Sunday, February 12, 2012

Bitter Sweet Goodbyes

Yesterday was a bittersweet day..
We all came to the sad decision to find Charlie a new home
The new house has old hardwood floors, with soft wood that got scratched up under his feet.
Even after clipping his nails, (which he hated) the problem didn't go away.
Our downstairs neighbors complained about the click clacking, and I know what it's like to be them.
So we were constantly telling him to sit down, or go to bed.. which just isn't fair to anyone.
I bought a bunch of rugs, but I can't afford to cover the entire house. 
He and Destinee's kitty don't get along well at all, so their scuffles were a big loud mess as well.
And, going back to my promise when we first got him in July, "If him and Samson don't end up getting along, we will find Charlie a better home. Samson was here first."
I thought about all the possibilities for Charlie.
I thought of how much happier he would be in a house where he could be the only dog, and that thought made me happy. He had the tendency to push Wicket out of the way when Wicket was being loved. He had the habit of pushing Wicket over while he was going potty, and marking right where Wicket was standing. He would have loved to be the only dog in someone's life.
Charlie is a very sweet and loving dog.. but with the complaints from downstairs, the scratches to the hardwood floors, and Charlie having to wait in his bed.. We decided to find him a better home.
I put an ad up, and some people came over to see him.
An older couple who just lost their dog.
They were looking for a Corgi, and someone to give lots and lots of love to.
Their kids had all moved out, so they needed someone.
The wife sat on the floor with him, and he jumped into her lap and stared into her eyes.
Charlie is very good at making people fall in love with him.
And he is very very good at falling in love with people. 

I told them all about Charlie. How he loves to play fetch, go on car rides, watch movies, and snuggle.
They decided he was the one. I teared up a bit, because I was sad we had to do this, but happy he found a family to love him all the time. In a house they owned with a big open space for play time, and no downstairs neighbors.
They opened up their car door, and Charlie jumped right in, without looking back at me.
He was never nervous about the whole thing, never anxious, or upset.
I really felt like I did the right thing.
Charlie needed a freer home, and he needed to be the center of someone's attention.
He needed to live a life where no one complained about him walking, or scratching the floors.
He needed them, like they needed him.
And I saw that the moment his new momma looked at him, then looked at her husband with that warm smile of love.

Yesterday when I first posted about this decision on Facebook, I had a lot of negative comments.
I want you all to know, that this decision was thought over, and I had Charlie's best interest in mind.
And the best interest for everyone, the neighbors, the kitty who hated him, and his potential new parents.
I know I could have clipped his nails to the quick, or put rubber covers over them. I could have had him be more of an outside dog, I could have spent hundreds of dollars on rugs, and hundreds of dollars to resurface the floors... Or I could have found him a home that needed him more than me and Wicket. I really do feel good about my decision.

25 comments:

  1. Awww, so sweet. He will be so happy, and bring such joy to his new family.

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  2. This is so sad, but so sweet. It's not anyones fault, and poor Charlie is probably better off with his new family. I don't understand why people have to be so negative. I really doubt giving him up was that easy for you!
    xo Heather
    http://ahopelessnotebook.blogspot.com/

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  3. This definitely brought tears to my eyes. For you and how I know how it feels to give up a dog and for Charlie's new home and the love the new family will give him. :) Bittersweet, definitely.

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  4. What a hard decision to make. Good for you to find a home that better suits him and you. I'm sure he will miss you guys and you will miss him. But knowing that you made the right choice, that you will forever be grateful for.

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  5. I'm so sorry! It's always hard to do what is best for someone you love. I'm sure Charlie will revel in all the attention he will get. I agree, you did the best you could for him, and that's all a puppy-momma can do. :)

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  6. Good for you! That would be a hard decision to make but it seems like the best for everyone like you said. :)

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  7. I think you made the right decision. And it looks like Charlie knew it was for the best, too. Don't listen to the negative comments: no one has the right to judge you. They aren't you and they aren't in your situation. You did the best thing for someone you loved. You should be very proud of yourself.

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  8. This post almost made me cry. I remember the day I had to find my two kitties a new home because of living situations. They were my babies, I bottle feed them when they were kittens but I had to make the best decision for everyone. I understand what you went through and you did the right thing.

    Enjoy your happy home, he will too!

    xoxokat

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  9. You did the right thing. And you're really strong for doing the right thing instead of the easier thing, which is what I think we're doing with out neglected doggie here.

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  10. He will be happy with his new family. No worries. It was the right thing to do.

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  11. I think you did the right thing. Charlie is a sweetie, but I'm sure he'll love being an only dog. I'll miss him though :( he was fun. I didn't have to live with his stinkiness though.

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    1. Stinky I can handle. I grew up with bulldogs.. Our main concern was his happiness. He was sent to his bed all the time so the neighbors wouldn't complain about his noise. And so he would scrape up the floors more.

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  12. I had to decide about Max last week.Max is an English Angora rabbit.He is stunning to look at, has the best personality and is easy to get along with.Submits to grooming without struggle comes when he is called and has the cutest little face on any rabbit I have ever seen.
    Max lived with a little guy called Ben.His first cage mate was Spike.Spike died after only 3 weeks with us and it was the most horrid thing to watch while my little tiny baby bunny died a horrible death.I was helpless to do anything.It turned out that Spike had loved Max so much he groomed his fur often and in doing so ate a lot of the fur causing a fur ball.I didnt know any of this it being my first time owning a bunny.My baby bunny died at 9 weeks old. So when Ben started showing the same symptoms I was distraught to say the least. The only way we were going to be able to save Ben was to separate the bunnies permanently and that wasnt fair in either of them being the social animals they are. So Max went to a breeder.Why Max and not Ben? I had taken the boys down to the breeder to show him what was happening and to ask him help.When he saw Max his whole face lit up like a light.He didnt even want to pat him because he didnt want to get attached in the short time he was looking at them.Ben is just a common little rabbit and while he is nothing special to the breeder he is special to me.When I took Max to him his whole face beamed and he gave me a new friend for Ben in exchange.A mini Rex who has lovely short hair and will not cause digestive problems for Ben.
    Max will now get a chance to be a daddy and he has a new family that love and care for him and he is happy. Ben is slowly getting better.Very slowly.
    I understand your reluctance and how it was a big choice and people have said "oh Max is JUST a rabbit" but when you love your fur babies as much as any person can they are special and so the choices we make are just as difficult at times as the ones we make with our own two legged offspring.
    Good luck to you for your courage to do the best for you friend and I am sure that the old couple he went home with will love him as much as you do.
    Love and Hugs to you
    Tanya

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    1. Aw I'm so sorry you had to do that.. It does sound like a hard decision.. Making hard decisions is bad enough, but then needing to explain them to people is the worst! You were in a tough place, and it sounds like you made the right decision. :)

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  13. oh wow, what a tough decision! i'm glad you found somebody who loves charlie and a place where he will feel good. he'll know you did it for him.

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  14. Aww my heart breaks for you having to make such a tough decision, but I agree with you that you made the right one, and it was very good of you to put Charlies needs first, doing what was best for him, and also for your kitty. He sounded like a total sweetheart and I hope he is very happy in his new home, it sounds like he will bring a lot of joy to his new parents, and that he'll relish being the only dog. <3

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  15. You made the best decision for Charlie. Do not listen to others negative feedback. I know it had to have been hard on you to let him go. But you gave him to a couple who will treasure him. :)

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  16. It sounds like you made a very tough decision, that was the right thing. Charlie knew too. Dogs can sense more than people ever give them credit for.

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  17. you made the right decision, dont listen to the negative comments! Besides, you did say that Charlie falls in love with people easily, and the older couple needed someone - there you go, another perfect match :) They will be fine, you will be fine, all will be happy... No worries!

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  18. Aww that brought a little tear to my eye!

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  19. I got a little teary eyed reading this. I will miss seeing pics of Charlie but it definitely sounds like you made the right decision and that Charlie is with the perfect new family. I've only been reading you a few months but anyone who knows you or reads your blog should know how much you care for your animals (or animals in general) so they should know you'd do what was best for Charlie and that it wasn't a decision you came quickly to or that it wasn't hard for you to make. You don't need the added stress of having to defend yourself in such a time.

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  20. You did the right thing. Obviously he fell in love with the family who has him now. And you have plenty of pictures and memories!

    - s

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  21. Aww I'm so sorry you had to make such a hard decision. I think you did the right thing. My husband and I had a black lab named Logan and we had to make the decision to find him a new home. I hated to do it and I also got a lot of negative feedback about it, but in the end I know I made the right choice. I just thought I would let you know that I know exactly how you feel <3 I think Charlie was meant to be with that family. They needed his love. =)

    Julie
    http://julies-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

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  22. Such a difficult decision...how loving of you to make it with Charlie's very best interests ahead of your own...How much joy one dog is bringing to more people! I just discovered your blog today...have already been moved to tears with the way you voice your love of your dogs...

    Thank You,
    rubygeranium

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  23. Negative comments! How rude. It's not up to them and having two dogs is 3 times the work and trouble. I know cuz I have two. Ignore them you gotta do whats best for you and Charlie.

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