person really had a backbone, I suppose they would have OWNED the comment.
People find it so easy to judge from afar.
SMT
Funny how Anonymous chooses to be anonymous and rude and judgemental. Some people just have all the answers. He/she would eat his/her words if he/she knew all involved, and all you've gone through. It is sadder than sad for me, and I haven't been her constant companion!! I've been praying, too, of course.
Just sending you the biggest hug, and hoping you wake up feeling less heavy hearted. You gave Rosie an amazing life. Better that she had many great years, than to have been bought buy someone who would have tried to beat the stubbornness out of here, or what not. You gave her the best life. I am so sorry you have to say good bye, but that is not your fault.
Hugs, Della...So sorry. There will be some who judge, because they know everything and are perfect. I heard the same about a dog we had that kept biting (even after obedience school), it was blamed on us having 6 children. Well guess what? Some dogs bite, no matter what. It is not your fault. I don't know what else you could have done, no one was willing to take her.
(((Hugs)))) I am so sorry. Having gone through this in the last few years, I understand, and my dog was old and could hardly walk.
Huge hugs Della , ever since I was little I wanted an old English sheepdog. I was so excited when you got her , I loved coming to your blog and seeing pictures of her and reading about her, I was so heartbroken when I read your post the other day, I was praying you would find her a new home.
Of course I would have done the same thing, a biting dog and kids just don't mix.
Our damnation is getting old now and while he has never growled or snapped at the kids I can see in his face he has a much lower tolerance level for the attention they give him so I do find myself watching them when they are around him.
It's funny just how much a part of your life your pets
become isn't it.
Cassandra xx
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