Weekend ups and downs

So this weekend was a mixed bag.  I did get out to the barn on Sunday and had a fantastic lesson, which I will post about later in the week.

The big news is we had to take Roxy back to the shelter.  She just wasn't the dog for us.  And while I hated to take her back, I like to think of it like we were fostering her for a time, and now they are armed with more information on her that will help facilitate getting her placed in the right home.

So what happened?  Ultimately, Roxy is an outside dog.  Keeping her cooped up in the house did not make her happy.  And putting her in a crate was sheer torture for her and anyone anywhere close to her.

This is how she spent the whole time after getting out of the crate, because she didn't sleep.

Friday afternoon, after going by the PetSmart and spending another $200 on things like thunder shirts and calming treats and calming sprays, etc., we were chilling on the floor and she was licking herself.  And licking.  And licking.  And licking.

Thunder shirt looks cute, but puppy no like.

The boy came home.  He has what I affectionately call "the wonder nose".  He says he smells pee.  He gets on his hands and knees and points out every spot that she had been laying licking.  And on her bed.  As we watch her, she actually starts dribbling.  Darned dog is incontinent, which for the wonder nose, is a serious problem for his house dog.  So she goes outside, the carpet cleaner comes out, the doggy bed goes in the laundry.  When done, she comes in the house directly to the crate.  And the howling begins.

Bought on Friday.  Maybe the next dog will be named Roxy too?

I am a sobbing mess, because I was always taught that you don't give up on a pet.  You take the responsibility.  But I am not equipped for this.  And I don't want the boy to get upset because I can't handle his dog.  But no, he's all about taking her back.  So we go to bed with plans to get up early and take her back so I can get down to the barn for the weekend I had planned.


We get up in the morning, take her out, load up in the truck and head to the center which opens at 8.  And is closed for intakes for another couple of hours, so back to the house we go.  We put her in the back yard while I call the center.  And call the center.  And call the center.  I left messages for everyone I could think of.  And got no response.

A boy and his dog.

In the meantime, Roxy is in the backyard in heaven.  This is how we discovered she will be a great outside dog for someone.  We opened the garage door so she could go in if she wants, but she stayed in the yard.  Some neighbor dogs came to the fence and she greeted them enthusiastically, but not mean, and did not threaten to jump out of the yard.  Then she lay back down.  No barking, no whining, no begging.

Outside bliss

So finally someone got back to me around 3pm, late enough that I would not be able to make it to the barn and had to cancel.  We loaded her up and took her back, and she was back on the website by the time we got home.  She is such a sweet dog and I just know she will find a good home soon.

Where we going?

The boy and I have no given up on getting a dog, but we have some scheduling things to see to.  And he now gets that I have to have a dog I feel comfortable taking with me.  I cannot stay at the house on the weekends to take care of his dog while he works.  It will just have to come with me!

We finished up the day by shopping for new work clothes and shoes for the boy who started yet another new job today.  This is one he has been talking to the company about for 7 months, so hopefully it's the last move he makes for a while.  We need some stability here.

Sunday I was up early, although I overslept due to a micommunication between myself and my alarm clock, and headed down to the barn.  We had a great lesson, and I headed home through Daytona Bike Week traffic (ugh).  After I got home, it rained, so we cooked porkloin in the house and watching Sons of Anarchy and the Walking Dead.  This morning, the boy was up and out about the time I was getting up.

This weekend was a bummer.  But it was also a learning experience.  I will not allow myself to get caught up in decisions that I know are not the ones I would make if I were alone.  It's not fair to any of us.  In the meantime, if anyone in the Jacksonville area needs a good outside dog, check Roxy out at JHS.  She's a real sweety and deserves a good home.