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[Harley Parley]

Hi folks,

Just got back from a very rough weekend. Hopefully my story helps you out somewhat or maybe is a warning to others. I'd appreciate any feedback you have or any insights you may have.

Today marks the one month date since I lost my beloved Harley Parley. I have never had a dog affect me so much in so many ways, especially since his very untimely death. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him and remember all the fun times we had while he was still here.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago, my fiancee was looking online at the SPCA website and looking for another small dog. She happened to come upon another small dog at a shelter 800 kms (5oo miles) away. We talked it over and decided that because we are such good dog owners that we could take in another dog that deserved to have a good home. We went into this with the best intentions and wanted nothing but the best for any dog we take in. Well the shelter called us back and said they would love to have us take the dog home, but we would have to pick it up. We decided to drive down Friday, get the dog, drive back part ways home and then come the rest of the way on Sunday. The drive itself wouldn't be a problem usually, but it involves going through a major city (Vancouver, BC) and a ferry crossing (1 hour 45 minutes one way).

Well, we get to the shelter and meet the pooch after taking him for a walk. We noticed that he was itching a lot and seemed agitated. No problem though as we knew he had hypoallergenic issues with food and chalked it up to that. We signed the papers and got ready to go. I went to put a harness on him that we use for our dogs in the vehicle, and he snapped at me and actually bit me. I thought because he was annoyed at being sick that he was just scared. Anyway, he takes to the fiancee quite well, so she takes him and we get him in the car and get ready to go. As we sit there I notice that he has some scratches and raw skin from where he was scratching himself. We go back into the shelter and they send us to the vet at their expense. The vet sees it and says no problem. We just need this medication and he has to wear a buster collar to keep from scratching his ears. We head down the road over the ferry and 200 kms towards home. All is fine and everything goes good until 11PM that night when the buster collar comes loose. The fiancee asks me to help her put it back on. As I go to do it, he tries to bite me. I move my hands away and say "NO", then try again. He tries again and I decide he's in a red line aggressive situation. I back away and give him his space and as I do he runs at me, jumps up and clamps down on my inner thigh leaving me with a welt and a little broken skin. That was it. I managed to get a hold of the shelter manager who tells me that I need to bring him back. Not a problem, but it involved a 4Am wakeup time, a 10 hour backtrack, and a total 18 hour day of driving.

Anyway, the end of the day yesterday was tough when I got home. I was reminded again that my beloved Harley Parley was gone, I felt like a failure because I had to return a dog, and very spent. Compounding the problem was seeing all the many sites my dog and I experienced together. It made me cry and it made me very sad for the dog we returned. He was very sweet, but we were not a fit. I knew right from the start that he would not be like Harley and never had the illusion that he would. It was just very sad to experience the bite and return him.

I guess if I had any advice for any of you it would be this. First, if you have to travel a great distance to a shelter, insist they send you the dogs bio before you go. Ours said he had a dominant aggressive side to him. Had I known that, I wouldn't have even taken the next step. Secondly, if the dog has health issues, tell the shelter you will pay for any costs and then pick up the dog when he is ready to be picked up. Finally, ask yourself if you are ready for another dog. After this past weekend, I have to honestly say that I am not ready and I had a long discussion with my fiancee on the way home that I do not want another dog for at least a year.

I think the worst part for me is that this whole incident broke my heart again and I really didn't need that right now.

Take Care
Ben

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[Ken Albin]

I'm sorry things didn't work out for you. There are no easy answers to how long to wait. I think that people know in their hearts when it is time and the fact that you did shows that you are probably ready. Don't let the fact that this was not a good match dissuade you. Keep in mind that you are not replacing a beloved one. Keep looking and something will click between you and a furkid one day. There are a lot of special animals out there who you can bond with.

Take care,
Ken Albin