Goodbye sweet snookiedog

This morning Domino hopped in the car with my mother in law and left to begin his new life with my father in law in Asheville. Domino was our "furry baby". We tried so hard to make things with him work, I wanted to believe that even though he didn't like kids that his love and protection of Madelyn would override his grouchiness to her. It didn't. As she has grown into a toddler, his unease around her has grown and after one snap too many it was time for him to move on.

Domino joined our family in February of 2005. I wanted an adult male rat terrier and I found him at a rescue 2 hours away from home. I paid $100 for him, got him home and started what turned into rehabbing a skittish, sick dog. We believe he had been abused by previous owners because he was very wary of us and was afraid of newspapers. He had also just been neutered, had kennel cough, and digestive issues. I nursed him back to health and he finally started cuddling with us on the couch where before he would sit with us for petting and then get as far away as he could. It only took a week or so for him to become part of our family. I loved him from the moment I saw him. He loved Chris from day one.

We treated Domino as our child. He had a sweater and a rain coat, he slept in our bed, sat on the furniture, I made him a separate dinner when his stomach was upset.

Domino was always good for a laugh.
We had some crating issues.
He laughed at me.
He looked like Yoda after having surgery for a torn dew claw.
He hated me.
I wrote him a letter.
I slept beside him, keeping him still so that his IV didn't come out as the bag of fluid hung from a nail over my bed.

I love that dog. I know that after Madelyn was born he kind of got pushed aside, I mean honestly, my daughter does take priority and I hate that we weren't able to make it work. I tried for a year and it has been increasingly obvious that he is not happy with the situation matter how much he loves us...including Madelyn. He is an old doggie and he needs a quieter house than I can provide with a one year oldno He was so protective of her, running to check on her whenever she cried and if I was playing with her and she made a sound he didn't like he would come to check her then too and sometimes even bark at me. I know that he loves us, I just hope that he knows how much we love him.

Comments

Goodnight moon said…
I'm sorry!!!! I know how hard it is to HAVE to let a dog go. And especially since you nursed him back to such great health. At least you'll be able to visit with him while your in Ashville:)
that makes me sad because thats like the exact same story about our dog roscoe. we kept him as long as i could handle his nervousness. atleast you were a nicer mommy and let him go with family. i'm loser and dropped him off at the spca in fredericksburg at midnight because i was too ashamed to face the workers during the day. ughh..i hate all that...its makin my stomach sick.
Bonnie said…
Dude! That is so freakin' sad! Gah! I thought it was sad that i had to leave my dog at my brother's for TBS. I'll get my dog back, but not you. At least he's with family and you can visit. You made the right decision though. It would be too much for you to handle the stress of a young child, moving, and your husband away. I support your decision 100%, and I know that my support means everything.

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