Loss of a Best Friend

October 8, 2007

Today we had to give our youngest dog into rescue. Her name is Cassie and she is a 5 year old Australian Shepherd. I came late into dog ownership and she was my very first dog and I am heartbroken that she had to leave our family. But her jealousy of the baby has not gotten any better and it will only increase when a new child comes into our house. About four months ago, she began licking a spot on her leg until it was raw. Because of that, we put her in an e-collar (those satellite things) and hoped it would heal. It hasn't been healing. Every time I take the collar off to wash it and brush her, she starts licking it again and its raw all over. So she's been in the collar for four months.

We though perhaps a muzzle would help, instead of the e-collar, so we talked to the doctor and found a good one. And then we discovered she was peeing on the carpet and the furniture upstairs. In fact, we'd scold her for doing it right in front of us and she'd go do it somewhere else.

Not to mention the e-collar was being used as a weapon against Dagny. So we decided the best thing for our family and for Cassie would be to find her a new home where she could be an only dog and be loved. And she will be, she's a wonderful little dog. She just doesn't fit with our family anymore.

That doesn't make it easier. She is my little darling, has been for awhile. We got her when she was a puppy and she was my baby until Dagny came along. So I'm feeling pretty miserable. She left with Marc this morning at 3:30 AM to be delivered to the rescue lady. We checked the groups references, their track record, and I know she will be cared for until she finds a good home, but I miss her already. Our older dog, Atlas, cried when she left. I know that sounds weird, but he refused to go back to sleep and has been wandering around the house sniffing her favorite places.

We'll get better, but right now this really hurts.