A Very Personal Post And Plea
Thursday, January 4, 2007 by PoSmedley | Discussion: Community
In case you haven't heard, I have a daughter on the way. Joy!
Now the bad news. I have a dog. His name is Bonzai. he is part Golden Retriever and part Chow. The dog has to go. You see, he's big. A whopping 85 pounds, and he is 'fearful'. Don't confuse this with aggressive. He is just very fearful. I raised him from 6 seeks and don't know why he has turned out this way.
He has never bitten or attacked anyone, but you can imagine a persons reaction when a strange dog of his size growls at them when they approach to pet him. he also gets very nervous when my wife and I play (Horseplay) with our stepson. He'll bark and growl like he doesn't know which one of us to protect from being hurt. He likes to jump up and put his paws on you to make you stop. You can imagine my wifes fear of him doing it to a toddler if the child squeals to loud. Get the picture?
We tried dog training. This is one thing we can't break him of. I won't tie him up outside. I have never believed in that and have never had an outside dog, which is all the rage down here in Podunk, USA. So, for 8 months we have tried to find him a home. We have yet to find anyone with the patience to let him adjust and get over his fearfulness, which he will surely have with a new owner. We are down to crunch time. I have 18 days to find him a home, basically.
We have tried all the PET INC., and other animal rescues. Most have closed up in the past few years here. We tried the paper, friends, even a group site on Yahoo. I wasn't overly concerned, because...I hate to say, I thought if I had to, I could take him to the SPCA or Humane Society as a last resort. I have gotten 3 dogs there myself over the course of my life. That is until my wife found out this week that they put down dogs that are 'surrendered' by owners. I guess they figure if the original owner doesn't want it, no one will. They put them down the day you drop them off.
I live in Columbia, SC. My friends, fellow skinners, and any one who reads this, if you know of someone near me (I will drive..to Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee...almost anywhere I have to) that would like to take my dog, email me please.
Now the bad news. I have a dog. His name is Bonzai. he is part Golden Retriever and part Chow. The dog has to go. You see, he's big. A whopping 85 pounds, and he is 'fearful'. Don't confuse this with aggressive. He is just very fearful. I raised him from 6 seeks and don't know why he has turned out this way.
He has never bitten or attacked anyone, but you can imagine a persons reaction when a strange dog of his size growls at them when they approach to pet him. he also gets very nervous when my wife and I play (Horseplay) with our stepson. He'll bark and growl like he doesn't know which one of us to protect from being hurt. He likes to jump up and put his paws on you to make you stop. You can imagine my wifes fear of him doing it to a toddler if the child squeals to loud. Get the picture?
We tried dog training. This is one thing we can't break him of. I won't tie him up outside. I have never believed in that and have never had an outside dog, which is all the rage down here in Podunk, USA. So, for 8 months we have tried to find him a home. We have yet to find anyone with the patience to let him adjust and get over his fearfulness, which he will surely have with a new owner. We are down to crunch time. I have 18 days to find him a home, basically.
We have tried all the PET INC., and other animal rescues. Most have closed up in the past few years here. We tried the paper, friends, even a group site on Yahoo. I wasn't overly concerned, because...I hate to say, I thought if I had to, I could take him to the SPCA or Humane Society as a last resort. I have gotten 3 dogs there myself over the course of my life. That is until my wife found out this week that they put down dogs that are 'surrendered' by owners. I guess they figure if the original owner doesn't want it, no one will. They put them down the day you drop them off.
I live in Columbia, SC. My friends, fellow skinners, and any one who reads this, if you know of someone near me (I will drive..to Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee...almost anywhere I have to) that would like to take my dog, email me please.
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seldomseen
Reply #63 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:59 PM
Reply #63 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:59 PM
Hang in there, Bonzai. We're pullin' for ya! You're a good boy!
PoSmedley
Reply #67 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:50 PM
He's laying about two feet from my PC desk. (He lays there when I am on the PC. He's great for keeping your feet warm, and if you're into it, he has a real foot fetish. He'll lick 'em for hours. It freaks out my wife. lol) He's hopeful, too.
Reply #67 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:50 PM
He's laying about two feet from my PC desk. (He lays there when I am on the PC. He's great for keeping your feet warm, and if you're into it, he has a real foot fetish. He'll lick 'em for hours. It freaks out my wife. lol) He's hopeful, too.
ZubaZ
Reply #68 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:35 PM
Reply #68 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:35 PM
Have you tried any of the links here: WWW Link
I'll contact Twyla's friends here in Texas to see if they have room if you want.
You are about 1000 miles away. If needed, maybe we could pony-express Bonzai? (Good thing Mrs. Zubaz doesn't read this and know that I am suggesting a road trip for a skinner and a dog)
I'll contact Twyla's friends here in Texas to see if they have room if you want.
You are about 1000 miles away. If needed, maybe we could pony-express Bonzai? (Good thing Mrs. Zubaz doesn't read this and know that I am suggesting a road trip for a skinner and a dog)
exclusively di
Reply #69 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:54 PM
Reply #69 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:54 PM
Wow, my heart is aching for you and Bonzai. I lost my doggy (a rotwieler cockerspaniel mix, we called a rotten spaniel) over 3 years ago and I'm still not over it. We 'grew' him from a tiny baby of 3 weeks old, he was 12 1/2 when he died. He never knew anybody but us. He really thought he was one of the kids.
When I went to visit our children, they all live elsewhere now, he wouldn't eat, would hardly drink, only went outside to do his necessaries, and wouldn't even hardly interact with my hubby at all. He was usually 'daddy's' doggy too. But, I'm a stay-at-home mom. He just wasn't used to being home all by himself.
I thoroughly agree with you about chaining or penning dogs outside, especially with no interaction with their family. To me, that's about as cruel as it gets.
I hope someone can take him, he looks like a lovely fellow. I have 2 of my grandbabies 4 days a week and live just off a highway. This highway scared me terribly when we moved here with Cocopuffs, but we were able to teach him to respect it. He was the smartest dog I've ever seen though. We were even able to teach him to count. He never went up the road side of the ditches.
Keep hoping, there is a home out there somewhere, I'll keep my ears open too.
Congratulations on the sweet little girl!
Diana
When I went to visit our children, they all live elsewhere now, he wouldn't eat, would hardly drink, only went outside to do his necessaries, and wouldn't even hardly interact with my hubby at all. He was usually 'daddy's' doggy too. But, I'm a stay-at-home mom. He just wasn't used to being home all by himself.
I thoroughly agree with you about chaining or penning dogs outside, especially with no interaction with their family. To me, that's about as cruel as it gets.
I hope someone can take him, he looks like a lovely fellow. I have 2 of my grandbabies 4 days a week and live just off a highway. This highway scared me terribly when we moved here with Cocopuffs, but we were able to teach him to respect it. He was the smartest dog I've ever seen though. We were even able to teach him to count. He never went up the road side of the ditches.
Keep hoping, there is a home out there somewhere, I'll keep my ears open too.
Congratulations on the sweet little girl!
Diana
PoSmedley
Reply #74 Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:17 AM
Reply #74 Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:17 AM
Good Morning. I'm off to work and the first of two baby showers. The office is throwing one (wife and I work together) at noon. I will try to check back in. Thanks again to all of you for keeping this going! 
teddybearcholla
Reply #75 Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:48 AM
Hey Cindi!!! LYC!!!
Do enjoy those baby showers, Po!!!
Reply #75 Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:48 AM
Hey Cindi!!! LYC!!!
Do enjoy those baby showers, Po!!!
seldomseen
Reply #76 Thursday, January 11, 2007 11:09 AM
Reply #76 Thursday, January 11, 2007 11:09 AM
Hugs and roughhouse to Bonzai.
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Po'
Answers many times appear in the unlikeliest of places...
Still trying to figure out a way we might take him.
Tiny house, in town, Eastern Idaho, big yard, two Labs, male four-yr-old and insanely playful, 85 lbs, has to be with me at all times, but can't of course. Female pound-pup, also "fearful", got her two yrs. ago., maybe eight-yr-old, fights any other dog, big or small, except our male.
Mazda MPV van, dog-bars in back, barely holds two labs.
We all, me, dogs, kids, dogpile for naps and roughhouse, don't know if Bonzai could be o.k. w/that.
Still crunching away at it...
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Po'
Answers many times appear in the unlikeliest of places...
Still trying to figure out a way we might take him.
Tiny house, in town, Eastern Idaho, big yard, two Labs, male four-yr-old and insanely playful, 85 lbs, has to be with me at all times, but can't of course. Female pound-pup, also "fearful", got her two yrs. ago., maybe eight-yr-old, fights any other dog, big or small, except our male.
Mazda MPV van, dog-bars in back, barely holds two labs.
We all, me, dogs, kids, dogpile for naps and roughhouse, don't know if Bonzai could be o.k. w/that.
Still crunching away at it...
_02
Reply #77 Thursday, January 11, 2007 12:39 PM
Reply #77 Thursday, January 11, 2007 12:39 PM
Those babies are turnin so fast I can smell the smoke!
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Reply #61 Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:14 PM