The animal rescue centre that we got Holly from was unconventional to say the least. We’d been turned down by the Dogs Trust because there wasn’t someone home all day, and so had to go underground to a back-street charity.
It wasn’t so much a dog kennels as a scraggy looking house with a number of old cars, crates, and boxes liberally littered around the garden. As we approached we were greeted by a cacophony of barking and a man in his mid fifties. We had a brief chat and it turned out that he used all the cars and other junk as makeshift kennels. God knows how he cleaned them all out, but there didn’t seem to be much of a smell so he must have managed it somehow.
We told him we were looking for a smallish young dog. He introduced us to a friendly six month old puppy. We fell in love and we took her home.
That was six years ago.
A couple of days ago my Dad rung up and offered to give Holly a new home, and we accepted.
Since Dad’s dog Lucky died last year there has been a canine shaped hole left in his life. He used to joke that when he and my mother divorced they had a custody battle over Lucky, he lost so had to keep him. In truth however my Dad enjoyed having a dog and was very upset when Lucky died.
Recently Dad has been looking after Holly when we’ve been away; and from what he says he’s really enjoyed the experience. He even kept her an extra week on our return from centerparcs in order to take her with him on a canal boating holiday.
Which is not to say we are doing him a favor by giving him Holly. The reason he offered to take her is because he knows that we wanted to give her to him. Since having our kids we’ve struggled to be good owners for her, and often we’ve failed. She’s left on her own too much, she’s not walked as often as she should be, and when affection is being handed out she is always at the end of the queue. And a dog can often be a tie.
No, it’s my Dad that’s doing us the favor; and I feel incredibly guilty. A dog is supposed to be for life and we’ve failed twice now. And I miss her already. I miss being greeted enthusiastically when I drag myself in from work at 11:30pm, I miss having her ram her head into the crook of my neck and demand to be stroked, and I miss having her as an impromptu vacuum cleaner to clear up after feeding Amy and Evan.
She will be much better off with my Dad. She’ll get two walks a day, lots of attention, and as he takes her to work with him she will have company virtually all the time. And we’ll be better off without her too. We won’t have to come home from work and have to clean up after a stressed and lonely dog who’s been trapped in the house all day, we won’t have to worry about picking up dog crap before we let our kids out in the front garden, and the life insurance premiums of the neighborhood cats and squirrels will probably go down.
I still get an empty feeling when I walk in the door and she’s not there to greet me though.
Aw, sometimes even when we do stuff for all the right reasons they can feel tough.
Sounds like Holly’s going to a great home though. :-)
Perhaps I shouldn’t have read this at work. Thank goodness there is no-one in my office at the mo.
It’s been a year since Bryn went and I think about him a lot - at least we will still see Holly.
She’s a lovely dog and deserves better than what we could give her right now. Thank you Alan x
Ah man, you tapped my inner-sap. I am a dog guy, and I often feel bad for our dogs. They used to be our “kids” before we had kids, and had every ounce of attention we could give.
Now the attention is measured in minutes, not hours. They are good sports and they have the boys to play with, but sometimes they just look at me, and there is sadness in their eyes.
I still get an empty feeling when I walk in the door and she’s not there to greet me though.
I can see why. She’s a sweetie.
thankfully she’s gone to someone who you can visit anytime. the kids can go see grandpa AND holly now. you’ve done good, dan!
this is an awesome portrait, btw! i’d frame it in an 8×10!
What a beautiful looking dog and so well loved by so many. I agree with bon bon, now there is a double treat when you all visit your father. enjoyed your post.
jafabrit a sucker for doggies.
Remember the amount of times I used to fall asleep sat in the armchair after a nightshift only to wake up hours later to find Holly snuggled into my neck fast asleep as well.
Such a unique dog with such bizarre habits, least your socks won’t be covered in dog dribble anymore Dan!
Great photo and I know how much you guys will miss her but you’ll always get to see her when you visit your dad.