I am so sad

[Michelle in KC]

I am letting my Mom take my "Baby" dog home with her this weekend. Mom is 54 and is a widow. I don't want her to be alone.

Baby is a small dog, a Jack Russell/Rat terrier mix who is 14 months old, spayed, house trained, crate trained, and has lovely manners. She goes with me everywhere and is truly MY baby.

I am so sad thinking of her not being with me here is Mtn.Home, but my Mom lives 320 miles away (in KC)and is alone.

Mom is excited about having Baby with her. I know Mom can give Baby a geat home.

I have 2 other dogs. Zack is almost 2 and is a smooth collie mix and Daisy Mae is a 7 1/2 month old chocolate labrador. So it's not as if I'd be without a dog to love on. I'd just be without Baby.

Baby is the one that I depend on to go with me to hang out the clothes on the line. She would take on any animal. She alerts me to any snakes (or turtles) in the yard. I take her on walks in the woods with me.

So, since this is such a great thing for me to do for my Mom (so she won't be all alone) why am I so sad?

Michelle

[work it]

What an angel. You love Baby and that is why you are sad. Sounds like baby will make a great friend for your mom? Just wondering though why baby and not one of the other 2 or why not go to the shelter with your mom and pick out a new friend together for her.
Teisha

[Michelle in KC]

Mom needs a small dog. Baby is around 16 pounds. The other 2 are BIG dogs (65+ pounds). Besides, Baby has the best "manners" out of the 3. And Mom lives in a duplex. I live on 250 acres of mainly wooded land.

I've thought of getting a pound puppy for Mom, but then I worry about her not training the new dog like it should be. Mom had a big dog once about 3 years ago, right after Dad died. She was not consistant in training, and he chewed up everything in the house, peed all over, and she was constantly bruised from him jumping on her. He did not have any obedience training. And he was not neutered. He ended up going to live with my sister and was trained well and placed in a good home with room for him to run.

[Katrina]

You are giving a part of yourself to your mother so that she may be happier....but it is impossible to not miss that part of your somewhat...I praze you for your great kindness and love :woohoo: :woohoo: You need to understand that the part of you you gave to your mother is not gone....just in a different location to take on a different job..... :dogrun: You have a lot of love in heart to give and you did a great ammount of giving by giving something so important to you.....which leads me to believe that the 2 dogs you still have will grow in their kindness to you to help you through this.

:grouphug: :puppy: :grouphug: :kiss:

[blondiecat]

I admire you. It would have been so hard for me to give up one of my babies to someone. You should be proud of yourself, that was a caring and unselfish thing you did for your Mom. Look at it like this Baby isn't really gone he/she is just up the road a ways and you can always visit. I have been known to call the house when I'm out of town and leave a message on the answering machine for my babies to hear. Maybe you can call your Mom and talk to Baby at the same time.

[Zookeeper]

Hello Michelle, I think that is a great thing you did for your mom & Baby too.I'm sure she will spoil Baby too.The best part about it is you can go and see Baby when you are able and I like the idea of calling and talking with Baby.
I know it makes a difference to animals when they hear your voice mine sure get excited when I call home and talk (so my family tells me any ways) Thankfully that dose not happen to often.
I'm sorry you feel at a loss,maybe you can bond with your other 2 now a little more.
Best of luck I know it will feel right in time,you know they say time heals all wounds.Maybe you where ment to give away Baby to help your mom in some kind of way that you just haven't seen yet.I'm sure your Mom is a much happier person because of your kindness.
Take care. Love,Zookeeper Kim

[Michelle in KC]

Mom called to tell me that Baby did well last night. She slept with my Mom in bed and hogged the pillow. Baby did get up once in the night to get her rawhide bone and lay back down with it. Never did chew on it, just wanted it near. Baby is also making sure Mom knows when she needs out. She did the door dance and hurried outside and did her business. Today was her first full day alone. We'll see how it went. I hope Mom took my advice and left her in her crate while she was at work. I'd hate to think of the mess that could be made if not.

My other 2 dogs, Zack and Daisy Mae are just confused right now. They saw Baby leave with Grandma. I've told them Baby went to be a city dog and live with Grandma. There is such an empty space now. Daisy Mae never barks unless she is trying to get Zack to play with her. Zack will bark, but we never took it serious unless Baby barked at something too. Now I am constantly looking out the window at things he's barking at. Usually it's nothing.

O-well. I'll live. Life goes on.

[XoChelsey03Xo]

Awww how sad. I'm sure your baby will be just fine. It's your mother that will have her. She'll be fine with your mom. At least you still have a way of knowing how she is doing. Chelsey