Another change has been especially difficult to talk about. And I've put off blogging about it for several weeks. Over the summer, I decided to allow my dog, Precious, to be adopted. It's something that I'd been thinking about for a while, but had been reluctant to actually follow through with because Precious is....well....precious!
The problem is that the Arctic is a seriously confining place during the winter months and Precious doesn't do confinement very well. She practically climbed the walls all last winter which led to some destructive behavior. Over the summer I decided that either I'd need to find a home where she'd be cared for and have the opportunity to get regular exercise or I'd have to buy a treadmill and hope she'd be willing to try it. I was leaning toward the treadmill when I heard there was a couple in Fairbanks interested in adopting her. They took her for a "test drive" while I was on vacation. When I got back to Alaska, I met them at their home and found that Precious was happy and healthy and having lots of fun...
...exactly the kind of place Precious needs to be.
So, it's done. Precious lives in Fairbanks now in a great home with two wonderful new parents who are ready, willing, and able to make sure she goes to bed tired every day. That's a good thing and on some level I am very happy about it. Of course, I am completely grateful to have found a loving family with whom Precious will enjoy her life rather than experience frustration eight months of the year. But the thought of life here without her quirky little personality and hilarious antics...just makes me sad.
I'll have to revisit this photo often to remind myself that it was the right thing to do.
7 comments:
Oh, how sad. I'm sorry to hear that. It would break my heart to part with my Sissi ("Tinky-Winky" on my blog.) If/when you consider getting another dog, I highly recommend a shiba inu. She's very cold-hardy thanks to her double coat, and small enough that it doesn't take three hours on a skidoo to give her a good run.
Again, sorry you had to part with your dog. That's so sad. :(
Thank you for the kind thoughts, Mongoose. It IS still a sad thing for me, but knowing that Precious is happier helps a lot. I still have my older dog, Rudy. He'll be twelve years old on the 28th of this month. He loves to get outside, but can't really handle much exercise (especially running) these days due to arthritis. He seems to deal with the confinement of winter much better.
I've seen photos of your dog and she's a beauty. She DOES look better prepared (with that thick coat) for the months of continuous cold. Thanks for mentioning her. And thanks for saying hello! It's been a while! :)
Well, that's a tough thing to have to do, but I concur that it's a good decision for everyone, including you. And it's good to have you blogging again.
Hi, Steve. Thanks for the encouraging words. I am optimistic that it was the right thing to do. And I'm sure that, over the course of the winter, the decision will be confirmed several times over.
I'm glad to know that you made it back from your trip safely. Can't wait to see photos. :)
I too think that must have been a very hard decision,but one made with the best interests of Precious in mind.
I suppose Rudy will be getting lots of extra hugs.
Hi, FC. Thanks for stopping by. The photos and videos of your pup, Bear, remind me a lot of Precious. Boundless energy and a comical character! Rudy is a good old man. He's getting white in the face, though. We've recently tried Rimadyl (sp?) tablets and he's perked up quite a bit.
I use Rimadyl on my oldest dogs too. Seems to work for their joint pain.
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