With all the incredible excitement taking place this summer, we were totally looking forward to getting away on our camping trip for a week of bliss. The excitement of preparing, gathering, loading & finally leaving!! Youngest daughter traveled with us, taking one of the dogs, while I had the firewood trailer and the 2 other 4-legged fur babies, and hubby towed the boat. With a bit of juggling and a couple of extra trips into town, the boat was launched and all the vehicles back at camp. We were gradually getting our site set-up our style.
Saturday started off with friends arriving for a day of boating, Getting everything down to the water, floaties, coolers, chairs and of course the dogs. This is when things started to go side ways. Our youngest dog, had been challenging over the last week or so with trying to be dominant over the other two dogs. Our lab is very passive and just put up with this. Well the pup really took after our lab and this was not to be tolerated. They were separated and the pup disciplined. Now I will cut to what my hubby said so eloquently as it says it all –
“For those who don’t know yet – we had an excellent week of camping holiday – it was however, marred by the worst day of our pet owning lives.
Something snapped with Bueller (one of our rottis) on day two of camping. He got very very snarly and took after Mac (our lab) in a totally uncharacteristic way. A bit later, when he was being disciplined for other behaviour, he bit another person AND Teresa!
Please no comments in favour or against what our decision was – it is what it is and he was OUR responsibility. Hurts like hell as it’s the first time I have ever had to euthanize for anything other than purely humanitarian (putting the animal out of pain) reasons. I only write this to alleviate having to answer the inevitable “where’s Bueller” questions that are bound to arise. I really really really don’t want to discuss it nor hear about what possible alternatives we had – it serves nothing.
Truly truly missing him today as I get the yard back in shape after a week or so of neglect. He was truly my back yard buddy and I’m gonna miss him dearly.
RIP my favourite little PITA
I am soooo sorry”
The heart is still very heavy and hurting. Each time we turn around we are missing our loving pup – so young, so full of life but something changed. Something we will never know or understand. I am struggling with this daily, wondering if things could have been different but this is only torturing myself. We did what we had to do.
The house is quieter, the other two dogs are more settled – no ALPHA energy or tension. We will move on but not without another puppy paw on our hearts – heavy hearts.
Peace & blessings my friends
Summer 2011 – gone but never forgotten