Peanut...

Now that I have managed to get over the guilt of finding Charlie a new home, I received a call from a family that wants Peanut. I left his listing out on Petfinder because I wasn't sure if finding a new home for Charlie would cure the constant marking issue or not. It was a wait and see type of scenario.

The first day, there was marking but after that it seemed like it stopped for a few weeks, UNTIL...I was laying on the floor doing sit ups in the living room. Yes, I really was. No, this wasn't a one time thing. I try to do my sit ups every night. Not that it really makes a difference. I guess I should try doing 1,000 instead of 100...LOL! Anyways, back to my story. I was laying on the floor doing sit ups (stop laughing!) and I smelled a very strong urine odor. The carpets had all been cleaned and the furniture had all been wiped off so I knew this was not old stuff from before. I followed the scent over to my love seat and it stunk to high heaven. Peanut was not marking on the walls anymore, but he was still marking my love seat. A LOT! I turned it over and it was so gross I almost gagged. Needless to say I decided that it was best to leave his listing up.

Weeks have gone by since then and I was actually wondering a few days ago if anyone would ever ask for him. Well, Tuesday I got an e-mail. We want Peanut, is he still available? I was really glad it was an e-mail and not a call because I had to decide all over again if I was still willing to give Peanut to another family. My daughter is still a little upset about Charlie. She mentions him from time to time and tears up if she looks at his pictures. I began wondering if this would be the right thing to do or not. Would she be okay losing both of the dogs? So I asked her. She said she would miss Peanut but she understood why he needed to go to another family and asked again if we could revisit the idea of a puppy when summer was over.

Again, part of me feels like a rat-fink for adopting these dogs only to find them new homes later. I understand that they become emotionally attached to their people and to be taken to a new home with new owners and never see their previous people again isn't fair to them. I also know that coming home to marking on the furniture (Oh and on my daughter's toys - guessing there is more than a little resentment there) is not going to work for me and my family. This is NOT a potty training issue. I know how to potty train a dog. This is an instinctual issue that can't be over come without being home 100% of the time and even then, he will wait until you are in the shower.

I have read books, I have consulted professionals and have searched for hours on the Internet for some magical solution but have yet to find something that doesn't require a diaper. I can't leave him in a urine soaked diaper for 11 hours each day while I am at work either. This is why Charlie went to a home with a SAHM and the new situation for Peanut will turn out to be very similar. An older lady that works part time and is home a lot. She has other dogs so Peanut will have some friends to play with, but he is to be HER dog and she has always wanted a smaller lap dog. You provide the lap, Peanut will be in it before you are done sitting down. It is a perfect situation for both of them.

As you can tell I have already decided we will be taking Peanut to his new home tonight. I am also taking my daughter with me so this time she can say goodbye. I fully expect tears and devastation on the way home. They won't all be from my daughter either. I really do love Peanut, but not enough to continue the madness.

I know I am going on and on here but I am attempting to get it all out of me so I won't keep rolling it around in my brain. Peanut deserves a better owner than I am capable of being for him. I don't know that his new person will do any better of a job than I am doing, but I am going to have to go with the assumption that she will. She will be home more, he won't be competing with any children for attention and he will have a person that WANTS him to sit in her lap constantly.

I have gotten a couple of updates on Charlie and his new people keep saying how wonderful he is and how well he is doing there. It helps me to believe that maybe these boys weren't meant to be with me forever, just for awhile. Peanut was very food agressive and didn't do well with anyone in his face when I got him. Now he just stops eating and stands still if you come by his bowl. You can even pet him while he is eating and the neighbor kid put their face right up to his and Peanut licked him instead of growling.

Now I am not trying to say that I am the Dog Whisperer or anything like that. I am just saying that by being with me, both of these dogs were able to overcome some of the poor treatment they had received in the past. I love them both and always will. Now it is time for Peanut to go to his new person and get all of the love he deserves.