Bye Bye Max

This is a hard post for me. I almost didn't post this, but I don't want to look back over my posts and have painted an unrealistic picture of this perfect family that I don't recognize. This blog is for me, and I need to post this because there is so much to learn from this experience.

After 3 months with Max I had to face the music, three small kids in the house and a puppy that was not house trained, and that chewed everything in his reach had put me over the edge. There was stress, tears, ruined furniture, soiled carpet--and then there were things the puppy did HA! Seriously, having the dog was as much work and as time consuming as having a 4th child. He was just so darn cute. I was attached, my kids were attached, but I was losing my mind taking the og out constantly, trying to watch him in the house , and then deal with the issues of the kids. I felt like my kids had taken a back burner to the needs of the dog. After one of those "moments" Z said he would ask around at work and see if anyone wanted Max. I wasn't expecting anyone to jump at the offer of a free "mutt" puppy that was driving me crazy, but I think the Lord knew that I needed an out. Z came home about a week later with the news that one of the guys he worked with would take Max. Z knows the guy well, he has 2 boys and a fenced in back yard. He had plans to make Max an outside dog with occasional visits in the house. A situation that I felt would be a better fit for Max, and hopefully help me hold onto what little sanity I have.

I knew that this was what had to be done, but deciding to actually give Max away was very difficult. The kids were very sad, S suffered the most. Still 3 weeks later, they talk about Max everyday. Sometimes I think I made the wrong decision, difficult or not I had made the commitment to bring Max into our family and to let my children fall in love with him. Only to have complete failure with the training of Max and 31/2 months later give him away. I had to be honest with S and tell her the truth about the dog. I had to come clean that mommy did not use the best judgement in getting the dog, and that I felt giving Max away was what we needed to do. She has been very understanding about the situation, but just sad about the fact that Max is no longer here.

She and I have both learned a lot about each other and ourselves during this situation. She has learned that life can be disappointing and that things do not always turn out like you want. When that happens you have to cope. She has broken my heart and made me proud all at the same time. While she still missed Max, she found ways within herself to deal with that. She helped me pack his "bags" sending his special toys with him, and picked out some favorite pictures of her and Max to put in a frame. I am happy to say that, although she still talks about Max she is not sad like she was at the beginning. She wishes we didn't have to give him away, but is glad he has a new family that is a better fit for him right now. It was very hard to watch her deal with this because I knew her pain was based on a decision I had made.

As for what I have learned... It will be a long time before we ever consider a new family pet. If we ever consider getting another dog it will have to have a fenced in back yard. I definitely should have thought out the decision to get a puppy, obviously I had forgotten how much work a puppy can be. I have also learned how I want my decisions to positively impact my family. As a mom, with kids I am beginning to realize that my decisions don't just impact me, they impact my kids as well. I know that S will be fine, she is a great kid and adaptable, but it hurt so much seeing her hurt from a decision I had made. Everything happens for a reason and in the end, Max was rescued from the pound and given and good home and we were a part of that. Maybe one day a long, long time from now we can return the favor and rescue someone from a pet that was a bad decision for them!!