Well, this is the blog entry that I didn't want to post. Hubby and I decided that it was time for Barney to go back to his real mom and dad. Nothing happened that caused us to come to this decision but we've always had some issues with Barney relating to sharing and taking things away from him. Actually he was always a tough guy and was attached to me. I'm not sure he ever really warmed up to Kelcey and she is such a sweet pup. We took him to many trainers and even to one of the country's top vet centers for an evaluation, yes we were that nuts! I didn't want to give up on Barney but with Cupcake's arrival coming we were on pins and needles. At first he seemed fine when she arrived, he just ignored her. The problem was that I wasn't giving him enough attention so he started acting out and behaving poorly. Not to mention he had doggy lupus and we couldn't go through any more medical problems with him. So, after a few months we realized that Cupcake was going to start crawling and exploring her home and Barney was only getting worse. Instead of waiting for something to happen (biting the baby) we decided to be proactive and send him back to the farm he came from.
It was such a hard decision to make and we cried all week long. Once I called the breeder she decided to come that weekend and bring Barneu home. He was going back to the farm in Maryland to live with his real mom, dad, sister and aunt. I was heartbroken and realized that Barney needed the proper send off. So that weekend we took him on extra long walks and treated him to all his favorite foods. I even spent some time taking him to Starbucks for his final drive thru tradition; sticking his head in the window so he could get a scone and some whipped cream. I think he actually knew something was going on because I spent the week crying and he spent the week being extra cuddly with me. He even slept in our bed the final night (this was something he gave up long ago).
So, on Sunday November 8th Barney's breeder came to pick him up! It was such a sad morning but we knew we made the right decision. His sister was along for the ride (his dog sister) and seemed to lighten the mood a bit. After some extra long pats, hugs and kisses we said farewell to Barney and watched him drive away!
I know that I'm being a bit dramatic but he was my first child. He was only with us a little short of 4 years but he was my boy, attached to me every day, greeted me with more enthusiasm than my husband, lol!
I spoke to the breeder that week and found out that he now takes long walks through their orchard, plays with his family and seems to fit right at home. Hubby and I said we should just think of him being away at college. I still cry some days when I don't see him around our home and miss seeing his shaggy face in the window when I come home at night. But at the end of the day its about his quality of life and our daughter's safety. We didn't want to wait until something horrible happened and he would be kicked out or put to sleep (he had aggression issues, poor guy).
I stay in touch with the breeder from time to time and found out that he had a great 4th birthday and still enjoys his new home. It makes us feel better that we did the right thing, he is happy and Cupcake is safe.
It seems that Kelcey is fine without Barney. She did spend a few days looking around the house and crying at night but by the middle of the week she was fine. She actually came out of her shell a bit and is a different puppy. She probably sits in the corner at night rubbing her paws together saying "I knew I would get rid of him and become top dog!"
I miss you little pup, be good and play hard!
Yes, I do realize that I'm a bit crazed but that's what makes me me!
Oh and on a side note, he had a really bad haircut so most of his shaggy hair is gone. It will grow back but I felt horrible about that. His real mom was probably so mad at me! Sorry Nelly!
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