At the risk of ticking off some folks, I’m weighing back into the Christmas puppy debate. Granted, there are many people who can responsibly get a Christmas puppy because, like many Dogsters, they know what they’re getting into and they have planned accordingly. To you folks, I say bravo and this next piece is NOT about you. It’s about those people who go about it all wrong.

I pulled this off a blog called I-luv-Eeyore’s Blog. When I read it I was furious. Now, if you’ve been reading this blog you know I don’t get furious very often. In fact, I tend to be pretty accepting of a lot of different viewpoints. This time it’s different because its not a viewpoint that’s different. This time a dog will probably die because a human made what appear to be a number of bad decisions.

I applaud the writer for being so honest but I want to point out that even in their honesty, they are in denial. They jumped up and got a puppy last Christmas because their older dog was lonely. Good for thinking of their dog, bad for rushing into adopting a puppy. Why? Because as you read through the piece you’ll see that they didn’t have a clue as to what they were doing. They didn’t realize how big the puppy might get. They didn’t understand how to socialize and train their obviously very smart and assertive young dog. They didn’t look for professional help when it became apparent that Frodo was probably a smarter dog than the family understood or could manage. And then they are either totally ignorant or lying to themselves that by dropping him off at the pound he will have a better life! And perhaps this is what boils my blood the most!

The writer is sitting there steeped in self-pity for missing the dog who is probably not far from death row at this moment. And she put him there! Here’s some words that Frodo can’t say to you because he’s in a steel jail waiting for his dose of death. Don’t give me this malarky about how bad I feel! Grow up and admit to yourself and the world that YOU put Frodo on death row. No one else. You abandoned Frodo! You signed his death warrant! Now you want to throw the guilt and shame onto someone else’s shoulders! You took a dog who you knew had already shown aggression to the pound. Well, guess what? The likelihood of Frodo getting a new home is just about zero. So don’t lie to me or yourself.

Do us all, dogs and humans who love dogs, a favor — Stop adopting dogs that you will break their hearts when they outgrow you and you drop them off to be killed. Just stop until you can grow into being a true dog guardian! If you learn how to love a dog responsibly, then you have earned the right to have a dog love you. For now, how about a nice stuffed dog that won’t cause problems and won’t feel it when you dump it in the garbage?

How could you have acted responsibly? YOU could have found Frodo a new home. YOU could have interviewed applicants. You could have made sure he had a new, better home.

As it is, you’re sitting there crying for a dog who is probably already dead or will be soon because you are too weak to do the right things for a being for which you took responsibility a year ago. Now its just too hard or too inconvenient or too whatever. But don’t ask for sympathy from me or any other dog lover who realizes the wrong you’ve done Frodo. All my sympathy and tears are for Frodo. May in his next life may he find someone who deserves his love.

Dogs and heartache

October 2005 our dog; Pappy, died in his sleep. Pappy was older than Tigger. Tigger took the loss pretty hard and started campaigning for a new dog/puppy almost right away. We didn’t like be an only dog household either, so we adopted a puppy from the local pound and gave him to Tigger for Christmas last year. I got the best hug ever that morning and Tigger was so happy he was in tears.

Fast forward a month or so: The sweet little puppy that was smaller than Baron (mini dachsund) is now a touch bigger, he is stubborn and rambunctious.

Fast forward to the ‘small puppy’ being four months old. He is all legs, weighs over 30 pounds; is very stout; and still stubborn.

More time goes by: the adopted dog has now outgrown (or broke) three collars and two chains. He has ripped/eaten a hole in the carpet about six inches in diameter and ripped the back door to shreds.

Frodo is now about a year old and it is Halloween. He’s broken his chain and attacked the Boston Terrier across the street (we paid the vet bill) and he weighs more than 80 pound Tigger.

Now it’s Thanksgiving, he is a very big dog. We are visiting for the Holiday with CR’s folks; his sister and her daughter….Frodo decides he doesn’t like what Ms. L did and proceeded to attempt to bite her. He leaves red streaks in her hairline where his teeth scraped her head.

We have no choice, the dog must go. So, we try to give him away. When he isn’t being stupid he is a very smart very sweet dog….he learns fast and does so many tricks….but he’s too big for Tigger to play with and now we don’t know if he will just snap and attack a child. He has to go.

CR took him to the pound this morning. Frodo’s last car ride. My heart is breaking. I keep hearing him whine to be let in the house…but he isn’t there. He isn’t anywhere anymore.

We didn’t tell Tigger what we did. Only that Frodo went to find a better home; a home w/o kids so there is no need to worry about him biting anyone ever again.

I’m still crying.