Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Pup
lighter:
That sounds like a wonderful outing with pup and writer pals, Hops.
Nice to break get out in the sunshine and enjoy fellowship, IME.
It's 82 here and breezy!
::swooning::. How lucky am I? Couldn't ask for nicer weather 🌞
Lighter
Hopalong:
Glad for your good weather, Lighter. Amber, I hope the same is true on the mtn.
I bet it's getting crisp in the mornings there about now. Or maybe I'm jumping the gun.
So, Pup had another adventure. Took him to the Board meeting I go to every month for the elder nonprofit. Took him a while to settle down but he eventually just passed out on the rug. (We meet in an old-fashioned "parlor" room at my church, since we don't have to rent that space. It's got four couches in a square, cushions, great light, portraits, books, etc. They put in a mini split this spring, very helpful.) Clearly he needs more outings and I do too.
woofs,
Hops
lighter:
It's getting cooler and outing less taxing, I hope.
I know we're outside more and sweating/suffering less.
Lighter
Hopalong:
Zo.
I HAVE NOT YET MADE THIS DECISION. Just sitting with it, which hurts but also relieves. Facts:
--I adore Pup; he's just as ridiculously adorable as ever. In his 8th month now.
--He is willful, stubborn, still not housetrained. A complete charmer when he does get the outings he deserves.
--His lack of successful training and exercise is 100% on me, not him. He's just who he is. Every second he's awake requires constant hypervigilance. I can't relax all day. Either I have to pen him up and listen to him bark or scold him or worry about the chewing noises in another room (legs of two antiques I can't afford to refinish, so far). So we're basically coping together all day except for a few micronaps.
ALL of this is on me. Were I a more responsible and motivated person, he'd have two hours a day of hard flat-out excercise, including dog park trips. But I'm not. I'm also facing that since I'll be 75 in spring, adopting a puppy was truly STOOPID. It was 2 days after Pooch, my soul companion and family died, when I yielded to an irrational intense impulse...and here we are.
So, lots skipped except for him both crapping and pissing on the couch the other day for the third time (I also can't afford another reupholster job)...I'm facing the question.
While he's still adorably young, is is FAIR for me to keep him? Or should I be the adult who needs to release him to a young family with at least one dog and maybe a kid or two to run around with him? I think that's the perfect environment for him and will give him a happier life. IF they're kind people who take training puppies in stride. (I had to drop out of the class because everyone else was in about their 30s and I just couldn't keep up with the fast pace. I was the only old person there. Changing directions came fast and furious while I was still trying to get a treat out of my pocket and into the correct hand. It was a firehose. I felt, no denial, too old to be doing this. The instructor is kindly going to give me one private session so my money wasn't wasted, she'll come here, and I think it'll help me make the decision.)
Folks I talk to usually begin explaining immediately how dogs work (I know already) and the problem is NOT Pup, it's me. My back is very painful now at the slightest amount of bending --don't even cook any more-- and there's not much hope on the horizon that if I keep wrangling him for another year....it'll be better.
So, thoughts very welcome, perhaps not direct advice. It's just letting go...again.
THANKS for listening, friends. Dunno yet what I'll choose but it's just sitting with it...I needed to talk about the choice I face.
many hugs and thanks,
Hops
lighter:
Oh, Hops.....I don't like to see you turn on yourself. It's obvious you care very much for pup. You know how train and care for him, but it's just not working out, for reasons you'd alter if you could.
No one's fault. You did your best to give little man a loving home. There's no shame in accepting your back isn't up to this overwhelming task.
Your kind heart doesn't have to feel anything but gratitude for the future forever family lucky enough to fall in love with your little chap....and.... it's ok.
Consider gifting that private puppy training lesson to the adoptees, maybe?
Your back has had all it can reasonably take, ((Hops ))
There's a situation out there for this cute pup.
It's your fault for trying to get the a bond and care?. How is that a bad thing? Not bad or good.
It will be your doing when the new family is found. Let it be joyful, Hops. Be kind to yourself
Lighter
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