Things are looking up!

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

So we took everyone's advice and have made little dog number two in the house.  We have stopped allowing him to run the house!  Coop is doing better now and things are starting to feel normal again.  However, we still have a concern with little dog.  This dog has SO much love to give.  He would like to sleep on my pillow every night and loves to come and sit on my lap and be so loving.  We have had to, of course, stop all that behavior.  He is sleeping in his kennel and is no longer allowed up on the bed at all.  So is that fair to little dog?  This dog is truly amazing.  He could be a therapy dog or a wonderful support dog to the person that needs him?   I can't say enough how truly awesome this little guy is.  He is wonderful!  Truly wonderful.

Little dog has now gained 2 whole pounds.  The stairs that used to be so hard for him are now nothing.  He flies up them!  His appetite is healthy and he is making strides every day; he still has 3 or 4 pounds to gain, but I know we are out of the woods now.  Thank goodness!

So now we are doing a lot of deep thinking about what is best for little dog.  Do we keep him and force him to be number two dog?  I am sure he would adapt and live out his years with us being Cooper's second.  Or do we allow him to be the support dog for somebody that really needs a loving soul?   Somebody that would make him number one (like he obviously was at his last house) and allow him to live up to his full loving potential?  (We feel pretty sure his previous owner was an elderly person that he comforted until his or her last day.)

Cooper and he still want nothing to do with each other, and that is kind of sad.  I think Coop is meant to be the only dog in the house.  I had thought he would enjoy having another dog, but I don't think that is meant to be. 

I really want to do what is best for both of these guys, so I have sent little dog's info in to the DRC to see if we can find him a home where he can be all he can be.  I know I will cry when he leaves, but I won't have the guilt of making him be a dog that isn't all he can be - or the guilt of making Cooper dog number two.  We are going to continue to foster and pay all his bills and things, so we won't be taxing the DRC, but I think a home where he is number one dog will make him the happiest. 

I am so happy we rescued little dog and are working to get him healthy.  He wouldn't be here if we didn't, and so I know we saved a sweet sweet soul.  The other thing about little dog that I haven't shared is that we got him because I was wanting to save a life like my life was saved one year ago.  I was on a ventilator one year ago starting on 4/4/11 for 8 days.  I was in for the fight of my life and I made it.  My odds weren't good and if not for the doctors fighting for me, I wouldn't be here (I had a very weird pneumonia - I am only 38 years old, healthy marathon running female - it shouldn't have happened to me, but it did.)   I feel that I owe the world something, and want to do something to help "pay it back."  After a lot of soul searching, we decided perhaps getting little dog to the home that fits him best is the best way to save a life.  In addition, this will allow me to foster other dogs in the future and get them off to their best possible life.  I know we are not the best possible life for little dog - he deserves to have everything and to sleep on somebody's bed at night, and some person out there deserves that too - and so we are going to let him go - but it will have to be to the most special home where he can be number one dog and can have a person that makes him the most he can be much like we do with Coop.  I think in this way, I will have done my small part this year to give back to the world.

I will keep you posted as the adventures of little dog (we call him Benny) continue.  If we don't find that perfect home, he will of course stay with us, but I have a weird feeling there is something more for little dog - somebody that he is meant to comfort and save.  We have our comforting, wonderful dog, it's time to share the doggy love!  :)

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

Oh, and the upcoming surgery I have found out I need to have is to repair a mass of scar tissue that developed in my trachea from being on the ventilator so long.  It's not frequently done, and is only done in a few hospitals around the country.  I am still having trouble breathing, and recently also suffered a pulmonary embolism (I know, it's a long weird weird story - just say I have the WORST luck.)  In searching for answers to all of my breathing problems, they found the scar tissue.   We have a lot coming at us in addition to DH's upcoming kidney transplant.  Getting Benny in to the right home before we deal with all this stuff would probably best for both Benny and us. Having this surgery sprung on me makes me hesitant to sign Benny up for training class as I don't know what is going to happen....

In addition, I work full time (mostly from my home office) and am going to school to get my MBA.  All of these things are contributing to why we think Benny may be best served by going to a home that could dedicate the time he needs.  Now you know the rest of the story.  

[Bonnie and Kona]

Hoping to hear that you have found a good, loving home for Benny and that your surgery and your DH's both go perfectly! You have your plate full. big hugs and doodle kisses

[F, Calla & Luca]

It sounds like you have thought this through. I hope Benny finds a wonderful home and that your surgery goes well. I also hope your health continues to improve with no more weird things : ).

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Christina, I think this sounds right for all of you. This is another good reminder to everyone to make sure your dogs are taken care of if something happens to you. If this sweet dog was with an elderly person who died, it is very sad how he ended up.  You did rescue him from a bad situation and now you are going to work to get him the happy ending he deserves. Good luck and please keep us posted. Good luck with all that you have coming up in your life.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Christina, you've paid it forward, for sure.

I had a similar dilemma last year when I ended up fostering a little Shih Tzu whose elderly owner had died. She was pure lapdog; all she wanted was to be held and cuddled as much as possible. That didn't work here. It was very hard to part with such a sweet, needy little dog, but we did find her the perfect home. She was adopted by a retired couple who have all the time in the world to cuddle and pamper her, and she is the center of their universe. I know she has the kind of home I could not have given her. Benny's perfect family is out there, too, and you will have deep satisfaction when they find him.

I hope everything goes well with your surgery and your DH's transplant, and that both of you have great outcomes!  

 

 

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

So you know exactly how I feel.  I love the little dog and want to cuddle with him, but that doesn't work around here.  My last foster went to a retired couple and he was their whole world.  That is exactly what I am looking for for this guy.  That is what he deserves!  He has been through so much!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

With so much going on in your life right now, I'm sure this is the right thing.  You've clearly given it a good try and thought things through.  I'm confident that DRC will find the perfect "forever home" for this guy.  Thanks for all you've done to give him the opportunity to live a great Doodle life.  Best of luck to you and your DH...hope all goes well and that you're both back to good health.

[Rose Ann and Amante]

Good Luck for everyone!!!! You are an angel. I know that the perfect family is out there.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

You certainly have saved a life, and are doing the best for little Benny

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

I think Benny was lucky to have found you even if it is to get him well and to find his new forever home.

He sounds like my kind of dog.  If I did not have small children I would have loved to have found a dog like him :)  But I figured my odds were better getting a very young puppy VS a grown dog.

I hope to be able to maybe adopt a dog like this once my kids are in high school or gone... I just hope we have the money then to do so because I know most come with extra medical problems.

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

This is such a touching and incredible story.  Even after Benny leaves, you will feel a bond with him because you saved him and especially it is in memory of the wonderful doctors that saved you!  Your story is just amazing.  You deserve the very best - all of you involved do.  Please keep us posted as to how everything is going with the dogs and with your health. 

[Adina P]

I'm sure you'll do whatever is best for everyone involved, human and canine.  But one thing to remember, ALL dogs need to be #2 in the pack heirarchy when in comparison to the humans.  Humans #1, dogs #2...but how those dogs related to each other you can't control.  You can't control the heirarchy below you and how it is divied up.  You CAN control bad behavior and that kind of thing, but there's not necessarily going to be a clear cut #3 and a clear cut #4 that is controllable by you.  As long as you and the humans in your house rule the house, that's really all that matters.  Whether one dog takes the lead (between the two) in one scenario and the other at another time, no big deal.  You decide the rules and what behavior is tolerated. 

And there's nothing wrong with being cuddly with the dog.  As long as you can spot that difference between affection and desire for control via affection, you're fine.  Wanting to cuddle doesn't make him more loving...just more cuddly.  Does that make sense?  You wouldn't say that Cooper has LESS love to give, maybe just less demonstrative affection. Some dogs are super touchy feely and some people are super touchy feely...doesn't mean the touchy people have more or less love to give ... they just express more affection.   At the same time if you are pretty sure this little dog WANTS to be cuddly to a degree you just can't give all the time, maybe he does need a home where his people can basically sit and cuddle.

Best wishes with the two surgeries!