Sunday, March 30, 2008

LIKE A RUBBER BALL I COME BOUNCING BACK

Hope’s year-old puppy Vince found a new home for a week but, like a boomerang, he has returned to us from what seemed to be the perfect home -- a family with two kids, two other dogs and a big inviting yard. He loved his six-year-old human girl but then, he prefers girls. He got along okay with their dogs but he decided Mom's well-tended garden was pretty tantalizing. Maybe there were bugs or worms or gophers but, no matter, he dug. He also chewed up her hose but you can’t blame a dog for chewing up shoes when you give them old shoes to chew on. Hose-shaped toys just invite trouble to a young dog.

Unconditional love is all we ask for. The “full body wag” when you come home just can’t be replicated by the most enthusiastic spouse. In exchange, a dog just asks for the same…and time…maybe a yard to play in. It's so ironic that a co-worker just started a blog and she is one of those perfect dog owners that writes beautifully about the joy her dogs bring her.... *sigh*. We missed Vince when he was gone and we worried his new humans wouldn’t love him the same. Might raise a hand to him. Or make him sleep outside. We warned Hope ... tried to convince her that a dog required more time than she had to give but she was convinced she was up for the walking, the playing, making a dog the same priority as a child but a full and heavy load of college classes have proven to require more attention than Vince can give up. She’s been a good mommy and Vince is very well behaved. He was ringing a bell to go outside after the first week with her. Of course, he rings that bell right about the time she's buried in homework and he sneaks the cats’ food even if it’s up on a desk. He’s bored and is ready for training that she doesn’t have time to give him. It was a painful decision for her to find him a new home but he was a pound-puppy with an uncertain future a year ago. She saved him and fostered him through the difficult puppy stage. He’s ready.

Vince is home and content, maybe a little confused. And Hope is once-again looking for a good home for him. A dog person who loves the idea of a walk. The kind of “two legged people who love four-legged people”. Someone who is SURE they want a dog and are willing to give him the time he’ll need to adjust. Do you know anyone like that?

1 comment:

Dogmom said...

Of course, I think YOU should keep him!
:)