Ugghhh. I can't get this girl out of my mind. She is "Go the Extramile"....a beautiful little girl at the kennel (Southeastern Greyhounds). She is petite...balanced....friendly.....she is underweight and has horrible skin, as many of the dogs do that come in off the track...
I foster sometimes. And I was asked to foster again, as new hounds are on their way. Knowing the dogs at the kennel, b/c I also do "kennel duty", I asked if I could foster this one....but didn't ask my DH....they said yes....he said No. We got in a little tiff....
I have to admit, that when a new dog comes to our house, it causes an upheaval...Victor obsesses about the dog (but doesn't do squat with helping)....Ava has bad behavior....and Martin gets mad because I sleep downstairs with the new dog until I can teach her how to climb stairs...our dogs are well mannered, for the most part, and of course there is a learning curve for a dog coming from a kennel into a home for the first time. To be fair, I also have to admit that pee pee accidents are not on my list of favorites, and having to leash walk the dog outside to pee at 6AM can be challenging. But sigh........can I tell you good it feels to ACCOMPLISH something? To have a direct correlation between effort expended and results? These dogs give it to me all the time.
A foster looks to me for direction, and when I give it, they respond. They are so grateful for anything I do.....I get to watch them blossom in a very short period of time...and yep, that does feel good.
This little girl has a Daddy that was born in Ireland. She started racing in Tampa, then was shipped to Kansas, and then back to Florida and then to our kennel. That's a lot. I don't know if you can see the white tip of her tail, but in person, it goes back and forth as she has a nice easy steady wag....sweet brown eyes.
But yet, I do live with three other people...and two other dogs. I just wish sometimes that I could say yes freely and also be a hero at home.
9 comments:
I bet Jesus felt the same way.
Do well for those already given to you, Goddaughter. Then pray on your knees for those you can't.
There may be someone out there that needs to feel the same rewards you have, to fill their heart, to dispel their lonliness. If he/she is out there, don't take away their chance.
Lastly, we just can't be "all," no matter how badly we want to. Others get shortchanged along the way. (Experience speaking here) I love you!!!
She's cute. Its hard when one strikes your fancy and compells you. You are not alone. Hopefully she will be adopted to a great home quickly and someone else will foster in the meanwhile.
Jen
Wow, Godmotha'...them was some profound words! Seriously, the thought that someone else may need her right now comforted me. PS. I am tired of doing well for those varmits that were given to me! LOL.
Maria, I can almost feel how much you want to help this sweet little gal. When I think of all you and your family did for Bruno, I realize what a huge commitment fostering is, so I definitely understand where Martin is coming from, too.
When Bruno came to us he was perfectly home acclimated; he climbed our slick wooden stairs with no railing confidently, he knew better than to crash into the sliding glass door, and he has never had an accident indoors.
I know these things were no coincidence. They were a gift from the Peters to Bruno, and to us. You certainly do (and have done) more than your part.
I'm definitely babbling, but I guess I'm saying thank you for your big heart, and letting you know that you've made a difference. I can't wait to meet you at Greyfest.
I once had a foster for a grand total of four days. He kept climbing out of the x-pen, he harassed my other dog, Oreo (this was before I fostered Sam), and just drove me nuts. After I *again* came home and found him standing, loose, in the middle of my living room, I said he had to go back to the kennel. I couldn't keep him. I took him back to Lake City.
He got adopted that night...and if he'd still been at my house, he wouldn't have been at the kennel to be chosen.
Sometimes there's a reason things work out a particular way.
At the end of the day, when one sits and makes eye contact with you, asking for nothing, you won't be tired anymore. You will be loved. You'll reach out and have the strength it takes just to give a pet near those precious eyes. It will be enough.
She is a cutie, love the floppy ears!
Fostering is hard. Deciding to keep Peanut was hard because I knew we would't be able to foster back to back like we've been doing.
i'm the exact same way. i've gotten away many times with asking for forgiveness and not permission, but i think you can only do that so many times successfully with a husband. but it's just the two of us at home - adding a two kids in the mix makes it hard. oh and you can't forget putin ;).
Maria- I'm with you on this one. ExtraMile would have my heart in a minute. I wish I had gotten the chance to foster her, too.
Post a Comment