On surrendering a dog to the shelter

GOOD DOG, WRONG TIME

Lucy, the dog who needs my time now.

The staff at the shelter doesn't care about my excuse. They've heard them all, I'm sure.  Even though, my reason was true they didn't care why I'd surrender a dog that I adopted less than 24 hours before.  They seemed to be barely controlling their contempt for me as I tried to explain that the dog I called Spirit (not her shelter name)was back, because I hadn't paid attention to the dog I already had at home.  They didn't want to hear my well-intentioned thoughts on what sort of home would be good for her.  They thought my home would have been great.  At another time, that would have been true.

But I have another dog to consider.  One who has always been fine with other dogs around. Something was off with her and I hope her vet will be able to give me some ideas soon.  Just a few weeks ago we had a kept a dog for a friend and she enjoyed it.  She'd been more engaged in life and more active in general.  As she is now deaf and blind, at nearly 14, I was watching her with the guest
to judge if she'd like a companion and decided that it would be good for her.  She had a clean bill of health, otherwise, within 8 weeks, so I was ready to take the step up to two dogs again.

Spirit wasn't quite what I was looking for but her face had been staring at me from the shelter's website every time I looked for the right dog.  I had, in fact, tried to adopt several other dogs from several area rescues and had not been the first in line. Maybe that was a sign I ignored, too.  Spirit had been in that shelter about ten months.  It was not that she was running out of time as that shelter makes a strong commitment and doesn't use tear-jerk tactics.  It's not that they weren't upfront with me about her issues, at least the ones they knew about.  She had come in as a stray and was heart worm positive.  She'd been treated and had been very friendly until she had a seizure.  She hadn't had another since being on meds but her personality, they told me, had changed.

Since the seizure, Spirit was skittish, pacing, a little frantic and difficult to catch but I spent some time with her.  As a Tellington TTouch Training Method practitioner, I didn't see anything I couldn't work with.  I'd even had significant success with a dog who had suffered severe brain trauma.  She followed me around the room. Even though I hadn't touched her until I picked her up to put in the car she was sweet and seemed quite resilient on the ride home.  No need for all the details here.  With time, she will be a good dog for someone.

When you already have an older dog, time may not be on your side.  So, I learned it was the wrong time for me to bring another dog into the mix. I fear that Lucy, the resident dog, will need more of my time sooner than I expected.  I was determined to be very particular about a new dog.  This experience has told me that now is simply not the right time to add any dog. The dog I lost in August 2017 had been a project dog, but more about her achievements in another post.  Although fine with most dogs and fine with Lucy most of the time, Stella could be a bitch to Lucy and I didn't want Lucy to have to spend any more of her life being a snarking target.  Spirit hadn't snarked.  But Lucy snarked at her.  Maybe she needs some pain management?

On the long drive back to the shelter, I told Spirit that it was not her fault, that it was my fault for not thinking it through better, for not paying better attention. I told her she was a very good dog and that I could tell she was trying her very hardest but that I needed to focus on Lucy.  I apologized.  I gently stroked her long soft ears and promised her that the right home would come for her.

Something was off and I missed it.  Had I really heard the shelter manager when she told me about the personality changes, maybe I would not have brought her home.  But I had also missed the signals Lucy had been giving me.  Just the day before, she had been reluctant for her walk. She was a little wobbly on her feet and very slow when we did walk.  She wasn't quite as adventurous in the yard and had missed a bunny trail at least once.  She was prone to simply stopping, not to sniff but to just stand there. She was licking the floor, something she'd rarely done since Stella passed.  She'd not barked to remind me it was supper time. Maybe she'd had a seizure or a stroke?  Then she'd snarked at Spirit. So it's Lucy's time for attention.  It will be the right time, sometime, for another good dog.