I climbed a mountain and I turned around. Surely, Stevie Nicks had in mind the circumstance of having to part with a recently adopted dog when she penned these lyrics.
Oh, Lucky, you never really had a fair chance. We're not dog people. I've never had a dog. Katie has not had a dog in decades. So to have our first dog be a one-year old former street fighter was a bit foolhardy in retrospect. We attempted due diligence but simply did not know what we did not know.
We are busy people and we have three kids who behave unpredictably toward the dog. Is it fair to the kids to bring home a long-wished-for pet only to tell them to stay away from him while he learns to be around humans? Is it fair to the dog to punish him for reacting in the only way he knows to what must seem like aggressive provocations from the kids?
He showed enough positive signs that we thought we could train him. He showed this same signs to trusted dog people we consulted. Another bite, however, and the line is drawn. We will part ways with Lucky.
I am disappointed by this. The kids are conflicted to pieces. They understand not liking dogs that bite, but they, like Katie and me, also love the dog. We unwittingly put him in a difficult situation. I believe Katie is also conflicted. Lucky seems to love her the most. But I can't have a dog that is committed to protecting my wife from my kids (i.e. keeping them away from their mother). Somewhere along the way we made some kind of newbie dog owner mistake and he thinks Katie is his and no one else can have her. While no doubt flattering for Katie, this is an untenable arrangement.
We are doing our best to find him a proper home but so far no takers. There is the shelter...Oh, Lucky, I am sincerely very sorry.
Oh, Lucky, you never really had a fair chance. We're not dog people. I've never had a dog. Katie has not had a dog in decades. So to have our first dog be a one-year old former street fighter was a bit foolhardy in retrospect. We attempted due diligence but simply did not know what we did not know.
We are busy people and we have three kids who behave unpredictably toward the dog. Is it fair to the kids to bring home a long-wished-for pet only to tell them to stay away from him while he learns to be around humans? Is it fair to the dog to punish him for reacting in the only way he knows to what must seem like aggressive provocations from the kids?
He showed enough positive signs that we thought we could train him. He showed this same signs to trusted dog people we consulted. Another bite, however, and the line is drawn. We will part ways with Lucky.
I am disappointed by this. The kids are conflicted to pieces. They understand not liking dogs that bite, but they, like Katie and me, also love the dog. We unwittingly put him in a difficult situation. I believe Katie is also conflicted. Lucky seems to love her the most. But I can't have a dog that is committed to protecting my wife from my kids (i.e. keeping them away from their mother). Somewhere along the way we made some kind of newbie dog owner mistake and he thinks Katie is his and no one else can have her. While no doubt flattering for Katie, this is an untenable arrangement.
We are doing our best to find him a proper home but so far no takers. There is the shelter...Oh, Lucky, I am sincerely very sorry.
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