Would You Give Your Dog Away In A Special Circumstance?

[DharmasMom]

Maybe with Pippa. She is such a scared little thing and she doesn't approach people much less bond with them.(It took forever for her to bond with me). If she somehow managed to find her soulmate and I KNEW it would be a good home and they were a perfect match, I would have a VERY hard time doing it but I would probably let her go.

Dharma, no way. She IS my heart dog and they would have to kill me.

[MissLilyBean]

I already let Sweet Pea go to my ex-husband after our divorce with the "promise" he'd take good care of her like he always had before. Instead, he called me up one day saying he couldn't handle it and that I had 24 hours to come get her or she was going in the pound! She came back to me with matted fur and heartworms. I still beat myself up over this and there's just no way I'd ever do it again unless I absolutely had to. In other words, we'd have to come upon some kind of severe illness or financial hardship.


And even then, I'd want to have constant contact and/or regular visitation to check on her. Yeah... it's a lot to expect, but I'd move mountains to do it.

[harmony]

Originally Posted by rangersdad

Not a "snowballs chance etc.". My family is currently looking at terrible financial problems (wife's been laid off for a year now) and our biggest concern is finding a place to rent where we can have Ranger if we loose our home! I've been approached twice in the last two weeks by people looking to re-home shepherds who are in the same circumstances.

I feel for you, and never let anyone talk you out of what you never want to lose. Were there is a will, there is a way

[Zeeva]

Smokey I wouldn't. My husband asked me the other day when Zeeva goes to heaven what's the one thing she'd ask for and my immediate answer was 'me'. I know how much she loves me but I know she is capable of so much more and if someone can bring the better out of her I'm willing to let her go...but I'd have it in writing that Smokey and I can visit her any time of day and if at any point she is neglected I take her back.

I've realized that I'm a one dog girl. I want full attention love play time everything to be about me. Two dogs in my home bond better with each other than me. It's likely my inexperience to train.

[PupperLove]

It all depends on the bond I have with the dog. I am not one of those people that firmly believes 'once you adopt a dog, you must have it until it dies.' In some cases, the dog may be better off in a different home because sometimes there is a poor match with lifestyle/personality of the dog and/or owner. Been there. I would not hesitate to rehome a dog I have if I felt that the dog was not a good fit for my family and would be better off somewhere else, and have actually done it in the past. Have I missed the dog? Yes. Regretted rehoming the dog? Not a bit. It's never an easy decision because you feel like you owe it to the dog (a lifelong commitment), but it's sometimes for the better of everyone- and there's no sense in holding back when things could be better for everyone involved.

Would I rehome Jackson? Absolutley not. He is very bonded to me and our family and I enjoy his company very much. He seems happy as can be with us as well. When people come to visit, he interacts with them all, but eventually comes back to me to sit by my side.

[KatsMuse]

I personally couldn't/ wouldn't give away any of my dogs. I have too close of a bond with them.

But, I do understand why someone else might.
If it's better for the dog or the family, then I would definitely advise them to do it...sooner rather than later.

Kat

[RowdyDogs]

Not with any of my current dogs, no. I am too closely bonded to them, so the only time I would consider giving them up was if I couldn't care for them properly. The boys especially...Hector and Bandit were both supposed to be my ex's dogs, and they're the two who are completely bonded to me. Bandit just doesn't like anyone else very much, period. Early on I tried to rehome Hector and his first day there he escaped the new house and made his way back to my home 8 miles away--and I didn't even like him at that point (found stray, just so no one attacks me for taking on a dog I didn't like ). His bond with me is even a running joke on my SAR team because of how focused on me he is. And I've had Scooter since he was a pup and he's indispensable to me, so even though he's a bit more social than the others, I couldn't give him up. Wooby is older and newer (I've only had her 3 years; she moved in from my next-door neighbors' house), and because of a lot of factors, we're strongly bonded but not as closely as with the boys. I'd be more likely to give her to someone who she loved and who would really pamper her and love on her, but it's still a long shot. About the only possibility is if I were to break up with my boyfriend (not likely, we're planning marriage and all that)...I'd probably leave her with him, because he loves her like a child.

With the amount of time I spend working with my dogs and the way we live, I can't imagine someone could show up and be more bonded to them than I am. And they have people besides me they love--they adore our pet sitter, who's been looking after them regularly for years; they love our vet; they are totally in love with my boyfriend who is wonderful with them and adores them in return...but when push comes to shove, there's no question they're my dogs. If they suddenly developed that bond with someone else, I might have to consider it just because!

That said, in my life I've found multiple strays that I liked and considered keeping (living in a rural area will do that for you), but did give away to people who just seemed to fit with the dog perfectly, so I'm not totally opposed to it. It really just depends on the situation and the dog--if I wasn't clicking with a dog as I would like or didn't have enough time for it and met someone who did, I'd go for it, but with a dog I'm really bonded with, I don't think it would even come up.