10.26.03
Hard Decisions
It’s amazing how quickly things in our lives can change. No one ever seems to realize it until it happens to them.
For those of you out there who are true animal lovers, I’m sure you will understand the dilemma I’m about to discuss here.
Yesterday, our dog, Aggie, and our cat, Macy, had their final fight. Macy ended up on the losing end, and we had to have him put to sleep. It was very brutal and a horrifying thing to have to be a part of. It took both myself and Skip to pry their jaws off of each other, and the aftermath certainly wasn’t a picnic. One of my beloved family members is gone forever, and the other one… I don’t know what to do about her. This wasn’t the first time she had attacked one of our other animals. She and the cat were always at odds, but she’d only ever really gotten hold of him one time before and the injury was minor. She also jumped on our other dog once. The problem with this is, when Aggie latches on, she DOES NOT let go. Her jaws have to be literally pried apart. No amount of external force on her body will make her let go. Without going into details, suffice it to say we’ve tried everything to make her let go, and it doesn’t work.
That is in her breed. It’s her instinct. Her temperament with us is wonderful. She is the sweetest, most loving, and most special dog I’ve ever seen, and she is truly a member of our family. However, the last time she jumped on Emily (our other dog), I said that if she did again, she would have to go. Now, I’m feeling not so sure about that decision. It’s not her fault. It’s part of who she is; it’s her instinct. No one but Skip and I know this dog so well. She knows the cat is gone now, and she knows that she did it. She has been depressed ever since yesterday, and she knows something major is going on. I lost one pet yesterday; I don’t want to lose another one. But I don’t know what - if anything - can be done to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future.
What if she goes to live with someone who won’t feed her chips and let her sleep in the bed. Someone who won’t giggle at her burps and farts and let her nibble on their nose and ears. She will never understand why she won’t be with us anymore, especially with my husband.
I know I’m rambling… I feel so horrible. I just don’t know what to do. The rational part of me says she has to go - that the risk isn’t worth it. The emotional side of me says that she is like my child and how horrible of me to give her up for something which really wasn’t her fault.
Any wisdom or opinions or insight or anything would be so helpful.
I’m literally distraught.