What Would It Be Like If We Got Rehomed?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I was thinking the other day about the many dogs that need new homes and wondering what it would be like if Fudge and Vern or someone I loved rehomed me.  I am so set in my ways and I prefer my own home to all others.  Sure, we take vacations from time to time, but usually I long for home after just a few days.  I love being surrounded by my things, eating off of my favorite Polish Pottery dishes, and ending every night in my own bed with my favorite pillow.  Even though I write a lot about my family, I am very lucky that I love every one of them and wouldn’t trade any of them even for a million bucks, as long as you catch me on the right day.  I get to go on walks with the guy I love best and I feel safer when he is around.  Sure, we have moved over the years, but at every move, all my pictures go back up on the walls, my throws are put over the sofas, and I am able to turn our new place into our new home.  What would happen if one day everything changed?

 

What would my dogs and family say about me when looking for my new home?   What if they just thought it was too much trouble to try to even think up some good stuff to say and dropped me off somewhere where I had never been before and made me feel really scared being there.  Besides even if they did try to find me a new home, who would want me? Even I don’t think I look that good on paper.  Let’s review the ad they could write if they were being totally honest:

 

Mature Woman Needs Good Home!

Mature, menopausal, woman needs good home.  Suffers from hot flashes, mood swings, and can bite (your head off).  Needs to lose some weight and will pull when she sees clearance signs.  Non-shedding, brown to gray hair (depending on beautician’s availability).  Needs lots of grooming or starts to look unkempt.   Resource guards food and treats.  Talks loudly and often.  Doesn’t listen well and thinks she is the boss. Does not obey any commands from master.   Potty trained except when sneezes and then all bets are off.  Small rehoming fee, however this can be negotiated if we find a permanent home for her and by permanent we mean.... once you take her, you can’t bring her back. 

 

I am pretty sure there would be no takers for this ad, but with the right play on words, I bet they would be lining up at the door.

 

Looking for Great Home for a Wonderful, Older Person!!

 

Are you looking for a woman who is old enough to know what she wants?  Well, look no further.  Fun loving, slightly older woman needs good home.  She loves cooler temperatures, keeping you on your toes, and has great teeth.  Not overly active and very thrifty.  Beautiful silvery brown hair and likes to have hair brushed.  Doesn’t expect you to share food.  Great conversationalist and never lacks for something to say.  Knows her own mind.  Very hygienic and hardly ever gets colds.  We love her so much, only people willing to give her a forever home need apply. 

 

See the difference, just a few revisions can make!  Actually, I am poking a little fun at a very serious issue and don’t expect to be rehomed anytime soon, mainly because my husband knows I don’t get mad, I get even is resigned to his fate gloriously happy.  Just the other day I asked him if he ever wished he married someone different and he said, “I already have somebody who is different,” and I thought to myself, “what an ass,” “how very sweet!” 

 

The advantage humans have over dogs is they can understand when things change, relationships don’t work out, or people grow apart.  They might not like their new circumstances, but at least, they have a clue.  Can you imagine if you didn’t, what it would be like to wake up in a different home, surrounded by people you don’t know, with different smells and new things all around you?  What if you now had to live with someone new and were expected to get along with him or her even if you didn’t like them so much at first?  What would it be like to disappoint the people who are trying to help you because you are sad and afraid and homesick?  What if you lashed out in fear or retreated to a safe space and felt the tension all around you, which only added to your fears?  What if you didn’t believe it would ever get better? I am a grown woman, not a helpless dog, and I have the ability to articulate my feelings, but you can bet after one day of "articulating" over and over again my feelings about my new digs, the people at my new home would be saying, "gosh, this really wasn't that great of an idea!"  Wouldn't it be wonderful if people thought about all this BEFORE bringing a dog home and before they ever gave up on one?

 

The ironic thing is dogs don’t rehome their people and many of us have given our dogs plenty of reason to hope for a better owner.  Nope, dogs are loyal and forgiving and love unconditionally.  We could all learn a thing or two from our dogs and it all really does come back to luck of the draw for most dogs.  It is too bad we can’t all take a lesson from our dogs.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Nice one Laurie, poignant yet funny at the same time.  When I get to read your posts it's only after lots of comments have been added so I read through those too which adds to the experience.  It is so interesting to get everyone's views and opinions.  A little like toppers on the food bowl lol  

Ps I always say I am not employable nor would I be rehomable so it would be straight to the shelter for me I'm afraid.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

F, Ok, you are safe....yes, I am a chicken when it comes to snakes, but SOUR? No way!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Amy, Leslie, & Ricki!!  Amy, I still love your blog best about opening a present :)

Donna, We have seen little of you around here in the past few weeks and then you pop back on here to name me LEEK!! How dare you...LOL!! I just hope the name doesn't stick :)

F, Don't remember..I don't get mad, I get even...LOL!!

Adrianne, Thank you very much!! Not only for reading all my blogs, but mostly for the incredible job you do in rescuing dogs. You really have made a difference in so many dog's live and I take my hat off to you and every other person who rescues and fosters dogs. Steal Share away!!

Joanne, I was just checking to make sure you read my comments. Lemon or Leek...tough choice...LOL!!! When have I ever been sour? I am always sweet :)

F, I ain't no chicken....LOL!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Pat, Awww...your story about the old dog is another great reminder how hard it has to be on these dogs to lose their home. Thank you!  I am sure you took great care of her.

Nancie, Thank you!! I love those signs...I have so many of them all around my house. What a beautiful sign your DD gave you for Christmas. How touching and special!!

Cheryl, Thank you so much!! I LOVE that quote, too!! I belong to the "Eat Too Much" Food group...LOL!!

Sherri, I love your ad, but I bet Sophie and Winston are pretty happy with the mom they have :) Thank you for the rehome offer and the nice comment.

Julie, I am so glad your sister rescued that dog. It sounds like your family is full of caring and loving people who treasure their pets. Thank you!!

Jennifer, I know the feeling with the dogs in the neighborhood. I always imagine if one of those dogs was Fudge and Vern and how sad it would be. Our dogs got lucky and so did we.  You are a loving person and don't you forget it!!

[Pat and Traveler]

Funny, and touching and thought-provoking--we babysat a very old dog today, and it was such a horrible experience for her!  She is mostly deaf, has trouble walking, and was unbearably sad about being in this strange place without her mom.  She trembled if anyone tried to touch her.  It took a while for her to realize that her mom was really there, then she did a little hop action.  It was a real-life, vivid example of what an old dog experiences when she is rehomed, even if it's only for one day.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

What a great blog Laurie.  I think this should be posted in every Humane Society, Animal Shelter and Pound in the nation!  

My daughter gave me one of those "box signs" for Christmas and I cherish it.  She was pregnant with her first baby and this gift means more to me than words can say.  "The Next Best Thing To Having You For A Mom Is Knowing My Children Will Have You For A Grandma".  Those signs have a way of saying it all.  I love the one you have!

Google Primitives by Kathy Phillips, Lancaster, Pennsylvania and then look at all the links.  Each one has different box signs.  She made my sign.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Laurie, you are a really gifted writer!  I look forward to your blogs because they are sooo funny but this one brought tears to my eyes.  "Dogs don't rehome their people..."  It made me think of another long forgotten quote: "My dog thinks I am the person I would like to be." Thank you for sharing your gift so often. (and I have no idea what food group you belong to??????)

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Laurie, this blog was amazing. Funny, sad, thought provoking all at once. If you ever get rehomed then I have two extra bedrooms here and you can have your pick. :) I wonder what the doodles would say in my ad if they were rehoming me ... "we love her but she is always trying to brush us and won't let us bark. She needs a good home with quiet doodles who can tolerate frequent brushing and who can provide her with more time for the snuggles she deserves. Winston and I are just too busy wrestling and looking out the window to give her the attention she needs. We will give you her supply of ice cream in the freezer and her laptop so she can check DK. She will be a great pet for a couple of doodles with the patience and love she needs. A back yard is essential but she'll need to be supervised as she has taken to growing vegetables and reading books while sitting in the sun and sometimes it just gets to be a bit too much. We are trading her in for a younger more fit mom who can take us on longer runs without getting so tuckered out."

[Julie, Izzie & Max]

I love your blog.  You have a gift for writing.  It is funny and heartbreaking.  I just returned from visiting my sister in North Carolina. They had just rescued a dog from the pound that puts them down after only three days.  The dog was so sweet, loving and calm.  She had recently had puppies.  The former owner had kept the puppies and dropped her off at the pound when she could have been taken to several no kill shelters in the area.  She is use to coming in the house, riding in the car and seemed to have been well cared for.  I don't understand how anyone could have done that to this sweet doggie. What is wrong with people. My niece volunteers at the vet's office and wants to be a veterinarian.  She heard about her and they decided to go get her.  This dog got lucky and found a great home but there were many more there.  My niece is trying to find a home for another dog she saw at the pound that she wants to rescue to.  I would love to take this dog but we have six pets - three dogs and three cats.  Four of them rescues.

I can not imagine how frightened I would be if I were dropped off at a strange place with people I did not know and I did not speak their language to understand what was going on.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I cried when I read this.. First, I know I would never be rehomed, heck if a dog with skin allergies can't get rehomed, I  can't imagine oh, wait, yes I can imagine what would happen to me being the health challenges I had.

I have been thinking about this and thinking about this, of course brought on by the rehome discussions. I was so heartsick.... Part of me wanted to walk away from DK for a while.. I won't and didn't, but I don't even watch the local news.. I don't do well with innocent living beings being  mistreated.

I am even having a hard time walking through my own neighborhood because of the way some people treat their animals.

One thought I had the other night..as much as I hate that dogs don't live as long as humans, my prayer is that I outlive Jack.. this way I know for certain he will always have a good home.... I think if dogs lived as long as humans it would be impossible for them... they would end up rehomed..... Their short lives are so precious....For us, we make every single day count.

I wish I could do something. I wish I was brave to rescue some dogs. I wish I could provide stability and a forever home to every dog that needs it... instead I find myself blocking it from my mind.. walking down my own street listening to an Ipod so I don't hear the dogs barking their heads off because they are tied to a rope outside or locked in a crate in a garage.

Such a helpless feeling....